News from the Hughes

Downton Abbey Anyone?

2012-01-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

Hooray...a television show actually worth watching. Has anybody else fallen in love with Downton Abbey? Please tell me I'm not the only one. If you like Jane Austin you will adore Downton Abbey.You can catch season one on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Season two premiered last Sunday and can be watched on PBS.

Why I Never Blog Anymore.

2011-04-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged for a very long time. The pictures below are only half the story.

The other half of the story is that for a very long time now it's bothered me that I do not have my bachelor's degree. For years the thought to go back to school has been at the back of my mind, in my dreams, and irritating my subconscious. I quit school about seven years ago when I had my first born so I fully recognize the irony of going back to school after having my third born. After quitting when Avery was born, my Dad ever so tactfully reminded me that I'm the only one of his six children who will not have a degree. How's that for peer pressure! Well apparantly at the age of 29 I'm still susceptible to peer pressure because I just finished a semester of school and I'm going back for more this summer. It's gotta be done, and now is the time to do it.

So here's a quick update on the Hughes family:

We got emus.

We got a beehive.

Sienna's crawling.

I married a farmer.

I'd like to elaborate, but I'm quite sick right now and may start hallucinating, so it's time to sign-off.

Sienna Mae Hughes

2010-10-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

Sienna Mae Hughes

Oct. 8 2010 at 11:15 am

6 lbs 11oz, 20 in.

Too much skin? Sorry.

Family pictures are getting increasingly harder to take.

Once the doctor started me on Pitossin, Sienna was eager to get here.

I was in labor for less than 2 hours and she was in my arms. Luckily the epidural kicked in before I got to the very difficult part. I kept telling the nurses "It really feels like I'm crowning." They must have been thinking, okay crazy lady stop telling us how to do our job, because they didn't even look. When the nurse went to put in a catheter she finally believed me because she found a baby's head. The doctor entered the room and said "Okay, cough once and she'll be delivered." All and all the induction turned out to be quite the ideal delivery. Me and my prejudices.

Baby update

2010-10-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

It looks like I'll be having a baby tomorrow. I can't say I'm quite ready, I'd like to wait a few more days, but by the end my 2 1/2 hour, 39 week check-up today, the nurse informed me with a huge smile on her face that I'd be coming in tomorrow morning to be induced. Let's just say at the time my smile did not match hers, but now that I've had a few hours to let it settle, I'm really looking forward to holding our little baby girl by tomorrow night.

I've measured small most of pregnancy and did a non-stress test and growth ultrasound at 32 weeks only to find that everything was just peachy. Today my doctor ordered another non-stress test and growth ultrasound that revealed low levels of amniotic fluid and a small baby in the 20th percentile. The two coupled together apparently means time for baby to be born. This isn't an emergency by any means and I'm not worried about delivering an unhealthy baby, but my doctor worries about the fluid getting even lower which could be bad for baby.

I've never liked the idea of being induced, so my doc stripped my membranes and hopefully that will put me into labor first. It seemed to work with Sage. I was in labor only a few hours after she stripped my membranes back then, so maybe I can go into labor without the aid of pitossin.

Wish me luck!

2010-06-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks for a fun weekend at Tony's Grove Lake Jaclyn and Dave!

I really can't stand swimming in public pools for sooo many reason, but mostly because chlorine does bad things to me. I would so much rather swim in a lake. I think these pictures prove my point as to why pools are out and lakes are in.

The night before we loaded up all the boys in this canoe to take them for a little ride. Sage couldn't have been more excited...until they were out for two minutes and tipped. Luckily they had life jackets. Poor Sage was afraid of the canoe after that, although I did convince him to ride with me.

My kids LOVE Uncle Jeff.

We had a great weekend out of the heat and in the pine and aspen trees. Something fascinating about Tony's Grove Lake is that 430 million years ago, it was a tropical beach of the pacific ocean. Apparantly there are lots of fossils of tropical creatures, although we didn't see any.

Don't Forget...

2010-06-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

This morning as I was getting ready for an overnighter with the kids at Tony's Grove Lakes in Cache Valley, I made a list of groceries and other items to pack. I set the note down and when I got back to it, Avery left me a little message:

"Don't forget Avery and Sage." it said, backwards letters and all.

Thanks for the reminder Avery!

Happy Birthday Avery

2010-06-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my little baby girl turned 6! I can't believe how time flies. Because her birthday is in June, she laments all year about being soooo much younger than all the other kids in her grade, so now finally she can feel caught up.

I've done birthday parties for the last 3 years, so we decided to have a family party with one friend. She chose her inseparable pal Hailey.

She had her heart set on Chuckie Cheese's for her birthday party.

She got Barbies from Hailey, A swim suit and mermaid costume for Gma and Gpa Hughes, clothes from Gma and Gpa Stott, and from mom and dad she got a ballet bar with a ballet DVD, a hula hoop (the girls got some serious skills) and a Moxie girls make-over doll bust. (kind of the updated version of those large barbie heads where you could fix their hair.)

Love you Avery! Sorry you're the oldest and you have to suffer through all my parenting mistakes. Some how, you're turning out really great.

Baby on Board

2010-05-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting along time to make this announcement on our blog. I challenged myself to wait until we knew the sex of the baby before saying anything, but I accidentally scooped my own story on facebook. (I really shouldn't be unleashed on that thing.)

Any way...the Hughes family gets to welcome a baby girl on October 14th, give or take. (Emphasis on the take part.) I truly thought we were having a boy based on an earlier ultrasound, so I'll have to get use to calling this baby "she" and "her."

3 of the 4 of us are very excited. When we told Avery she was having a baby sister, she started celebrating and hasn't stopped since. Just mention the word "sister" and the party starts all over again. Sage just likes a reason to jump up and down with his sister while shouting, I'll take anything since we've already have our boy and our girl, and Shane's well... girls seem to scare him a little. His mind flashes forward to teenage years and premature incessant worrying starts to kick in. After the ultrasound he started mumbling things about stupid hormonal teenage boys. Having a girl as his oldest hasn't seemed to change anything. We'll just give it time to sink in a little.

Also, we do have a name picked out, but that will have to wait till she's born before being announced.

Updates

2010-04-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

Update #1
Ryan flew to Dubai and has been home for awhile. Last Saturday I finally got to talk to him about his trip. He said it was the most intense experience of his life. It sounded pretty grueling and rigorous and Ryan narrowly missed coming in first place by only a matter of a few points. For those of you who know Ryan, he's got some serious people skills and I'm sure he charmed the socks off the judges. The woman who won is a Canadian with Middle Eastern ties and knew several languages which understandably gave her an edge over Ryan. They were hounded by the media in Dubai and Ryan said right now he's a major super star in Dubai, then he added that won't get him anywhere here. (not that he wants to be a super star.) We keep bugging him to apply for Survivor or Amazing Race, but I don't think that's enough adventure for him.

Update #2
Our house projects have been put on hold until we can finish the yard which is undergoing a drastic transformation right now. We've cut down about 50 trees from the front and back yard. I know 50 sounds like a lot, but trust me, there are still PLENTY of trees. It's extremely rare to live in Utah and have a house with so many trees, and we are so grateful for the shade they will provide in the summer time. We've undertaken some pretty big jobs and I keep asking Shane to take off a few day so we can get it done. Hopefully soon I'll have some before and afters.

Update #3
I really dreading admitting this, but unfortunately my orange swimsuit never made it out of the suitcase in Cancun. The weather was unseasonably cool in Cancun so there was very little relaxing on the beach or next to the pool in my swimsuit. I went swimming a couple times to go snorkeling and then to a beach next to some beautiful Mayan ruins, but both times called for a comfortable forgiving swimsuit, not a stiff awkward retro swimsuit. I'll have to test her out another time.

We are loving Spring and I'm really looking forward to school being over so we can start our summertime adventures!

The newest members of the Hughes family

2010-03-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Hughes family is growing...by five. We are the proud parents of five baby chicks, because apparently we don't have enough on our plate what with an unfinished house, bad sewer pipes (don't ask, you don't want to know) and a jungle for a yard.

Actually, my complaining isn't really valid. Chickens are so easy to take care of and the children ADORE them. Right now they live in a makeshift home in our basement until it's warm enough to put them outside in a coop. These chickens will lay brown eggs but supposedly Rosie will lay blue eggs! That's the sole reason we picked her. They should start laying in October and as many as two a day. They are strictly for egg laying, but we are considering raising some chickens for eating. (watch "Food Inc.")

Here are three of them. from left to right meet Rosie, Penny, and Annabelle. For some reason Annabelle is the undisputed favorite 0f the children.

Sage might like these chickens a little too much. He constantly sneaks downstairs and puts them in buckets. What purpose the buckets serve, I'm not sure, but that's his thing. I may have to get a lock for the door.

Please pay no attention to the disaster that is our yard....

...truthfully, it's only about to get worse.

