Puppies are getting bigger!

These puppies are so photogenic with my new camera!
I can't wait to get the kids with them!

Christmas with the Papes

With Cristal and Pauls wonderful help we made Tamales on Christmas eve. Two trips to the grocery store, just for beef broth! Even though it was at the top of my list, I forgot it the first time.
This year for Christmas Dusty, Me, Gracie, Sharon, (Dusty's mom from Lake Havasu) and Dennis (Dusty's Dad) spent Christmas morning together opening gifts. Gracie didn't have much time to explore her new gifts before she was off to her moms house for more presants. Dusty got me the same camera that the Whites have! Yeah! I love to be able to take pictures of my family. They all grow up so fast.
Then it was off to my parents house to have breakfast and open more gifts! Lucky for my dad I got him a glue on mustache.
Monday will bring my kids, and more gift opening! I will be so happy to spend some time with them. Christmas week feels so long.

Snow Day!

We had a snow storm up in Payson and hurried to get there before all the snow melted! Dusty got off work Saturday, and I borrowed a few jackets from Dawn and off we went. I think that all the kids had a good time. I'm the only one that came back with some scraped up knuckles. (from the hard snow...) They played till they were to cold to play anymore. Thier pants were frozen stiff! Next time better sleds, and warmer gloves!

Puppies are Here!

Beans finally had her Puppies last Sunday. Poor thing had a good 12 hours of doggie labor. She came up with 11 puppies, one died at birth, and two died the next day. So, that leaves 8. (Less babies then my mom had!) 2 girls, and 6 boys. All the kids were here that day, and Summer said to me after the first puppy came out, "Mom, did you have to eat my placenta?" I told her no. Then she asked if her "identical" cord was attached to her belly button like the puppies. It's amazing the way kids minds work. I'm thinking I wouldn't have any babies if I had to eat a placenta.
Anyone in the neighborhood that wants to check them out is more than welcome to stop by. Call first though, I tend to not sit at the house much...

Ginger Bread Houses

Christmas time is here, and so is the Ginger Bread house kit! (No, I do not even want to make Ginger Bread...)Dusty, Shawn Gracie and Summer spent some time putting the little goodies on the house. They did a Beautiful job. No one got sick from eating to much candy. Even Beans (the dog) hasn't touched the house, which we left down at her level. It must be a Christmas Miracle!

Working on the Garage

You may or may not know... We are building a garage connected to Dusty's house. Surprise! A Permit for two walls is a pain in the butt, and cost more money then you may expect. Framing went in, rough electrical... (thank you so much Grandpa) Then comes the garage door... We watched a short film on how to install the door. (I slept through it) I think that the door was the hardest part. It's coming along though. Siding is up, and the south wall framing. Anyone bored or just feeling an itch to work is welcome to come over and take my spot working up a sweat.

Shawn is doing his part to dig a new post hole for the gate. He did a great job. Gracie also got into the grime and dug out some dirt. Summer, as always, did her best to be cute hoping the it would get her out of the hard work.

Back by popular demand

I guess some of you missed the truck pic....

Funny story, I sent a friend of mine a photo of it from my phone, and she showed her husband. He asked her who on earth would by a monster truck, that I was barely taller then the tires! Summer was standing infront of the truck when I took the pic and her husband thought that it was me!

Little old Woman who Wasn't Afraid of Anything

Summer was in a play this last week. She had the lead. She was The Little old Woman who wasn't afraid of anything. She did a beautiful job. For those of you who don't know the story, The little old woman was walking through the forest collecting herbs. She was the greeted by many things, a pair of boots that went, stomp! stomp!, a pair of pants that went, wiggle, wiggle, a pair of gloves that went clap! clap! a shirt, and a pumpkin head that went BOO! As she was walking home, she also ran into some creepy crows (all together, I would be a little creeped out) She went inside, took a nap, then had a chat with the apparal that had been following her, which then set itself up as a scarecrow in her yard and scared away all of the crows. It was very cute.
As her mother, she bragged to her friends about the apron that I made her, and her dress. Makes me proud that she loves what I do. I'm thinking that they grow out of this faze, and I'm sad about it. Soon, I will not be so cool.

Sand Dunes

Last week end brough what we thought would be cooler weather. (That joke was on us, it was at least 95) So, we took a little trip up to Glamis. We went with a group of Dusty's friends. The RZR didn't do to bad... it did have some glitches though that Dusty is working on fixing. (belt was slipping, it got a little hot as well) This trip, I didn't get to ride my quad... (lack of a helmet, Shawn's helmet just didn't fit right) which was just as well, I would have missed my dad who just makes Duning so easy. You just follow. Nice and smooth. I trust him not to kill me. So, I went to the next best, riding with Dusty, who I also trust not to kill me. It was good times. No roll overs, (might have been fun though... that's what they putthat roll cage on there for...) No injuries.

Halloween Time

Sunday night we carved our pumpkins. The kids did thiers all on thier own. I, being the model parent that I am, gave them regular old steak knives. They got the eyes, nose and mouths, (oh, and Gracie even added ears!) without incident. Those are some good kids.
Saturday night, we took the kids to the Arizona scream park. 4 haunted houses. The first one that we went in, all three kids cried for about five minutes. By the third, Summer was dragging me through saying, "Come on mommy, don't be scared!" I'm not a big fan of walking around in the dark with creepy looking dudes hanging out in the corners. At one point, a man wearing a black cloak and white mask came out of one door way. Summer just gasped and said, "Oh my WORD!" The ghoul started laughing. I guess he didn't hear "Oh my word!" from many people that night.
Give me a call if you ever need any parenting advice!