Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist...

One of the young women in our ward put together a MISS HOLIDAY  pageant for our town in an effort  to raise money to go to the presidential inauguration next year.  And the winner is.....

Miss Celia Taylor! She looked so beautiful! There were about 20 competing altogether, but just a few in her age group. Below are some members of her fan club.

Our annual Halloween  "soup and cider" party was cancelled this year due to the fact that everyone that used to come moved away. 

Freedom fighter, a scary ghost and little BO peep and her sheep, a couple of zombies and rebels with a cause.

We thoroughly enjoyed a week long visit from Keith and Kathie where Keith knocked almost everything off of Paul's honey do list and Kathie help whittle down my laundry pile and other household chores. We love you guys!

The Coop

 So, my garage was getting awfully smelly with 6 chickens living in a box.  Paul was busy, so I decided to build the coop.  My goal was to use all recycled materials and not spend a dime.  I came pretty close to meeting my goal, but by the time I got to the door and the roof, I was burned out. Paul came to my rescue (cue rescue hero music).  He had to buy a few 2 X 2s, a few more screws and a lock and a hinge, but that is all. 

 I found what I assumed are eggs on this little branch in my yard.  Does anyone know what they are?

Syrelle rescued this little lizard from the paws of our cat who spends his days chasing down and munching on these desert treats.To build the coop I used a couple of old pallets that have been hanging around our backyard for a few years along with the lumber leftover from the pergola we tore down when we built our addition. One thing Paul wished I would have used is a level:).

 Paul scrounged up some chicken wire and walla!  A home from our chicks.  Let's just say that carpentry isn't my forte, but I got familiar with the saw and the drill.

 My first attempt at square foot gardening has proven successful so far.  Some of my seeds haven't sprouted but that's normal right?    For the plants that need more room to grow such as watermelon and squash I planted up on the hill in 5 gallon buckets with holes drilled in the bottom.  That way I could contain the good soil and some of the water.  We'll see how they do.  Every year it is an experiment.  To me though, there are few things more rewarding that eating out of your own garden.

 I tried to re purpose these leftover tiles from our roof into planter boxes.  I used gorilla glue and then mortar to be extra secure.  They fell apart when I tried to move them. :( Waste of time.

My girls are getting ready for their spring dance recital.  Their studio is putting on "Snow White".

Cecelia is a bluebird and Syrelle is one of the forest animals...more specifically a rabbit. Aren't they cute? I can't wait for their recital.

Our first harvest from the garden....a radish!

Since it is Mother's Day, I have to say that I am so blessed to have an abosolutely amazing mother whom I owe everything to.  She is so giving of herself and she is so much fun to be around.  I miss her terribly.  I also have to say that I am a very blessed mother myself  to have such wonderful children and such an amazing husband who is cooking dinner for me as we speak. :)

Unusual Incidents

 Shipley decided to try something new this year...track.  She has come a long way since the beginning of the season.  As you can see here at her last meet, she is in the lead.  She got first place in this race!  We are so proud of her.

 Ready...set.....go! She competed in the 100, hurdles and the 4 X 4 relay.

 There is a Nike motto that I am living by this week....  "Just do it".  I have been waiting many years to get my big and perfect yard to have chickens.  Well, the years of waiting have come to an end.  These are my new babies.  I am usually pregnant by now if I were to follow the pattern that I have been living for the last 12 years or so.  Since that is not happening (and on purpose), I thought I am filling that need for a new baby in the housewith  3 sets of twins.  Two Rhode Island Reds, two Americanas, and two Black Longhorns.  Aren't they cute?  No poppy diapers to change either.  Just poppy newspapers.  I am trying to build a chicken coop.  That should be interesting:)  But I'm going to "just do it"!

 We've got a curious kitty.  So far, so good.  He's just got his eye on the chicks for now.

 They've got plenty of love.  There is one for each of the kids.

