Spring???

I got all excited for Spring to get here...afterall the Easter Bunny came...but Mother Nature had other plans. When do the flower fairies get here to change all the blah to beautiful? My Grape Hyacynths started blooming a few weeks ago. I half expected them to croak but they have survived a couple snow falls now and frost in the mornings too. The Lilac bush is trying to blossom but hasn't quite figured out the weather.


The best thing about April is that tax season is over. I am hoping to have more time to "tend to my gardens"...time to think about things like cleaning out the garage and sorting out the muck in the closets. Its time to repack the camp trailer and toss out what needs to go.


We went to the valley to spend Easter with my family. It was a fun weeked. The kids were even able to hunt easter eggs outside before it started raining. We also celebrated family birthdays but getting all the cousins together for a picture is one of my favorite Easter traditions.

Everyone was there except Jennifer (who is on a mission in Italy), Jared (who is on a mission in Brazil) Danny lives in Salt Lake City, and Kelsey who was in the room but sick on the other couch. Well, and Kendall was taking the picture. Oh, and for some reason Jasmine wasn't there either. So I guess I should have said "most of the cousins" were there.

The girls colored Easter eggs Friday night. Amanda mostly concentrated on the googly eyes and Kari, ofcourse had about half her eggs decorated for"Jake".

Easter morning came early as Mom and Dad have 8:30am Church.

This was Alaina's first official Easter and she was having a hard time waking up...LOL! We managed to get to church about 20 minutes late!

After church we had our traditional photo shoot on the church lawn.

The girls both looked so nice. Pictures from Easter Sunday make me so sentimental. They just grow up too fast. Before you know it we will be planning a wedding and another graduation. Then what?? Kirt says fishing....I'd like to think we would travel more than just to the Lake, LOL. Probably not, Ha Ha!

I just glad to be here one more Spring.

Party Weekend!

I just LOVE March. Not just because its my birthday but because it means spring is coming. This year my niece Kaela was baptised.

Gramma Karen made her dress it was so pretty! Afterwards we congregated outside to take pictures. LOTS of pictures!

(Lori, Kari, Randy, Ryan, & Kyle)

(Darrin, Lyndie, Kim, Randy,

Logan, Trevor, Kaela, Ryan, & Kyle)

(Kirt, Grampa Max, Randy, Tom, Kendall & Kaela)

Amanda looked pretty that day! Here Kari & Kirt are reviewing her pictures...notice that Logan is usually shadowing Kari! He's so cute!

And I just LOVE this picture of Kimmie and Lyndie.

Then we all raced over to Randy & Kim's home for lunch and birthday parties.

(Elijah, Kyle, Kari, & Kaela) (Amanda on the hammock)
We had such a fun day!


And Me....I blew all the candles out and I hope I get my wish!

She's a Natural!

That's my girl!...future screen editor, producer, Volleyball Coach, etc...

We had such a great time taking direction from Kari last week on the scene of her new movie.
It took all day to shoot & when she's done it will only be 3 minutes long! Kari is such a
Natural at shooting movies....she had every scene organized and her cousins and I had alot of fun playing actors. She shot it in gramma's backyard with her "crew" from SCC. There is a marshmallow war that breaks out between two groups of kids. Kind of like a paintball war.
Here are some shots of the "battlefield".

It was fun to see Kari in her element.
The Cast & Crew:
Hopefully we will all get a chance to see it soon!


& That's a Wrap!

Our Sunday Picnic

Last Sunday after church we took a short trip to the bottom of Salt River Canyon. The Desert is so beautiful this time of year. The flowers are blooming and the water is plentiful. We usually stop and eat just below the bridge...there's a spot where the rocks are flat in you can get your feet wet without worrying about the strong currents.

We decided this time to go for a short walk upstream to see what we could find.
Imagine our surprise when we found this:

A Georgeous Waterfall!

