Butterfly Brigade

One of the things I love about living in the Fields is the yellow butterflies that come out at the end of the summer. Thousands of butterflies can be seen hovering over the fields, flying through the neighborhoods, and lying dead on the side of the roads after fateful collisions with the fronts of cars. My kids also love butterfly season. Callie, in particular. She decided to collect dead butterflies in a jar this year. The picture below is one of her holding her latest catch. Notice her shirt- coincidence? Hmm....
These purple bushes in the front of our house attract butterflies like magnets. It's usually the first place the girls go when they step outside.
Emmie, Callie, Alexa and Rylee. Emmie and Rylee live just down the street. The girls run through people's yards and scour the bushes and ditches just to find a butterfly that isn't quite fast enough to get away. Yeah, it's a tricky business catching butterflies. It's also good that we live in a neighborhood where no one cares that kids run through their front yards all the time...
And this is the end result. A poor butterfly caught in a jar with flowers (the girls think this way the butterflies can eat and won't die) that eventually I set free because I feel so bad for it. At least it occupies their time, right?

So, lately I've had trouble getting my kids to clean up after themselves. It's really starting to bug me. And, they are starting to be rude about it. Today, Callie threw a deck of Go Fish cards around the living room. When I asked her to pick them up she looked at me, smiled and said, "No can do, cupcake." Yeah. I have no idea where she got it, but I had a mixture of irritation and laughter bursting out of me. And, she has yet to clean up the cards....

I can hardly believe that Andrew and I have been married for eight years. At times it seems like we've known each other forever, but when you say the number eight, it doesn't seem to match up. Andrew and I met just over eleven years ago while we were freshman at BYU. Who would have thought back then that it was all bound to work out for us? Andrew was my best friend. We did everything together, talked about everything and spent more time together than I would have thought possible. Did you know that he had to outright tell me that he liked me or I probably would have remained clueless forever? I think that is why Andrew and I have always been so right together: first and foremost, he has always been my best friend. It doesn't mean that we are perfect and that we don't drive each other crazy sometimes, but it does mean that we have a solid foundation built on something that was formed long ago. And after so many years, he is still my best friend- the one I would rather spend time with than anyone else. I feel very blessed to have him. He is a wonderful father to our girls; and even though he lives with raging hormones and girlish chaos, he seems to keep his cool and even enjoys it, I believe. So- Happy Anniversary, Andrew. Thank you for loving me despite my flaws and for being my best friend.

* I'm not sure what went wrong with these pictures when I scanned them in... sorry they look a little odd.

Ugh

Kidney stones- even writing the words make my insides ache and my brain scream in terror. I shudder at the pain that such things invoke. I have lived through the pain twice now. Three years ago I woke in the middle of the night with the worst pain I have ever felt. It required a trip to the emergency room and some serious medication. So, on Monday I felt a pain. It felt familiar. I cringed at the thought of what it could be, even though I knew what it was. So, Wednesday night was my own personal nightmare. Luckily, it is over and I can move on. However, I am now forced to look at my lifestyle and decide what I can change so these awful things don't plague me. I'd even be happy if I could guarantee five years between each episode instead of three. There are lots of factors to take into account in the production of Kidney stones. For me there are two: chocolate and soda. I've got to get rid of at least one of them. I can't decide which. They are my comfort foods, my stress foods, and my yummy just because foods. So, I'm taking a poll. Help me out, please: which do I cut out of my life? I'm sad just thinking about it....

**I also must mention that I have the best group of neighbors and friends around, who took great care of me and my kids (mostly my kids) on Thursday after my ordeal. Thanks Stacy for dinner and taking Callie; Stacy, Kelsie, and Courtney for playing with Alexa and Callie; and thanks to Stacia and Melissa who may have not even known that Alexa was at their house. You guys are great!! And to the rest of you who made phone calls, offers and condolences, thank you for caring!!

Happy Anniversary!

I just wanted to wish a Happy Anniversary to my wonderful parents. 22 years!! They are such amazing people- I am truly blessed. This picture was taken about three and a half years ago when I was pregnant with Callie. For those of you who don't know, we are a blended family. He had four, she had five and they had one together. I love my family- they are all so great. We've never referred to one another as step brothers and sisters- there was never a reason because we've always gotten along so well. My parents did such a great job bringing us together. Kudos to any of you who can figure out who belongs to who. Can you guess?

