I'm Gorgeous Inside

I had to take a picture of this.  I was carpooling and my son saw this house with the sign that reads, "I'm Gorgeous Inside".  He was laughing at the proclaimed statement because it is clearly a dive.  But it got my wheels turning.  Do I ever claim to be gorgeous on the inside, when really I am not?   Outwardly speaking, I always feel like I am much more gorgeous on the inside.  My knees hurt, my face is wrinkly, but I still feel my same old self on the inside.  Spiritually though, I wonder if I convince myself that I am gorgeous on the inside, in yet do nothing to keep it up.  Will the Lord laugh just as my son did, and say clearly you are a dive?  I sure hope not!  

The Last Hoorah

These pictures were taken on April 4th, 2009.  Beaver Mountain stayed open one more week.  We have had such a fun season of skiing this year.  Rachael is now old enough to get on the lift by herself.  She just cruises along with the rest of us.  Pretty soon she will be way past skiing with her mom!  It is so much fun to go up as a family and spend time together.  I love this picture of my brother with my cutest little niece.  Riding up on the lift with my teenage son, watching Supe ski the rails.  It is a mothers delight to see her children and hubby happy.  Blake and I met skiing, and I still LOVE to watch him ski.  He is an incredible skier.  Even getting stitches and all this year from a fall.  You would think at almost 40, he would tame it down a little bit!  It snowed all day this final season ender.  I drove to our cabin in the worst snowstorm I have ever driven in.  We have been very blessed with a wonderful winter.  And now it's time for SPRING!! 

April Fools!

April Fools has got to be one of my favorite holidays.  Is it a holiday?  Maybe that's why I like it.  No presents, no baking required.  Just good ol' fashioned fun.   I started my day at 4:30 am.  I went running downstairs, unplugged Ethan's alarm clock, and told him it was 6:55, and he was going to miss the bus.  He jumped out of bed, hopped in the shower, got dressed, and came running up to a sign saying "April Fools".  I then decided to do my annual "Crisco on the doorknobs."  The kids fall for that one every time.  I got back into bed and told Blake that Aggie had just thrown up all over in the garage, and it didn't look like she was breathing.  He jumped out of bed, and went into the kitchen only to see the same sign.  I was awake, so I decided to put saran wrap on the toilets.  That's always a fun one.  Supe falls for that one every year also.  Kind of messy, but worth it.   The kids all ate blue cold cereal, and sluggishly went to school.  

I always try to get my brother and sister-in-law.  They are so gullible bless their hearts.  Jill had asked me to pick up Jacey from preschool.  I called her with the "dead battery"  excuse.  She hurried and called her friend to go pick up Jacey.  Not to mention, she didn't seem too stressed about me being stranded with a dead battery!  I had already picked up her daughter and had Jacey call her saying "April Fools".   Well, I better run.  I have to go short-sheet the kids' beds before they get home from young men.  Not to mention the raisin I put in their toothpaste tube.  Can't wait for that one.  Happy April Everyone!!

Boy/Girl?

I am needing some advice.  I have a fourteen-year-old son who has a great group of friends.  They are all really great boys.  So great, that lots of girls want to "hang-out" with them.  Every weekend, girls are wanting to get together with them.  My son is the only one of his friends that is opposed to this situation.  So, what should I do as a parent?  Will I raise a geek with no friends if I don't allow him to go to these boy/girl parties?  I really feel like you don't "hang-out" with girls until age 16.  If we are letting these young kids hang out together at age 14, what will they be wanting to do at age 16?  

I am wondering if I am the only person on the planet that feels this way.  I am in need of some advice from my great blogging friends.  What do you do with your kids?  

Home on the range

It's calving season at the ranch.  Now that grandpa and grandma are on their mission, we have added responsibility over at the ranch.  Blake has been going over every Thursday night, only to wake up every two hours and ride through the cattle to check for struggling newborn calves.  Fortunately, the boys have had some time off at school, allowing them to go with him.  Another bonus is being friends with a "real-life" delivery doctor, Gary Fowers.  We appreciate their help so much.  This picture is taken before they all left.  I should have taken one upon their return.  Their eyes were much more red, and the clothes a lot more dirty.  Ethan came home at 5:00pm the following day, went to bed at 5:30, and didn't wake up until 9:00am then next morning.  I publicly thank Blake for going over every Thursday without complaint.  I think he is probably wondering,  not for the first time, what he has gotten himself into marrying a Blotter girl!  

Winter Adventures

A lot of my friends and family have just returned from vacations in warm, far away places.  This year, the economy has squashed all our plans for a warm holiday adventure.  Instead, we went to our parents cabin again in Bear Lake.  We met up with cousins, and even I was surprised at the fun.  When you live in frigid Utah, I guess we just have to embrace it.  Somehow kids handle the cold much better  than me.  These little cousins were outside ALL DAY long!  

HAIR CUT!

Okay all my loyal blog readers.  I am asking for your vote.  It was haircut night at our house.  Ethan signed up for BYU football camp, and they had a bold warning about haircut and appearance.  Ethan jumped at that, and asked for a haircut.  It's about time!!  He is sure it looks better long.  What's your vote?