Potty Training

Yep.  That is what we are working on at this house.  I got tired of Katy playing in her diaper every time that she pooped.  She would stand there, pushing and telling me, "I'm poooooping."  And then have to check and shove her hand down her diaper.  Not cool.  So, no more diapers.  I hope.

She is doing very well.  Haven't got her to #2 in the potty.  But it has been in a pull-up and not panties.  She says that it is "water" when she #1's.  She can call it water.  At least I know what she is talking about.  She loves that she gets treats and she is willing to sit on her potty every half hour.  I set the timer.  Mostly for me.  But she knows when she hears it she has to go potty.

So proud of my big girl.  I'm just praying that we make it through the week without me losing my mind.  It is hard having your day interrupted every half hour.  Makes sewing so hard. :0)

One of my Favorite Things

I am a reader.  Always have been.  My earliest memories of loving to read are with my Mother.  She would read a book with me.  She would read a page and then I would read a page.  I love reading!  So it does my heart good to see this.

Thursdays are our library days and the kids can't wait to get new books!  I'm so glad that I have readers.  It makes it easier for me to read too.

Burraston Ponds

Yes, that is how you spell it.  I had to take a picture so I would know how to spell it to blog about it.  Nate really wanted to take the boys fishing here at Burraston Ponds.  He grew up fishing here and catching a ton of fish.  I had never been and I talked him into camping for the night.  I think this will be our new go-to camping spot.  It was just as close as Vernon and it has a ton of trees for shade.  It was so nice.  The one thing that I had a hard time with.  The toads.  No crickets to put you to sleep.  Make you enjoy being outdoors.  No, it was toads.  They are louder and not as nice to go to sleep too. 

I won't tell you that Nate didn't catch any fish, and I won't tell you that he has never caught a fish with the boys but I will tell you that they loved going out in the canoe and that I really miss my camera.  Oh, and we will never take the dogs again. :0)

Few Katy Photo's

 This is how we found her the first morning that we slept over at Nana and Papa's.  Flat on her face, out of her bag and over by Tucker's.

This is the Cuteness coloring in her Dvd case that we made last week.  She loves having her picture taken now.  So different from a few months ago. :0)

What a Weekend

Where to start?  So much went on and I have so much to say.  I'll just start with Thursday.

Thursday started out with Nate, Thad and I waking up early to head to Cub Scout Day Camp.  Our ward decided to go with the District Day Camp instead of Jeremiah Johnson Day Camp this year.  NEVER AGAIN!!! 

As I was helping Nate make our lunches, I fell and hurt my leg.  I thought I had broken it, it hurt so bad.  I was able to get up and walk on it so to Camp we went.  There were problems with the Day Camp Director and needless to say, we will never do District Day Camp again.  By the end of the day, I couldn't even walk anymore.  Any weight I put on my leg would almost buckle it.  I was able to keep off it for the rest of the night and it was feeling better by Friday morning.

Day Camp was two days long and so Friday we headed back again.  Day Camp was held over in the City Center of Eagle Mountain so as we drove over we were able to see the fire that had started Thursday and see it up close.  It had died down a lot and there was hardly any smoke.  It was super windy and by 9 o'clock I looked at the mountain and could just see black smoke over where our house was.  I called Winni, who was at our house with the other 3 kids and asked about the smoke.  She opened the door and said, "Oh, Wow!"  It was like a black cloud in the streets.  I told her to shut all the windows and to keep an eye out.  If she started seeing flames, to call me.  Right after I got off the phone with her I got a call from my Aunt Kathryn.  The smoked looked terrible from over in Orem and she offered to come get the kids and take them to my Mom and Dad's house in Lehi.  That sounded like a great plan to me.  As I was getting off the phone with her, the Day Camp Director was gathering all the people together.  They told us that they had gotten word that Saratoga Springs was being evacuated and that anyone from that area needed to leave.  We were debating whether we were going to stay with our scouts when I got a call from Heather.  She said the Kiowa Valley, (where we live) was being told to evacuate too.  That did it.  We were out of there.  Winni called to ask where the car seat for Katy was and I told her we were on our way to come get them.  I got a hold of Kathryn and told her the same thing and then the phone tree started.  I had to call all my scout parents and let them know we were bringing their scouts home because we were being evacuated.  Then I had to call neighbors and ladies that I Visit Teach.  It was crazy.  We got home and I told all the kids to pack a pair of clothes and some jammies for the night.  Sleeping bags went in the car and by that time we had the Sheriff at our door.  I asked how long we had to get out.  He said we should have been out 5 minutes ago so to please hurry.  Nate got his work stuff and we drove away.  It was the hardest thing to do.  I just keep thinking of all I was leaving behind.  Pictures, scrapbooks, fabric, clothes, computer and so many more things that would never be able to be replaced...

Picture from ksl.com.  This is the park at the end of our street.  Tucker and Thad play here all the time.

