Robyn this is for you: I am not dead!

We are MOVING!!! (AGAIN!!)

I know no pictures so it is boring. But read it anyways to find out what we have been up to!!

Sorry I have not posted for so long but we are still in Utah. Actually we have been on vacation and decided that we are just going to stay. We like to fly by the seat of our pants. We are going to be living with Davids parents for now. They hope to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in a year and we will be able to stay in their house while they are away. We are so grateful for them. But so far things are going well. David just received a job with a sub contractor for the Union Pacific Railroad. He will be fixing trains. The schedule is perfect. He will be able to go to school and church and only works 3 1/2 days a week. Which is what we were hoping for and we have truly been blessed. He will start school in Aug. at the Salt Lake Community College. He is going into Radiography. (X-rays, ultrasound, and other stuff. I am actually not sure all that it intells- I probably should find out.)

The kids have started school here. The school is year round so as soon as we found that out we registered them and they started the next week. They have adjusted so well. I am amazed. Madi already has friends calling to play. YEAH! Matthew says, "I loved school but my teacher says she is the meanest teacher in the school about handwriting. So I better do a good job!" But I love her. She doesn't assign homework or worksheets! Matthews 2 least favorite things. YEAH! Maxx started Kindergarten. I can't believe it. We had his kindergarten assessment and the teacher said that he was ready for 1st grade. He is one of the older kids in his grade (his birthday is in Oct. so that is a little bit of an advantage) but he soaks up information. He loves loves loves to learn. And loves Kindergarten. He wakes up in the morning puts on his backpack. So I have to remind him that he goes to school in the afternoon.

As for Micah he is still just cute trouble. He really misses Maxx while he is at school. The first day he followed me around saying, "What are we going to do now, what are you doing now, are you going to play with me!! And this is after we'd already played a couple games and read books. Yikes I am in for a treat. Micah has always had someone to play with. So this is new for him.

It is amazing how well it has all worked out. (Now I would not be saying that a couple weeks again, but it has all fallen into place.) It is so amazing. We really felt like we should move back and things are working out.

I am going to miss everyone so much in Vegas. I have made so many wonderful friends and so have my kids. We will be coming back Aug. 15 for 3 weeks while the kids are off track and to pack up our stuff. So lets get together and party!

Vegas Style!!

So I think Vegas has rubbed off on my son. (Thanks Amy for the picture!) Pasties and all. As my sister would say, "Watch out Thunder Down Under!" Since Vegas is having a little too much influence on my chilren we are getting out of here. We are heading to Utah for a little vacation. (Therefore my blog might suffer more than it already does.)

Comment on the picture: We were painting and the paint and stickers can never just stay on the paper. As me and Amy were sitting around with our 2 youngest boys we commented on how we would have never let our first borns just sit and paint on themselves while we laughed. But once you get to number 4 it is actually quite funny to watch them paint themselves. It seems we get a little more relaxed. (I actually do remember letting my other kids paint themselves. I just wasn't as relaxed.)

Maxx Verses Lego

I know that I have been posting a lot about Maxx lately, but that boy is just full of it! So today we had a well check-up at the doctors. She was looking him over and this is what happened:

Doctor: This ear looks good lets check the other. Wait what is this? Maxx you have something in your ear.

Mom: What?

Doctor: Yeah. There is something in his ear, come look.

Mom: I can't see anything. Then I see something yellow.

Mom to Maxx: Maxx did you put a popcorn seed in your ear?

Maxx: No.

Mom: Is it a LEGO?

Maxx: Yes! But it has been in there for a long, long, long, long, long, thousands of years long time.

Mom: Great! (Me and the doctor are laughing pretty hard by now.)

So they call in the other doctor:

Doctor 2: Hi Maxx- I hear you put something in your ear.

Maxx: Yeah.

Doctor puts in the forcepts (that is what he called his giant tweezers) and pulls out a little arm to one of the lego men.

Doctor 2: Maxx, at least you put it in the skinny way out so I could get a good grip on it. Let me check your ear one more time. Maybe you've got the whole guy in there. I could play legos.

We were all laughing pretty hard. I was a little embarrassed. I think Maxx was too. Luckily the doctor put it in a jar so we could bring it home. I could sanitize it and let him play with it again, but I am not sure where it would end up. So I think I will keep it for memory sake, safely closed up in a jar. However, I am pretty sure there are a million more lego arms floating around this house. I just have to do more ear checks. Not the first time we retrieved something from Maxx's ear. Hopefully the last.

I Have the Power!!

