My lastest Crafty Addition

I have been looking for months to find a good solution to end my nagging to get the kids to be more responsible. I found a similar idea to mine but of course, I had to make it my own and make it work for us. Thanks to "Signs by Jodi 2", my go to girl for fabulous vinyl lettering, for making them individual and ADORABLE! I let each child pick out their colors and clip art for their charts. I got the steel at Lowes. It was the most expensive and the BIGGEST pain in the butt to cut. Thanks to a great friend for helping me! I used old wood frames I already had and painted them black. I only had 3 frames that's why A2 doesn't have one yet. I figured it was ok since she really isn't old enough to really help with much. :) I found the really cute different magnets at Office depot for $2. In the end my total cost per chart was about $8. Not too shabby for individually framed magnetic charts. I hope they live up to the expectations I have placed on them! We shall see. I'll keep you posted.

Inspirational Thought for the day... OPTIMISM!!!!!

Let us not partake of the negative spirit so rife in our times. There is so much of the sweet and the decent and the beautiful to build upon. We are partakers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel means “good news!” The message of the Lord is one of hope and salvation! The voice of the Lord is a voice of glad tidings! The work of the Lord is a work of glorious accomplishment!

In a dark and troubled hour the Lord said to those He loved: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

These great words of confidence are a beacon to each of us. In Him we may indeed have trust. For He and His promises will never fail.

I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we “accentuate the positive.” I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort.

What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good among those with whom we associate, that we speak of one another’s virtues more than we speak of one another’s faults, that optimism replace pessimism, that our faith exceed our fears.



My thoughts..... DO BETTER SHENA!!!!!

Girls just Wanna Have FuN.... Mommies TOO!

Daughters are just a blessing to have!

I went to a craft show bag in November and met "The Great Jewelry Heist" ladies. This gave me the idea for this party. I'm not a huge birthday party thrower. I like making birthdays a BIG family event. But I do very much enjoy my girls night. A1 is always disappointed that these girls nights are usually only for me and my friends. So I decided to do a Mother/Daughter party. I remember mother/daughter parties growing up with my mom. The RS use to have one about once a year. I LOVED them and looked forward to them. I felt like A1 was old enough for such a party. .A1 also enjoys getting her "mommy pedicure" about once a month. I thought this would be really fun for the little girls. Such little princesses they are! They were so cute lined up in a row soaking their feet. The party was a big success. We missed a few of our guests that couldn't make it but had a blast. I think it was a nice relaxing night for both the mom's and their daughters. I may have to make this a yearly event. SO MUCH FUN!
I am blessed to have such fun little girls!

P was such a big helper. She went around helping everyone string their beads.

She sat with Mom for quite awhile helping her.

A1 was just so thrilled to have her friends over! This is such a rare occasion in our house. I'm not a huge party thrower.

She changed her mind MANY times before deciding on this bracelet. She lined them up how she wanted and then I helped her string them on. Little happy camper!

Our party was for our entire girl family, well, minus A2. We were glad they came even though there were a bunch of 4-5 year olds running around. I love my in-laws!

Cute Bracelets Ladies!

This was a down moment for Sassy. It was WAY after her 7:30 bedtime. She didn't want her picture taken at this particular time.

Little ladies eating cookies and punch while watching Barbie movie.
This was awesome!
The little girls just sat there so the moms could make their jewelry
and have an adult conversation.

A1 wanted this one taken because she was sorry for being a stinker in the other picture.
I just love her! :)

How adorable are they?

50 little piggies painted pretty!

