ESCAPE

Yesterday I sat down on the couch for a few minutes before starting dinner with Ainsley & Addison, who were watching a movie & began to read. About 5 minutes after I had started to read Ainsley said, "Mom, why are you reading?" I turned to her & said, "Because I like to read. One day when you are big you will like it too." She just looked at me for a minute then said, "Well, when I'm big I will play with my kids more so they don't bother me while I'm trying to read!"

Can't a Mom have just 15 minutes to escape into some other world? That's all I ask, 15 minutes!!

WONDER...

Do you ever wonder when life is going to start slowing down, just a little bit?

Do you ever wonder how your kids can be the most adorable, silly, funny little things one second & the next be the most terrible, whiny little stinkers ever?

Do you ever wonder why there are ALWAYS 3 batches of laundry waiting to be washed by you & only you every single day?

Do you ever wonder what you're going to make for dinner?

Do you ever wonder how the whole house can be destroyed in a matter of minutes?

Do you ever wonder if having a full time job is easier than being a full time Mom?

Do you ever wonder if the things you say to the people who mean the most really sink in?

Do you ever wonder what our little ones will have to face when they are 14 years old?

Do you ever wonder what your dog is thinking as he watches you through the window?

Do you ever wonder what it's like in Italy right now?

I do!

FIRST...

Since I wrote last, we have experienced alot of firsts in our family. At the first of September I was called to be the Young Women's President in our ward. Aaaahhhh!!! This has proven to be a very stressful, overwhelming, time consuming, wonderful, rewarding calling. Definitely a FIRST. I was able, along with my Mom, my sister Britt & my very best friend Rochelle, to pull off the coolest surprise baby shower ever. Danyette received 2 gigantic boxes full of great gifts from all of her family & friends unknowingly. A very successful FIRST. I, along with the much appreciated help of my other very best friend Tiff, was able to purchase, package & send out 100 Christmas gifts to Burns Saddlery & Burns Cowboy Shop customers. Glad that's over FIRST. Ainsley spells & reads just about anything if she sounds it out. A very proud Mommy FIRST. The girls & I flew across the country without our Daddy to see the Gladwells. A surprisingly pleasant FIRST. My sis, Danyette had the most adorable little baby BOY which we (the girls & I) were able to be there for. As most of you know, Trey is the FIRST boy on the Stewart side in 2 generations. While in Tennessee we attended our FIRST NHL game. Alivia asked Addison, "Where are you?", her FIRST question. Ainsley, Addison & I went ice skating for the FIRST time with the Young Women & Young Men of our ward. Fun FIRST! We opened another store in Park City one week before Christmas. Can you say CRAZY?!? Three locations, another FIRST. Ains & Addi were in their very FIRST cheer competition & they took 1st place!! That very same day we had to take Addison to the doctor to experience her FIRST stitches, 6 in all through 3 layers of tissue right along her left eyebrow. Sad, horrible, not recommended FIRST.

I look forward to many more FIRSTS in my life & am so grateful to have experienced these FIRSTS thus far. To FIRSTS!!!

I DID IT!!!

On Wednesday I bottled something for the very first time in my whole life, sweet & sour sauce!!! Seriously, I didn't think this day would come until I was 58 years old & had no kids in the house & had time to grow a garden & harvest it & bottle things out of it. But thanks to one of my best friends who has oodles of veggies to share from her garden & all the "equipment" & "know how" to harvesting & bottling, I was able to make my very own sweet & sour sauce (her recipe btw). Yummy! We can't wait to try some.
I am so proud of myself. I really did it!!!

I HEART BOOK ORDERS!

So do any of you Moms out there love book orders as much as I do? Thus far in my little kindergartner's life we have only been able to experience the wonders of this awesomeness twice but already I AM IN LOVE!
Here's a little history for ya. First of all, I love children's books. Second, I love going to the book store with my little ones & reading & laughing & giggling at one another as we discover new books. Third, I love buying new books for my girls. And last, I absolutely love reading that new book to my girls for the first time. I love seeing their faces turn into that "surprised" look when the story takes a twist they didn't anticipate. I love seeing them gaze at each other with excitement. I love seeing them stare intently at the illustrations. I love when the story is over & they can't stop talking about it. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!
So I'm giving a shout out to book orders because I have purchased 33 awesome books for a mere $133.00. That averages out to $4.03 per book. You try buying 33 books at Barnes & Noble for that, I dare ya!

NO WAY!!!

ALL THREE OF MY GIRLS ARE ASLEEP RIGHT NOW!!! This event almost never takes place at my house. On occasion, if I'm lucky, will I have two sleeping princesses but very rarely do all three sleep during the day at the same time.

