howdy everyone

H A W A I I

A few weeks ago I took a last minute trip to Hawaii with a friend. She had a Pediatric Dental Convention and she needed someone to go and keep her company so after watching for airline tickets for a week, she finally found a good deal and I bought it 4 days before we left. It was a crazy rush trying to get everything lined up so that I could be gone for a week but it was awesome. Thank you Michael, Cari and Tammy for taking care of my kids!!

You guys are awesome.

A L O H A from H a w a i i

This is the first view of Ohau, the island where Honolulu is and where we stayed.

Our hotel was sooooo cool and had lots to do.

The night we got there they had a HUGE luau (at this point we were still still trying to get the room situation figured out but I won't go on about that...)

After we got into our room, ate dinner at IHOP =) because it was close and we had been traveling ALL day, we decided we better go put our feet in the ocean because we WERE in Hawaii. Notice the long pants.... I guess only a girl from Idaho would have her jeans on in Hawaii in MAY. It was cold when we left Salt Lake City and the airplane is always cold.
These are some of the views and things we had at our hotel.

This is the view out our hotel balcony.

The enterance to the hotel was beautiful.

I only have a few of the pictures because Meredith has the rest on her NICER camera.

I loved the vegetation!

There were turtles,

penguins, (yes we were is Hawaii not Antarctica)

and Flamingos.

CHEESEBURGERS... We found the COOLEST restaurant! The name of it was Cheeseburgers. They had live music as we ate outside. We found it just a couple blocks from our hotel as we were walking and exploring the city. We liked it so much the first time we went back again. Yes we ate there twice. I know the pictures are NOT good but it was soooo good.

Here are the pretty mountains

We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center aka the PCC. It was so cool to see all the different cultures. Ok so I will have to admit that I was VERY upset because the first hour we were there it rain HARD! After in Finally quit it was AWESOME. We ate some cool food, even purple dinner rolls, and a pina colada slushie at the luau with ALOT of people.

Our last day there, we just had to rent the mini coupe. It was so fun and I loved EVEYBODY staring at us. It was a three wheeled little car thing (a cross between a 4 wheeler and a moped.) We drove around the city.... very slow because the mini coupe could only go 35 mph.
The day I got home my sweet Brody put this together for me on the coffee table.

Thanks Brody! I love you and missed you all.

Cub Scout Day Space Camp

"The Final Frontier"

Brody had his first "Cub Scout Day Camp". Lucky for both of us, I am the den leader so I got to take some pictures. He had a lot of fun. Here are a few of the activities.

Opening & Closing Ceremonies

Frisbee Golf.....This was the first station we went to. The boy in charge was giving the boys instructions how to play and then he says (in the same tone of voice), "They said there is a moose and her baby out here in the trees. If you see them, turn around, walk away, don't look her in the eye and go to your leader." The three of us leaders looked at each other....and said to each other "don't hide behind me". It was sooooo funny.

This was the coolest game...The boys had a lot of fun working together
Lazer Guns....aka BB Gun shooting Space Rockets

Thanks for going and having a great time Brody. You are an Awesome Son!

This is such a typical picture of my outdoor kids. Brae and Brekka decided to unload the wood pile inside the little building. I asked them to please put it back where is was supposed to go so it got half way back to the orginal destination, but I don't think the slide is the best place for it. They did get it put back after a few destractions. I always think it looks so funny when Brekka is out with Brae in her cute clothes. It just doesn't look right.... but she loves it.

Here are the pictures of Michael removing the button from Brae's nose that wouldn't load awhile ago. Amazing what the Easter Bunny prepared us for.

So I still can't upload pictures.....who knows whats wrong but I wanted to post this anyway.

Brae had a couple funny (now they are funny, not at the time though) things happen to him. He decided to stick a button up his nose. So far up that while Michael was trying to see if it was really there, he couldn’t see it. Brae kept saying he did stick it up there but it wasn't visual. Finally Michael could see it. Michael didn’t want to take him to the Community Care and pay them to remove the button, so he starting looking around the house to see if he could find something. Then he thought of the water squirter that the Easter Bunny had left. Michael used it as a syringe and sucked it out. Amazing! I am glad that my husband is creative. It saved us at least $100 that day.