This might be only the beginning of the Hughes family farm. We'd also like to get some beehives and to be honest I wouldn't mind getting a cow for fresh, unpasteurized milk. (Ha!, like that's gonna happen.) Shane's even talked about raising Emus. Yes, I did just say Emus. All the while my dream of horses has to be put on the back burner. (don't feel too sorry for me.) In the meantime, if you want fresh eggs, you know where to get them.

He did it!

2010-03-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

Yahoo!! Your votes were heard, Ryan came in 4Th place! A big thanks to everyone who voted. My friend Natalie told me she voted everyday. The voting was pretty intense during those last few hours and I have to admit, I didn't think Ryan would make it because he was in 7Th place for a long time, but within those last 3-4 hours, he received hundreds of votes and now he has a flight to Dubai! The winner of the contest will be announced on March 29Th. Who ever wins gets $100,000 and first class plane tickets to travel around the world for 80 days. I'll definitely fill everyone in.

We need your vote!

2010-03-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

My brother in law Ryan Hughes signed up for this crazy contest sponsored by LG to travel around the world sharing LG products with people from all nations. 20,000 people sent in videos and Ryan has made it to the top 20!!!

We are so excited for him...but he desperatly needs votes to make it to the top 6 where they will fly to Dubai and the LG people will pick who wins the contest. He is currently in 7th place and he really needs votes to secure his flight to Dubai. If you have an extra minute, please vote for him. It only takes a few seconds to register and vote. Here is the link, http://www.liveborderless.net/voting/index.php Ryan's video is the fourth one down in the far left column. (Yes, he's wearing a speedo.) If you want to go the extra mile, you can vote once every 24 hours.

This might brighten your January day.

2010-01-25T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is Andrea Boccelli and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing, "The Lord's Prayer." It's really beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUm_OwfF_bQ&feature=player_embedded

Yummy Healthy recipes I promised.

2010-01-07T12:49:00.001-08:00

It is so like me to come down with a cold and a fever the day after I make my proclamation to the world wide web to exercise, eat healthy, and loose weight. I'm feeling much better now and am ready to share my favorite recipe involving cauliflower. Honestly, my family loves it so much it's usually gone before I set the dish on the table. Shane discovered this while listening to the second greatest love of his live, NPR. What ever NPR tells Shane to do, he does it. And that is how the recipe came into the Hughes family repetior.

Preheat oven to 400 deg.
As thinly as possible, slice a head of cauliflower keeping as much as the cross section in tact as possible. Place cauliflower on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes of until cauliflower is soft and edges are crisp and golden.

I hope your family likes it as much as mine. We've even convinced ourselves they taste like french fries.

This week I made my favorite granola recipe. It's perfect for a morning breakfast. It can be found here:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Almond-Granola-108238
Just a note, I usually substitute the brown sugar with honey.

I triple the recipe and sometimes make cookies out of it using this recipe:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Granola-and-Dried-Cranberry-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies-13143

Here is a sneak peak of where I get to bake these wonderful recipes. It's only a sneak peak because Shane asked me not to post any pictures of the kitchen until it is completely done.
Since he is the one who does most of the work, I'll oblige.

Next project on our reno list: Earn more money!

2010-01-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

Given the choice, I'd take something old over something new, nine times out of ten. Take this clapboard wooden house for example. It is far more interesting to me than the multi-million dollar homes a couple blocks from my house. (Ummm, not that I'd want to live here, just take pictures and think, "oh, if walls could talk.")

And for a second example, take this shocking orange number:

Please be honest. If you found yourself eyeing this at a garage sale and the owner of the home casually walks up to you and says, "That was my mother's swim suit from the 1960's"

Would your heart skip a beat slightly as you try to keep a calm, non-interested, negotiating type poker face as you realize you could become the proud owner of a 1960's retro bathing suit?

Would you say something like, "It's a great swimsuit, but I can't be sure it fits." and the owner responds "Is it worth finding out for $1."

Would you suddenly trip over yourself and knock a few things over trying to find a dollar in your pocket before asking your mom to spot you the buck?

I can only answer for myself that "Yes!" that is what I would and DID do at a garage sale last summer. And guess what, I might just be weird enough to wear and if you must know my entire New Year's resolution revolves around my orange bathing beauty. First, the perks of the swim suit:

I folded up the front of the swim suit to reveal a hidden panel that acts like a built in garter for an instant tummy tuck. That is one feature DEFINITELY missing from today's swim suits.

The second perk of the swim suit is that it is potentially worth $75. I immediately researched the label, "Cole Of California Original,"when I got home and discovered that it is indeed from the the 1960's and that some of these vintage numbers sell for as much as $75. I was pretty excited to see my $1 investment make such a prophet, but alas, I will not be selling her.

You see, remember when I told the garage sale man the swim suit may not fit? Sadly, I was right. It was really hard to squeeze myself into it. The fabric isn't the wonderful, stretchy, spandexy futuristic swimsuit material we all know and love today that designers back then could only dream of; it's more of a clothy, must fit your body to a T, type material the women of the 60's had to suffer through.

The good news is, I'm not too far away from a decent fit. I think if I loose 8 lbs I should reasonably be able to wear ole' orangey without scaring anyone. I've already lost about 5lbs since last summer while suffering through the grueling P90X videos for 3 months. My New Year's resolution is to spend the next 6 weeks (I really like resolutions that last only 6 weeks) eating right and exercising to lose 8lbs and be ready for my swimsuit's big comeback debut in Cancun Mexico. I can't wait!- for Cancun that is. So that's it, I have 6 weeks to loose 8 lbs. At first I thought that might be asking too much. But then I saw a repeat of the "Biggest Loser" finale a couple nights ago and one of the contestants lost 101 lbs in 7 weeks. Can you say inspiring!!

I would like to start sharing some of the healthy recipes I'll be making on a daily basis for the next few weeks so that I feel like I'll be accountable to someone or something. Even if I'm the only one reading, just don't let me know so I'll actually stick to this plan!

This post is long enough, so my first VERY simple, nutritious yet delicious recipe I'll post tomorrow. Just a hint: it involves cauliflower and kids love it.

Gluttons for Punishment...

2009-11-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's us; Gluttons for punishment. At least that's what my Brother-in-law Ryan kindly pointed out to us when he saw our new home sweet home. Okay, Ryan's not the only one to tactfully tell us our house is a fixer upper. Other phrases I've heard people utter are are:
"loaded with potential" (a nicer way of pointing out all the hard work.)
"Oh Boy." (a noncommittal response.)
Or just plain silence. (If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.)

To be fair, most of these I heard coming from Shane or myself.

Yea, Shane and I weren't oblivious to the shape of the house when we bought. We decided we were up to the challenge because we're hoping to add a lot of equity with our reno projects. Speaking of our reno projects, would you like to see our to-do list?

Total kitchen gut
Major landscaping projects that will require the use of a bulldozer
Refinishing hardwood floors
Adding two bedrooms, a bathroom and a family room to the unfinished basement .
Carport conversion
New windows throughout the whole house

Oh look at the happy family. Will they still be smiling in a few months? Who can say.

The silver lining to the house is that the existing 1.5 baths are REALLY beautiful. I love them. Here is the .5 bath in the master bedroom.

And here's the full bath. I love this slate tile!

We also love that there is not a stitch of carpet in this house. It has the original hardwood floors throughout the home. The back room in this picture is an addition. It will be impossible to exactly match the hardwood floors without spending a small fortune, so we will be putting down travertine tiles in that room.

This kitchen no longer exists. All the cabinets have been ripped out (and saved for the laundry and storage rooms.) They needed to go; it was the right thing to do. Our new cabinets should be arriving any day now!

As you can see, the exterior could use some major curb appeal.

Oh boy, we are gluttons for punishment. At least the house has potential. Right....right? Anybody there?

My new love: Goody bags

2009-10-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Anna, aka super runner,(Really, she came in fourth overall) managed the impossible today...

She convinced me to run a 5K.

I see that the above picture mentions a 5K walk, so I would just like to take this time to clear any confusion and say that I DID run. Thank you.

Below is Tracy, (Anna's sister-in-law) me, and co. at the finish line with our mini pumpkins they handed out instead of trophy's. I'd take a mini pumpkin anyday.

It was definitly worth it for the grab bag: TWO running shirts, pedometer, Hale Center Theater tickets and chap stick. Now that I know 5K's really aren't that scary, maybe I'll run a few more.

On the way home Shane said...next you can run a 10K!!! YEAH RIGHT is all I have to say.

Shampoo Free

2009-10-07T08:20:00.000-07:00

I've always had a love/hate relationship with my hair. My problems are no volume and too greasy. I found this blog on treating your hair in a natural way and I think I might give it a try. It's really fascinating and informative. My mom has told me for years and years that baking soda and Vinegar are the best ingredients for your hair, and this blogger has researched why they are so great for your hair and gives other ideas like honey, herbs, avacado and more. If you want to save money or are like me and need hair help, check out this blog...it's really informative: http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html

Back Roads Montana

2009-09-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

I realize I post a lot about Montana, but I just wanted to get another post in. Shane was on a Montana tourism site a few days ago and found this picture:

It's tiny I know, but that's as big as it would go without losing all the beautiful detail. The reason I think it's neat enough to post about, is because we took a picture in the exact same spot last last summer and the summer before as well. It's in Glacier National Park on Lake Mcdonald.