This is just silly. So Mathew and Dad are playing something while on the bed. And Dad rolls over exclaiming, "I HAVE THE POWER!!!!!" and bops Maxx full on in the nose with his fist. (Maxx was standing behind Dad and he did not even see him.) However, I got the giggles so bad. Don't worry Maxx was fine! It is probably one of those you have to be there to think that it is funny moments. Nonetheless, I thought that I would share it with you.

Bike Riding

Maxx learned to ride his two wheeler yesterday! My batteries were dead so no pictures, but I caught it on video. However, I do not know how to put videos on the computer. Way to go Maxx. He is 5 and I was determined to teach him this summer. He had it mastered in about 10 minutes. He can start, stop, turn, etc. Thanks to his cousin Braydin for the help. (David was a little sad that he learned how while he was at work. I guess that is a dads job. About a month ago David told Maxx he could do it but he wouldn't by himself. Yesterday Braydin just took him out and within minutes he was a pro.)

GO MAXX!!!

Maxx

Our Maxx is most curious! He just makes me laugh.

Maxx loves ribs. He will eat so many! I was vey very impressed. He just kept coming back for more. Just when I think that he is proving himself as a man he surprises me with...

Captain Underpants....

I just think this is cute!
Ballerina boy...

And this? What is the world is this. He fell asleep with a game piece up his nose. (I would not play games at our house- you seriuosly never know where the pieces have been!) This boy loves to stick objects places they do not belong. Good think he is do dang cute!
Come to think of it all these traits are probably ones we find in men. So my boy is becoming a man! :)

Conversations with Little Boys

So David and the boys were at the store today and this was thier conversation:

They were walking by the bras:

Maxx: Look at the bras!! Lets buy mom one.
Dad: We are not buying mom a bra.
Micah: Why? She doesn't wear them anymore!!

My kids know we way too well! I am a free spirit! Just kidding. (Sometimes)


Micah does say the weirdest things. We have a problem with him picking his nose and eating it. So the other day he was picking it and ate it.

Mom: Micah that is digusting!!
Micah: But I'm starving!!


Then on Sunday I caught him with his finger up his nose.

Mom: Micah please keep your fingers out of your nose.
Micah: Mom, I am just putting it back.
(Yeah right! Clever little boy!)

Any suggestions for the nose picking and eating?

Camping- Do I have too?

For Memorial Day Weekend Amy dragged me out camping. When I say drag I mean that literally! I was fighting and kicking all the way. (She only had a few bruises.) She made the reservations at a campsite in Pinevalley - near St. George- 6 months ago and told me I would be going. I seriously fought her on this one. I am not a camper. And definitely not a Happy Camper. But because I love her so much and I know my kids love camping I put aside my selfishness and went. It was as bad as I imagined! However, there were times when it was more fun than I imagined. My camera batteries died so I did not get many pictures. Which is a shame. (I brought 2 fully charged sets and they lasted maybe 6 pictures- I need new batteries.)David was not able to come, he had to work! We missed him a ton. So the first day it rained hard. I had a little bit of a melt down when I imagined my tent getting muddy. (I know camping and mud go hand in hand but I have issues!!) But soon got over it because my tent flooded and all our stuff got wet. However, thank goodness for a car heater. I was able to put all our sleeping stuff in the car with the heat full blast for about 2 hours and it dried right up. Lucky Us! I did not even have a meltdown. I even stayed the rest of the time. I was tempted to go home. After that I was greatful for dirt in the tent as long as our stuff was dry. On Sunday it was beautiful. It was so fun to see my kids enjoying nature. It was really peaceful. And when my kids did fight it was far enough away that I did not have to hear it too much.
Some of our highlights:

1. SMORES!!
2. Braydin found Matthew a lizard that Matthew carried around on the back of his shirt. He begged to bring it home. I think animals should stay in nature.
3. Maxx lost Micahs shoes is the river. "But Mom, I just wanted to kick them!"
4. Micah lost Maxx's frisbee in the river. I told them that they were now even. I am sure this was Micah's plan. He is only 4 but he knows all about paybacks.
5. Maxx broke the velcro off his pair of shoes. We will be making a Payless run.
6. Maxx found a fish head and thought it was funny to make it talk. Nasty, what is with my boys. They learn a lot from their cousin Braydin.
7. Collecting wood for the fire. The boys loved this. Especially Micah who turned every piece of wood into a gun. It is a good thing us moms have about a million lives. Or I'd be dead.
8. Uncle Alex telling the longest campfire stories ever- Madi loved this.
9. Of coarse the FLOOD!~
10. Spending time with family, laughing, and sharing memories
11. Did I mention SMORES!! I think we ate 5 bags of Marshmallows in 2 1/2 days. (There were 11 of us- but I am sure I ate a whole bag myself.)
12. I chopped and split wood. With an axe. It was tough work but very theraputic.
13. The many scraps, burns, and bumps that we all got. Tin foil dinners are extremely hot when coming out of the fire. So are marshmellows, Starbursts, the latern, etc. You'd think we would have learned.
14. Thinking that I'd caught fire. I ran around screaming and beating the arm of my coat. Come to find out that when you are wet and you stand around the fire you create steam. I am a complete NERD!
15. Eating dutch oven. For some reason everything tastes really good while camping.
16. Playing card games!
17. Having no idea what time it was. I loved not having to hurry or rush. We just went with the flow.
18. Flashlights. Kids just love them.
19. Our kids running away. Mostly just Maxx. That boy is so curious.
20. Watching Matthew chop wood. He is growing up.
21. A beautiful night sky. I love the stars.
22. Did I mention the crusty dirt bergers all over their faces! What is up with that!

These were just some of the highlights. There were many others. On our way home we toured an old church in Pinevalley that is built like an upside down boat. Pretty cool. And also visited the sight of the Mormon Meadow Massacre. It is a sad story but they have built a beautiful memorial for those who lost their lives. It was interesting to see. I was glad to be on our way home. But I am so grateful for these memories that I will share with my children.

On our way home there was an accident in the gorge in St. George as you are traveling to Las Vegas. So we were stuck in traffic. At a stand still. But that was okay. We make light of it. I can now say that I have done a cartwheel on the freeway!!! Good times. I think that maybe in 5 years or so when I forget all about this camping trip that I might think about going again. Kind of like child birth!! However, that usually only took me about 8 months to forget. So we will see. HAPPY CAMPING EVERYONE!

The Price of Children

My aunt sent this to me and I LOVED it!! However, for some reason it does not mention all the WWF westling matches that I get front row to in my living room!


The Price of Children

This is just too good not to pass on to all. Here is something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down.. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month,
* $171.08 a week.
* A mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is; don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite..

What do you get for your $160,140.00?

* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs,
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and
* coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:

* First step,
* First word,
* First bra,
* First date,
* First time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Thanks Whitney!!

So my awesome neighbor watched Maxx, Micah and Sam and took these adorable pictures. Thanks Whitney- you are FABULOUS!! ) Now I am wishing that I had done Micah's hair that day!

Sam, Maxx, and Micah. She labeled this one the Wishby cousins. Because we all live in the same house we have changed our last name to Wishby or Ashlock. (Combination of Ashby and Whitlock.) So some of the people in the neighborhood refer to us as that.

COUSINS

Sam, Maxx, Micah

SAM

MICAH

MAXX

Playing Catch-Up

Note: You all know by now what a dork I am when it comes to this blog stuff. I can not seem to get the descriptions to line up with the picture that it is meant for. So on this blog you can just put an of the description to any picture you choose. You can create your own story!! Good LUCK!

So this must be my favorite game to play. I don't post and then I want to show you all the things we have done. I know I don't have to do it but I like to make myself insane I guess!!

Free Denny's Breakfast. It was so crowded but a fun adventure. We were there at 6:30 am. The kids had a blast. It was great food. However, they are so over priced regularly (at least here in Vegas. A salad is $10.00) that I would not got there. However, you can't pass up free!!! We are a little white trash!







Twin Day at school. Matthew and Madi with their Best Friends!




















This is just s cute picture!


Dresss up as your favorite book character. Matthew chose Spiderman, Ruby is Fancy Nancy and Madi is the Boy Who Became President!





Matthew learns to ride a bike. Dad look like he just might try that jump. Go Daddy!!

Fire Station

The music maker group that we attend every Wednesday did a field trip to the Fire Station! Personally I was super excited because I have never been to a firestation before. It was a lot of fun. So I have posted way too many pictures and wanted to post more but enough is ENOUGH!! (I was tempted to pull Matthew out of school to go, but didn't. How cool is the fire station to boys and moms who are cooped up in the house too much!)


We look a lot silly but sometimes it is all about the memories and making a dork out of your self on your blog! (Seriously, I have no idea how I have linked this! I am freakin' amazing with computers.)

2 of the boys in front of the station. They were on a call so we had to wait a while for them to come back.

Fireman Moobster in his fire hat!

Sam, Moobster, and Cubby Diesel getting ready to climb onto the fire truck.