It was amazingly simple to get to. Alaina and Amanda had fun posing for the camera.

(As you can see so did Kirt and I)...

I was so glad to have my new camera with me to take such wonderful photos. (Thanks to Kirt - Happy Birthday to me!)

It was an AMAZING day!

Someone told us that you're not supposed to go on picnics on Sunday...I say "who says so?" It was more like a Sunday drive with food anyways. We had 5 good quality hours of no TV, no Radio, no Computers, etc.....we had time to talk and learn more about each other. And we gained a stronger appreciation for our Heavenly Father and all the blessings he gives us. It was a perfect day.

The "Other" Wife

I can't wait for summer to get here! Kirt has a hard time reading my blogs because I haven't posted a picture of his boat yet. Well, here you go dear! He is so obsessed with his boat that sometimes it feels like its the "other wife". I am just glad that he has learned how to play.

The first weekend we got the boat we took the girls to Lake Powell. It was so wonderful, except for nights...we were in a tent and it was hot. We are planning to go back this year for a week but now we have the camp trailer....Yay!

We do get a fair amount of fishing done but we spend most of the time hauling the girls around in the innertubes. Amanda and Sierra are demonstrating what it looks like if you go too slow:
You have to get your speed going pretty steady. Jake and Kari are showing what it looks like if you go too fast:
or it can look like this:


Last year we met some family out at Bartlett Lake to play. Scary place - people are crazy over there! Here we are having some fun on the shoreline. We packed up and went to Roosevelt the next day. I mostly just enjoy going on the ride. I think thats why I like Lake Powell so much. The scenery is so beautiful and you can just go forever. Last time we went up 50 miles and hiked in to Rainbow Bridge. It was amazing!

This year we are hoping to teach the girls to water ski. we took the boat out for the first time this year last weekend to Saguaro Lake. Too cold to swim but we did do some fishing...not catching...just fishing..Ha Ha!

So if you get the itch to swim in a big dirty bowl of fishies...give us a call.
We are probably already there!

"A Rant" dedicated to my newest daughter "Alaina" a sweet but difficult child..LOL

I just want to SCREAM!!!!!
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Okay, listen up all of you...my friends, family, my blog stalkers...you know who you are!
I need you to promise me a few things...expecially those of you with children, those of you who care for children, and those of you planning to have children.

PROMISE ME that you will do everything in your power to let your children know they are loved!

Then PROMISE YOUR CHILDREN that you will love them NO MATTER WHAT!
Tell them that no matter how they behave you will always be there for them.
PROMISE to teach them all you know about making good choices.
PROMISE them that they will always be protected, even if it is from YOURSELF.
PROMISE them that you will never turn your back on them EVER!!
Make sure they know that you TRULY want to be with them forever!
Empower them from danger!....Tell them that if they are scared, or afraid, or being hurt, that they can do everything in their power to fight back...to kick, scream, to scratch an eye out of an offender if they have to. No matter who it is...that they do not ever have to be a victim.
PROMISE them that you will really try to listen to them, even when what they say hurts you or scares you.
PROMISE them that they can tell you anything and you will be understanding.
And then really be understanding...
And if at some point they need help...promise them that you will do everything in your power to make that happen.
Never put them in jail, never hit them, shove them, pull their hair, scratch them, sit on them, call them names, or ridicule them. And if you ever do...Be grown up enough to say you are SORRY!
Let them know that if they make a bad choice or get in a sticky situation, that they can call you and you will come get them. Even if they are at some party in the middle of the Forest. You can ask questions later, you can love them later, you can teach them consequences later.
PROMISE them that even when you are not perfect, and none of us are...so listen up, promise that you will do your best to make it right.

And if you ever plan to adopt a child - Promise me that you're in it for the long haul...no matter how hard it is, or how many times they yell at you because they don't understand whats happening, or how closed off they become. Maybe they just need a hug, or some professional help...so get it. You can take that family vacation later, but atleast you will still have a family.

