The Latest...

Not sure WHY , even with a shiny new computer, I can't seem to get in the blog groove again!
For so long the old computer was down.. we were moving.. the holidays.. getting ready for the Florida getaway.. got a boob job.. (see how I just slipped that in there real non-chalant like??) yadda-yadda.. and I'm all behind again!
Soooo...
In a nutshell:
(Let's say, pistachio.. cause their tastiest.. and easy to pry open..)
1. Florida, with just Jasen and I, was LOVELY.
Warm.
Relaxing.
And indulgent.
We began a trend we shamelessly coined "Double-dinner-ing"..
where after lolly-gagging around the pool til' 3,
you clean up, eat at 5..
and then after nice trip to the movies or factory outlets..
you eat again at midnight.
Disgusting, and delightful.
2. Sophie has decided she'd like to grow-up to be a girl on the Bachelor.
We're so proud.
3. Bo is begging to do karate.
It's $1,000.00 a year, and twice a week.. that whole year.
We're not sure.
That's a whole lotta money, and a whole lotta karate.
4. Sam suddenly has a posse of 12 friends that hang here from dusk til dawn.
Darling kids-- but they can put down some milk, chips, and pizza.
I may need to get a job to support their snacking habits.
5. Jesse wants nothing more than to play electric guitar in a band.
If you know anyone in the area looking for a cute kid who's really good.. do tell.
6. And for real. I got augmented.
Wish it wasn't inappropriate to post my "before" shot,
just so you could fully understand how necessary I found it to be,
and be as very pleased as I am that it is complete!
Rough first week-- but now feeling good, and oh-so-female.
HIghly reccommend it, and my doctor.

Did I miss anything??

No.
I think that covers it.

It's The Little Jabs That Mean The Most..

Why one would THINK I might take this opportunity to document Jasen and I's DEE-lightful, first-time-in-in-15-years without kids get-away (pause for gasping.)
to the balmy and breezy Florida sunshine..
I'm a little too distracted and tired and lazy to walk all the way to my purse to get my iphone to download the photos from it..
so instead, want to simply report that just now Sophie,
from the couch,
where she is flipping through old photos on the ipad.. stated:
"Oh Mom! Here is a picture of you pregnant..
and you are NOT lookin' good."
Got it Soph.
Thanks for the reminder.

Soooo... Where was I....

Oh! THAT's right..
I last left you when my husband had just landed his latest promotion.
Hope no one has been offended by my lack of blogger-browsing, posting, or commenting since.
Really.. it's not you.. it's me.. and the fact that until now we thought our computer was busted in the move. (Apparantly, it was not.. and my 3 months of only-iphone internet access.. was all in vain.. sigh.)
But don't think for a moment I did not pathetically attempt to capture the last few months events in annoyingly dark and slightly grainy photos, on that very same iphone.. cause I did, cause who can find their real cameras and cords in a move?? Not I.
So now.. for your I'm SURE, long-awaited viewing pleasure..
I present to you, our family highlights as of late..
(I know.. the excitement must be KILLING you!)

We moved in to our new digs in Saratoga Springs on my birthday! (Happy Birthday! Start unpacking the 4,000 boxes in your living space!) The next week or so was a bit of a blur.. I just see alot of packing paper and box cutters in my memories..
and outta nowhere.. it was CHRISTMAS!
(Notice my ability to move past the crushing emotion of leaving all of our very best friends, our cozy home, grand yard, darling community, and chickens. That's how I roll.)
SO. We did Christmas.
Santa was obviously alerted of our new address..

We drove through the new and improved "3-D" light display here in the big city..

Santas sleigh was loaded..

..and delivered...



..followed by something even better than snowboards and bikes..
FRIENDS!!

..darling, darling..

..comfy, cozy..

..familiar, lovey..

FRIENDS.
Nothin' like em.

Then Sam turned 12!

(I really like him..)
And aside from his half-eaten "S" cake..

(Mamma was just in a REAL cake kinda mood that day.. and figured, "What's a smaller tail on an S gonna hurt?? We won't talk about the fact that Mamma made the cake into an S shape in the first place.. JUST to get the scraps it provided that morning. No. We won't.)
Overall the boy had a great day, complete with new snowboard boots, new shoes.. and X-box points.. so who's gonna notice the tiny cake??

NEXT on the agenda..

Sophie turned 5!


(Anyone else getting aggitated at the quality and overall lack of light in every photo so far?? Come on.. let's plug through.. it's almost over.. we can do this..)

I really like her too.
With her little 5 year old freshly pierced ears..

(She was so big, so brave, and SO delighted over it..)
She spent a day at Build-A-Bear with one of her very bestest girlies, Ms. Liv..

..and this was one happy, birthday girl.
Have I mentioned how pleased I am all of my kids were born??
I am.
Oh.
Almost forgot.
And Jasen took a tub in our new jacuzzi tub.

THERE.
Now, you're all caught up.
That felt good.
Now go ahead.
Comment.
I've missed you so.

Callin' 'Em Like She Sees 'Em..

