Time for an Update?

Is it time for an update? I don't know that there is much to update on... let me think.
Well, for starters, you are being bombarded with post now because I have been saving them. I was hoping to find my camera and put pictures with my posts but it looks like it may be lost forever. Just in case I do find it, I'll be sure to back post some pictures. I think most of the pictures I had on my camera were from the Snodgress reunion so we'll just start from here. I have been taking pictures with my phone for now and so I have a couple from Lizzie's first day back to school which were in the last post and I have a bunch more from my phone of the little things we've been up to, but before I start throwing random pictures on here:
* Rick got his bagpipes, Finally. I will have to post the very first time he attempted to play them because it was kind of comical but not in the I'm-going-to-make-fun-of-you kind of way but just funny enough because Penny was in the room and didn't know what to think. It took her all of one minute to start crying. She is more used to the sound now so we don't get the same reaction from her. In case you were wondering.
*Rick also got a new calling in the ward. He is now the Assistant ward clerk.

*I have been doing some scrap booking because I'm thinking I will use up what I have left and then retire my scrap booking days. It's all about digital scrap booking now so I think it will be that from here on out but I am still scrap booking things I had laying around already and the things that can't be digitally replicated-children's Art work and such. I have been organizing and trying my darndest to not go insane on a daily basis. We are outliving the basement and it brings a lot of frustrations for me from time to time. Normalcy would be a nice thing to have in my life but since it's Everything but Normal, I am just doing what I can. We have some plans in the works but I won't go into it because I don't know the when? where? whats? IF's and But's about any of it yet. We are close but not close enough yet....Come October, I may have more to update on. For now, It's just life-crazy, fun, hectic life we all absorb ourselves in.
*I am back to playing co-ed volleyball once or twice a week and then I will be starting the grass league soon. I miss running. I haven't ran since the midnight 5k. I have had some knee problems and I have been very hesitant to start up again. I do miss it though and think about it often, especially on perfect running days...or rainy days. I love running in the rain!

Okay, so we went to the Children's museum in St. George...Finally! I have been meaning to take the kids for so long and we finally did it thanks to my sister for coming up with the idea and making us all join her. The kids had a blast and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit too.

Also, the kids were going stir crazy one day, so I made them a mud bath and they loved it! It was outside in the sand pit. They were covered from head to toe and it was fun for me to watch and take pictures- I really enjoy it when they are having fun.
Aside from the nasty Flu we all had, there hasn't been much else happening... For now.

1st day of 1st grade

I can't believe it. My Lizzie is gone for a full day now. It's hard for me to grasp this concept still, as it is the first day. Honestly, I thought I would be that mom that just dropped her off and went on with my day like no big deal, but turns out, it was a BIG FREAKIN DEAL!!  And it wasn't until my day turned into CrAzy, PSychOtic, ChAOs that I realized just how big a deal it was.
It didn't help that I was sick the few days prior and didn't get the clothes organized, house cleaned and supplies bought for school yet. I was unprepared in the BIGGEST sense of the word. I had fully intended to keep Lizzie home the first day of school because she had thrown up only the night before and I hadn't thought she'd be ready to go. I also SECRETLY think I wanted to keep her home because I wasn't ready for her to go.
But she woke up, early even, and was more than excited to go back to school. I couldn't resist the excited begging anymore and her insistent, " Mom, I'm okay... I feel fine... I want to go to school!" I had hoped she would want to stay home but I was also happy that she was happy to get back to school. She was a little nervous not knowing where her classroom was but once I showed her and we found her desk she was just fine and her quirky, silly self. I couldn't take more than tiny little baby steps the whole way out of the classroom and my eyes never left her as I watched for even a minute longer after stepping out of the door. I think I was hoping to see her talking with her desk-mates and smiling all the while, but when is it ever like that for a kids first day of school? Of course, she was nervous. But this obvious fact known to me, made me even more nervous for her. I honestly don't think I have anything to be nervous about with Lizzie. She is fun loving and one of the most sweetest, like-able little girls there is, but I couldn't help it. It was the mommy in me.
I teared up on the way home as I had done her first day of Kindergarten. I assumed that would be all just like it was then but I admit there was more than one occurrence where I found myself in tears randomly, during the day. I missed my Lizzie but I think Lincoln missed her more. He was going crazy with boredom and insisted on picking on his baby sister constantly except for the time he spent attached to my hip, getting under my feet or using me as his own personal jungle gym. I refer to myself as his "personal jungle gym" quite often because that is literally how it makes me feel and now I can feel sympathy towards an inanimate object, which is just a bit on the cooky side I think. I spent all morning with Lincoln playing Legos but it wasn't enough and when I was trying to take care of a sick, teething Penny, he didn't like that my full attention was no longer on him and he made that known.
Just imagine for a minute, or don't...whatever you will. I had pulled out about five totes of clothes to search through or organize and piles and piles of clothes covered my living room floor. I had a mountain of blankets and laundry that still needed washing after the weekend of sick kids and me. And although, I had the worst of the pukey stuff cleaned, my OCD was thinking it was best to clean everything that was touched in the process of this Flu that passed through our home, which meant there was still that remaining mountain of laundry. I literally stood in the one clear inch of my living room and looked around at the chaos and then added the two crying children climbing up my leg and suddenly felt claustrophobic. I wanted to run away...far, far away. I could go on with this scenario but I won't. It's far too exhausting even when I'm not living it.
 Thankfully, I came to my senses at some point and a sweet text from my mom helped me to relax and gain a new perspective. My mom is the lunch lady at the school and got to see Lizzie. She said, she looked darling with her hair curled and done up and talking with the kids. It is such a blessing to have my mom working there and that simple text was just what I needed.
My day turned around from that point on and just moments later when Lincoln had me laughing about something he was doing and Penny was taking her nap, I was able to look back at how crazy I was acting all morning and laugh about all of it. It definitely made me realize just how big a deal it was for Lizzie's first day and even more so, I realize all the adjusting we will be doing along with this. Lincoln knew that Lizzie would be off at 3:30 and so he constantly ran back and forth from the clock in the bedroom to the living room where I was because he wanted to check for a three or a zero. It was darling how much he missed her.
Need I say, that picking up Lizzie from school was our most favorite part of the day!
I'm hoping you all had better first days of school and I'm actually looking forward to taking her back because she said she had so much fun! I'm so glad she did and I know that it may take us some time to adjust but we'll be just fine soon enough and I enjoy the one on one time I get with Lincoln.