Go with Faith

It's days like this that I'm so grateful that the good in our lives out weigh the bad. It just stinks that the bad stuff is often major things so they don't feel so little and unimportant. However, since there is a bounty of good things it's easier to stay positive. I can't speak for Cheeto but as for me, it really helps that I have been blessed to hang out all day with 4 of the most fabulous kids. It's hard to be depressed and mopey when your 15 month old runs into your lap and just starts laughing for no reason or when your 4 year old says, "Mom, I just want to be with you. I don't care what you're doing. I just want to be with you!" Makes me feel pretty darn important, even if it's only in the eyes of a child. I have 2 sons that help me where I slack. They are so good to help and protect their sisters. Just last night C spotted a cockroach in the living room and told Sassy not to come in until he had killed it. He did kill it too. I hate cockroaches! I'm blessed to have a son that will clean up throw up, poopy diapers and clothes, and kill bugs for me! I'm very grateful for the hard work that Cheeto does to provide for us. Between him starting a new business, taking tests, serving in the YM, and working full time we see little of him. But he tries his best to keep everyone happy and to see us as much as he can. It's been a hard, LONG, stressful year on him, well, on all of us. But through it all, I can't say it's been horrible. I have surprised myself at how strong I can be in rough times. I always thought be a pillar and standing side-by-side we can get through anything. Going on faith alone is a hard lesson to learn. And though, I have yet to conquer that lesson, I believe that I have a better understanding of what faith is. As the saying goes.... "I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it." It sure isn't easy... but it most definitely be worth it!

Valentine Cuteness

The only reason I'm posting this, I know it's way past Valentines people, is because the dress that Sassy is wearing is from a great friend of ours that moved away. It was her little girl's and I thought she might like to see it being loved again. We LOVE this red dress. I love red on my kids! It's just an awesome color for all of them. It sucks that I don't find more clothes in that color. Thanks D for the fabulous wardrobe!

THIS IS HILARIOUS!!!!

WARNING PG-13!!!!!
(hope this makes you smile today Cheeto!)



Don't get me wrong... I really enjoyed the series.
But there are those that take it WAY to far!

Happy Birthday to me...

I have been blessed with THE GREATEST family! Cheeto didn't have time to make my cake this year unless it was the day before. I told him the kids would love to do it. C has been baking cakes and brownies pretty much alone for months now. So when the boys got home from school that's what they did. I love this picture of them. Even little A2 was in on the help... she was content to sit by them on their stool. SO CUTE!

Putting on the final touches.

I just love these people! Such cheesers some of them are!
Thank you everyone for such a great birthday! It was nice relaxing day.

A1 was thrilled that my present was wrapped in a Tinker Bell gift bag.
What was inside?

A PANTHERS SWEATSHIRT!
Thanks Mom and Dad (A and C) for some extra change.
Cheeto and the kids got me a gym membership.
SO EXCITED to get back in there and kick my butt back into shape!

Greensboro Children's Museum

I decided a couple of weeks ago to use some of A2's being born/Christmas/birthday/de los Reyes money to buy a Children's Museum membership. We have loved it and have already gone enough times to have paid for the membership twice.

One afternoon we went and saw the Barnum and Bailey Circus clowns. A1 thought they were "ok" from a distance but REFUSED to get in a pictures with us.

A2 playing at the receptionist desk.
A1 wanted me to sit A2 in this chair and leave her there to play with the keyboard.

Nonie's House is A1's FAVORITE place to play.
It's a little house with everything built to children's size. LOTS of FUN! A2 enjoys playing the doctor's office nursery.
We dressed all the babies.


We rocked and walked all of the babies.
And gave out lots of LOVES!A1 was asked to be the co-leader of the Mardi Gras Parade. She felt so special.

Snow, sNow, snOw, and more snoW

It's been an usually snowy winter for us. The kids have had a blast playing in it AND missing lots of school because of the beautiful white stuff. This was a fun afternoon for the boys. A1 got in a little trouble before they left and was unable to go because of it.

G'pa and the boys

Newest Knitting Project

My sister is amazingly talented. She comes up with some of the funnest knitting projects. I have seen this "idea" before but haven't quite liked the end result. The pattern she came up with is awesome. When I was out west you would see these headbands on EVERYONE! It's the perfect solution to keeping your ears warm without wearing a hat and still looking very stylish. Our girls have worn them around and I have actually taken orders from random people that stop and ask about them. E you ROCK!

