Sledding Fun!

 A couple of weeks ago it dumped on us. I think we got something like 2 feet of snow! It was awesome. It was beautiful! We waited a day and headed out to play in it! There are a ton of great places to go here in the Millcreek area. Everyone sledded, boarded, threw snowballs and we all made a HUGE snowman. What fun! We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful part of America.

Tyler is catching some serious air here! Nice job!

Nathan wanted to be like his older brothers and snowboard.

Reflections Ceremony

Last week was the Reflections award ceremony at Rosecrest elementary school. The theme this year is, "Magic of a MOment". Great job Brigham, Gavin, Tyler and Jackson. Go here to see their submissions.

The Fam

Here they are!! I am so pleased on how they all turned out!! Great job boys!

Easier

What's easier? Getting 7 children and myself dressed and ready for church, or not going at all.

This past Sunday, Scott left super early for work and I had the kids. We were all awake and slowly getting ready for church. I kept telling the kids over and over again to get their tie on...to brush their teeth...to comb their hair.

Sometimes I feel like it would be MUCH easier to just stay home...in my PJ's...watching football.

Yeah, it WOULD be easier in that moment, but NOT worth it. We were late, but we were all there. The boys had nice (matching) outfits on. Everyone's hair was handsomely combed and all their teeth were brushed. I should get an award!

There are many times in life that I don't really want to do something because its too hard and would be a heck of a lot easier to not do it. BUT, it's just not worth the blessings that would be lost if I chose to not do it.

Robbery Update

WOW! It's been only one week since we had an intruder enter my home and steal my purse, and so many great things have happened since then.

We, of course, cancelled all credit cards. Installed new top of the line infrared cameras around our home, bought padlocks for the two side gates, and added another lock to the side door of the garage. We also have had several discussions with the boys about this whole situation. We close the sliding gate to our long driveway at night and also activate the door/window alarm at night.

I, finally, have been sleeping better. I, finally, feel better. I, finally, am myself again with a touch of "if you try this again I'll kill you" added to it.

On Wednesday morning, I received a call from a SLC police officer that my drivers licence and debit card had been apprehended from a suspect. YAY!! He told me 3 individuals tried to buy some stuff at a pawn shop and ran out during the processing of the debit card. While on my way downtown to the police department to pick up my drivers licence and debit card, I stopped at the pawn shop to thank them. They updated me with new information while I was there. About 20 minutes before my arrival one of the guys came back into the store to retrieve "his" items of purchase. The police quickly returned to the store and arrested him.

I also was able to watch the surveillance video of the 3 theifs. Two men with long straggly hair, about 40 years old and definite druggies and a 50-ish year old woman with short, curly, reddish-brown hair. Their faces will be forever engraven on my mind!
 
After the police department, I stopped off at a 7-Eleven where my card was used before the pawn shop. They pulled the surveillance video and receipt for me as well. Same scum bags. The 7-Eleven guy knows one of the men and that man lives right around the corner in the apartments. HELLO!
 
Later that night I headed to the tobacco store and a thrift store to check with them about receipts and surveillance cameras. Both stores had receipts and cameras!! Nice! Yes, call me a detetive!! 

Here's the funny thing, she signed HER name everytime on the dotted line. Dumb. Thieves are dumb!

On Friday, our case was handed over to a detective and we met with him yesterday(Monday). He had already found the 2 guys in the videos and questioned them. He also knows of the woman, who has a record, and LIVES NEARBY IN ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD!!! Two streets south to be exact!

Detective Knight told us that her boyfriend has a record (scum as well) and her 20-something son also has a record. Lovely family values they all share! The detective thinks it was either the son and/or boyfriend that did the actual breaking and entering.
This is the crazy part, every time Miss Nasty thief lady used my debit card it's a felony. EACH TIME. She used it 5 times. $7 here, $14 there. Again, thieves are dumb!

The breaking and entry is a class 2 felony.
Stealing is only a misdemeanor.
Using someone else's credit/debit card is a class 3 felony, EACH TIME.

I am excited and relieved that we are making so much progress on this. It is finally giving me some closure.