The second: The monkey pajamas! Brae LOVES these. I am not sure why but they are TOO small and he still wants to wear them. He will wake up in the night crying because the feet are too tight. We will have to take them off of him so he will stop crying. So the other night Michael decided to cut the feet out WHILE Brae was sleeping. Not such a good idea. Brae cried for at least a half hour when he woke up. Then he got over it.

Don't Forget about our

C R A F T
F A I R

May 1 & 2, 2009 (This weekend...it's TIME)
Friday 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

@ the APX building 66 E. Main, Rexburg, ID

Go to our blog http://www.scrapsnpieces.blogspot.com/to enter to win prizes/product from our booths.... Leave a comment!!!!!!!

We will have a drawing Each Hour.

St. Patrick's Day

My sister and I love to have a party for anything...Even St. Patrick's Day. I mean come on, green clothes, food, drink, and decorations. I am still not sure if the kids like all the parties more than Cari and I but that is fine. They don't complain and even if they do, they will get over it soon.

Here's for a long post.... don't get lost!

but hopefully I won't feel so guilty for not putting anything up for such a long time.

I am not sure if the weather is just helping me get caught up on my old posts or what but I know Brody likes me to put things on here so I figured that I better put these snow pictures on here while there is still, more, or new SNOW.!?! Can I say cabin fever.... (especially since I went to Arizona a couple weeks ago and it was 75-80 degrees while we were there). Last week most of the snow melted because it was 50-60 degrees most of the week and this morning we have a little new snow.

Brody and Brae have been enjoying the change in the weather. A few weeks ago when we had the rain, they were riding their bikes and walking all over the snow. The week before they would sink and they would get stuck up to their knees or hips. They thought this was SOOO cool.

Here is the little sledding hill. Michael put the swing set slide on top of the snow pile so the kids could have a cool hill to go down. The boys loved it and would go down backwards, head first, and how ever else they managed to make it fun. Brekka on the other hand.....well lets just say, she is a little more like her mother when it comes to snow, it's better to watch from inside and let the boys get cold. Don't get me wrong, she likes to play outside but when its really cold, she would rather be close to mom. It's also a safer place when Brae decides to play dog pile and her face is laying in the snow. Gotta love big brothers!!

February was very eventful for me. Turning 30 and loosing my grandpa all in the same week was very emotional. My awesome sister and mother put together a birthday party for me and my friend Tammy. (Tammy's birthday was the day before mine and she will always be OLDER then me!!!) Tammy and I were in the same ward and play Bunco together. We have a lot of mutual friends and invited some new ones as well. We went out to eat and then went to the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic. It was a fun girls night out, thanks again Cari and Mom!

I knew that the week of my birthday was going to be busy when the month started because of scouts, the birthday party, bunco, and Brody’s valentines day party at school. Sunday night the 8th of Feb, I got a call from my dad saying that my Grandpa Ramsey was in the hospital and not doing very well. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was trying to be positive and not worry us. Grandpa Ramsey didn’t make it through the night but what a blessing it was that he didn’t have to suffer long and that his family was at his side when he passed on. What a crazy and memorable time the next week was for me. I decided to go to Burley on that Tuesday & Wednesday to help at the shop, help with Grandma and just be there if someone needed me. I ended up going to Burley three times in about a week (a two hours drive one way). The funeral was great and my dad and his brothers did a great job at the funeral and with all the arrangements.

The passing of my grandpa was a great teaching moment and memorable time for me. A funeral is a great time to reflect the life of the person who has passed on but also a great time to see family and help each other. My testimony of eternal families and the gospel was strengthened as I watched my extended family members deal with the death of “Grandpa Ramsey”. As I was around all my extended family I was amazed at how I could physically see such a night and day difference on their faces and the way they dealt with death. As I would see those that were active in the church, they were sad but the knowledge that we would see Grandpa again if we followed the commandments helped us to get through it and the spirit was there to comfort us. Those that were not active had a much harder time holding their emotions in and I could just see a difference in their countenance. I am so thankful for my testimony of the gospel and for parents who have taught me through example to love and serve. I know we are very blessed and I am thankful for all our experiences we have to help us grow.