 Last Thursday Max crossed the path of a swinging baseball bat.  The criminal fled the scene at the baseball field.  I can't blame him.  There was blood everywhere.  Thanks to an efficient and calm Little League staff at the park, we had him taped up and almost good as new within minutes. He's got a beautiful shade of purple on his eyelid and I know he'll have a great scar too.

Here Tennessee is showing off his ostrich bite.  We were at a friend's house last week enjoying the nice weather and admiring their goats.  Mid sentence of me asking if the ostrich bites, he reached down and pulled on Tennessee's little fingers.  I think it scared him more than anything.  That night in his prayers he asked Heavenly Father to please make sure the ostrich didn't eat him.  I was in stitches.  He might have just scratched his hand on the metal fence as he struggled to pull it free from the grip of the ostrich's beak, but it is way cooler to say that he was bit by an ostrich.

A Crazy Hair Brain Idea

The kids were obviously off of school on President's day and I wanted to get out of the house. I suggested to my cousin Natalie that we come up to Prescott Valley for a hike. As we checked the weather, a cold front was forecasted for that day. I wasn't going to let the weather ruin our day, so we decided to do an indoor activity that would be inexpensive and fun. "How about a scavenger hunt at the mall?" I suggested. Nat agreed that it sounded like fun, so with her gift of extra special creativity, she made up some clues and hid them around the mall before we arrived. All I can say is that I am an inexperienced mall shopper. We live in a small town and I couldn't remember the last time I had stepped foot inside of a mall. I don't think my younger ones had even seen a mall. After almost 2 hours of (by then) dragging the children to the last clue, I had an epiphany. "What was I thinking?" I said to Natalie as we met up at Dairy Queen at the end of the hunt. "Bringing 9 kids, 7 of them under 10 to the mall? Am I an idiot?" Okay, maybe that is a little harsh. I am just "unexperienced". We lost Wickman and Tennessee for quite sometime and went through bouts of dehydration, and exhaustion, but we made it through somehow.

We were the blue team...the mighty, mighty blue team! We had a to find a manequin with a clue in it's pocket.

One of the clues was to find a pair of red shoes, try them on and take a picture. Aren't these just Max's style? It was hilarious. He could barely stand up.

I was too cheap to fork out change for the mall attractions, but they got to sit on them for a moment and pretend they were going around and around.

The great reward at the end....ice cream!

Ship and I got to help Nat celebrate her thirtieth birthday in Phoenix for a girl's over-nighter. We got to see Wicked! It was amazing! We listened to the soundtrack about 4 times through on our way up to Utah the next day until my kids finally threw up their hands in opposition. "How about some different music MOM! PLEASE!"

We wanted to spend our week of spring break with our beloved family up in SLC. Nanna splurged for all the grand kids to spend the afternoon at Classic Fun Center in Layton. The highlight for the older kids was laser tag and rollerskating for the younger ones.

Cecelia's favorite way to pass the afternoon. JUMPING!

Good times with family...

My sweet niece and nephew...whom I miss like crazy!

Grandma and Grandpa Taylor treated us to an afternoon at Hogle Zoo. Lions and tigers and bears...oh my! Actually, the bear exhibit was under construction.

Our little monkeys.

We had an over-nighter in Mesa to celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. We took the kids to the Easter Pageant at the temple. It was amazing! We had a picnic of Kentucky Fried Chicken which Wickman pleasantly tossed up the next morning. We performed sealings the next morning, did a little swimming, a little shopping and then headed home.

CC fits right in doesn't she?...our little angel.

My LOVE for Paul only grows over time.

Got to love it when they get along!

Year 17's theme is furniture. Look what I got! Paul built it himself! Now I have something to put my foot on! Really, I can redeem it for a new one any time I'd like. I didn't get him a couch.

Easter morning was a rushed Easter egg hunt as we had 9 o'clock church and I was speaking in church and fixing our dresses up.

We couldn't pull the boys together for a picture. Wick was out doing visits with his Dad, Tennessee and Max ripped their clothes off as soon as they walked through door as we returned from church. No amount of convincing could get them to get dressed in the their Sunday best again. They looked handsome though...just take my word for it.

The girls playing dress ups together.