Below is our version of the same spot. We rode our bikes on a trail called Apgar and found this gorgeous landscape to take pictures. Apparantly we weren't the only ones with the idea.

The cast of characters is Aunt Amy, Cousin Kesler (center), Cousin Bridger and Avery.

Right now, our computer's screen saver is of the same picture, but with our family.
Just thought I'd share!

Huckleberries 101

2009-08-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

I just love saying Huckleberry.....Huck-le-ber-ry. Rolls right off the tongue. I also love eating them like in pies, shakes, cream cheese and doughnut topping or over crepes, which is all the ways Shane and I had Huckleberries on our recent 2 week vacation to Montana. In August Huckleberries are in full swing and we took full advantage

Here are some interesting facts about Blueberry's little-known close cousin.

*Huckleberries are very similar to blueberries except smaller and a little more tart. They also have more antioxidents than Blueberries.

*Huckleberries are almost exclusively grown in the wild, they're pretty spoiled that way. They need the right altitude, moisture, cool temperature or else they refuse to grow. So...if you ever find yourself in a nursery asking for a Huckleberry bush, and they sell you one; know that you more than likely taking home a Blueberry bush.

*Huckleberries grow in the Northwest like Montana, Washington, and parts of Canada. Shane says he's had some on the Tetons and we heard from Grandma and Grandpa Hughes that they found some in Russia.

*The going rate for a gallon of Huckleberries is $39. Why are they worth so much? Because you have to fight the bears for them! That's right, bears love Huckleberries so watch out and have your bear spray close by. The pictures represent $117.00, or three gallons of Huckleberries. (please nobody check my math.) We hiked a mile or so up a mountain in the beautiful Jewel Basin and spent 4 hours picking huckleberries and we did not sell any of them! They are in my freezer as we speak, just sitting there being delicious and healthy... waiting to be made into a pie.

You can always tell a Huckleberry picker by their purple hands. Or in Shane's case, a purple tongue.

Beautiful You Makeup.

2009-07-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

My talented sister-in-law, Cali, is striking up her own career as a make-up artist. She does a very beautiful job so I thought I'd giver her a shout-out. Also, if you click on her web address, www.beautifulyoumakeup.com and click on "before and after," you might recognize a couple of people.

Short update

2009-07-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

We sold our condo a few weeks ago and have moved in with my mom and dad for the time being. I think this also means I will be putting my blog on hold until we can set up our own computer and get our own internet. I guess I can post a few random updates, but it's just not the same without pictures, and I'm pretty sure my parents don't want all my pics downloaded onto their computer... I mean they love me and all, but I thinking moving in with them is where they draw the line:) I will still be looking at all my wonderful friends and families blogs however.

Happy Summer everyone.

Calf Creek

2009-06-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend at one of our family's favorite vacation spots in Utah. We love it so much because of a beautiful hike that takes nearly all day but leads you to two really beautiful waterfalls. The picture above is of our feet just after the hike. Avery was a real trooper on this hike...and let me tell you, it's not all that child friendly in many parts, but she did exceptionally well, as did my niece and nephew Emma and Eli who are also 4 and 5.

Here's Emma and Avery taking in the view of what we just hiked and thinking "I can't believe we just did that...we're awesome!"

I still have not figured out how to put pictures in order, so this has nothing to do with the hike. This was taken after 3 days without showering (TMI- I know) and my hair had been in braids for 24 hours. I kept trying to convince my family I looked like Taylor Swift, but they weren't really buyin' it.

Alright, back to the hike. These are the little ones bragging (with encouragement from me) about how tough they are for making the hike.

Casey, Lynley, and me. Lynley completely surprised us by driving from Washington to come on this trip with us. That's how incredible it is people! I'm so glad she and Eli came. It wouldn't have been the same without them.

What you can't see from this picture is me screaming. The water is ridiculously cold, so I wanted a picture close to the water, but not actually in it. As I stood there posing, the entire water fall moved over and soaked me to the bone. It felt like sheets of ice pouring on my head. Meanwhile my husband and family just laughed! The nerve.

Shane to the rescue!

Here's the before picture (again out of order) just so you know I'm not lying. If you notice, I'm standing in the same place, but the water fall actually moved in a very malicious way.

There were soooo many beautiful wild flowers. I just love Southern Utah. We are lucky to live so close to such an incredible place on the planet.

Here we are at the top of a water fall that's about 3 miles down stream from the previous waterfall. I wish this picture could actually capture how high it is. It was fun to wave to the people below.

The hike between the upper and lower falls is full of surprises. At times it's almost like a nature-made water park. Here's Emma and Avery sliding down a mossy slope.

The day before we hiked to the bottom of the falls that we were standing on top of in two photos previous. (Am I making any sense?) We had such a good time, and I'm sure we'll go again.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

Shane ended up making it to church today after all. He arrived from his fishing trip in Idaho at 2am and made it up in time to come to church. The kids did pretty well, except for Sage randomly shouting "Mama!" when he'd remember I was sitting on the stand. Of course I loved it.

Here are a few of the thoughts I about mothers I shared in church today.

"Sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less to give to others, and even to your children." Elder Ballard, April '08 conference.

"Beware of the subtle ways Satan employs to take you from the plan of God and true happiness. One of Satan's most effective approaches is to demean the role of wife and mother in the home. This is an attack at the very heart of God's plan to foster love between husband and wife and to nurture children in an atmosphere of understanding, peace, appreciation, and support. Much of the violence that is rampant in the world today is the harvest of weakened homes. Government and social plans will not effectively correct that, not can the best efforts of schools and churches fully compensate for the absence of the tender care of a compassionate mother and wife in the home." Elder Richard G. Scott

"The biggest mistake I made as a parent is the one that most of us make...I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of my three children sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."
Author Anna Quindlen

"Your success as a family...our success as a nation depends not on what happens inside the White House, but what happens inside your house." Barbara Bush

Thank you for all your helpful suggestions, and Happy Mother's Day!

I need your help family and friends!

2009-05-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

This Sunday (Mother's Day) I have to give a talk in church about the role of motherhood. (gulp)
And not only that but I have to sing in the choir. (double gulp)
And to top it all off Shane won't be at church on Sunday which means my 2 children will be sitting on the church pew unattended! (triple gulp)

If anyone out there in cyber world has any great -or even just mediocre- Mother's day thoughts, quotes, poems, short stories, recitations, skits, novels, or television programs...please send them my way. Leave it in the comments section, so all can 10 people who read this can bask in the glorious thoughts about mothers, or email me at carefree7@hotmail.com. I don't know when, and I don't know how, (name that song.) but I promise I will make it up to you somehow.

Thank you and have a good day.

Disclaimer: In no way shape of form would the author of this blog ever leave her children to fend for themselves on a church pew, or anywhere else for that matter. (That is what young women are for.)

This is where we live.

2009-04-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

We officially have our condo up for sale. This is a leap of faith for the Hughes family because we don't actually have anywhere to move to. Despite that minor detail, something has to be done so we're taking matters into our hands. Since our house is decluttered and clean for the first time in three years, I thought I'd post the pictures of our beautifully remodeled, move-in ready, 2bdrm 1bathrm 1060sq ft with lots of storage and a beautiful view condo.

You know, just in case you might know someone.

Shane's brother has a real estate license and because he is a good big brother and also astutely interested in the well fare of his niece and nephew, has offered is expertise in selling places to sell our place.

View from our private balcony. Yes, those are tennis courts and basketball courts you're looking at, not a prison yard. Repeat, tennis and bball courts, not prison yard.

We put a lot of work into this kitchen. And by we, I think we all know I mean Shane. The slate floors look really beautiful although you can't really appreciate them in this picture.

These are my famous turquoise walls. Either you luv em' or you hate em'. I luv em'.

Dining room. Yes I'll throw in the vase of Tulips if buy this place!! So you better hurry before they die.

Shane' s favorite piece of furniture in the whole house! wink, wink. He hates this couch, but in my defense it makes the room look enormous.

See the armoire, I'm sitting there right this moment typing this very word. The art work above the fireplace is my favorite accessory in the house. It says, "It'll cost nothing to dream, and everything not to." with a tall glass of iced lemonade. The artwork above the sofa in the previous photo says, "Share a random moment." with a picture of two cups of coffee. (Sorry if the coffee offends anyone. Well, not really.)

Here is the spare bedroom, which in our case is the master bedroom. It's just too small for our two kids to sleep and play, so they got the "actual" master bedroom. (Feel free to nominate us for parents of the year.)

Here's the kid's/"actual" master bedroom. You would think that giant sized bunny on Avery's be would scare my kids, but it doesn't.

Last, but most important, El Bano.

I know that this doesn't look like the place of someone who has an associates degree in Interior Design, but one day, when I get over my obsessive compulsive behavior to save money rather than spend it (which some people confuse with being "cheap") I will have the home of my dreams. At which point you may still think it does not look like the home of someone with an associates degree in interior design.

Thank you and have a lovely day.