So.. to switch things up from my usual
"jeans with something" look,
the other day I threw on some dark gray cargo pants, with a white long sleeve thermal.
I'm not saying it was my best get-up ever.. but comfy.
Sophie walked into my room, gave me a once over,
and stated very clearly:
"Those pants are ugly."
Pause.
"But I like your shirt."

Ummm....
thanks??

Big News. HUGE.

So WHAT does Jasen resemble in this here photo folks??

Utahs newest Kohls DISTRICT MANAGER you say??
You are CORRECT!! Nice guess.
(Insert The Jeffersons "Movin' On Up" jingle..)
My oh my has the man arrived!
After a whirlwind of the last D.M. suddenly resigning, and 4 high-stress interviews with the Kohls big-wig bad boys in Wisconsin.. he WOW'd them so hard they called him 4 hours later.. on his lay-over home, to offer him the gig!
We're so proud. (Of him.. obviously-- but I personally just plan on becoming more 'proud' in general, as in, stuck up. I'm a D.M.'s wife. Prepare yourselves.)
We are actually quite humbled by the whole event.
For all kinds of reasons, the timing was literally, divine.
Jasen has worked his tight little tail off for over 7 years with Kohls, and I think has earned every bit of his latest recognition. There was not a better man for the job! Both his peers and superiors at work have been so supportive and siked for him.
We are excited about so much of what it means..
(like finally putting the loyal, yet oh-so-trashed KIA's,
to rest..) but our hearts are breakin' just a little bit every time we remember it means leaving our precious little Cache Valley, and the people here we have come to simply ADORE.
The promotion demands we move more "central" to the Salt Lake City area..
so this is where y'all come in..
any suggestions??
We are leaning towards South Jordan.. Daybreak in particular (not only is it darling.. but my cousin and her husband who already live there.. are even MORE darling..) and Jasens equally darling sister and family are in Herriman.
So.
Talk to me kids.
Thoughts?
Recommendations?
We may just rent for awhile being that we aren't sure (along with our credit being TOAST from having to short sale our St. Louis home..)
so let me know what ya got for me.
I'll be waiting.

And Now.. Why I Didn't Heart Halloween..

Cause I usually DO heart Halloween.
Everything about it: wigs, candy, pumpkin patches..
sassin' up the typical witch costume..
ALL of it.
But THIS year.. it kinda.. um.. BLEW.
I'd bother explaining, but it's sorta LAME.
No, wait.. I have to.
But since it's after midnight.. and we all know I should be in bed.. I'll keep it short, and quickly list just WHAT factors contributed to the "suckiness", if you will:
1. The cold.
2. The rain.
3. The cold and rain, together.
4. Running too many grown-up, necessary, but not at all festive, errands that day.. leading to a late start in the nights event.. therefore leading to..
5. Jesse getting to his posse late (along with misplacing his mustache adhesive.)
6. Sam not knowing what to be.. or even if he felt like going anymore.. and then deciding.. no, he did not feel like going anymore.
7. Bo not being able to find any of his friends that had all started trick-or-treating at NOON, and finding he was suddenly embarrassed to dress up at all.
8. Sophie.. demanding that no matter what her brothers were doing.. she wanted to go.. and she wanted to go NOW.
9. And ME.. scrambling in a mad panic to go.. anywhere.. just go.. cause somehow the freakin' Halloween Queen herself, had forgotten to buy CANDY-- and kids were approaching.
(Yup. I was the lady handing out stale doughnuts. Where have my priorities gone?)
10. Finally getting to a neighborhood to do the deed.. and having two boys sit pouting in the car, in the rain..
while Sophie pranced joyfully through the horribleness chanting:
"Trick-or-treat! Thank you! Happy Halloween!"
Okay.. the Sophie part made me happy.
A holiday can't be a total bust with THIS Pirate Princess around:


When I apologized to the car-full of ticked kids for the night not exactly panning out as we'd hoped..
her reply was precisely:
"It's O.K. Mom. I'm not mad. I still love you."

So.. maybe it didn't BITE it that hard after all.

We hit some townhouses later to make Sophies little tiny pirate legs get more for their efforts (the doors are so conveniently close together!)and followed her in the dry car as she fearlessly marched onward,
alone,
from door..
to door..
to door.

We ended the night digging for the last decent reject pumpkins to carve at Wal-mart..

..because, of course.. somehow we'd missed getting around to the carving, of the pumpkins.. (busy week folks.. busy week.) and made everything better with a Twizzleberry Yogurt stop on the way home.. cause after all.. who doesn't need more sugar on Halloween night?

Sophie made sure she didn't miss out on even one last melted drop.. which made us laugh out loud.
She didn't appreciate the laughter,
therefore said she was sad, and mad..
to which Bo replied:
"Wow. THAT'S a rough combo."
Which made us all laugh out loud, again.

So we had our moments.. but over all.. not going down as one of our best.

We'll aim higher next year.

Why I Heart Payday.

Because when you only have $1.49 left in the bank.. you're out of milk.. and gas..and you're pretty sure another overdue Redbox fee is pending out there somewhere-- it gets stressful.
Maybe it's time we started that crazy concept called,
"Budgeting."
To those of you who are payed, as we are, every other Friday..
and today is that day..
Happy-Happy Payday, to you.