Our trip to Utah...day 1

So after an exhausting week of packing for 8, keeping the house clean, and the laundry under control...Wednesday finally arrived!  I have always hated driving in cars since I was a kid...I won't blame it on any one thing...more a combination of a bunch of things that involve 6 kids, sandwiched in the back of a suburban!  Ha ha...my parents call it memories, I call it a recipe for a migraine!
Phil and I try to "keep it real" when we travel...I hate the whole messy traveling car look, it already seems like we attract so much attention as it is, having such a huge family piling in and out of our car...so I like what little attention we can control, to be somewhat not junky!  Ha ha!  I know, I'm so wierd!  So instead of bringing along snacks that would just end up being smashed into the back seats, we started our trip off with McDonalds:)  Nothing like bacon, egg, and cheese in the morning!  The first 4 hours were good...we ate, no one had to go potty...everything was sweet, until we hit "Freedonia"!  Wow!  We made the mistake of telling our kids that when we stopped to get gas, we would also stop and get out to get something to eat.  What we didn't know, was that the only visible restaurant around was another McDonalds!  Okay, so I'm all for McDonalds...but twice in one day?  No.  So we tried telling the kids that in the next town, we promised to get something to eat...we started asking them what they felt like to get them excited...oooh big mistake. 
Anyone with kids knows...that when they flip, they flip fast, especially when they're either hungry or tired...and my kids were both!  Ugh...the next town was Panguitch...talk about a town!  I'm not worried about offending anyone because I'm pretty sure they haven't heard of the internet yet...they only had 2 "name brand" restaurants...Subway in a gas station and Arby's...in a gas station...how lovely!  Yeah so to make a sweet trip sweeter we all got out at the local gas station to go inside and eat at Arby's!  How do you know you're in Utah?  Maybe when suburban that parks next to you has 8 kids showcased on their back window!  Ha ha!  Loved it!!!

After a meal that left me seriously re-"thinking" Arby's...we were on our way again...!  We arrived a mere 5 hours later to Lehi, UT!

Now the real fun begins...

Thursday morning we woke up and went over to Gramma Debbie's and Papas house for scones with the cousins!  Tony, Jessica, and their 5 kids were staying at their house.  Phil, Me, and our 6, were staying with Shauna and her 3 kids around the corner:)

It was so much fun to see the cousins all hanging out together!  Now get ready for a million photos...

Silly side note about the below picture...My father in law is a complete stud!  He owns a few homes close to his and then of course has his daughter super close too, so as we're pulling up to the house he's loading his riding lawn mower up onto a trailor so he could go take care of the lawns that needed to be mowed, if you knew my father in law this wouldn't come as a surprise:)

Before breakfast was finished he was already back and armed with 2 cans of Wasp spray, so he could spray a nest that was like super high.  I think I was the only one completely curious about how he was going to do this...wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt, on a ladder no less!

I wish I had gotten a video!  Phil has some awesome stories of being on the phone with his dad while he was taking down wasps on the other end of the line...and when asked if he was getting stung, he said yeah, but finished the conversation without a hitch!  Now I can honestly say I totally believe that story!  A few swats and a lot of yelling "Get out of here!" to the wasps...he took their little nest down!  I have to say...it was pretty awesome!  (Don't let the picture fool you, there were wasps flying all over the place!) 

After breakfast it was off to Cowabunga Bay!



Finally Phil pays attention...but Berlin is so over this scene!



Cowabunga Bay was seriously fun...the day continued with dinner at Brick Oven Pizza

To Be Continued...

Book Of Mormon family challenge...

This summer has been great so far with the kids out of school, we've been swimming, swimming, and did I mention swimming?  I'm all about easy activities with the kids, so swimming fits of course:)  Lately however, I've been trying to think of a long term goal we could complete as a family, especially since they're home right now, and maybe get a sweet reward to look forward to also!

