Life is Short

Since I still haven't figured out how to put my pictures anywhere but at the top of the post, I guess you get the explanation on those first.  Kelley got her hair cut a few weeks ago!  It is so super cute.  I was going to get my hair cut and she said "I don't want to get my hair cut like yours...because then I wouldn't look like me!"  I told her that was fine and I knew she wanted to grow her hair out, but I thought she's like it shorter and it would be way cute.  Anyway, my sister took the kids while I was there and then brought them in at the end.  Kelley then said she wanted it cut.   I asked if she was sure and we went out to lunch to make sure she had time to think about it.  She was sure.  And she had enough to donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths (they do wigs for cancer patients.)   waited to post because I keep trying to remember to get a better picture, but haven't been able to yet...so this is the best it gets.  She LOVES it!  She tells everyone "It's so easy to comb and so easy to fix".  Long hair gets tangled easily.  Anyway, I love it too...it's so much easier for mom!  But I have to say, I'm a bit jealous.  All I have to do is blow dry hers and it's perfectly in place and bouncy and cute.  Where did that come from?  My hair certainly doesn't behave like that...

Now for some sad news.  I just feel like I have to share this.  This blog thing is an outlet for me, so anyway...my Uncle Paul Lusk was killed last night.  He was talking a walk with his wife and some 18 year old kid got distracted or something and hit and killed him.  Life is just crazy and fragile and you really can't count on anything.  This is a bit more personal than the plane crash I blogged about last month, but it's the same concept.  He was only 45, still has kids at home, healthy.  And now he's not here anymore.  Paul was just a good guy.  He was quiet, kind, always smiling.  He seemed happy and his family seemed happy.  He never seemed to draw attention to himself.  I can't ever remember him raising his voice to his kids, when I was around him or saying anything mean or hurtful about anyone.  I have such mixed emotions about it.   I feel so deeply sad for his family and how they must be missing him.  But I have felt the spirit and comfort when I think about it.  Anyway, I'm going to the funeral on Monday.  I'm glad to have known him.  I miss him even though I didn't even see him that often.  My first memory of him was attending their wedding reception, I could have only been 5 or 6.  But they weren't there, they had clothes on dummies.  Paul and Leah had got into a car accident I think driving to Ely from SLC where they got married and were in the hospital or something.  Anyway....I don't know what else to say, but just wanted to get this out and send it into the void.  So thanks for reading if you are...and please pray for the Lusk family.

New Addition to the family & Peanut Butter

So, we adopted a puppy.  We've named her Koko and she's a black lab mix.  We just think she's the cutest thing ever.  I'm not really a pet person, I only mildly like our cat, but I think I might like her more than most.  We'll see.  Joey's really excited to train her to fetch.  We chose the name because I guess Labs originated in Canada and so Koko is an indian name from one of the tribes up there.  It means 'night' I think.  She still just little, about as big as our cat.  She seems very sweet and gentle so far.  And she like green beans...go figure...

I've also included a picture to make you all laugh.  I keep reading on my friends blogs about their messy toddlers.  Well I have a cute little monster myself.  We found him like this the other day in the kitchen.  I NEED to remember to close the pantry when I'm done with it!  It also appears that he has inherited my love for peanut butter.

(As a side note...does anyone know how to put your pictures in so they don't all end up at the front of the post?)

Tagged

OK, so I got this almost a week a go, but this week has been really busy.  So finally getting to it...yeah it's Friday!  I was tagged by my beautiful cousin Rachael.

Allrighty: 6 random things about me.

1.  I find myself easily distracted.  I love scrapbooking, sewing, ballroom dancing, yoga and playing the piano, but hardly ever get time to do them because I'm always focused on the messy house, escaping my to do list by checking my email or whatever.  When I was working for the state I'd get bored with my job quickly and have to move on to something else once I got "competent enough".  

2.  I love being home with my kids.  I like doing the daycare, but I don't feel as good at it as I thought I would.  There's still so many ways I want to improve, but I love being able to hug and cuddle my kids whenever I want to.

3.  I LOVE chocolate, peanut butter and potatoes.  Not together of course...but if you put a bag of peanut butter M & Ms in front of me, or french fries I will eat them, not until I'm full, but until I'm literally sick.  I have a hard time "just saying no".

4.  I am a people pleaser and I am very wordy.  I didn't make the connection between the two until this summer when my sister in law did this personality thing at our family reunion.  I tend to give long explanations for my decisions or opinions so as to "cover all the bases" I think.  I don't want to offend anyone, or have them think I'm not open minded or whatever.  I'm pretty concerned about what people think about me.

5.  Although lately I feel like I beat myself up alot, I'm pretty happy with who I am mostly.  I love the fact that I'm book smart, can write well and can sight read almost anything on the piano.  I love that I try to be open minded.  I love my kids and my husband and I love my extended family.  I feel really lucky and blessed by my Heavenly Father.

6.  I am a rule follower.  Like this tag for instance.  It said to tag 6 people, so I did.  I spend way too much energy sometimes on this and then end up at the end just doing whatever.  Like my classes this summer.  Man the first assignments I did were perfect, but when it got to the end of the semester and I had half the tests and 3 huge assignments to complete all the rules went out the window.  Perfectionism is another word for it.  I really need to start FLYing again...that's right up my ally.

So I'm going to tag: Lara, Kristy, Rachael, Nonie, Kyle and Jenny.

Here are the rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let the person know you tagged them on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when you've posted.

One Packed Saturday

Kristy left for Las Vegas this weekend with her sister Karmin, so the kids and I had some fun on our own. We went to Kelley's soccer game, where her team beat the tigers. We went to a rodeo parade and saw the Budwiser Wagon, and afterwards had some fun on the inflatable toys at the park. We topped the day off by going to a football game and watching our SUU T-Birds kick the crap out of Adams State—that was Joey's favorite part. The kids enjoyed "Thor" (our mascot) and the candy. Check out our gallery for pics.

http://gallery.me.com/benedictkristy#gallery

Look at how chipper Kristy is even after hiking and sleeping on the cold hard ground. She is one tough mamma! Kristy and I had an amazing time with some of our friends backpacking down the West Rim of Zion National Park. If you have high speed internet, check out the gallery at http://gallery.me.com/benedictkristy#100017.

Does Tyler need a haircut?

I think so...Joey says no. Either way we can't cut it too short...I think I've already told that story on here, but it's 'part of his personality', so it stays at least semi long for now. But I think it's way past time for a haircut...what's your vote?

Speaking of this cutie...he is a funny kid and says such cute things. One of my favorites is the way he asks to sit on my lap. This started a while ago before he was better at talking than he is now. Instead of asking to sit on my lap he would say "I want 'shlap' momma". It kind of stuck. He still asks for my 'shlap" (sit + on + lap). I can't bear to correct it right now. Another one that started recently is "preyantis". We have had tons of HUGE praying mantis bugs in our yard the last few weeks. That's a pretty big word for him, so he just calls it a "preyantis".

Another thing that melts my heart...whenever I sneeze or trip or something like that he asks "you OK momma?" in the sweetest little voice. I love him!