Macees Birthday

Eyes closed that is her new thing!!
It makes me crazy because I never know until I get home!! haha

Most of the crew!!

Treygan, Brynlee, and Tyler

Lisa and Cole

Lisa and Henley

Cupcakes.....Yum

Braedon and Tyler

Cole

Brynlee and Treygan

Well....... I know Macee turned 6 in October, but atleast I'm getting some pictures up for you to enjoy!! lol We told Macee this year that she could either have a "big party" or she could have presents and friends at our house. She obviously chose wisely because she didn't even know we didn't get her much!! She received lots and lots of gifts from her friends and family that came to the party!! She had such a fun time with all the kids running around and hardly eating anything!! She is so spoiled!! I can't think of a better way to spend your 6th birthday then at Outer Limits!! The theme was going to be zebra and hot pink, but she changed it right before I made the invites to pirates and pink!! What a wild woman!!

Ugh!! What a way to start out a new blog post!! lol I dont have any pictures to upload......again!! It is not because I haven't taken any because believe me I've taken a couple hundred of my cousins playing basketball. We have been kinda lazy and I think in a "winter slump". Well at least I know I have! I promised myself that I wouldn't let myself this year and here I am. Ok so enough of the depressed Tara! I have been cleaning out my closet today and can I just tell you how crazy I've let it get overflowing in scrapbooking supplies. Holy moly it is possible that I could open my own store soon!! haha The worst part is that I can't even remember the last time I scrapbooked!! uh oh yeah it makes me sick to think how much money I have invested and not been using my investment. I think that I need to change that really quick!!

For Christmas we got a Kinect and can I tell you what a good bargaining tool it is with my kids. i can get them to a lot of things they would not regularly do just by saying the word "KINECT" hahaha I love it. Actually Macee is playing right now because she let me do her hair cute and get dressed!! hahaha It's the simple things in life that make me happy today!! Race is pretty entertaining to watch as well. They really suprised me at how well they do on it. I'm hoping that the Easter Bunny will bring them a new game though. The kids are getting so big and getting smarter every day. Race is quite the talker he repeats EVERYTHING!! It's gotten me in trouble a couple times. I forget that I have a parrot on my shoulder! lol He is still hatin the thought of potty training and quite frankly so am I. He loves to hide right after I ask him if he want "big boy undies" on and then he cries forever when I try to put on underwear. Gotta love him!! Macee is excelling in school right on target. She has started reading a little bit I'm not sure she really knows what she's talking about but it is cute to hear her sound things out. She loves to go bowling on her league, but her average is slowly going down. I'm thinking it is a combo of her kinda being bored and her dad trying to teach her. He has a hard time not yelling at her because he forgets that she's just learning and he already knows how to bowl.

As for Quentin and myself not much is going on. Quentin just had some vacation time to burn so he was home with the kids and I for a week. It went alot better than I thought it would. I thought he would be nagging the whole time, but he was a lot more patient than I thought. I was however ready for Monday to come so he was out of my hair. I mean that in a loving way!! He is still bowling his league and I think he is having a lot of fun because one of his friends gets to bowl with him every other week. I have just been working and being mom. I am trying to figure out how to do a budget because I would really like to go on a vacation sometime in the near future. We'll just have to see how that goes. Hopefully next time I blog I'll have something fun to say and some great pictures, but for now this is what ya get!!

The big 3!!!

Man my little Race dog is getting so big and naughty!! We always joke that he's lucky he's so cute because I would sell him!! Actually most days I would give him away, but he sure knows how to melt your heart too!! I love when he comes and puts his chubby little arms around my neck and tells me how much he loves me then gives me a big kiss!! He is such a fun little boy and he sure keeps us on our toes!! Oh and one more thing if anyone wants to potty train him you will be seriously blessed in heaven!! He tells me ''mom I can't like big boy underwear"!! ugh little stinker well I can't like changing butts!!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

WINDY CITY CHICAGO CHI-TOWN

I was so lucky to be able to go to Chicago with my Mom my Aunt Stephanie and my brother Tosh. Well ok Tosh lives there so that is the reason we went. I couldn't have traveled with better people!! I hadn't been on a plane in almost 15 years. I was a nervous wreck and kept losing my stomach with the turbulance (didn't puke!!) My mom and Steph kept teasing me. I did alot better on the the way home though and I decided that I want to travel more maybe that will encourage me to get 'stuff' paid off. Ok back to the vacation.......we ended up buying a Chicago Go Card which gets you into 30 attractions for 3 days (they have them in lots of big cities). It ended up being alot cheaper than if we paid for each attraction on it's own and it got you to the front of the line. It saved us alot of time waiting at the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum.

Here we are with the view of Chicago buildings behind us.
We were right outside of Shedd Aquarium.

We really wanted to try lots of 'different' foods. My mom and I watch alot of Diners Drive Ins and Dives on Foodnetwork and we wanted to find a couple places to go.