I came up with the idea of reading the Book Of Mormon...I know, I know, not an original idea, but it's a new one to our family as a WHOLE.  So, since the kids are very visual...and, come on, I am too...I found an idea for a Book Of Mormon chart online...the only problem was that it was too small to get the details...so I stumbled and sketched until I created my own chart of sorts:)

Oh isn't it lovely?  Ha Ha!  I'm no artist, but it serves it's purpose...we get the idea of where we are.

Since Brooklyn, Boston, and Paris are all old enough to read, it's been great having them take turns reading and then telling everyone there impressions of what's going on!  The younger three have no clue what's going on, but it's still been such a sweet experience to learn as they do and see things with such innocence!  We have a long way to go, but are happy to report that we are now on 2Nephi! Whoo hoo!  

The funny part was coming up with a reward as a family.  We asked each of the kids to come up with what the reward should be for completing the entire Book Of Mormon...the answers were hilarious!

Brooklyn:  1. Skittles

                 2.Go to Nana's House

Boston:      1.Play the computer

                  2.Visit the Great Wall of China!

Paris:         1. Candy 

                 2. Go to Nana's or Gramma Debbie's House

                 3. Just go to Peter Piper Pizza with Shavonne

Madison:   1. I want to go to the beach and see sharks!       

LOVE IT!  Kids are the BEST!!!!

Triple Fudge Crunch Cake

So it's no secret that I LOVE chocolate and any excuse to bake something really:)  I decided since it was Sunday and we were all in the mood to snack that I'd try out a new cake recipe.  When Phil saw the ingredients he cringed and said, "I'm out"...so I warned him not to judge a recipe by the ingredients:) 

I think it's safe to say...he ate his words...literally!  The cake is super yummy and is definitely a crowd pleaser!

Here's what you need...

1/3 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 bag Milk Chocolate Chips

1 package Fudge or Milk Chocolate Cake Mix, I use Betty Crocker

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 Cup Applesauce

2 Eggs

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

To Start:  Heat your oven to 350.  Grease the bottom only of a 13X9 pan.

Next, Microwave the condensed milk and half a cup of the chocolate chips in a small microwaveable bowl uncovered on Medium (50%) in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is softened; stir until smooth and set aside.

Now for the cake part:  Beat cake mix and oil together with a mixer or your kitchenaide, just until it turns crumbly; scoop out 1 cup of that mixture and set it aside...Now add the applesauce and eggs into the remaining cake mixture, the mixture will seem thick and grainy, just continue to beat for about 2 minutes or so then spread it into your pan.

Drop melted chocolate mixture in tablespoons onto the cake batter. 

Grab that cup full of crumbly cake bits and add it to another 1/2 cups of chocolate chips and the pecans.  Just mix with your hands until it's "topping" worthy:)  Crumble the mixture all over the cake batter, then bake it for 45-50 minutes or until the center is set.

Cool completely or serve hot with ice cream...it's super yummy!

Sorry my photos aren't better...I only had my phone camera handy:)

Las Vegas With the Ladies!!

My good friend Sandy moved to Colorado last year and we've missed hanging out:(  We finally found a weekend that worked for everyone and decided to meet in Las Vegas!

My trip kicked off around 4:30pm on Saturday when Phil dropped me off at good ol Sky Harbor...only to find out 30 minutes later that I'd be grounded an extra hour and a half due to missing flight attendants?!?!?!  I was the last one to arrive, so we kicked off dinner at P.F. Changs...YUMMMM!  It's been years since I've eaten there and I'm always leery of trying new restaurants...you know me and my vegetarian + bacon lifestyle;)  I have to say the Tofu Rice meal was EXCELLENT...and I'm not even a fan of Tofu!

As you can tell...we had lots of fun taking pictures!

After dinner we headed to Planet Hollywood to catch a hypnotist.  While we were waiting I caught sight of these GARGANTUAN hand prints and had to take a pic:) 

While we were waiting for the earlier show to get out, we were stuck in the bar area and I noticed these "sweet" little rooms!  Ha Ha! I had to take a pic and show Phil...of course you'll all be very glad to know there was no dancing on my trip:)

After a very eventful night...literally a fight broke out next door in the middle of the night and we thought the people fighting were going to crash through our door any minute...somehow we all did manage to fall asleep, and then we awoke to this beautiful view!  Breakfast at IHOP...