Snow Canyon and Zions pictures

2009-04-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

I love Snow Canyon. You're surrounded by 360 degrees of red rock. Here's our camp ground.

This is more of Angel's landing:

It's hard to take a bad shot in Southern Utah.

Oops...How did this get in here. That's awkward.

I just can't handle the cuteness

Are there any Mothers out there who can relate?

These switchbacks are called Walter's Wiggles. I just love that name.

This little contraption allows us to go on better bike rides. We got a lot of rubber neckers while we were out riding.

Even his grumpy face is adorable.

More cuteness that I just can't handle. These next pictures were taken at the sand dunes in Snow Canyon. The sand was so soft and wonderful, I wanted to bury my hands and feet in it all day. It felt like a manicure and foot massage.

What's a day at the sand dunes if you can't dig a large hole. Go ahead and try NOT to do it. I dare you.

Please consider this next photo your Christmas card. We are all doing very well. Merry Christmas.

Avery and Shane's Bedtime Conversation Last Night.

2009-03-27T08:03:00.001-07:00

Before bedtime last night Shane was explaining the reason he hadn't been able to play with Avery that night.

Shane: I'm sorry I couldn't play with you tonight. I was working on some things on the computer so we can have enough money in the future. (he was setting up a retirement account.)

Avery: So you can send me to college?

Shane: Ummm...yeah.

Avery: So I can become the next president of the United States?

Watch out Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, and Mit Romney! She is definitely sassy enough.

Avery took these pictures.

2009-03-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

The world according to a four year old:
Author's note: I'm not usually this cheesy in photographs, but Avery was really cranky after hiking 2 miles uphill and I was trying my hardest to cheer her up. Thank you.

On her next photography lesson, I'll teach her about not cutting the tops of heads off.

Oh wait, she's doing better already.

Okay maybe not. Here's me trying to be cool...but not really succeeding.

We had a lot of fun and I'll post more photos of Snow Canyon and our hike up Angels Landing at a later date. (For those of you who have hiked Angel's Landing and are freaking out about taking 4 and 2 year old children on such a dangerous hike, don't worry, we stopped before the death defying steep stuff.)

Adorable birthday cards

2009-03-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

My good friend Natalie has an upcoming card workshop and I think they are really cute. I know she would welcome anyone to come and it would be worth the trip to Logan. I wish I could make it, but we have to use those free ski passes that Shane won very soon, so we'll be hitting the slopes that day.

anyway, check it out. http://craftynat.blogspot.com

My man is 30!

2009-03-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yes that's right, Shane turned the big 3-0 yesterday and we had a lot of fun celebrating. I met him at work with the kids, balloons and presents and we went to lunch at the Nauvoo Cafe since he works across the street. Later that night we had Craig and Kimber over for Dinner of BBQ ribs and pineapple upside down cake. (I know what some of you are thinking and the answer is no, I did not make Shane make his own birthday dinner, although he probably would have liked to.) His other birthday present is a Jazz game that we'll be going to on the 24th. Soooo, if anyone would like to get Shane a birthday present, we will be needing babysitting on the 24th:).

Something unusual about Shane many people don't know is that Shane is the LUCKIEST person I know. I'm not a superstitious person, but Shane was born in March and March is known for being a lucky month. Here are a few examples:

Once he bought a pair of pants from Costco and when he got home there was two dollars in the pocket.

Another time we were staying at a hotel in Mesquite and we decided to spend 5$ playing the slot machines. (We try to live life on the edge whenever possible) I lost all my money and he doubled his.

Still again, he was biking up City Creek Canyon and he found an IPOD. He asked everyone he saw if they'd lost an IPOD, but nobody claimed it and when we took it home it wasn't registered to anybody, so to make a long story short...the IPOD is now mine! (I guess I was the lucky one on that.)

Here is a list of things Shane has won from various drawings:

A trip to the Zermott

Ski passes

A Smith backpack (Smith is his favorite skiing label)

I'm glad I married him so I can bask in his lucky ways. Truthfully I'm the lucky one for finding the most perfect person for me. (sorry for the mushiness.)

Sage is 2!

2009-03-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

Sage turned two on Sunday. I kept trying to tell him all day what a big deal the day was for him, but he couldn't have cared less, until he got his presents of course. We had a small party with Grandma and Grandpa Stott and uncle Craig.

One of his presents was a bucket of 200 blocks. I knew when I bought them that I would be spending the rest of my days picking up blocks from every room of the house, but maybe someday he'll grow up to be an amazing architect, but then again maybe not. Either way it'll be worth it. I like this picture because I took it right after his tower fell and the expression on his face is priceless.

This is my attempt at cake decorating. People kept trying to straighten the 2 candle and I had to keep explaining, "but it's being towed by the truck." It's never a good sign when you have to explain your crafts. Maybe one day I'll grow up to be a really amazing cake decorator and I won't have to explain my cake concepts. But then again, maybe not. Either way it'll be worth it.

This is far and away (isn't that a great movie?) Sage's favorite gift. I had it hiding unwrapped in my room and while we were sitting around the dinner table eating and talking, Sage went unoticed into my bedroom and found it all by himself. He came out riding it and could not have been more pleased with himself.

Happiness Tag.

2009-03-01T15:58:00.000-08:00

My Aunt Caryn tagged me to make a list of six things that make me happy and I've actually been thinking about it for a long time.

1. Trampolines make me happy. Except when I see the new trampolines with the nets all the way around them. Even though I know they are necessary and have saved many broken bones and even lives (I remember my sister doing a back flip on the tramp and knocking me off even though I thought I was safe because I was sitting on the bars.) but It makes me sad that this generation can never play a game of dodge ball-Arnell rules. So, when I see a trampoline that has no net around it, I get the uncontrollable urge to jump on it. There are very few left and the ones that are left are at least 20 years old. Dangerous you say? No just extra bouncy.

2. Shopping and buying new things makes me happy-superficial I know. (As long as I know when to stop.)

3. Birthday cards make me happy. I just had a birthday and my family always sends really thoughtful birthday messages. I'm really not one who needs presents, or really even that much recognition on my birthday (as long as my hubby remembers) but my family always sends extremely thoughtful bday cards. The best part about it is they're usually a week to 2 weeks late which means my birthday lasts for 2 weeks.

4. The upcoming daylight savings will make me very happy. Even though we loose an hour of sleep, I'll gladly take if for the hour of gained sunlight.

5. My husband's cooking makes me happy. He is truly a culinary genius and he should definitely open a restaurant. Last night he made this really delicious Mahi Mahi (the fish so good they named it twice.) with an apple salsa laid on a bed of yummy lime and cilantro rice with asparagus prongs to top it off. He doesn't just cook a meal, he has to have an amazing presentation to go along with it. By the way, who thinks of apple salsa? Not me, but it was really delicious. I think I'll start taking pictures of his dinners and posting them so you can know for sure I'm not making this up.

6. Watching my children play together makes me happy. You know that wonderful five minutes before they start fighting. Today Avery tied a scarf loosely around her neck and gave the other end to Sage so he could "walk her" like a dog. I could watch that all day long. Too bad it doesn't last too long before I have to become referee.

7. Listening to music makes me happy. It's the only way to get through a day of house work. My new favorite song to listen to is "Lucky" by Colby Collet and Jason Miraz. I'd love to hear your favorite songs....

8. Reading makes me happy. It's the only think I'm consistently really good at. Yes, dropping everything just to finish a book is something I do really well, just ask Shane. I know a book is good if I dream about it and if while I'm reading that book, somehow everything in my life relates back to the book some how. I just read the "These Is My Words." trilogy and I felt like I was living in the Old West trying to tame the landscape. This book is a must read!

9. Lastly, that 2-4 weeks out of the year when I decide I should exercise again makes me happy.

Thanks for the tag Aunt Caryn! It's been really fun thinking of things that make me happy and I think I'll revisit this tag and add to my list from time to time. For anyone willing to take up the challenge, You're suppose to think of 6 thinks that make you happy. I highly recommend it!

A Must See.

2009-02-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Last night Shane and I got to go on an actual date together. We went with Ryan (Shane's bro.) and his date plus another couple from Ryan's work. We saw what I think is one of the best movies I've ever seen. (but then again, what do I know, many people disagreed with my review of Twilight.) For what it's worth I was completely in awe of this movie and could not even blink for fear of missing something from the beautiful cinematography. The story is so captivating that I could not stop thinking about it when I went to bed that night. Jamal- the main character in the movie is now one of my favorite protagonists. The music was amazing, the acting superb and I really hope it wins all the Oscars it's been nominated for (even though I haven't seen the movies it's up against.) Just a caution, it is rated R because it paints a picture of a terrible reality that exists in India. The R parts are for language and violence, however there is no sex. Actually there is an incredibally romantic love story with very little physical contact. I just realized that I went off on my tangent without even saying the name of the movie: Slumdog Millionaire. Without giving too much away, it's about a boy who plays India's version of "Who wants to be a millionaire." He uses his life experiences to answer the questions and makes it very far despite growing up in the slums. You don't know until the very end of the movie if he becomes a millionaire or not, but by the time he gets that far, you really don't even care about the money because you realize how little the money matters compared to his happiness. It's a really fantasic must see...don't wait till it comes out on video, it's amazing on the big screen.

