A Wee Bit of an Update

I really should get this updated a little more regularly... but whatever works right. So here are a few pictures of our crazy clan this month. Father's day wrestling match... actually this is a common sight at our house... when ever Daddy has a few extra moments... he is usually ambushed.

Connor being oh so helpful putting away the clean laundry.

This is Ben's gold fish "Jelly Bean." He named it himself and it was the only fish to survive our family. (We started with three and the girl's fishes were both goners by morning). Then we went on vacation... but Jelly Bean still made it. We then bought in bulk, hoping a few would make it a little longer for the girls. They all were wimpy, and once again Jelly Bean had the tank to himself. So I thought I should take a picture of Ben with his fish before anything unforeseen happened. Oh the irony! Jelly Bean went to that big goldfish bowl in the sky only a few hours after this picture. But hey, you can't go wrong with a pet that only costs $0.28 and a free fish tank... it also gave us an chance to teach the kids about death and heaven. So, to make a long story longer... we found out that we are NOT fish people. (And they really smell!) But it was fun while it lasted...

Ben got his first tie and he is SO PROUD! He fell asleep with it in his hand the night he got it. He feels like such a big boy and looks like a mini Brett!

One of the big things here is the miners convention once a year. It is a big ta-do held in the convention center here in town... we just go for the free balloons.

Playing ball with Grandpa Conover... This guy has taught more "all stars" than anyone I know. Start them young right?

Connor and Grandma Conover watering her flowers. Gardening with Grandma is all part of every visit.

Toothless Madi (This clip is not for the faint of heart)

Madi's two front teeth have been loose for a few months, but have just kept hanging on. So she asked her uncle Nick to pull them out. He was all for it.

Vaction in Alaska

Brett had some business in Anchorage and he invited me to tag along for the fun of it. So we dropped our older three kids off at Grandma's house (bless her heart!) and we took off. Connor was not to into the plane ride, but other than that he was an angel. While Brett was at work, Connor and I went to places I knew Brett wouldn't want to go... like the Alaska Botanical Gardens and an Eskimo artifacts museum. After Brett finished up we did some great sight seeing... I'm just glad we didn't see any of these furry friends on any of our hikes!
I had the time of my life on this trip with Brett. It was so fun and such a nice break... but by day two, I was really missing my little ones.

We went biking along the coast. They have a beautiful 11 mile bike path that winds in and out of parks and woodland and follows the coast. (I got some really funny looks because I had Connor in the sling). It made things a little interesting but we had a great day!

We hiked up to a glacier. It was incredible the way it seemed to glow blue from inside and the intense winds that were created by the glacier itself. I was all for hiking up the the ice field above the glacier, but Brett said the 1,350 foot elevation change in a mile and a half might be a little much for that late in the day. Ha Ha (That's Connor in the sling... he lived in there on most of our outings).

Brett really needed a hug! We had to visit this gift shop because it had the worlds largest chocolate fountain. Yum Yum! I was hoping to go for a swim.

Saturday Fun

Connor is such a big boy. He was four months yesterday and got to try baby cereal... "Yuk, MOM... what the heck is this?" He is also rolling all over and jabbering non stop. He is so much fun!!!!

This was one of our fun family projects yesterday. Saturdays are always fun, family time, and full of WORK. (Personally I'd rather do any yard work or project over house work!) So this Saturday we planted flowers (hooray) worked on the lawn AND Brett installed a slide off our deck. The kids love it! (And I can't wait to try it).

Reasons I love being a mom...

Some days are just better than others... Today was not really one of the "betters" and that is what this post is all about. After one of those crazy mornings that just kept getting worse, I was contemplating throwing something through a window and decided to do something a little more constructive. That's when I grabbed a box of crayons (they are always laying about) and a big roll of new print (also laying about) and I layed down on my kitchen floor to color. I wrote in big pink crayon (a happy color)... "REASONS I LOVE BEING A MOM." My kids automatically congregated to my side
(something that ALWAYS happens even when you need a little quiet time) and we all colored together for a while. It was pleasant and peaceful for a few moments...That is until one child hit another for stealing her crayon and she made a naughty face at me for coloring on "her side" and when I tried to hug away all the naughtiness things got worse and I ended up throwing my list away in order to find some order in my kitchen. But after the day is over and I have had more time to think about my crayoned list... here are a few things I came up with:

Hugs as tight as a two year old can squeeze

Sloppy oatmeal kisses that dry crusty on your cheek

Teaching my children

Kisses that make everything "all better"

"I wuv you Mommy" in a tiny voice

Playing peek-a-boo forever

Seeing the little stinker of the day melt back into an angel as she sleeps

Doing projects together

Hide and go seek that always ends in laughter because I "rawr" at Ben

"Serious" woman to woman talks with my six year old

Holding baby

Reading stories with the funny voices

Tickling and giggles

Being the most "popular" person in the house

Holding little hands in mine and knowing that they won't be little very long

Hearing special prayers especially for me

Knowing that these strong little spirits are only on "loan" to me from their Heavenly Father

Realizing that He thinks I can do this!

I love being a mom and the four most important reasons are: MADI BROOKE BEN & CONNOR!

Conover Famliy Fun

My youngest brother just got married. I think he is so cute! And look what a darling girl he got! We love them both and are so happy for them... Having Jared's wedding brought all of us Conovers together of course, and boy did we HAD FUN... My dad and brothers have an annual "Brother's Weekend." This year it was in connection with the wedding... kind of a brother's bachelor party, and this was the wrapping up bit... a sumo suit tournament. It was so funny to watch my very athletic brothers, husband, bro-in-law, and dad go at it dresses like three-hundred-pound sumo's.

This was part of the girly fun. While the boys were away the girls played (and watched all the kids of course). My sister-in-law and I played beauty shop. So this is the straightest I have ever had my hair... everyone was doing double takes. Thanks for the fun Melanie!

Cutie Cousins!!! This is My little Connor and his cousin Cody. They are only two week apart and so different. These two are going to have so much fun when they get big enough to play together! In the mean time, we had a ball passing them back and forth.

Hoppy Easter

We had a fun Easter morning... The kids were glad that the Easter Bunny did know where we live. We had a few really good discussions about him... does he come in the house like Santa or like the tooth fairy?

This purple bunny is a tradition from my childhood. The Easter Bunny makes them out of Hostess snowballs and jelly beans. My kids loved them too.