This is Fried Catfish from Glen's Diner. It had Shrimp Stuffing on the bottom of it and it came with a spicy sauce to dip in. It was to die for!! Since then I've hat fried catfish at 2 different places tying to compare and I can't find one that even compares.

HOT DOUG'S!!! They are on the Food network show as well. They make all there sausages ans dogs there. They have lots of different kinds that were pretty fun to try. I didn't take any pictures of them because Tosh kept telling me I looked like a Japanese Tourist. In my defense I only took 170 pictures in 5 days that's not that bad.......right?? hahaha

At the Field Museum they had the "Man Eaters of Tsavo" they are the lions form the movie The Ghost in the Darkness. I still haven't seen it, but my aunt said it was one of her favorites so I think I need to search it out!!

The Navy Pier had lots of cool little shops and we went on an awesome architectural cruise. It was part of our pass so We got to walk right on and relax as we heard some of the history of the buildings in Chicago. There are so many cool buildings with detail beyond imagine. Our tour guide had an awesome personality and kept it interesting the whole time.

About a year ago the Sears tower was renamed Willis Tower. Most of the people from Chicago still call it the Sears Tower however. It was like 100+ stories high and it sways up to 3 feet I believe I guess I should have listened better on our cruise!! oops!! They have a place where you can stand out over the city on a clear platform it was pretty intense.

The first thing we ate in Chicago was........Chicago Stuffed Pizza from Giordanos. It was the cheesiest pizza I had ever eaten. I couldn't believe how yummy and filling it was. It was just as good cold that night I think.

You know we had to go to Oprah. It is her last season and we out in for her ticket 'raffle' so we could get on her show, but no such luck!! darn that would have been awesome.

Giada De Laurentiis!!!! Holy Smokes!!!! If you know my mom and myself very well you would know she is one of our all time favorite chefs. That is why we both look like we just won the lottery!! We obviously were grinning ear to ear!! I couldn't believe it how did we get so lucky to have our picture taken with GIADA?? She was very nice and was so excited to have our picture taken together! Her smile and personality were amazing!! P.S. I HATE this picture of me!!

For my friend Amber I had to have my picture here!! She is a Louis Vuitton fan and so I had to rub it in that I would be by a store. We did walk down all of Michigan Avenue aka The Mag Mile. There were lots of big spenders there!!

I have decided that I would really like to go back!! It was an awesome experience. Although I missed my babies and hubby at home it was so nice to get away for a few days!! I seriously can't wait to win my millions in the lottery (going to start playing now) so I can go back!! Thanks tosh for letting me be a tourist with you even though you kept yelling at me for popping my gum and taking lots of pictures!! Can't wait to go back!!

Fishing

We had lots of fun outdoors this year. I couldn't remember if I posted these pictures already and I didn't want to hunt for them on here! I figured they were cute enough to post again anyway!! We went out to Burch Creek. the kids and I had been out there for the Fourth of July weekend with my family, but Quentin really wanted to go out there so loaded the kids and went on our way!! I don't have pictures of the fish but there we lots caught!! We also went to a lake for a family reunion with Quentin's side of the family. I'm pretty sure it was Lake Walcott!! Living in Idaho is so nice because we get to enjoy the outdoors!!

I've been found........

Oh boy have we been busy!! Bowling on Saturdays and Thursdays, Quentin and I both working and Macee having after school activities for her family, and all the other errands and crap we have to do!! We finally got some snow here in Idaho and I couldn't be happier although I'm a little nervous because we are supposed to go to Utah (just Quentin and myself) to watch a Jazz game. If the roads stay bad then I guess we will have wasted $120, but I think we should be ok I'm sure Quentin will just drive the truck!!

Macee got a haircut a cute little a-line and her hair looks so much better now! She is loving school so much and I really hope that she keeps up the good work! She has 2 boys fighting over her at school and I think she kinda likes it! haha We have been busy with after school activities. We had BINGO night a couple weeks ago and one of the boys that likes her was there and told her "Macee when they call out beautiful girl they are talking about you!" haha then he wanted to dance with her and kept telling her he loved her! (I think he was happy his competition wasn't there.) Then last week we had a reading night at school and they had different people from the community come and read books about their professions both kids loved it! Macee really loves reading with me and got a Pizza Hut Book It and tickets to ISU sporting events for reading so much in October.

Race is WILD to say the least! He is quite the entertainment while Macee is at school. He loves to give me huge hugs and tells me "mom you my best friend ever" my heart melts everytime. I just hope he keeps loving me because I have a feeling he'll quit once he gets bigger! He loves to play with the dogs well I guess it's really more like terrorizing them! He is starting to play with the Fisher Price Little People and he has them talk to each other, it makes me laugh because it is so random!! haha Race still loves his cars, monster trucks, cycles, wheelers, and really anything with a motor.