There was eight pallbearer but only seven grandsons and so my dad asked Michael to help. Michael worked for our family business for about five years while we lived in Burley. My grandpa came to work every day, even the Friday before he died at the age of 82. Michael got to know my grandpa there and also worked with most of my cousins at some point. What a AWESOME site to see all my cousins and my husband carrying the casket. I know my grandpa would be so proud of them! He loved his grand kids and was always so proud of whatever they did.

Back: Bob, my dad (Glenn), Wayne. Front: Keith, Janet, Grandma Ramsey, Ron

Brae's 4th Birthday

Maybe it is just the time of year or something but Brae's Birthday has always been very eventful. From starting off with a small hole in his lung at birth and a scare at the hospital to losing a lot of his pictures when our computers crashed, I will not be able to post as many of the pictures as I would like to. His birthday is December 29 so it always get mixed in with all the Christmas traveling and parties. Not to mention check in and check outs the last three years when we were managing apartments. This year I decided to have his birthday about a month later so that he might be able to enjoy the presents a little more. Usually he is not a "things" person. One or two things is plenty. He gets bored of opening things and definitely doesn't like to be in the spot light. I have had to dig pretty hard for some of these pictures but what great memories I have had with Brae.

For those of you who know Brae, there is not a dull moment when he is around.

Brae's 1st Birthday & Cake

Brae's 2nd B-day

Brae's 4th B-day & "Mater Cake"

Brody's 1st Pinewood Derby

(Yes he also got glasses in January. They are the cool things these days, I guess. No more four eyes, they are now a COOL fashion.)
The Lizard

Brody drew the pattern and Michael helped him cut it out. Brody then painted it. Look carefully for the toes and the tail that wraps around the back.
Here is Brody at the starting line....that is about the only thing that we won. His car wan't that fast but he had a GREAT time putting it together. That is what it is all about. There is always next year and now he know that he has to prepare a little more if he wants his car to do better.

Snow Fun

With all the snow and now some warmer weather, the kids love to play outside.

Brae can almost put all his snow gear on by himself and that sure makes a difference when I decide to let them go outside. It isn't such a chore anymore. Now Brekka is because she always want the pink gloves that are not water proof or the pink kitty boots that won't keep her feet warm. She is all about fashion.

This is the canel in front of our house. It sure makes a good sliding hill for the kids to play on.

Brae and Gracie were learning and throwing snow balls.

Christmas Really Late....but here.

Here are some really late Christmas Pictures. I didn't get really good ones but here are a few.

We had fun spending time together with friends and family. My kids have all taken their turn of having the flu and now a bad cold and cough. Poor Brae was sick Christmas Eve and Christmas morning it took him a long time to get up and get going. He took a few glances at what Santa had brought and then laid on the floor. I couldn’t believe it. That is not like him.
Here is Brekka with her Pink Puppy Purse and her Doll.The kids love playing dress up so we got them some dress up hats and Brekka some "girl" dress up stuff. I tired to get a picture of them all loooking but this is the closest thing. We also have a lot of snow so we had a REALLY white Christmas. We already had a couple feet of snow but late Christmas Eve night and all Christmas day it snowed another foot or two. Thank goodness we have four wheel drive cars because we wouldn’t have been able to get to Michael’s parents if we didn't. We were literally going through 16-20” of snow on the highway. Not to mention that the one highway was closed so Michael just went on the back roads. It was kind of fun but I always get a little nervous. Michael was having fun and I guess he knew that if we got stuck his family or the neighbors would just bring the tractor to get us out. I don’t know that I have ever driven that far in snow that was that deep. At one point I looked back at the back seat window and there was snow being thrown up as tall as our suburban.

For the Mecham Gift Exchange Aunt Shandi and Uncle Mori gave the kids some of there favorite things: Brody got Tom & Jerry Movies, Brae got horses and Brekka got a Pink shirt. They all love them! Thanks Mori & Shandi! We had our cousins: Ambur, Kimbur, Zane, & Riley.

Here they are with the Marshmallow Guns we gave them.