These house lights are our neighborhood.  The fire was within a mile of our homes.

I do not think I could say Thank you enough to the hard workers that protected our homes.  They worked tirelessly and did so much.  All these pictures are from the news.  I will be every grateful for all that they did.

Nate was called into work and had to evacuate Saratoga Springs.  He said that after being on both sides of it, neither is fun.  As he was trying to get people to move along and not stop and look at the fire, he had to go and get two teenage boys that wanted a closer look off the mountain.  I can not believe some people! 

I was glued to the news on the t.v. and Facebook for the rest of the day.  I was on the phone making sure that people were out and had places to go.  We had no idea if we would be able to go home for the night or if we would have to stay at Mom and Dad's.  It was about 6 that night when we got word that we would need to stay the night.  They were not allowing anyone back in Kiowa Valley.  The kids were excited.  They got to sleep over at Nana's!

7 o'clock the next morning I was back at the internet trying to find out what was new.  We found out the just Kiowa Valley was still under mandatory evacuation.  That was us.  It was harder to just sit there and wait then you would think.  I let the kids play the Wii and their DS's all day while I went from on website to the next.  The wind started picking up again and I started getting phone calls from people wondering if they could go home.  I didn't know what to tell them.  I wanted to go home just as much as they did.  Nate got off work and came and got me and we drove out to see what we could find out.  They had Sheriff at the end of our street making sure that you lived there and were just getting a few things and then heading back out.  We asked if they knew anything new and they told us that they were having a meeting at 3 to decide what to do.  I was surprised that our house didn't smell like smoke.  We headed back and tried to wait til 5 to hear the news whether we would be allowed home.  News came that we could go home but to not un-pack.  We were still on high alert and if the winds changed, we would need to be able to get out quickly.  That was to much for me.  Nate was working an all night shift and the thought of laying there awake waiting for someone to come knock on my door and tell me to get my 4 sleeping kids out of the house by myself...  Not happening.  I decided to stay another night at my parents.

I don't know what I would have done without my parents and my sister Winni.  They helped me to stay calm and to get through this without totally breaking down.  Even though I wanted to many time.

Sunday morning we came home and just sat on our couch.  I had all the kids come sit with me and I asked them about what we had taken with us.  Did we take the pictures or the porcelain dolls that can't be replaced?  What was one thing that they wished they would have taken with us?  Tucker wished we would have taken the painting for Grandma Powell.  My mom had said something to me about that one and my Christ cross-stitch.  I told them that in emergency's like this, we would take the most important things.  The ones that can't be replaced.  Nate and I took them.  The kids.  We didn't worry about anything else.  We got word that they were in danger and we came as fast as we could.  We packed what was needed for the night and we took our children and left everything else behind.  I love my kids.  I could not survive without my kids.  I would be sad about losing pictures and scrapbooks and the material things in my home.  But when it comes down to it.  My kids are my home.  My husband is my home.  Without them, nothing would be worth it.

I know that our Father in Heaven watched out for us.  I know that he heard the prayers in our behalf and that he helped calm my storm in my heart.  He keep us safe and he keep us together.  He kept my husband safe and brought him home to me.  If I have brought anything away from this experience it is that I know that my Father lives and that he loves me.  That I need to do more in my life to show him that.  I need to do more in my family to help them have His spirit in their hearts.

I am so glad to be home.  I am glad to have this danger over with and now I am praying for the others in Sanpete county.  That they will be safe and that those who have lost their homes, that they can come to the understanding that I came to. That all they need is those they have with them.

Good-Bye Aunt Claudia

More than anything, I wish I would have had a camera.  My Aunt Claudia passed away with last week and I was able to go to the funeral with my family yesterday. 

I hope that I don't offend anyone, but I wanted to write about the feelings I had.  Even though it was a funeral it was wonderful seeing the Montag family.  It is so sad that we only see each other at funerals.  Last time I saw the Montags was at Grandma's funeral 5 years ago.  If only I had a camera, I would have gone to town.  So many faces I haven't seen is so long.  It would have been wonderful to get pictures of the family.  I love seeing my Dad with his brothers and I miss the good times we would have.  I'm really hoping that there was a food fight at the church afterwards.  If not, Claudia will be upset. :0)  Every time she was at a get-together, there would be a food fight, and she was the first thrower. 

I LOVED being with my family!  I wish more than anything that Gerald could have been there.  We would have been complete.  We had a wonderful time going to lunch after and it was very much needed.  My favorite part was when we went to pick up the kids from Grandpa and Nana's and the kids ran right up to Jeremiah and gave him hugs.  Well, all but Katy.  She still isn't so sure about him. 

Claudia will be missed but she is with her Mother and our Lord and is probably started more food fights than you can count. :0)

Park City Getaway

I am again camera-less.  :0(  You have no idea how hard this is for me. 