GREAT deals I found today!!

I was catching up on some blogs I follow and there are several great deals, I couldn't resist to share them with you!!

Go here for a FREE coupon book from P&G worth $17.00!!

A cute Land End jersey dress go here. They're on sale for $16.99 but put in code FRIENDS with the pin 3010 and the price will drop to $11.89 with no shipping! Cute colors and styles!

Totsy has woman's leggings and tights on sale for $4.50-$5.00!! Free shipping for new customers.

This Vintage Owl Pendant is only $1.37 on Amazon with free shipping if you are a Prime member.

This cute Vintage Owl Necklace is $1.04 on Amazon!

Amazon has the The Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American Legacy (Hardcover) for just $1.58 + FREE shipping if you have Amazon Prime! This Oprah book is regularly priced at $50!

 Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special for just $5.00 + free shipping if you have Prime on Amazon!!


THANKS Cuckoo for Coupons and Fabulessly Frugal for these deals!!

WATER

Photog group word of the week was WATER. The collage turned out great! Nice job ladies!

"The Magic of a Moment"

 Here are the boys photos they entered in for the Reflections competition. We've turned them all in...cross your fingers!!

New Family Photos

We were planning on taking family photo shots on Thanksgiving, like we always to. But the weather has been so nice lately I wanted to see if we could get some shots of the family before it became too cold. We headed out to the base of Big Cottonwood canyon where this neat wooden bridge is located. The boys did pretty good obeying mom while I posed them is various positions. (and bribing them with 31 flavors after helped too!!)

 

 I am super lucky princess as I sit here in the middle of all the wonderful, handsome Knights.

Helpless

A couple nights ago I was robbed. Someone came through the side door of my garage and stole my purse and Tyler's backpack in the middle of the night. While I was sleeping. While my seven babies were sleeping. It makes me sick to think how vulnerable we all were and are. It took me several hours to come to the conclusion it must of been taken.

Scott, however, was adamant that that was impossible. I prayed, retraced my steps and knew there was no other possible conclusion. I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, thinking of the unknown. And then it came to me. They took my purse and hid it in the backpack. That wouldn't look as suspicious. Smart.

I called the police out and they did nothing. Took my statement and that's it. I showed him the door and thought he'd take fingerprints. Nope. He said he couldn't see any. Um...That doesn't seem right!

We went out and bought new locks, installed a new 360 degree, infrared security system, talked to neighbors, and with the kids. I received a call around 2:30pm from this cute little old man and he said he found my planner by Tanner Park (5 streets north of my house!) We took off and headed that way. My planner and 2 savings cards were there. I started walking through the park and down the street where I found lots of my things. Dumb things like coupons, receipts, papers and savings cards. Every time I'd pick up a coupon that I cut out and put in my purse, I'd clinch my teeth and spew out harsh words for the culprit. Then after the next coupon I'd pick up, I'd get a tear in my eye and just wonder why this happened to me.

Ugh. So frustrating. I feel mad. I was violated. I feel upset and want to find this criminal. I feel unsafe in my own home. So frustrating. I found another person's social security card and another person's credit card in a bush! I'm heading back to that bush later today.

I keep checking craigslist and KSL for my Prada bag and the 2 Disneyland tickets I had inside. Nothing.

I talked with the boys about it several times and never showed them that I was scared in the least. I talked to them about how wrong stealing is and how mean it is to the victim.

I called Bill and told him I want a gun. I have NEVER wanted a gun in my home. But, things change. I don't know if it was a crackhead looking for $20, a stupid teenage game just to see what they could loot, or he wanted to harm any of us. I won't let that happen again. Does it seem like too much for a normal person to want to get a gun? Does it seem impulsive? I don't think so. I'll do ANYTHING to keep my family safe!

Reading Reviews

Way back on August 30th, I wrote a post about books and my review of those books. In that same post I made a goal to read a book every week, until the end of the year. And guess what? I've been keeping that goal and exceeding it!! I've been doing a lot of reading and enjoying every second of it!

