Monday, November 3, 2014

HALLOWEEN 2014

School Halloween Party

Truck or Treat

Snow Queen

Adorable Lil Monster

Emmitt...from the Lego Movie. And yes...all Homemade and exhausting

Creeper...third year as a character from Minecraft

Thursday, October 30, 2014

THE Backyard


 Ever since I was young...I had this marvelous dream of having my very own family. A family of blonde hair, crazy kids who made me laugh and play. I dreamed of a backyard that was completely fenced in. A backyard where we could just be a family. A backyard where I would someday play catch just as my dad did with me. A backyard where my kids learned to kick the ball, throw the ball and climb trees. A backyard that brought my kids as much joy as my backyard did to me. 13 years of marriage and 4.5 kids later...my dream came true in Omaha, Nebraska. I never would have imagined. Omaha. But here we are. As happy as we ever were. In our gigantic backyard that backs to a "forest" where the kids have a tree house and an archery range.  A swingset and a patio. A hill to race their homemade go cart down. A perfect place. To be a family. 





Last night when James got home, I retreated up to my bedroom. I was completely exhausted from making four different things for dinner and two kids who still refused to eat. I threw myself on my bed...thinking about crying. I opened my scriptures and started looking for peace. Peace came. From outside my window. I heard my husband playing with the kids. Every single person was laughing hysterically. There were balls being thrown. There was mischief being created. There were memories being made by the second. I closed the sacred book and decided to listen to the sacred music coming from outside my window. The laughter never ceased. Each child took turns creating the peaceful music that I realized I could never tire of. My husband enjoying the dream that I imagined so many years ago. He was dressed in slacks, a shirt and tie. Straight home from work. I could hear that handsome man laughing with my kids and I could see him in my mind... in his handsome clothes. Peace. Complete peace. Joy? Yes. This is exactly what our world is desperately seeking. And I had it right outside my window.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

First day of School...2014

 With a new state...comes a new school. Or, schools, to be exact. Will started Middle school!
Watch out Omaha, Nebraska...the Ford kids are taking over!! We have a 6th grader, 4th grader and 1st grader....leaving all day for Luke and I to fill with cleaning the house and playing 2 year old peek a boo.


Luke was sad to lose his three biggest fans and best friends...he kisses them every day from his car seat and runs to them when he sees them after school. Kindof a payoff...they all seem happy to see each other after a long day away...let's hope it never changes!

Adjusting Nicely...

 Nearly 4 months in our new home...and we are finding lots of fun things to do...





 He's loving it and for now he says, " I think I should probably just stick to one sport. I've got tons of homework."

 Naomi let me be her soccer coach for her first season ever! UNDEFEATED 6 YEAR OLDS! I was extremely pregnant and had Luke on my hip most of the time due to James' crazy schedule, but all in all, it was one fun season. Naomi thinks she may just be a professional soccer player when she grows up...but she says it's "really, really tiring and I don't give enough water breaks." Life is tough, Kid!

Jake enjoyed his own bout with soccer. Was a stellar defender. He claims most of his talent is in defending. Same when he played football and now basketball. Hilarious. But most importantly...he always came off the field with a smile. I like that. I really, really like that!

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Crawdad Fishing...but no crawdads

 SO I take the kids crawdad fishing on a warm afternoon. We find sticks, tie some fishing line to it and a half a hot dog to the other end. The crawdads love it. However, we came up shorthanded on crawdads. Without fail...Jake didn't let us leave without catching something...two snakes. arggg.  This kid could catch a snake in his sleep.
 Will rocks as an older brother. He's teaching Luke the joys of fishing. Whenever I need a helper for Luke...I call out for Will. Thanks, Buddy.

$54 Field Trip

 A month ago, I received an email from Will's teacher. They would be re-enacting the Civil War! She expected full participation. And the best part about it was that this amazing experience would only cost $54. Seriously?? James and I about died!
 And we had to make cornstarch bullets to shoot out of his authentic rifle. I had corn starch all over my kitchen floor. Not to mention a 9:00 PM run to Safeway to buy cornstarch the night before they were due...
 They were acting out the Battle of the 2nd Bull Run...
I threw Jake, Naomi and Luke in the car to watch the re-enactment. It didn't help that it cost me another $8 to enter the park where the blessed event was taking place!
 Here goes Will in the Union Army to attack the Confederates...
 If you look closely, you can see the fallen soldiers...according to their birthdays, they had to "die" during different battle scenes. It took all day. I could have bought the professional video of the battle for another $35. I declined.
I picked Will up from school that day and he informed me of his opinion of the field trip. "I'm reallllly glad we actually re-enacted history instead of just watch some stupid, boring video about it. It was sooo cool." Alright. Fine. After all is said and done...a cool experience. Glad he got to do it.