Snodgress Reunion

This year was one of the best yet! I absolutely married into one of the best families. I consider myself a very lucky girl indeed. Aunt Christy was absolutely wonderful with the kids and planned some very fun activities for them all. Aunt Chris and Uncle Kevin have maintained their five star status as the best chefs ever. Uncle Jeff remains the most interesting picture taker and best hug giver around. Auntie Angie and Aunt Sherrel are some of my kids favorites and secretly mine too, but they don't top the best of them- The oh, so popular Aunt B with her Rambo (Friend to all kids) and Aunt Jazzy! The very like-able JACK and JON are very high up the list. Lizzie absolutely adores Jack! I truly appreciate him for how wonderful he is with my kids. Jon being one of the newest to the family is working his way up and charming the kids nicely. I have the very best family and I am so thankful for them all. I really loved seeing Kelly and Don, but once again, It just wasn't long enough. Miley, Ava and Lizzie became fast friends and were inseparable the whole time. I now know what it's like to have a kid old enough to play and not need supervision often. It was a weird reality for me but nice, I guess. I'm kinda one of those crazies that would like to keep my babies, babies forever. But she is a beautiful young lady and plays well with all her cousins and that makes me one happy momma.
Everyone in this family plays a special part and it would take me forever to go through them all but I hope they know how much they are loved and the huge impressions they have made on me. I love them all!
This year was filled with games whether poker, Risk, Cribbage, or Balooza(?) jelly beans, it was a load of fun. We had the usual horse shoe tournament and quilt squares. There was the campfire and roasting marshmallows. And a crazy rock climbing adventure that I was happy I had the chance to be a part of. Climbing took me back to the old days. I hung out with a group of friends that were very into rock climbing and I got into myself. It was a blast and I had forgotten how much I miss it. Danny took the small group we got together and was kind enough to do so and let the group use all of his equipment. It was Danny, Steven, Austin, Jon, Jasmin and I that went. The conversation there and back never got dull and there was plenty to laugh about. We all took a turn climbing and I was just glad we all took a stab at it. It was fun cheering every one on and watching their technique. I made it to the top and being up there was the best feeling. I looked out over the trees and it was one of the most beautiful views. There was a tree covered hill and wide long fields of pretty green grass and gorgeous mountains in the distance. I couldn't help but shout how extremely gorgeous it was up there. The sounds of the sheep bellowing down below was just an added bonus to the beauty that surrounded us. And a slight sprinkle that unpredictably kissed my skin was the cherry on top. Honestly, I wanted to stay up there for a long time, but there was more that needed a turn. So I rappelled down and continued to cheer on the rest of the bunch. We were going to finish up but Austin wanted to go again. He was half way up when Steven decided to climb over on a ledge that was just to the side of the cliff Austin was climbing. He looked over just in time to see the flash of lightning in the distance and then immediately following it, the loudest crackle of Thunder I've ever heard was echoing off of all the rocks around us. I admit, it took me by surprise and I reacted as if a tree might be falling on us. The sound continued for more than a second and the hairs on our arms stood straight up. Austin  turned and said, I want to come down now and immediately following his return to the ground, was pouring rain and then hail. We were being pelted and soaked in seconds. We had to ditch the last carabiners and quickly headed down the hill back to the car. The mudslide road was the next adventure to embark on at this point and it was quite the adventure indeed. Not only did we get stuck for a moment in the sludge but we also almost slid right into a tree around the next turn and then lo and behold there was a Magic button that made the rest of the trip down the mountain a rather safe ride but still a bit slippery with some tree smacking-you-in-the-face kind of laughter. Danny did an excellent job getting us down the mountain, safe and sound.  Although, after slipping around so much in the beginning, being on the side of the car with a ledge view was a bit unnerving, but not once did I feel in any serious danger. It was actually pretty fun. Call me crazy, if you want; but we made some pretty freakin' fantastic memories on this trip. And I loved every second of it!