I know, I know, kind of annoying

I am having a scentsy "basket party", which means pretty much a catalogue party. If you want to order something, let me know before you submit your order because the consultant doing it, will give you free shipping and in September, buy one large warmer, get one half off. You don't have to live by me to order. But if you do, I have all the scent samples so let me know if you would like to pleasure your olfactory nerve. (smell them)
Order at this site, http://www.scentsy.com/steph4scents but don't submit the order if you want free shipping, the consultant has to do that part.

now for my sales pitch:

Christmas is coming, they would make great gifts! And everyone loves the smell of apples and cinnamon in their house during the holidays.

back to school

It took me a while to get excited about school starting. We were having a fun summer, I was enjoying the slow mornings and it meant that we were that much closer to winter. But about the last week or so of summer, I was running out of fun ideas and Brody was getting bored which is a nice way of saying, he was a handful and a half. I then becmae ready for school to start.

This year, Brody is in 1st grade and Cloe in 2nd. They were super excited to go to school but now Brody says he doesn't like it. Why? Because it's longer than he thought it would be. But he thinks it's great that they give him free lunch. He gets in line, tells them his name, they put it in the computer and he gets a school lunch. He doesn't understand that they are billing mom $2 a lunch!






Abbey is going to preschool at Mrs. Susan's again.

I'm sending out positive vibrations into the universe

Becky and Katrina, I hope you find that title funny.


Another free bike giveaway, click on my picture link all you want baby! I would like such a hot mom riding one of these around and if you want proof, help me win! ;)

last summer post, I think.

I got the idea from my friend about a couple of good hikes for kids that we went on. But we didn't start this until the end of summer and I wish we would've started sooner because the kids loved it and I loved being in the mountains. There are a few I still want to try before it gets too cold.

The Grotto
We recruited my friend Jenn and her kids which made it more fun because my kids are big fans of her son Boston. This was a good hike for kids and they loved walking across the bridges. The waterfall was FREEZING.


Charlotte is always a good sport






Bridal Veil Falls
this was great because I was having one of those days where I wasn't being the most patient mom so going up to the mountains, walking and enjoying the scenery with happy kids was just what the doctor ordered. Brody had his bike and the girls were on scooters and they loved riding up to the falls.

Charlotte tried to crawl up the hill to play with the kids. She got quite far before it became a little dangerous.



my kids have a never ending rock collection. My stroller always seems to be loaded down by rocks.

baseball season (ended back in JUNE!!)

This year I coached Cloe's softball team and it was a lot of fun. Her league is coach pitch which meant, I had to pitch. Not my favorite part. I felt a lot of pressure to give them all a perfect pitch. The girls on the team were fun and good sports and it was cute when they would hug me and chat with me the more they warmed up. I have a hard time sitting on the sidelines, don't hate me for saying this, but when parents coach for fun and don't know the sport, it takes all efforts to keep my butt planted and my mouth shut. I realized that I really enjoy teaching them about the game and the skills. And the best part, seeing them improve. I actually just went to Cloe's first soccer practice and the coach told the girls, "I've never played soccer but that's okay, we're going to have fun." And so I sat, waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask him, "do you want me to help you out with this drill? I can take half the girls over here." No soccer for me this year, Charlotte would be too hard to take care of while coaching.
Well, enough about me and my ego, Cloe liked softball and me as her coach. She really started to understand the game and was good at going for the ball and quickly getting it to first base. By the end of the season, she improved a ton.
THE BLUEBERRY FAIRIES


Brody played t-ball and got a little bored at times. He was on the Cubs and when his team was on the field a lot of times I was trying to get him off the playground. so annoying.
This is t-ball in a nut shell. Don't think we will ever bother with t-ball again.


and Brody up to bat



the slide was so necessary.

a little determination

I was about to eat a peach but had to set it down while I ran a load of laundry upstairs. I set it on the arm rest of the couch and came down to little Charlie bear trying to grab it. The girl loves to eat peaches.

got it!

I couldn't resist

I found these pictures on Ryan's phone. One of the kids was being naughty by touching Daddy's phone, but I'm glad they did.

Special sleep-over with Grandma

the kids each got to have a special night with Grandma Brown where they got to stay with her by themselves. She spoiled them and they loved it! She really tried to think of things that she knew they would enjoy.
Cloe went first and had so much fun but sadly, it was right at the beginning of the crummy virus that we all had. So she was up and down depending on her medicine :) She went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house with Grams and Grandma, she got to go shopping, swimming, snuggle Grandma and sew a bag for all her little toys. ( I hope I didn't leave anything out.) She begged and begged me to go back but with company and Grandma's busy schedule, it didn't work out.





Abbey was next and also got to go shopping and sew her own bag.




Brody took a little convincing. You may not know this but he is very tender hearted and didn't want to be away from me. He was worried that he would miss me, but I finally convinced him to go and he had SUCH a good time. He also got to go shopping, he got to sit on the coach WITH a popcicle and watch a DVD, they went to the park for lunch and best of all, he got to go shooting. A .22 to be exact. He was a little bummed he couldn't shoot "the police gun", but still so excited to have shot a real gun. And with Grandpa's help, he even got a bulls eye.







The kids each had a lot of fun and it gave them a special memory this summer with Grandma Brown.

today is the first day of school, therefore I better catch up on missed summer posts.

The kids and I had a really fun summer and contrary to what Ryan may think, I kept it quite cheap for everything we did.
Our good friends the Cox's were here from Alaska. Ryan Cox stayed for 2 weeks but Jess and the kids stayed for 4 weeks and we were SO sad for them to leave.
We went to 7 peaks...........for free


Brody turned 6 and he wanted to go bowling.............. for free. And then he wanted to go roller skating and to Chuck E Cheeses and then and then and then. We only went bowling. We then went searching for 'Heelys', the wheel shoes that he wanted. And as you saw, he was in the Spanish Fork rodeo, mutin bustin. He loved it and the sheep ripped his shirt when he fell off which I think made it more exiting for him. We celebrated with Costco cake which I ate about 95% of. Why do I set myself up for failure like that?




The weekend of the 24th we had a little college reunion. Ryan had 2 friends he met at computer camp when he was 14 and they then became best friends freshman year at BYU, Ryan, Ryan and Zack. Then they all married and us wives became really close as well. (Ryan and Jess are one of the couples). Zack and Kristy came to visit from Colorado and it was such a fun weekend that went by way too fast. I was sad when they left, it's hard to become close with friends when you don't yet have the history. I have history with the Stout's and Cox's and they are such good friends. They haven't been to Ut for years so we did it all. Temple square, BYU, and even the nickelcade some where in there.



Took the kids to the Planitarium at the Gateway, did you know that that place is free? Such a cool place, I can't believe it is free. Then ran in the fountains.






I celebrated my 29th birthday in the midst of all the hub bub. B-days get more dissapointing the older you get. Not because I'm getting older, just not as special. I have some goals in mind to achieve before I turn 30. One being that I would like to run a half marathon. A full is too much. The furthest race I have ever ran is a 5k, so I am actually looking forward to the challenge.


I won $100 in a biggest loser competition.


We spent quite a bit of time at the Herriman reservoir. On this particular day the wind got to insane speeds. It was blowing the sand so hard it REALLY hurt. But I find these types of momnets when my kids are terrified, and everyone is frantic, hilarious.



Then we had to say good-bye. A little emotional for the kids and I.



Maybe next time we'll go to Alaska.