Benja

Benja happens to be the Aunt of my friend, Sam, who lives up North. (Sam lives up North... Benja lives here....) She owns this great Thai restaurant just off the Boulevard. The name of the restaurant? Yep, it just happens to be Benja's. They have great Thai food and an amazing sushi bar. Every time Andrea comes to visit, the sisters-in-law go there to eat. Since Andrea is leaving tomorrow, last night was the dinner. We had a great time and the food was fantastic, of course. I'd recommend it to everyone- and no, Benja did not ask me to put in a good word for the food. Thanks for a fun evening everyone! Andrea, we are going to miss you! Callie actually started crying yesterday when Andrea mentioned that she had to go home. She REALLY loves Andrea and will miss her more than everyone else, I think. I suppose it doesn't help that three-year olds can't comprehend time and she doesn't know how long it will be before Andrea comes back. Oh, to be young and oblivious to the world. In front: Lydia, Andrea, me, Louisa (my mother-in-law)
In Back: Michelle and Carrie

First Haircut

Yes, that's right- she is three years old and I am just now cutting her hair for the first time. I've been holding out because she has this beautiful blonde, CURLY hair at the bottom that I just couldn't let go of. Her hair keeps growing in darker and darker and she is cursed like the rest of us to have stick straight hair. We still aren't sure where that little curl came from, but I loved it. Anyway, is was time. The ends were just too scrappy and uneven. Last night after her bath we stuck her on the stool and took care if it. She was a good sport about it, but only because Aunt Andrea convinced her that it wouldn't hurt and would look great. Whenever I brought it up, she ran away and told me "NEVER!" Thanks, Andrea!I hope I got it straight. She had a hard time keeping her head still. No one look to closely when you see her....
Here lies Callie's blonde baby hair, (well, some of it). May it rest in pieces...

Rock On, Baby!

Last night the girls and I went to an ACDC concert... kind of. My nephew, Austin, has been a part of something along the lines of School of Rock for the past few months. It's a bunch of kids who learn guitar, vocals, drums, etc. and they focus on one band or singer for the term (or whatever you want to call it). So, his group was ACDC; we spent the evening rocking out to some LOUD music. And, we were all pleasantly surprised. They were really good! Callie has found her calling in life- She rocked harder than everyone and never stopped moving. It was a little loud for her, but once we got the earplugs in, she was good to go. At the end of the evening, we went to Blue Bunny for Ice cream and she informed Austin that she wanted to be in a rock band just like him. Fun times I have to look forward to, huh? I hope she doesn't become some roadie for a crazy band at the age of eighteen and we spend months at a time wondering where she is.... Anyway, it was a good night. The girls had fun and want to do it again. So Austin, what band are you focusing on next? This is Electric Theatre- on Tabernacle downtown. It's pretty old, but I suppose that gives it a certain charm. :)

Callie and Andrea. Callie walked in with her fingers in her ears and stayed that way till Andrea got her some earplugs. She chose her own outfit and sunglasses telling me that it was a great outfit for a rock concert.
Austin on guitar. I'm not sure who the kid in the back is, but he had a pretty good voice when it was his turn to sing. There was one crazy seven year old in the band, who was totally in to the music more than anyone else. And whenever he could get a chance to grab the mic, he'd say something really weird in a strange voice. He at least kept us laughing.
A dark picture, but this is the whole stage. There was an area in the very front for people to stand, dance and be crazy. We sat in chairs behind that, elevated above.
Callie, Alexa and I in front of the theatre after the concert.
Callie sitting on stage. Alexa wouldn't want to sit up there with her, but Callie tells us that it was "awesome" up there.
Ice cream after at Blue Bunny. Callie in her rocker roadie pose. Jim, Louisa, Michelle, Callie, Andrea, Alexa and Austin.

Les Miserables

Last night my sisters-in-law and I went to Tuacahn to see Les Miserables. For those of you who don't know, Tuacahn is an outdoor amphitheatre that is built right into the red rock. It's amazing. I worked in the box office our first summer here in St George and still think it was the best job I've ever had. Les Mis was good. I think we all made the comments, "It's not 5th Avenue or Broadway", but it was still good. The music is some of my favorite, and even though I was seeing it for a fourth time, I still got lost in the story. I didn't get home till after midnight, but it was worth it. If I can't spend the evening with my sisters, these three are the next best thing. Lydia, we missed you! Me, Michelle, Andrea and Carrie. Can you tell who hasn't been sitting in the sun this summer? Man, I look WHITE.