Happy #9, Nine, IX

 My Mooch is 9!!
A small miracle. He's decided that he wants to try out Snowboarding! I'd been looking on craigslist forever. I couldn't find anything in his size. I finally callesd a Sports Authority miles away that had an old model board and boots that they were selling at the end of season closeout. I had 12 minutes to get there before closing. I jumped in the car. I pulled up 2 minutes before closing. I ran back to the tech shop. The tech was working on getting the bindings on for me. He looked at me and said, "you're getting a great deal. I don't think this board has ever seen the snow! I just found it in the back." I said a silent prayer of thanks as I payed $69 for a new board and boots...the perfect size for my little buddy!



James took him up boarding yesterday and he did Awesome! Much better than the day before when I took the kids up skiing. I sent the two boys up the mountain together while I stuck with Naomi. I noticed I hadn't seen them in a while! 40 minutes later my heart started racing. Finally I see Will coming down the hill. He skied over to us to tell us that Jake was on his way down. He had lost his skis at the top of the hill and couldn't put them back on. In classic Jake style, he ditched the skis and poles and started hiking down the mountain. 2 miles down. He hiked in his ski boots. A couple people asked him if he needed help and of course he turned down the offer. When he finally got to me, he stated, "well, at least I got lots of exercise today." His awesome older brother stayed by his side. Skiing slowly by his hiking little bro. Way to go, boys! I was so proud of Will for sticking by his bro, and I was so proud of Jake for getting up and moving forward. He could have just sat there and cried. But he got up and did the only thing he could think of. Move!
 Jake's other birthday present...a date with mom to his favorite restaurant...the Melting Pot. I honestly don't know how he heard about this place. James and I had never been. But he got the idea in his head that it was amazing!! So...off we went. My Mocch and Me. From cheese, to meat to chocolate. We did it all. A date with my son. He even held my hand walking up the stairs to the front door. I was in Heaven. My date couldn't have been any cuter. And funny. He kept me laughing all the way through lunch. A perfect date with a perfect buddy.

Friday, March 28, 2014

We're STILL here!!!

 Four Ford's in December
 I took Naomi to Disney on Ice with one of her best friends, Maddie. Just picture this: Intermission. You had just watched $40 worth of Belle, Ariel and Rapunzel skating on ice. And their Prince's in colored tights. Your daughter gets up and runs to the concession stand. Your mom had warned you that you HAVE to buy a commemorative sno cone cup for posterity. Ironically, that's exactly where your daughter and her friend stand waiting patiently for their mother's to pay the bill. $12. Seriously? You roll your eyes when the poor lady who sells significantly overpriced sno cones at Disney on Ice tells you that for $12 you don't get to choose your flavor. You get what you get and you don't throw a fit.  It's obvious she isn't thrilled her her employment status. It's obvious that I'm not thrilled with her. I hand over my credit card. Who knew I needed so much cash for a sno cone. I wasn't prepared. She slides my card. Then after I sign my name she happens to add, "oh, and if you want a straw...it's another $2." OK...now I am seriously rolling my eyes. $2 for a straw? My friend and I burst out in laughter. Well, I guess you kinda need one to eat a sno cone. I hand back my credit card so she can add the additional $2 for a blessed straw. Total price for the picture? $14. Two credit card transactions. And a Commemorative cup that sits in a corner of her room. I'm pretty sure she doesn't even remember it's there. Trust me, when she gets married and moves out...the cup is going with her!


 The commander and I waiting in carpool for the kids after school. Saying he is completely obsessed with my iphone and anything electronic would be an understatement.
 See??? If someone is on the computer...someone who weighs less than 25 pounds is somewhere close...

 Mattress slides. In a small house...we at the Ford house get creative. One of our favorite activities to relieve sudden boredom.
 Sleeping together in mom's bed is another favorite.
 Or building forts with all the pillows is also a good one.
 And than there's ALWAYS legos. Thank you, Legos. From my heart to yours.
 Jake got a guitar for Christmas. I don't know why, but I think he looks so cute playing it!!
 The commander who needs a haricut. Thanks to my mom, we left him with her for a few hours one night and we came home to a Grandma Nettie haircut. Grandpa Geoff left us a note on the fridge saying that he had absolutely nothing to do with it. He thought for sure we would have a heart attack...my nephew walked in the next morning and announced, "who gave Luke the "dumb and dumber" haircut"? We all burst out laughing!

 And what's Utah without a little skiing?? huh? Huh?