Nate and I were able to get away for a night up to Park City.  Every year the UHPA has a banquet and the hotel where they host it offers the Troopers a discount on a hotel room.  With it being in Park City and it having been awhile since Nate and I have had a getaway, we got a room.  We dropped the kids off and Grandpa and Nana's house and heading up.  It was a wonderful drive and so nice to just be the two of us.

Dinner was amazing and the friends are even better.  We have some really good friends with UHP and we just love spending time with them and goofing off. 

The next day we spent at the Outlets.  It is kind of fun going shopping with my hunny.  Kind of.  I think I would have spent a lot more time looking around and spending a bit more money with my Mom but I do like going with Nate.  He is a picky shopper though.  Took forever for him to decide on a new watch. :0)

A very much needed night away with my hunny makes me a much happier Mom.

Battle Creek Hike

I have to say a big THANK YOU! to my sister Amy for letting me and my kids tag along for her hikes this year.  I saw all the ones that she did last year and I kind of invited myself.  I really wanted to do more with my kids for the summer and I knew they would love hiking.  After camping, I KNEW Norma would love it.

So for our second hike of the year, we went with Amy and her kids, Becky and her kids and Becky's friend Cammie and her kids.  15 kids, 4 woman.  Maybe I should have thought of this a bit more. :0)

We packed a lunch and stopped a little ways up the trail to eat.  Katy was not having it.  I thought for sure that I would end up walking back to the car with her.

But after lunch, she was ready to go!  Walked almost the whole way.  I was so proud of her.

Norma was loving every minute of it.

I was proud of myself for making it all the way too.  I thought for sure that they would be picking me and Katy up on the way back.  I really wanted a picture of me and the kids at the top but they were to anxious to head back down, and be in the front of the pack, without any adults.  Yeah, we need to work on our hiking rules.

So I at least got them to stand with me here at the bottom.  Sort of.

Katy needed a drink so that she would look at the camera.

Tucker!  Don't be silly!

Oh well.  We all made it and can't wait to go on the next one.  Thank you again Amy!

This Little Piggy...

We came in from from playing outside all day and right before the camera battery died I got this picture.

Check out the piggies on the piggies.  Glad she likes having her hair done again. 

Water Play

 I get made fun of because every time I talk to anyone, I say at some point, "Well, I saw something on Pinterest about that."    So yes, I saw this on Pinterest and wanted to make one.  Well, have my hunny make one. :0)

Super easy.  Super cheap.  Just remember, not so many holes.  We put to many and had to make a second one.

 The first hot day of summer, we had all the neighbor kids over, I had all the mothers over and we played, talked and I burned.

 This worked out perfect!  I love it.  I sat in Thad's place a few times myself.

 Katy just liked getting her head wet.

And we have a water dog.  Eva was in heaven, thinking all these kids with water toys were there just to play with her.  We spent the whole day outside and I can't wait to do it all summer long!

First Camping Trip of the Year

 We finally made it out camping!  The sad thing, we were suppose to be going to St. George with Nate's family.  We had so many fun things planned and it all went away with one game of baseball.

I'm sorry to say that I'm a little glad it didn't happen though.  It would have been so HOT!  It was hot here.  We ended up going to Vernon because Nate had already taken the time off to go camping, the trailer was ready and we were packed.

This picture is for Nate.  He wanted to show how we were able to make the canoe work.  He can't wait to take it again.  Neither can the kids.

This is how it was when it was hot.  The boys were reading, Norma was goofing off and Katy was talking on the phone. :0)

One of the kids favorite parts of camping was going out in the canoe.  Nate would take two kids at a time.  They loved it!

Katy was so cute!  She was posing for these pictures!  I love this one with her dimple!  She is amazing!

Here is everyone getting ready to go fishing.  The kids are bad luck.  They have never caught a fish. Never.

These kids crack me up!  "Mom, take a picture of our antlers!"

Waiting for Dad to get the fishing poles ready.

Katy did not like being strapped in the stroller.  It was so rocky, she was in Heaven!  "Rock! Rock!"

LOVE THIS PICTURE!

The butterfly nets were a big hit.  Katy is a big copy cat right now and she would be two steps behind everyone, catching bugs and juniper berries.

We let the kids go for a hike.  We told them to go for 20 minutes and then turn around.  It was about 30 minutes later, and we heard them yelling because they could see the camp.  They were on the other side of the mountain.  Then all they could talk about was taking Mom and Dad with them.  So..

We went UP the MOUNTAIN!  I swear they were trying to kill me.  It was straight up the mountain! Then it was straight DOWN the mountain.  I got some cool pictures though.

This is how Katy hikes.  In Daddy's arms.  Just chillin'.

Can you see the little stand of trees there in the middle.  That is our camp.

Norma loved hiking!  She wanted to go again and again and again and again...

Love my little Squeaker. :0)

This picture is also for Nate.  Our dinner.  It was pretty good.