Be prepared to let go of anger, even if they have not.

Go Hug your children now...don't wait! Teach them about the consequences of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and sex. Help them to be their own best advocate when it comes to making these kinds of choices.

So again...if I SCREAM! Will you do it? Will you take the time to talk to your kids...really talk! Will you stay calm when they really trust you with the ugly truth? Knowing how difficult it must be for them to tell you some things?

I PROMISE YOU that you won't regret it!

Crafts during tax season?

OK, so I couldn't help myself. I saw this rock for 3 weeks across from one of my clients homes. It was so round that it couldn't withstand the snow and just rolled out onto the cul-de-sac. That was last November. I just knew I had to make it into a Volleyball for Kari. I am not trying to brag... I just think its really awesome. I felt a little bad about giving Kari a rock for her birthday but It makes a great doorstop and an great conversation maker. It even has the hole on the bottom where you "inflate" it. I wouldn't try actually using it though as you might break a limb. Its almost as big as an actual ball and weighs atleast 10-12 pounds.

The girls birthdays were great! I couldn't tell you in the last post but we threw Kari a surprise party after Texas Roadhouse. There were quite a few kids from her new ward there and they played games and got to know each other better. This last weekend we threw a party at the house for Amanda and her friends. It was crazy to be tripping over the estrogen all night of all those 13 yr. old girls. The noise level was unbelievable. They had a great time watching High School Musical 3 and paused during the kissing scenes to laugh hysterically. I know...you feel sorry for me right?

At the same time this party was happening, we had another party going on in the side yard for Alaina....she's our surrogate daughter for the time being. She was in charge of her Morp Dinner so we made do the best we could. It was nice out there with the picnic table, patio lights, BBQ Grill, & a Bon Fire in the Fire Pot. Needless to say I was pretty tired by the time everything settled down.

Kari spent that day with her college film class producing a new movie. They will be busy filming over the next month and then she has her own movie to film the end of March. Can't wait to see how that turns out. Jake is doing well, he is still at the MTC recovery from surgery and is extremely anxious to get to Idaho. He is a zone leader and helps to run the Call Center - Spanish Speaking. Kari says "3 months down - 21 to go...he's almost home Mom!" What a silly girl.

Kirt is anxious to get out on the Lake, all he talks about is the boat and fishing. I shake my head but I am really glad he is learning to "play" after all these years. As for me, its tax season....time is definately precious. I did manage to sneek in my Visiting Teaching this month - shocker! Each day is another day closer to April 15th and then watch out Lake here we come!

So I have learned this February that even when you're mondo-busy....you can accomplish amazing things. I can find time to paint a rock, throw 2 parties at the same time, Give birth to a new 18yr. old daughter, learn about the legal system, get my visiting teaching done, and still do the accounting! I may be almost 42...but I can still learn new tricks!

The Lovely Boylan Sisters

It's that time of year again - time for two days of cake, balloons, gifts, & fun!
Happy 13th Birthday Amanda! &
Happy 19th Birthday Kari!


The girls had Kendall help with a photo shoot for my Christmas present.
These are a few of my favorites! I may be their mother but I can still say they are very lovely young ladies. And they look like they are having a good time and really getting along! Now thats Cool!
Today we are heading down the mountain to celebrate with both of the girls. Last night we sang to Amanda - Just Me, Kirt, and two cell phones! One with Grandma Karen on the speaker and one with Kari. It was a "Hi-tech" celebration. Tonight we are going to Texas Roadhouse for dinner - Our Favorite! Maybe the Rennassaince Festival tomorrow then Cheesecake Factory with Grandma Kay before coming home on Sunday. Kari got her birthday package from Jake - he sent her his hospital brace and socks! LOL so wierd!

So Amanda is beginning her first teenage year and Kari is celebrating her last. A year of milestones for the Lovely Boylan Sisters. I hope we can survive!