Making History

For the first time ever, the boys and me got a gym membership so we can workout together! 

These fools know my weakness. They start talking about spending more time together and I cave at their request. Haha…. The years or raising kids is going by all to fast! 

Oh how I have missed the gym and especially these hip adductors! 

Grant is especially happy to be joining a gym! He follows Logan around and does his workout. Logan is being a wonderful big brother and seems thrilled to have Grant there with him!

The only part I am not sure I can handle is this guy and his need to constantly take 200 pictures of him flexing during an hour workout. LOL! 

No really the struggle is real…. And this is constant!  

This kid makes life fun!

We are all excited about getting fit, making memories together and of course the SAUNA!! 

Wish we could talk Justin into joining us but so far no success. 

Watermelon or Pinewood Derby Car?

Ella went to a ward event where they helped the kids cut out their pinewood derby cars and get weight in them. Ella didn’t care how it was cut so they cut it in a wedge. 

She decided it would looked better either like cheese or watermelon…. Lol. 

We decided a watermelon slice would be easier to paint and would look brighter. So that’s exactly what she did! 

How cool is that?

She was having so much fun painting that she got carried away with the watermelon seeds. 

Ella is very creative. She decided to paint a watermelon plant on the back of it!  And she even added a little sun!  Such a great artist! 

To our dismay, Ella took 1st place at our ward level of the Pinewood Derby. She was pretty freaking excited!!

We were a little less excited because it meant staying for another hour or more for the finales with the stake winners from all the wards. 

Well we were all super surprised when Ella took 3rd at the finales!!!  So 3rd place out of 200 cars!  Wow!! 

Well we have ourselves a 3rd place champion!  Ella took third place out of the whole stake!! That’s third out of 200 cars 😳 🏅

Crazy part is she went to a ward activity where they cut the car, put the weights in and got the car all ready except for paint and putting the wheels on!  So we didn’t even have to do much and her car was so fast. 

They even drilled different holes for the axles based on the weight and balance of Ella’s car!  

We found out it was Brother French from our ward that did all the help building Ella’s car. 

We owe him a BIG THANK YOU!  

Anyway, it was a day full of surprises! 

“Hey Yooouuuu Guuyyys!”

Halloween 2022 was one of my favorite costume ideas 

The Goonies movie has a special place in my heart. I grew up fairly poor and my parents didn’t have money to take us to the movies often. 

“Baby Ruuuuuutttthhh!” 

But in June of 1985, while my mom and older sister Marla were away at girls camp, my dad took me and my younger brother Quincy to watch The Goonies!  I instantly fell in love with the movie. One it’s just a rad movie but what made me love it even more is that my dad thought to take us cause he knew I was missing my mom! 

It was fun to gather pieces to make the costumes look authentic. Hardest part was holding a “mean face” for pictures. Haha. 

Love that Justin is up for any costume ideas I have. 

Logan was the perfect “Brandon” and Ella was a beautiful “Andy.” 

When Ella saw her outfit she said, “this is so 80’s!”  Haha…. I love that Ella as an 8 year old in 2022 knew the style of these clothes looks like the 80’s. 

Grant wasn’t too happy about being “Chunk.”  But I promised him Chunk was the funniest character he was a little on board. But then before Halloween we watched The Goonies Movie as a family. Then Grant was excited to be Chunk. 

Grant said, “I’m going to have to cuss a little if I’m really going to be Chunk!”  I say, “Sure Grant. But only when you are dressed up!”

It was a little shocking to hear Grant say “Sh💥t!” And we laughed every time he did, which was only a handful

of times. 

When I said Logan was the “perfect Brandon” I meant it. Logan took this selfie when he was holding my phone and I had asked him to take a picture of me and Justin. When I looked through my pictures later I found this gem. 

I could not have found a better character for Logan to dress up as this year. Logan makes life fun! 

So glad Kiersten and Alec were able to come down for Grandma Cluff’s Halloween Party. 

Don’t they make the perfect Spider-Man and Mary Jane. 

DeJavu was the theme to grandma’s party. So the food and games were all taken from previous Halloween parties. 

We look forward to Grandma Cluff’s party every year!  So fun to dress up and see everyone’s costumes. 

We let orange butterflies go in honor of Doyle’s birthday!  I hope he was smiling down from heaven as he watched us. 

A scavenger hunt was part of the party and we took Emma and Nina on it. Those two made it quite the adventure!! 

It was fun to have Kiersten and Alec on our team. They were constantly laughing at what Emma would tell us. She is hilarious!  And I hope she stays as spicy as she is as a three year old! 

I love these girls! 

They had us laughing the whole time and it took us three times as long as anyone else… haha! 

Grandma Cluff is a rockstar and so creative throwing these Halloween parties for the family. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

The Right Way to Tube on the Snow

Just ride the magic carpet up hill and tube down in your lane, no trekking up a short hill just for a 10 second ride down where you are likely to hit some trees, like on Mt. Graham.  

It was so much fun and you really got going fast especially if you never drug your feet behind you. They had you go down on your stomachs so you could use your feet to slow you down if you wanted. 