Daddy-Daughter ski for free.

2009-01-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

Shane took Avery skiing today at Alta. They do a "ski for free after three." So they get an hour and a half of skiing which is perfect for a four year old. I didn't go because we had no one to watch Sage. Shane is determined to make her an Olympian, whether it be skiing or running. One thing she will not be doing, according to Shane, is cheer leading. (Sorry to anyone reading this who may have been a cheerleader.) Personally, I think it's a little hypocritical considering Shane was once a cheerleader himself. (Pause for dramatic effect) Yes that's right Shane Hughes was once a cheerleader. Okay, it was only for one assembly and he was invited by a cheerleader because apparently they needed some boys to do a stunt of some kind. (what do I know about cheer leading.) Anyway, the girl had a crush on Shane and told him he could look up her skirt during the stunt. (Shane will kill me when he sees this but it's worth the risk) He claims he didn't look, but then again, he was a teenager. How I went from daddy-daughter date to loose women, I will never know. Enjoy the pictures. (None of them include loose women.)

ps. For anyone who missed it, the Mark Twain quotes are under the photo of the week. It is a little inconspicuous, the picture is so big and the quote so small.

If they say these things in another 10 years it won't be so cute.

2009-01-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago my children made me laugh all day with their potty mouth antics:

1. We were in the care singing to the radio, (one of Avery's favorite past times) and a song came on that Avery really loves. We all know it, "I'm Yours" by Jason Miraz sp? Anyway, I was really amazed at how well she knew the lyrics even when it came to the line that goes something like, "open up your eyes and d@#! you're free." she didn't miss a single word or beat. I had to laugh.

2. Later that day, Avery and Shane were on the computer playing a game together and Avery started getting frustrated with Shane over something I'm not quite sure of, and I heard her say in a very teenage tone of voice, "Calm your butt Dad." Shane looked at her completely shocked, but again, I had to laugh. (Though I shouldn't have.)

3. And my personal favorite, I was playing a game with Sage:
Where's your nose? (Sage points to his nose.)
Where's your mouth? (Sage points to his mouth.)
Where's your eyes? (Sage points to his eyes.)
Where's your cheeks? (Sage points to his bottom.)
I was pretty much rolling on the ground at that point.

Off the subject, but one of my favorite authors has always been Mark Twain (okay, you can stop being shocked now) and I wanted to share from a book of quotes from him called "Wit and Wisecracks." He always makes me laugh and if you haven't read "Huckleberry Finn" what are you waiting for? Yes, I like it even better than Twilight:)

Being a mother and head gashes.

2009-01-05T12:18:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the gruesome picture, but for some reason this head gash on Sage's head has caused me to do a lot of pondering on motherhood for the past few days. It all started on Saturday night at 8pm when Shane put Sage in time out which up until this happened was his crib. It wasn't long before we heard a crash, a thud, and a healthy wailing from Sage. I ran into the room only to find Sage's head matted in blood. (head wounds are infamous for lots of blood.) To our surprise, he had managed to climb out of the crib and land on a train set below. We dropped Avery off out our trusted neighbor below us and took him to the instacare not far from our house. The poor kid needed one stitch and four staples to close the wound. This was no easy process and it took two parents, two nurses, and the doctor to hold him down. (the picture looks wet because of the neosporin.) Holding Sage down was heart wrenching. He laid on an exam bed under a very bright fixture spot lighting him with three strangers pinning him down like a straight jacket with his own parents betraying him! (Okay I'm a little over dramatic, which doesn't happen very often, but I could see it all in the look he gave me.) He kicked and wiggled and screamed the entire time which in a way made me glad. I was very glad that he just didn't give in and succumb, my heart really would have been broken then because that is completely opposite of Sage's character.

Sage has been very difficult in many ways because of his stubborn fiestiness. He was so hard as a newborn, especially following his sister who was the world's easiest baby to care for. I've definitely had both ends of the pendulum in my children. One day as I was in the midst of several clogged milk ducts, mastitis for the second time, ear infections in Avery, zombie like state due to lack of sleep, dealing with drama that goes a long with being YW president, (you get the picture.) A friend asked how I liked being the mother of two children. I knew I was in no position to fake a response so I said something like, "I'm not gonna lie to you, it's really hard." Her response to me was "Really, all my friends say it's even easier than one." Of course my heart sank even further because now I'm thinking, "what some people find this easy?" and I just wondered how I could ever have more children.

But like everything, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. But first, another flash back to my growing up years. I lived in a neighborhood where 5-6 kids was average for a family. People who had less were either not LDS or medically unable to have more children. I had teachers and priesthood leaders teach in Sunday school and YW's that "you should have as many children as possible, wait for no reason at all, and don't use birth control." (I swear I'm not making this up.)

Several months after Sage was born I sat in Stake Conference and listened to a broadcast from Pres. Hinckley which was being transmitted to all the stakes in the Salt Lake Valley at the same time. The message that sticks out most from that broadcast and pretty much any other talk I've ever heard from a general authority was this: Pres. Hinckley reminded everyone listening that God commanded us to multiply and replenish the earth, but he didn't put a number on it. It's a decision between married couples and the Lord and we should not judge one another for the number of children we choose to have. Yes, it was definitely one of those moments I felt like he was speaking directly to me. A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. He continued to council women and mothers not to complain about their lives but to be an optimistic and positive influence...something I also needed to hear. Having said this, I just want to note that I'm totally aware that there are many woman out who are completely able to take care of multitudes of children and do it happily and successfully. I'm just not one of them, and I know that about myself.

Motherhood is hard but then you have moments like what happened last night that make up for so much. Now that we know Sage has the ability to climb out of his crib he's slept in Avery's trundle bed until we can get him a toddler bed. Because I am so determined not to fall into bad sleeping habit like when Sage was a baby, I was adamant that neither Shane not I be in the room while Sage is learning to adjust to his new bed (as per doctor's advice.) Of course he screamed and cried for a very long yelling our names and tugging at our hearts. Before long we heard Avery singing him a lullaby. Shane and I cracked open the door and saw Sage climbing into bed next to Avery while she put her arm around him and sang him her own version of a goodnight song and they fell asleep snuggled next to each other.

Any and all temper tantrums? forgiven
Waking up at random hours during the night? forgiven
Sage picking on little boys he doesn't know for no reason? forgiven
Throwing food on the ground instead of eating it? forgiven
Multitudes of children? I'll leave that to the pros. Don't get me wrong; I'm not done, just not multitudes.

Watching your children become people and develop their personalities is very rewarding as a mother, but not as rewarding as watching your children play with each other, love each other, and look out for each other.

Thanksgiving in the woods.

2008-12-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Call me crazy, but I love watching my husband chop wood! There's something about it that reminds me why I fell in love with my mountain man.

If you think this is silly, make your husband chop some wood and see if it works for you too!

Okay, now it's my turn. It took me at least a hundred swings just to chop one piece. I was ridiculously slow, but by the time I was done I was too warm to start a fire.

Honestly, chopping wood is quite addicting. I thought I would have really swore arms and back muscles the next day but to my surprise, only my thumbs were sore...who knew?

Wood choppers in training. What, you don't let your children play with large axes that are as big as they are?

This is Shane's Grandma. Easily the warmest, friendliest person I know. She has a really neat house and she and her son make famous apple cider. She's 88 years old and she has this really neat adult size tricycle that she gets out and rides. It's so much fun to visit Grammer.

I promised a hunting report, so here you go. This is Shane's best friend Park. He shot the only and only animal the whole trip. Notice he's using a branch to mimic an antler. This deer only has one antler and apparently in the hunting world this is a major embarrassment. Shane and his other friend couldn't stop making fun of him the entire trip. According to them, it would have been better to have nothing rather than a deer with only one antler. And all this time I thought it was about the meet.

Moving on, We had a really fantastic and delicious Thanksgiving feast at Amy and Austin's house. My only disappointment is that we didn't have any any Turkey's visit us this year. Every year we have flocks of turkeys roaming the yard, but this year they stayed away. I guess they know Mark and Tamra won't be around for awhile. (They're on a mission in Russia.)

Worst Movie Ever!

2008-12-01T08:34:00.001-08:00

Okay maybe that's a little strong in describing Twilight, but if the shoe fits....Anyway, Shane was lucky enough to not have to sit through it with me because his saving grace, my sister-in-law, Amy called to see if I wanted to see the movie with her and some of her friends in Montana. We rolled in to Montana at about 11:30 and went directly to the theater for opening night. I laughed during the movie, but not during the parts that were suppose to be funny. So many odd angles and camera shots and really weird acting. The actor who played Edward was so....awkward. I saw him on Jay Leno a couple nights later and he was even weirder then. Heidi Klum was making fun of his hair and Jay Leno said he looked homeless. It was pretty funny. Anyway, I still like the books, but if they want a successful sequel, they'll have to fire the director and the actor who played Edward and put a lot more dough into the movie. On a positive note, the actress who played Bella did a really good job.