I am in heaven!!!

I KNOW, I KNOW

I know what you are thinking & everyone of you can say it... SLACKER!!! I am sorry Mom (I know she is the only person who reads any of this that really cares that I have been out of the blogging world for 2 months)!!!

Well here is what we have been up to...The girls & I went to the cabin & played in the hootenanny while it rained. What is the hootenanny? It is an old, abandoned vehicle that is right down the hill from my Grandparents' cabin & has wasted away to a rusty, metal frame. I have loved that thing for a very long time & now my girls do too.We went to Fishlake on a Sunday afternoon & found our way back to Great Grandpa Dan's roots. He was 1/4 Cherokee Indian you know?
Ainsley & Addison went to Cheer Camp for two days in the blistering heat & to celebrate their hard work we all got to go to 7 Peaks. (Hey guys, why am I the only one still in my swimming suit for this pic? Not fair!) The big girls also got to dance in the 24th of July parade in Monroe. They were more than excited to ride on the big float. At the end of July Brayd took me to Las Vegas to celebrate my 30th birthday with some of our closest friends. WE HAD SSSOOOOOO MUCH FUN!!! Awww, memories! I need to do that again very, very soon.

We went to Park City to hang out with Papa & Nana, do some shopping, & eat some Cold Stone ice cream. We all LOVE to shop & most of us LOVE ice cream (sorry Brayd)!Alivia played with Pat while getting a push in the swing by her big sis Ainsley. Cute!

We went to the county fair & saw bears, pigs, sheep, chickens, cows, & bunnies. We rode some carnival rides & had the biggest spicket (is that even a real, legitimate word?) of blue cotton candy we have ever seen.

We went to the Stake Ho Down, ate yummy food, & danced the night away. Fun times!Ainsley & Addison danced to my ring tones on the front lawn until the battery in my phone died. I just adore these two!!

We went to the barrel race & cheered for Aunt Destiny.

We went to Red Creek & camped with Grandpa Wayland. We rode 4 wheelers, hunted for treasure, made pipe cleaner people, watched movies, ate smores, & relaxed.

We went to Jami's & got our hair done. Addison got a trim & didn't even cry this time.Ainsley got a cut. She thinks she is so cute & I agree 100%!!

The girls & I drove up to the cabin to celebrate my Great Grandpa Peterson's birthday. We've done this every year on the opening day of the bow hunt since I can remember. Even though he is gone, it is our excuse as extended family to get together. We love it!We went camping with Jake, Tiff, Tai, & Teya. We had a ton of fun until...Alivia fell in the fire pit. She burned her chin & her left hand. SAD!! Ainsley found out that Mrs. Brown is her kindergarten teacher. We couldn't be happier. Ainsley went to kindergarten. Her first big day was Tuesday, August 25th. WOW!!! Brayd & I were so excited for her. She couldn't wait to go & she is loving every single minute of it. I took Alivia to Dr. Bennett's to get her blisters popped & scrubbed. Believe me, I DON'T RECOMMEND IT! It was the most horrible thing I have ever witnessed as a mother.As Alivia would say, "Ooouuuuch!!"

The girls & I went to Park City for a couple of days to stay in Papa & Nana's brand spanking new, gigantic, beautiful house. We had a blast exploring all the new rooms & looking at all the pretty new furniture & decorations. We've already made plans to go back. Yay!

Braydan left for good 'ol Las Vegas to do a show with Jake. Sob!!Addison started her second year of preschool on the 1st of September. She is so stinkin' cute! Alivia has been playing nonstop in the backyard with Pat. She loves that dog!!We got to go to Las Vegas with Jordan (our sweet, adorable, awesome friend/babysitter), Tiff, Tai, & Teya to see our Daddy's. We went to see the Lion's at the MGM Grand. They were sleepy though, darn!We went to the M & M factory & spent a whopping $66.00 on 3 bags of M & M's which these three are showing off for the camera.We went to FAO Schwarz & played with all the awesome toys & got some really sweet Barbies. Woohoo!! We went to the Bologio & watched the water show. Pretty! We played & played & played at the pool. We went to The Shark Reef & touched sting rays too. We had the best time!

Braydan went to Colorado in search of "the big one" & came back one week later empty handed. Shoot!

I told you we have been busy & I didn't even talk about the everyday stuff (work, school, cheer, young women's, birthday parties, lunch dates, etc., etc., etc....). Whew! When did life get to be so crazy & hectic all the time? I'd really like to know the answer to that.