living life at it's highest

FIRST: I have to state that Jake made up for his presents last year and any other year that he has forgot or whatever came up. He really outdid himself this year. I'm still shaking my head in wonder and amazement..........

Jake's present on his card yesterday stated that it needed to be picked up Friday at 10:45 a.m. in town. I guess what he forgot to say was that we needed to be picked up at 10:45 a.m.Yes, Jake was taking me on an airplane ride. It was a good thing he kept it a surprise because I'm not sure that I would have agreed if I would have known. My first reaction was panic. I was terrified because you always hear of small plane crashes. My second thought was my nerves. My third thought was WOW!!!!Meet Sage. Jake always knows the right people. Jake is Sage's home teacher and a few weeks ago they concocted this idea of flying to Sun Valley for lunch. I think I asked some really stupid questions at the beginning, I didn't know what to think and I was trying to reassure myself. Ha ha. Then again Sage is a flight instructor and probably gets that all the time.I couldn't look up at takeout, much less out the window. But after a few minutes I got the camera out and looked at the view. It was amazing. (I was still a little shaky at this point). Up high, you can see how much lava spreads over Idaho. However, we soon found out that lava causes turbulence.We also saw some of the mountains that like to hide in Idaho.We made it to Sun Valley and at this point it was getting easier for me. We went had a delicious lunch and drove around. On the way back, I was ready to sit in front. However it took me awhile to finally take the controls. It took a little pushing but I handled them for about 3 minutes. The turbulence was stronger on the way back and I realized that I have the roller coaster effect when you all of a sudden go up and down - or side to side - A tiny scream will escape. We even had enough time to do a fly by over our house and over a friend's house. It's so amazing to think that in such a tiny space you can fly so far and so high. So in the end.....

I would definitely do this again without thinking twice.

Turning 3 decades old

I've had a hard time with 30.
I don't want to be thirty. I like my twenties. Thirty is a whole different meaning to me. I don't like aging, or thinking about aging. I don't like it but it's something that I will obviously have to deal with.

Jake surprised me with breakfast in bed. I don't think he has ever done this. He actually woke up at 6:30 and got all the kids up and wrapped their presents and fixed breakfast. I was in shock. The kids picked out wonderful gifts and it was a great morning.For my birthday, I wanted to do a big project. It involved a lot of WORK and LABOR! Jake wasn't too thrilled. Ever since McKay had a garden last year, all my kids want one too. So instead of individual gardens everywhere, I wanted to expand the one we had to have one big "family" garden. I wanted to take the garden up to the well (hose and tap) in the yard. Jake wasn't to keen with the idea. The only way he agreed was if we could dig up the whole right side of the yard, make it 1/3 garden and 2/3 rock so he could put his play set there that he built last year. He doubled the work but of course, I agreed. (The sod we cut out was put around the in-ground trampoline in the other corner.) It was the only way I could get my way.

So for my birthday, this is what I wanted. We have had bad luck with the different sod cutters, and ended up pulling it with the four wheeler. It was also a lot more grass than I thought it was. Our muscles ache, but it's worth it (no matter how much Jake says it's not.) So tomorrow, we will get up early to finish but the kids and I are excited to finally plant our garden this weekend.

As for 30, I guess it's just my first anniversary of my 29th birthday.

It's always fun when grandpa comes....

....when Grandpa comes Hooray!Grandpa's visiting for two weeks and my kids are just eating (sleeping) it up!

Babysitting

Jake and I had to run out of town for a quick trip last weekend so we asked my brother and his wife, Haley, to watch the kids for a day and a half. They are expecting their first in July, so it would be a true test. So while I forgot my camera (and took no pictures as we drove across the Hoover Dam,) my brother captured many for memories.Mike was stoked. He cleaned and planned and prepared. They played with rabbits. (I can already see McKay plotting on how she is going to convince us to get a bunny.)They played on playgrounds and got plenty of "push me highers".They were smart and fed them kid favorites.Cruz was all smiles, and rather easy, as always.Kirsten showed how some girls love to talk, and talk, and talk.You also realize that in a two bedroom apartment (the same one that I once lived in when I had McKay) that it doesn't stay very "neat".

Katanya made a new best friend by the time it was over.... ....And after we picked them back up Sunday afternoon, I'm sure Mikey felt like this. Although I know he will be a great dad!

How high is the mountain?

This week, Jake is back to digging. So far the weather had been cold, windy and just really crummy. Yesterday, I'm hoping was the turn. Today was a beautiful 89 degrees. Whenever Jake digs his "mountains", my kids are in heaven. Tonka Toys just don't cut it when your sandbox is this big.

Jake is wondering, any guesses on how high the pile is?

(One more post will follow, hopefully).

Genius, Pure Genius

Jake didn't want to brag or boast on this, but I am really proud of him. So I will. The second week of May took Jake to finals. All through the year, he would come home after a test and say, "That test was hard, I think I got a B." He never said this jokingly, always serious. I stopped believing him after about the fourth test or so when it came back in the high 90's.

Jake took a total of 39 credits this year (17 first semester, 22 second semester) and got straight A's. He's starting out right with this year's GPA of 4.0!

I've said this before, but he always says he is a genius. I really think he is one too.

What have we been up to?

Wow. Where does the time go? Here's a little May update. We started off the month with friends over for dinner and we introduced them to Rock Band. How could you not have played Rock Band?This leads me to another story. For the past 9 years I have used the same hair stylist. Even when we moved to Idaho, I've kept going back to Utah to the same great girl that I trust, (and she is a good friend.) So after I had inches of roots showing, and getting sick of the "grow-out" stage, and not knowing how long it was til I could make it down, I tried a friend and old neighbor for a cut and color. This is HUGE for me. It turned out great and I'm happy with it.

Stay tuned throughout the day to see more.......(It gets better, I promise.)

"Roger darling...."

McKay played Anita in her "101 Dalmations" play yesterday. She did a great job and her sweet personality fit the role perfectly. Way to go!