Road Trip

2008-11-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

We're headed to Montana in a couple of days for Thanksgiving. It's really more of a hunting trip, but whatever. Thanksgiving and Hunting are pretty much interchangeable this time of year. I have to admit, I NEVER thought I'd marry a hunter. My first huntin' outing was also my last and it lasted for about 10 minutes. It's was probably one of our first fights as a married couple too.
Shane: "Sit still d@#* it!"
Carrie: "I can't even Shiver? Forget this, I'm going home."
Note: Since I'm the one writing this, I can make myself look more innocent than I probably was.

Moving on, hopefully we'll bring back enough elk meat to satisfy us for the next year. (I put my foot down at deer meat, it's not worth the freezer space.) Here are some pictures of "Thanksgiving/huntin' parties" of the past.

Here are four of the Hughes boys. Travis isn't here because he doesn't hunt. Actually, he's a vegetarian. If a vegetarian can be raised from this family, there's nothing that can't happen:)

I got a phone call from my 5 year old nephew today and he told me all about the 5 point bucks roaming the Many Lakes area and the pheasants and ducks they shot at Grandma's pond. I wish I could have recorded the call. He sounds like he's been hunting for 30 years minimum.

What, you don't let your two year old daughters play with elk heads lying around in the back yard? tsk tsk tsk.

Personally, I'm really excited this Thanksgiving to see Twilight. We're leaving on Thursday which means I won't be able to go with my girlfriends, so unfortunately for Shane, he's promised to go with me. Although I'm excited to see it, I have to admit my hopes aren't that high for this movie. Granted, I've never seen a movie that's as good as the book, but this movie especially might be a little too "teenage" for me. We'll see I guess.

I hope everyone has a great Holiday and travels safely to their destinations. I'll have a full "elk meat" and "Twilight" report when we return.

I'm a Trunk-or-Treat convert

2008-11-02T19:18:00.000-08:00

I just love them. It's a great way to get lots of candy in a short amount of time and see a lot of great costumes. There's also the added benefit of socializing for the adults. This year our ward did a trunk or treat. We sent flyers around the whole neighborhood and made signs in the street to advertize. It was a big success and lots of people showed up. Unfortunately I was so busy planning parts of the trunk or treat and making my kids' costumes that I didn't put anything together for myself. So, I went as the woman who made her kids costumes. Here they are:

Here's Avery's. She's got a whole Annie Oakley vibe going for her. Truthfully, I unpicked this costume enought times to make it three times over. Unpicking; it's what I do best.

Sage went as a sick cowboy. He really played his part well. It started around 4am when he woke up with massive congestion, coughing fits and lots of vomiting on my bed. We even took a real trip to the Doctor, just to make it authentic, and came home with enough antibiotics for a whole month! Wow, the costume that just keeps on going. The Doc okay'd him to go trick or treating so he didn't have to miss out on the Halloween fun. Here he is in the pick up we rented to go along with his costume...Not really.

Shane went as the husband of the woman who made her kids' Halloween costumes.

These two look like they're about to hijack a train or hold up a bank. There just to cute, I don't think anyone would take them seriously.

We figured the adults would want a treat as well so as a Young Men and Young Women's group we served hot chocolate. It was a huge hit. Here I am bossing everyone around.

Just for kicks, here's what teenagers are wearing for Halloween costumes. This is Jennifer. Isn't she adoreable!

Here's Kristen. She's an Elmo/fairy hot chocolate dispenser.

Here's Mayra lookin' good in a tutu.

Here's the line for the hot chocolate. See, I told you it was a hit.

I hope everyone had a really great Halloween!

Obama Follow-up

2008-10-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still voting for Obama and I wasn't planning on any follow-ups but all it took was a little nudging from Aunt Caryn and and I'll answer my feelings on some of the comments made because I know at least on person will be interested! I just want to clarify before my stance that I am not offended by any difference of opinion and recognize that I do not know everything. I do however try to be unbiased and fair and weigh both sides of any argument before I make any decision, so here goes:

I personally do not agree with abortion and do wish the laws could be changed so that abortions could only be used in true medical situations where the mothers life is at risk or in case of incest and rape, rather than a form of birth control which I find abominable. I recognize that "risk of mother's health" is a very broad term because ANY time a woman gets pregnant her health is at risk to some degree. However, I would not support a ban on abortion unless Mother's life, rape or incest were included. The truth is, if my 12 year old daughter gets pregnant by the next door neighbor's husband, NOBODY will tell me she can't get an abortion because her choice was taken away in the situation to have a baby. I also want to point out that we've had a republican president for 8 years and abortion is still legal, even with the appointment of two conservative judges. So in other words, I don't base my vote on this one decision. I recognize that many do weigh this as their number one decision on who to vote for, and for those who do, I can understand why you would vote for John McCain.

Barack Obama has said he would not raise taxes unless you are making 250k a year. That's 5% of Americans and even less than 5% of businesses. I personally will fall into the 95% of Americanise whose taxes won't be raised. I believe him when he says this. I have heard from many people that "only good LDS members should vote republican" so I want to challenge that. The church Strongly preaches frugality and living within your means. In what way has the republican government for the past 8 years lived up to that. (and saying that the congress has been democrat for less than 2 years doesn't work for me. George Bush sets the tone.) If it means having to raise taxes a little so the government can set the example of a balanced budget for Americans and the rest of the world, I'm up for it. Why should we as Americans be punished for debt when our own government can't balance their check books. In my humble opinion there is definitely a link between Americans citizens over spending and CEO's bankrupting their companies, and it starts with the government's terrible spending habits. It reminds me of something called the pride cycle. HMMMM raising taxes or going into record breaking debt, I think I'll take financially security. Having said all that, I think both tax plans are flawed. I think a flat tax would be the best for the nation. We already have a working example of how successful it is. It's called the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

Contrary to popular belief, if a democrat gets elected into office, medicine won't automatically be socialized. Having said that, I'm not afraid of socialized medicine for 2 reasons #1. It will never happen in the US. and #2 Not EVERYTHING about it is terrible. Actually, I have talked to someone who lives in another country about and it happens to work for her and her family. (Mary and Chris, if I'm misrepresenting, you speak up; if I'm not, back me up!) I just want to point out that the countries we're talking about who practice socialized medicine are advanced, educated, peaceful, and civilized countries. I'm not saying it's the best solution for the US because it's not perfect, but why not take the good things from it and the good things from our current policies and combine them. This is what the US does best...solve problems by compromise. Let's face it, we already practice socialized medicine to a degree. Homeless people, illegal aliens, uninsured patients, all paid for by the government. In my opinion, Insurance companies are the BIGGEST part of what's wrong with our current health care system. Barack is suggesting that we keep our current doctors and plans if they work for us and for those who don't have any, they can be apart of the health plan that senators and congressmen use. Republicans like to say that they will be forced to go to certain doctors and hospitals. News flash, insurance plans already work that way.

Jaclyn was right when she pointed out political propaganda. A person's middle name is probably the last reason I would vote for them. When I hear the Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity right wing talk show hosts of the world try to create fear in the hearts of their listeners by saying "Barack Hussein Obama" I already know they are not of sound mind to make judgements as to whom I will vote for. First of all Obama is a Christian, but even if he was Muslim and still kept all the same political policies that I am voting for, I would still vote for him. I believe Islam, when practiced correctly and peacefully, is a beautiful religion. Many LDS people have theorized that Muhammad was a prophet. I can't necessarily say that I think that but I'm not afraid of Muslim Americans or Muslims in general. I had a Muslim friend in college and I realized her beliefs are really not that different from our own. I really liked her, she was a great person and I learned not to be afraid of Muslims. Also, I like Baracks ethnic diversity. Already people around the world have said he is more relateable and let's face it, we need to do some damage control for our global neighbors.

As for Reverend Wright; I believe strongly in keeping separation of church and state. It protects the churches as much as the citizens. I want to remind everyone that our church did not allow black people to hold the priesthood until 1978. I do not believe this is a valid reason to NOT vote for Mit Romney, and I feel I should extend the same courtesy to everyone else's religion. Religion is controversial period. You can look into anyone's religion and find all kinds of hypocrisies and contradictions. For that reason, I choose not to look at someone's religion when I vote for a candidate. The important thing is, Barack Obama has never repeated the Rev.'s rhetoric and has never conducted a life that supports what he says. Also, I have sat in many congregations and Sunday school classes and heard crazy ridiculous opinions spewed. I know that I can worship the same God and share spiritual beliefs as someone, but completely disagree on many other issues. Again, I extend this same courtesy to everyone.

Barack Obama has short experience in the Senate but many argue this as refreshing. Also, he has been very successful at almost everything in his past. I absolutely respect John McCain's experience in the Senate and Military. If only we could all go back 8 years and Elect him as President! He would have been the better candidate 8 years ago. I'd like to point out that S. Palin has less experience than Obama..