Cheeto's Belated Birthday Party

Cheeto's birthday was an interesting one this year. Because I was in Idaho on the actual day I really wanted to do a party with him and the kids when I got home, even if it was against his will. He was very stubborn in trying to get him to play along. I made him a chocolate strawberry filled cake. I thought it turned out nice and it tasted delicious. Of course, he would request Panthers. This made the boys happy too!

Tribute to Grandma C

There are so many things I have remembered about Grandma in the past few weeks. I never got to know my Grandma B like I did Grandma C. Grandma B past away from a brain tumor when she was in her early 60's. Of course, I still thought that was old. She was a grandma after all. However, now that I'm almost the age of my mom when she lost her mom. I have to say, she was not that old at all! Actually pretty young. Grandma C was probably THE MOST kind and loving woman will you ever have met. She NEVER talked bad about anyone. Of course, we all know she thought it at times, but unkind words never left her lips. I can only think of one occasion where she spoke ill of someone but it was because of ignorance rather than really knowing them. She quickly apologized and that was it. She was THE GREATEST cook. I LOVED her BLT's. To this day I can't eat one without thinking of her. She knew I loved bacon and tomato and had them always on hand so I could have one when "I" felt like it. She also knew each one of my siblings favorite treats and had them out and a spare bag just in case. For me... it was cinnamon bears. I really enjoyed that they lived across the street from the school and church. This made a safe haven for all of us kids to go on lunch breaks, after school between practices, while mom and dad had church meetings so didn't want to wait in the halls. I always thought it odd that she never said good-bye. Even when I would call her on the phone, she would end the conversation in 'alright'. And when we left leave their house, on cold days she would stand behind the screen door, say "come again", and wave until we couldn't see her, on the good days she would stand on the porch. Sunday dinners were always fun, especially when we were younger. She would have this fancy lace aprons she would let Alyssa and I wear and pretend we worked in a restaurant. They had a kitchen bar thing in their basement we would play at for hours as well. Grandma would let us take cookies, crackers and water down and pretend down there as well. I believe it was Grandma's basement that made me afraid of the dark. You had to walk down a long dark hallway to get to the light switch. Kyle use to think it was funny to hide and scares us down there. I loved taking naps on her leather couch. It just had an extra comfyness about it. My room was always the green room. Alyssa stayed in the pink and Ryan in the white. It's like we had a home away from home. I remember lots of bowls of brown sugar. Yep- plain brown sugar. I know my mom wasn't crazy about us eating straight sugar but we loved that Grandma gave it to us. For awhile Grandma and Grandpa stayed in a trailer in our backyard. Now that was AWESOME! I remember watching the Price is Right over there almost daily. I can still remember sitting up against the window on the back of the couch doing her hair while we watched it. She would ask Alyssa and I regularly if we wanted to do our nails over there. She had an open cupboard of cosmetics and such for us to play with. We all, at one time or another, mowed their yard. Even though we were teenagers, she was so nervous about us driving the mower in the ditch so she would sit on the porch or look out the window watching us the entire time. I also remember that she LOVED MATH! She was so good at it. Anytime I went over there and did homework, she was ask, "You have arithmetic?" She really just wanted to look through our text books. She was always good help too.
Her and Grandpa came to almost every home game, play, dance performance or awards assembly. They supported us as much as our parents did. Grandma never spoke much doctrine but you knew she lived it. You just knew. She had such a presence about her. She showed me through example that you don't have to be able to quote scripture and doctrine to be a excellent member of the church. The quiet sister in the corner has just as good as testimony as the one that stands up and bears it all of the time.
Thank you Grandma for all the years of caring for us. You were definitely one of a kind We were blessed to have you a part of our lives! In the words of A1, Love you Much and we know that you are happier where you are now with Grandpa!

Mom and I at the grave site. OH... it was such a cold, snowy, Idaho January day!
Becky and K1
Remembering Sweet Allie
The entire family minus Ryan's family and the rest of mine. 8 of the 12 grand daughters.