I had just started reading "Five People You Meet In Heaven" by Mitch Albom. It was a quick read, and makes you think about your relationships in your life. Even the small ones. ***

"Venom" by K.C. Grant. An LDS novel by an author I really enjoy. This was her first novel, and you can tell.  ***

"The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. Really makes you think how the small things can make such a big impact in our lives, and we don't even know it. ****

"Shopaholic #2" by Sophie Kinsella. Darling. She is such a unique and silly character, it's fun to take a break and read from this series. ****

"Airman" by Eoin Colfer was a great story. I am still not sure if it is a true story or not. This boy has a talent and continues to perseveer through some real hard times. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put this down. ****

"Little Bee" by Chris Cleave was a sad story. I cried a couple times and really felt for both the main characters. It helps to put my easy, charmed life into perspective. ****

"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. Oh man! I was only into this book a few chapters and I had to Google search what feet binding was, wow! Simply amazing story of two girls and their life story. I am sure glad I was not born in that time and place! ****

"Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins. Yes, the same author to Hunger Games. She wrote this young adult fiction series before the Hunger Games. Two of my boys were reading it and I wanted to read it also, to talk with them about the story. They loved it, so did Scott. ***

"Shopaholic #3" By Sophie Kinsella. I was needing another fun, easy read. I seriously laugh out loud to these books. Witty and charming. ****

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. This is Scott's absolute favorite book. I had to read it, and wondered why it had taken me so long to do so. It was well written, I'm just not into Science Fiction. ***

"Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier. I had heard a lot of great things about this book and was excited to read it. The beginning and middle were great. It kinda slowed down towards the end and didn't seem to tie all the loose ends up for me. Still worth reading. ***

"Room" by Emma Donoghue. Wowza. A creepy, sad story of a young girl who was abducted and held captive for many years in a tiny room. It her story of how and why she survived. ***

"Holes" by Louis Sachar. What a great book! Two of my boys already read it and Scott read it right after me. Then, we rented the movie and all watched it together. Well written. I love how the two stories and intertwined together. ****

There are a few others, which I'll write about later. Have YOU read anything great lately? I'd love to know about it!

Oh Deer!

 

 

 

Will has wanted to go hunting for years! Finally, Papa took him over UEA weekend. When he returned, I was still driving home but Will kept calling me. I could tell he was excited about something, but never thought he'd shoot a deer his first time out! But, he did! Will shot this deer on the first day out, within the first hour! Amazing!

 

When I walked into the house he was standing in the kitchen, proudly holding the head.



 Papa helped take off the fur and meat from the skull, bleached it, mounted it and hung it in the garage. This is called a European Mount.

Great job Will!!

Halloween 2012

 As usual, the Halloween season was jam packed with fun parties and activities. On Halloween morning, the kids had their Halloween parade at Rosecrest Elementary School; which is always fun to watch.
Brigham was a pirate (the same costume Will was when he was in Kindergarten) and Brigham is still in pre-school!

 Cute Nathan was a football player, just like his older brothers!

 Jackson was a vampire...And Tyler wore his football uniform as his costume.
After the parade, were Halloween parties galore! We started in the preschool room with Nathan and Brigs.

Later that afternoon, we headed to Trick 'r Trunk in our neighborhood. Next, we headed to our cousin Angie's house for homemade root beer and chili.
Gavin dressed like a doctor for school, but wanted to be a zombie too. Scott decided to dress up and do the same thing!

Cute Preston was a dragon and a giraffe. I bought a darling Pea costume, but it didn't end up fitting. He's so tall! Half the day he wore the dinosaur (Will, Jackson and Tyler did too for their first Halloween!) But blew it out and we had to change into the giraffe costume. I wore all black, added some glittery makeup and huge fairy wings. Done. Easy. Fun.

Trick or treating was fun. We headed to a neighborhood near our cousins' house where there are a lot of rich people. They handed out full size candy bars to the kids!

The house above had a scary witch, and Nathan was about to abort when he saw her. We coxed him onto the porch.  

About an hour into trick or treating we were able to get this shot with the three little ones together (the 3 big boys had taken off with friends and were gone for another 2 hours). Everyone had huge bags full of candy. It was a fun Halloween!