I will bring up one point that I strongly agree with McCain and differ on with Obama. Ironically, it's the one issue that many in Utah at least will find me crazy for. I think school vouchers would save our schools and I hope they will soon be used in our school system. Before you start on your arguments against school vouchers...just know that I have weighed all the pros and cons and if you start bringing up arguments on vouchers you might get another loooong blog post from me.

I'm not afraid of your opinions and I respect everyone's right to choose. I love America. We are so blessed to live in this nation!

Obama for president.

2008-10-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

For the first time in a long time the country has two men at the head of their respective party who in my opinion are decent (I use that term loosely with politicians) respectable men. Having said that, I have definitely made up my mind to vote for Barack Obama. Last night's debate really sealed the deal for me. Of course he's not perfect and I don't agree with all of his policies, but of the two men, I think he's the best. He said his #1 top proirity is the enviroment and I just wanted to shout "Amen!" because the environment is related to so much of what's wrong with our country right now. A few examples:

Investing in alternative energy would generate new jobs galore...and not just in oil rich states like Texas. Utah would do so well to invest in Solar and Wind Energy. Every state in the union has resources of some sort that could create evenness and fairness in the energy circus. Right now the oil tycoons have so much power and influence over not just Washington but the whole world!...and John McCain wants to create more power and greed by drilling our oceans and our last frontier, Alaska? I can't think of anything more crazy.

The real way to win against terrorists in my very humble opinion is to take away their oil money. So many wars have been related to oil...even WWII. Now we have the Iraqi war and the Georgian conlfict that are surprise surprise...related to oil. If that scripture were written today, I believe it would read. "the love of oil is the root of all evil."

Americans would be healthier with cleaner air and maybe our health care system would be a little less burdened. Right now there are certain days when our own children can't play outside because the air is so filthy. It's definitly a problem when we are told by doctors NOT to excercise outdoors because it's more detrimental to your health.

In general, I found Obama more cordial, gentlemanly and less condescending than John McCain.

Okay...I'm finished with my soap box. And there are many more reasons I'm voting for Barack Obama, but My children won't allow me that much time on the computer. I realize many people who read this will completely disagree with my support of Barack Obama and will want to teach me a thing or two, but I'm okay with that...this is America after all!

Montana pix part 2

2008-08-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

This photo is suppose to be at the bottom of my blog!! Does anyone know how to put photos where you want them? Please enlighten me.

This vacation is old news, but I still had to share some of my favorite photos.

Here is the "Flathead Lake Gang." They're a little shady looking I know. I wouldn't want to cross them in an abandoned alley. (actually, Montana doesn't have abandoned alleys, or gangs for that matter.) From Left to Right we have Mckade, Kesler, Avery, Nya, and the back of Sage's head in front. Mckade and Nya are our good friend's Park and Shawna's children. Shawna's parents own arguably the most amazing property in the USA right on Flathead lake. They have done really amazing things to make you never want to leave if you're lucky enough to visit.

Tamra if you're reading this, please don't panic! No children were hurt during this photo.

This is one of the really amazing things the Reeds (Shawna's parents) have done to their lakeside property. They built a "pig pen" to lock up the children. Oh how I miss this pig pen. I didn't feel bad leaving Sage in here because he had the butterfly to keep him company.

Here's Avery and Nya in the boat. They bonded instantly over the fact they both wear glasses and have had to wear a patch on one eye.

We had lots of fun tubing. Shane was the only one to get thrown off. (He claims he did it on purpose.)

Ahhhh so refreshing. Sage had no fear when it came to the water.

Here's another really amazing I-never-wanna-leave-this-place feature. They built this cute little tree house with a little pebble beach for the small kids. The pebbles are so soft they are comfortable to sit on. They moved a ring of large rocks with a back hoe to form a barrier which makes it really safe for the kids to play. To the left of this pictures is an outdoor kitchen with all the works; running water, a grill, and a banquet.

Here we are at pebble beach.

This is lake McDonald in Glacier; equally beautiful, but without the amenities. We went on a bike ride to this lake and snapped a few shots. I love these boats. Chandi, it reminds me of that painting you did.

I love this next grouping of photos. It shows Avery's spastic "I'll do anything if you put me in front of a camera" side. Meanwhile, Kesler is thinking, "take the damn pictures so I can get back to spotting fish." I'm just kidding, Kesler doesn't really swear. (terribly often anyway:)

Off the subject, but Avery is turning into a teenager waaaaay too early.

example #1. The other day Sage broke off the lid to her make up compact. She fixed it and then turned to me and said, "I put it on wicked tight." I have no idea where she picked up that word because Shane and I certainly don't say wicked.

example #2. I was dancing to some music and getting lots of laughs out of Sage, but Avery just looked at me and said, "Mom, could you please stop doing that." It wasn't too long ago that I could get her laughing hysterically too.

example #3. We had a primary party on Saturday to "This is the place" state park. Parents were invited so I planned on attending. When we were getting ready to leave she said "You're coming too?" I said, "Of course, don't you want me too." Suddenly the room got very quiet and she just couldn't look me in the eye. I thought I had a good 6 or 7 years before Avery was too cool for me!

Why do I feel the need to confess this?

2008-08-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

I've always been a big reader and usually once I start a book I finish it within 3-4 days max, no matter how big it is. I just have a hard time putting good books down. However, when I picked up Twilight after hearing so much buzz about it, I was a little embarrassed and tried not to let anyone see me checking it out at the library. I just thought, "I can't believe I'm about to read a teenage vampire love story." but 5 days, 3 books, 1800 pages, 2 neglected children, and 1 bewildered husband later, I knew I was a Twilight mom. I know I'm not completely alone in my Twilight addiction, (I have a theory that her books are laced with drugs) because I do have a couple friends who love the books too. In fact tonight one of my friends might be bringing...or shall I say dragging...a date she has tonight to a Barnes and Noble bookstore so she can meet me there for the midnight party. Yes, it's that important. While I was reading it I brought it to a doctor's appointment I had (which I found a very annoying at the time) and even though I tried covering the book so she wouldn't think I was a little cray, she instantly recognized the book and said I wouldn't believe how many woman bring in the series; then she proceeded to have a Twilight book discussion with me and even gushed over the movie and how dorky the actor they chose for Edward is (I have to agree.)

Anyway Breaking Dawn is being released tonight and I just had to share my excitement with everyone!

For those of you who have not read the series yet, here is my advice:

1. Warn your husband in advance that you may not be around for a little while.

2. Have your favorite Pizza delivery place on speed dial, you'll understand once you're started.

3. Thoroughly clean your house and clear all your appointments. Things like laundry and doctor's visits really become a nuisance:)

Now that I've come clean with my Twilight addiction, is there anyone who can relate? Either with my addiction or another? Let's share and get this out in the open.

Montana pix...part1

2008-07-22T12:32:00.001-07:00

It is oh so hard to come home after a long and action-packed trip to Montana. Somehow when I posted these pictures they got put out of order...hopefully I'll have that kink fixed by the time I post the next set of Montana pictures, but for now, these are of Saturday July 12, Monday July 14Th and Tuesday July 15Th.

On Monday Night we slept at campground called Spotted Bear. Here we are poking our heads out of the tent before bedtime. It was pretty late, but still light outside. I know in the summer time we are all use to the sun setting late, but in Montana, it can be 11pm and there is still light in the sky. It makes for great summer nights. The flip side is that it gets dark really early in the Winter months.

On Tuesday we went rafting/fishing for about three hours. Shane was in Heaven because He loves to fish...personally, I'd rather watch the grass grow, but rafting makes it much more interesting for someone like me. Avery has a really great time especially when we go over the "rapids" which on this river were really more like ripples, just perfect for a 4 year old.

I would personally like to thank my son Sage for falling asleep in the raft and making this trip far more stress free. The great out doors just aren't quite his thing yet; next summer though....

Avery tried her hand at fishing a couple times but what they really liked was....

throwing rock after endless rock into the river.

She did reel in her own fish a few times. It took a lot of convincing to get her to hold this fish.

My two boys...I can't help but love this picture.

This was actually on Saturday night after we arrived. Austin, Shane's brother, is sort of a barbecue extraordinaire and every trip to Montana he cooks up something really amazing and delicious for us.

Sage really needs a dog. He did not let Kyla our of his sight anytime she was around.

I really like this action shot. Kesler, our nephew, would run away anytime I'd pull the camera out so this is one of the few shots I got without his back to the camera. He warmed up a few days later and let me take his picture.

This picture is dramatically out of order...again camping at spotted bear with Austin, Amy, and their sons Kesler and Bridger.

Did I mention Sage needs a dog?

More of our Montana adventure to come later. Thanks for hanging in there.

Girl's Camp, AKA Death Camp.

2008-07-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

Death camp might be an exaggeration, because when I wasn't throwing up and/or running for the latrine, It was a lot of fun. Three of us came down with food poisoning and were pretty much useless for two days (which is the reason I didn't take any pictures.) We have a very small group so about one third of us were sick.
Our stake theme was "More precious than rubies." and our ward theme was "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be." We decided to be pirates which really fits our ward well, you know, living on the West side and all. We made treasure boxes and lockets and stressed filling them with treasures that have immeasurable value.
I took such a long hyades from the blog but I found three long lost friends which has inspired me to be a better blogger...Don't let me get away with being a slacker everyone:)

My one and only

2008-04-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jade's husband tag, I have a good excuse to write about one of my favorite subjects in the- world my Shane!