Shopping at H&M...I must have missed the memo about NOT smiling...;)

Kim, Sandy, and I.

Trying on horrible shades...

I'm actually thinking when you guys are like 60...you guys could totally rock these!!!! 

We had soo much fun and adventures to match! 

Sandy was a doll and taught us all how to play Roulette!  I am now a huge fan, it was incredibly fun! Oh the weekend literally flew by!  I flew home on Monday afternoon to a happy husband and 6 kids!  I can't wait to go out on a Ladies Getaway again!  Maybe we can go someplace tropical next!!!!

Mother's Day...always a treat:)

I love the idea of Mother's Day...I think it's a wonderful idea.  However, this year I've decided that I'm trading Mother's Day for Father's Day with Phil.  I awoke at 3:30 am to the sound of Seattle becoming the first member of the "pukey and poopy" club...aww sweet sounds you love to wake up to!  Luckily, I have the best husband in the world he cleaned that one up:)  Then about 5:30am Berlin joined the "pukey and poopy" club...bliss, complete bliss...this one needed a two man clean up crew to tackle it:(

After the clean up and lots of help from Phil...I was able to lay back down and enjoy my pillow for about an hour before Phil had to leave for our 8am sacrament:)  Of course, I'm the lucky one to stay home...after all it is Mother's Day!!!

On a good note...during the hour I was out COLD...and rolled over to see these cute little gifts sitting on my night stand:)

The snowflake thingy is from Paris...and the cute card is from Brooklyn:)

--Side Story about the candy and flowers and why I'm actually excited about them...

SO last year on Mother's Day Sunday, at church I started noticing women wearing these corsages pinned to their dresses.  Sweet...not my style, but sweet, nonetheless.  After seeing like 20 different ladies with them, I HAD to ask someone what kind "exclusive club" they all belonged to.  The answer was, in Elder's Quorum they sent around a little sign up sheet that the husbands could all sign up and pay to have these flowers delivered to their wives today.  Awww sweet...so where's mine?
Naturally, having Seattle just out of nursery's reach, and me sitting up front in Relief Society, I found my answer...as I saw Phil hanging out in the foyer with about 3 other dad's and their kids, who's wives also coincidentally, didn't have the sweet corsages either:)  I thought it was funny, but I did like harassing him about it.

Needless to say, Phil was in Elder's Quorum this year when the sign up sheets went around...and I wasn't left out this year:)  It was completely worth it!

P.S. Thanks Melanie for being the greatest and sending home the Mother's Day Treat from sacrament with Phil!  You're the BEST!

Girls Night Out!

It's been a while since the "ladies" have all gotten together:(  We had like 5 out of the 7 of us having a birthday within the month, so we decided it was an EXCELLENT excuse to get together again!  We've missed Maylene living close and are glad when new friends get to join in on the fun too.  Sorry to all the others that couldn't make it, we will definitely plan another!

We went to the "fan favorite" of the group...Oreganos!  It was a little warm, and we only had to wait about  an hour for a table...and it flew by!  Note: Always go to a packed restaruant when you're meeting up with friends you haven't seen in a while!  It's sooo good to catch up without shoving food in your mouths at the same time, which we also do, but it's still nice to get some convo in first;) 

We always tend to get a little silly and have THE BEST conversations, definitely a well needed break!

My flash on my phone for some reason flashes twice...so it tricks you!  You see the first flash...assume it's done, and go back to your usual pose when BAM it catches you for real this time!  I haven't been on the receiving end of it yet...(notice no self portraits as my FB profile) so that will explain some of these really hottt shots!  Ha Ha!  The first couple were so funny, we decided we were going to keep taking crazy shots.

Cynthia

Maylene

Amy

Melanie

Shavonne

Charilla

Thanks Ladies it was sooooo much fun!!!!!!!  Can't you tell by my scary expression?????  Bet you all would be scared to run into me after watching Eclipse,  I give a whole new meaning to "pale face"...hahaha!