It was a good time!  So fun to race each other down the hill!!!   It did start to really snow on us and got pretty cold but it was too much fun to stop!  Next time doubt layer of wool socks and Ella needs snowboots!! 

If You Let One You Have To Let Them All

Even when your kids are ranging from 9 to 17 years old, sometimes you just let them all do the thing you actually didn’t want any of them to do. 

Bad parenting?  I’m not sure. I’m going to chalk it up to making memories! That’s a great way to justify some bad parenting moments right?!? 

We made the 17 year old try it out first…. I mean come on people we aren’t that horrible of parents. LOL! 

Funny story behind Logan’s experience in the luggage elevator….

So there is a little elevator at the condo that is for sending your bags and groceries up. There is no regular elevator so we have to walk the floor flights is stair to get to our condo. Today Logan decides he is going to ride the little elevator up even though of course you’re not suppose to.

So Logan gets in and Grant has to close the doors and push the floor button for Logan to go up. Grant decides to play a trick on Logan and sends him to the third floor instead of the forth floor. 

Of course, none of the rest is us know this. So Justin and I start to get a little concerned when we can hear Logan but it's not letting us open the elevator door. Grant mischievous smile says it all! 

Later that day Grant begged for his turn and we said why not. Logan didn’t get stuck so why not see if we can get Grant stuck in an elevator that has clear rules of zero people or pets using. 

Logan was mostly mad that we wouldn’t let him send Grant to the wrong floor… haha. 

Lastly, tonight as we got back from Hawaiian food and German desserts with Marla, Ella was dying to have her turn. To be honest, it was a little more nerve racking to send the 9 year old up then it was the 17 year old. 

Regardless, all three kids got their wishes and all three survived their trip up in the luggage elevator that sounded very much like a trap elevator that might fall to your death every time it moved. 

So bad parenting or making memories…. 

You decide…. 

When the Universe Aligns

…. And you’re only nine years old! 

We are in Utah for a ski/snowboard trip and to visit Marla. After dinner at a Hawaiian place, Marla took us to a German Restraunt for Gelato and Macroons!  
Ella was so excited as she loves macroons. When she saw all the tempting flavors she declared she was having five macroons. 
Marla said, “ you might want to check with your mom on the price first.”  Just letting us know they aren’t cheap. 
They were $3.50 each so Ella wasn’t getting 5 for sure. I told Ella to pick two flavors. Hard to decide when you want all five of these certain flavors. 
So Ella chooses her two flavors. Next thing she knows Grant doesn’t want his second macroon so he gives it to her. THEN, Justin’s ice cream actually comes with two kinds of macroons and of course he only wants the ice cream. 
So the Universe totally aligned and Ella got her FIVE MACROONS!  She hit the kid lottery tonight and she was thrilled!! 
She’d already eaten one by the time I thought to take a picture. Now she has four more to savor tomorrow!! 

A Good Day

What a beautiful day it was on the slopes at Sunrise today! 

I took Grant and his friend Kendall up to Sunrise to snowboard for the day. We came the night before and stayed at a hotel just so we wouldn’t have to get up super early. 

I took a private lesson so I could learn how to parallel ski and get better at traversing. It was money well spent!! But the end of that 3 hours I was 100% better and felt more comfortable with my parallel skiing. It was so much fun!  And I had no pressure of anyone else. 

Grant had Kendal. I had them take private snowboarding lessons as well just so they could improve their skill level. They LOVED it! 

Anytime you ask Logan to take a picture for you, you are guaranteed to get a selfie of him!  Lol…. This teenager! 

Logan was up at Sunrise with some friends as part of their day date for Thatcher’s Morp!  

Some might think spending a day by yourself skiing would be horrible. But for me I found it so peaceful!  There was no pressure to go a certain speed and I just got to spend time practicing my skiing and not having to take care of everyone else like usual. 

Grant looking pretty dope in all his snowboarding gear 🤘🏽

Grant and Kendall were great because I knew they had each other and that they would call me if they needed me. Other then that I didn’t have to worry about them. 

I enjoyed some clam chowder in a bread bowl with some cheese curds with ranch. It was the perfect treat for lunch to refuel before heading back out to the slopes. 

Lantern Festival

Mac and I took the kiddos to the Lantern Festival. It was so cold but we had a great time! 

Ella and her counsin Claire enjoyed sending the lanterns off into the air. 

It’s a magical scene seeing all the lanterns lighting up the nights sky. 

Deke and Millie had a blast! 

I just adore Mac!  She has always been a great friend to me!  I love getting to hang out with her. We always laugh a ton when we are together. 

Love this Teenager!

My heart is grateful that when this kid has an opportunity to spend a day with his mama in Gilbert he takes it!!  Teenagers are seriously so much fun and 

Mr. Grant is especially fun! 

He is just fun to visit with and always up for anything. We enjoyed a day of some shopping, lunch with Kiersten and Alec, Dutch Bros Christmas morning iced chai latte with the works. That was like a sip of heaven!  

And of course he is also the typical 13 year old boy who thinks dumb things are hilarious 😂 

Priceless time spent with my favorite 13 year old!!