How did you meet? We met at Ricks. He was in my ward and we eventually be came friends, and after that I couldn't resist his charm.

How long did you date? Dating and engagement time was 1 1/2 years. Mostly long distance.

How old is he? 29

Ever seen anything cuter? I never thought I had until I had two babies. I really can't pick between the three of them. At any given moment, one could be cuter than the others, but then it will change in an instant.

Who eats more? It's not even a contest...Shane could put a sumo wrestler to Shame.

Who said "I love you" first? It was me, only because I was confident in the "I love you return"-name that show.

Who is taller? Shane is taller, but when I wear heals I get pretty close to catching up.

Who sings better? It's funny to me that the the one question they ask happens to be the only thing in the world that I'm better at than Shane. Even he'd admit that.

Whose temper is worse? Neither of us really has a bad temper. If I had to choose, I'd say Shane.

Who does the laundry? Me...when in the world would Shane have time to do laundry?
Who does the dishes? That would also be me.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Anyone else bored by this question?

Who pays the bills? I do. It sort of gives me a rush. Is that weird?

Who mows the lawn? I think his name is Eduardo. We live in a condo so it's done for us. But if Shane could, he would do it. He loves to do yard work...Is that weird too?

Who cooks dinner? Shane most of the time. He happens to love it and for that I am blessed. He is probably the best cook I know.

Who drives when you are together? Shane

Who is the most stubborn? Shane

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Always Shane, I'm horrible at admitting it. Maybe that makes me more stubborn.

Whose parents do you see the most? Mine because we live so close, and because his parents now live in Russia.

Who proposed? Shane planned one of the most romantic proposals ever. I think we all know the story. We were celebrities for the next three days in the little town of Nauvoo.

Who has more friends? Definitely Shane. I don't know a more friendly person. There's no one he couldn't make friends with.

Who is smarter? Definitely Shane on any given subject, except maybe singing-his Achilles heal.

What does he love to do? Anything outdoors. Running, mountain climbing, skiing, Gardening, cooking and listening to NPR.

Who has more siblings? There are 5 kids in his family and 6 in mine..I'll let you do the math:)

I know what everyone's thinking... I don't deserve him and maybe I don't, but let's not let him in on that.

I tag anyone who reads this. Just copy and past the questions and erase my answers.

Weekend Wedding

2008-04-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

My good friend Lisa Gibbons, now Lisa Trythall, got married on Saturday. She could not have picked a better day to get married. These girls are also really good friends. Next to me is Natalie Cottle, then Elise Dixon, then Lisa Arnell. It was so fun to catch up with these friends. We spent almost the whole day together and laughed and reminisced about our silly high school days.

Here we are with the bride and groom. I had not yet met the groom but after the wedding I could tell he's just perfect for Lisa and needless to say he is one lucky guy. Lisa and I met when we were sophomores and later were roommates at Ricks and BYU Nauvoo.

After the luncheon, Natalie and I went shopping for a honeymoon package for the bride and groom...we totally hooked them up. Jim, You're welcome. We asked Jim for the keys to his truck to make sure they took the gift with them. I have to say, it was really good of him to give his car keys to two complete strangers on his wedding night...what a guy.

I love going to weddings...I always feel more romantic and lovey-dovey afterwards. Thanks Lisa Arnell for the pictures.

Sometimes when you want something done, you're got to do it yourself

2008-04-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Avery has always been a take-things-into-your-own-hands kind of girl. Case in Point:
I heard from the 1st counsler in the primary (a reliable source) that last Sunday during singing time the music leader needed volunteers. She told all the children that those who were sitting reverently and with their arms folded would be picked. After she had picked several children and time was winding down. Avery piloty stood up, walked to the front of the room and informed the music teacher that she had been sitting quitely and with her arms folded the whole time and it was now her turn. So of course the music leader let her have her turn...how can one argue with such logic?

My favorite cookie.

2008-04-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

I realize pumpkin season is long over, but if you're like me and can't wait until fall to enjoy pumpkin recipes, you will forever feel a debt of gratitude towards me for introducing this simple and delicious recipe. I realize these cookies may not be for everyone because some people mistakenly think they don't like pumpkin:) but if you do like pumpkin (or even if you don't) these cookies are so mouth watering, moist and addicting that I guarantee these ingredients will be on your shopping list as often as milk, cheese, and bread- at least that's been my experience. I can rationalize eating a ton of these because they have no butter or oil and because pumpkins are high in nutrition. Here is the recipe:

2 boxes Spice cake mix, 1 large can of pumpkin (approx 29-30 oz can)2 cups Chocolate Chips
Mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoon full on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 10-15 minutes. Makes a ton!

See, couldn't be easier.

This recipe easily freezes as well. Just drop some cookie dough into an ice cube tray, wait about 20 minutes until they are frozen, then transer them all into a big ziplock freezer bag. I wish I had a picture of me enjoying them to really sell this recipe, but alas my camera is still broken.
Enjoy on my behalf!

I love before and after pictures

2008-03-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

When Shane and I bought our condo almost two years ago, We knew it would require some major updating. We have spent countless hours remodeling the place....well, when I say we, I mostly mean Shane. I have done a good job at keeping the kids out of the way however. Here is a before and after of Shane's latest project.

This is a picture of how our fireplace use to look. Other than Shane's wonderful family, (sorry Hughes' it was the only fireplace picture I could find) it's totally boring, insignificant, and lack lustre.

Here is the after picture.

Shane tiled travertine stone and made the mantle out of molding. Once again, I kept the kids out of his way.
Avery does a pretty good job at decorating the fire place, (don't ask me where she learned to pose like this) but we need something to decorate the mantle. Any suggestions?

unfortunatly our camera is broken, so I won't be able to post any new pictures for awhile. You'll just have to suffer through our old pictures:)

In case you're wondering, small boats can do back flips.

2008-03-18T06:40:00.000-07:00

I can't help but laugh every time I see this picture, though at the time it wasn't all that funny. The boy sitting next to Avery is her cute little cousin Kesler, who by they way, at the tender age of four is already a fishing and wildlife genius. No really, he could perfectly imitate the sound an elk makes before he was saying "mama" or "dada." He's already given me my own private fishing lesson, and he can hike as well as any adult, but for those of you who know his mom and dad, this really isn't surprising.

Okay, back to the story of how paddle boats can do back flips. We decided to take Avery fishing in the pond behind Austin and Amy's new house. It was such a beautiful morning, as most summer mornings in Montana are; serene, calm, free from people, pollution, stress...

After we took this picture, we thought it would be a good idea to pile on three more people; Shane, Grandma Hughes and Me; our first mistake. We started paddling to the center of the pond when slowly the horizon in front of us started rising as we started sinking.....backwards. Before we knew it, the boat had flipped and we were all swimming. Luckily the children were wearing life jackets, but none of us were...and there's our second mistake. The water was way beyond touching but the three of us managed to save ourselves and the children by swimming to shore and losing the fishing poles.

The fun thing about Montana is something unexpected always happens. You never know when you'll run into a bear, find a secret huckleberry patch to pick, or end up swimming when you thought you'd be fishing.

We've invited all our friends and family to join us in Montana. Some have taken us up on it...Joe and Emily, Thad, and Brem. My family will hopefully be joining us this summer, but everyone is welcome to take a vacation with us to good old Montana.

By they way, Shane did find his fishing pole the next summer.

Finally...my first post ever.

2008-03-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

For weeks now I've been telling people I'm starting a blog, and today I am finally starting. I like to be a woman of my word even if it does take several weeks. Oh it will take me awhile to work out all the well thought-out detail I see on everybody else's blogs, but eventually I will get there. At this point in my life, my children allow me about ten minutes tops on the computer before Avery gets lost in cartoon land and Sage starts crying from neglect. Speaking of my children, would you like to see some pictures?

Here is Crazy #1 also known as Avery. She's our little Montana girl. She loves the outdoors, taking hikes, looking for wild life, all of which she learned to love from our trips to Montana. When she doesn't have Montana on her mind, her other muses in life are playing with friends, changing her clothes no less than three times a day, and as anyone who calls our house knows, talking on the phone. Her birthday is in June and sometimes I have to remind myself she is only turning 4, not 16.

Would you like to meet Crazy #2?

This is our little Sage. He turns one on Saturday. He is our little Daddy's boy and cuddle bug. He loves dancing to music, playing with balls, and following me around the house undoing whatever it was I might have just cleaned up. Much like his older sister, he is very social, friendly, and curious. We just can't seem to take a picture of Sage without him crawling toward of reaching for the camera.

I have to say I'm very grateful these two children were sent to our home. As difficult as parenthood is, they are perfect for Shane and me, and we try to be the best parents for them.

For my next blog I will fill you in on the disasterous consequences of this seemingly innocent picture.