Cubby Diesel driving the truck. I have seen how he rides his bike. Not a good combination!

Moobster in the truck.

There are so many devices on the truck! They wanted to touch (and brake) them all.

In the fire truck. They were all trying on the helmet but Moobster wouldn't so he held the flashlight.

But Cubby Diesel was a totally different story. He wanted to try on everything!


Once our turn was over in the truck we decided why not climb all over the outside of the truck as well. These little monkeys!


At the end, one of the fireman had the kids watch him put on his entire outfit. Even the oxygen mask. Which I thought was such a good idea. He was telling the kids that if there was a fire that this is what he would look like if he came into the house to rescue them. Most of the kids were a little nervous but ok with this idea. He then said that they could come and touch his outfit and shake his hand. They all started crying. 20 plus kids scared to death. It was a little hilarious. I was proud of Cubby Diesel because he went over to him and gave him five. (This is my child who is afraid of Chucky Cheese! So I was very surprised!) So did Moobster Do after a little encouragement.

We really had a great time. Thanks for those who organized this!

Cache Cans

Our first Cache Can. The kids are showing their treasures!

Mike, Becka, McKay and Isabel Ashby came and visited us a couple weeks ago. We had a great time with them. They were on their way to Disneyland and stopped by. We took them to one of our favorite hiking spots. Red Rock Canyon. Mike has this GPS System for doing the cache cans so we were able to find hidden treasure! The kids loved it, especially David. They each were able to pick out a toy from the treasure can and then leave their own. We even started one of our own. Uncle Mike showed us how. It is called Snarly Dead Wood Forest (or something like that if anyone is interested in finding it.) It was pretty cool and a lot of fun. Even when my darling husband thought that it would be cool to try to find JUST ONE MORE, in the dark, with cactus's, 6 children, and a very not brave wife! Finally David and Mike told us to stay where we were and that they would go and find it and bring the treasures back. Once we got in the car it seemed a lot more fun than it did at the instant. Isabel was such a trooper even though she got a cactus prick in her leg. She did not even cry- that is one brave girl. We just spent a lot of time talking and it was so good to see them. Thank you so much for coming!

Amy's Birthday

Happy Birthday Amy!!

Today Feb 13th is my big sisters birthday. She was actually born on Friday the 13th! I would tell you all how old she is, but she is so old that I just can't remember! HA!! I just want her to know how much I love her and how amazing she is. She is the greatest. Thanks for doing so much for me and making me the person I am today! You did help raise me a lot. I love you! Thanks for being my Best Friend!

(I had a hard time rotating this picture of me and Amy as kids. In the process I added a black line and made the picture really small. Can you even see it? O well.)

Christmas All Over!

We has a great Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Ashby's. We did Christmas on Jan 1, 2009 and it was such a fun day. Grandma made each of the kids a new blanket. She makes them one as babies, but my kids love theirs a little too much. All of their blankets had fallen apart. I had sewn them back together several times, but they were becoming just pieces. Infact, grandma had already made Matthew a new one so this was his third. I was so amazed that she had done this. The kids loved them! And thankfully have given up their rags for these beautiful new blankets. They each got a new book as well. Grandma and Grandpa always find the best books. Grandma and Grandpas are the BEST! Grandma also wrote this darling poem to go with the blankets:

"If you ever find you miss me and need a "grandma hug." Just wrap up in your hugging quilt and soon you'll be all snug. Remember that I love you and that I miss you too. It won't be long 'til were together and I'll give a real Grandma hug to you. "

By Lois Ashby

I was in tears. We miss everyone so much. Such a special Christmas.

After that we went out and played in the snow. Luckily we had brought our snow gear. It was fun to play in the snow and build a snow man. Also, you can't have snow without a snowball fight. I think Grandpa really started it. Thanks for the memories.
We love you!

Farrs Ice Cream!

Every time we visit Utah (which has only been twice) Mom and Dad take us to Farr's Ice Cream. It is an old building where they use to manufacture that ice cream. We always get two HUGE scoops. It is amazing that these little kids can eat so much. Not surprising that I can eat that much. We have a lot of fun. Amy's 2 girls were with us as well. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa. You always spoil us and we love it! But not as much as we love you.







Yum!

Bunco!!

First of all I have to do a big shout out to Whitney for letting me use her pictures. You are so awesome and so smart to bring a camera. Also to Kaydee for setting this all up.

The Ladies. We had a blast.

So we ended up playing a couple games, but the best part was just talking after wards for hours. I think we got home around 1 am. These women are so much fun. It has been a blast getting to know all of them.