Things are lookin UP!

HURRAY!!!
School Started Today!!
I did the "back to school" Happy Dance!!!
Don't get me wrong
I LOVE my kids but...
Summers are CRAZY
Everyone going in different directions
NO ROUTINE!!!
YEA for school starting
Hello to regular family scripture study and prayer
Back on a schedule and somewhat of a routine
OH HAPPY DAYS!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBA!!!

These picture crack me up!!! We had just finished shopping for school clothes and got back to our motel and the kids decided to "model" their new school clothes. I love this "sexy pose"!! I believe this was Jt's 7th grade year. I can't believe how fast the time goes by and I can't believe that he is a senior this year. I sure do love and appreciate this boy.

The Birthday Boy!!!

I just wanted to wish JT a happy 18th birthday. I hope he doesn't think that he is all grown-up and doesn't have to listen to his mom anymore:) What a blessing he is to our family. It is not easy being the oldest son but he's a GREAT one.

*He has a great sense of humor

*He never meets a stranger (he gets that from his dad)

*He is a great big brother

*He is not afraid to share the gospel with his friends

*He always tells me he loves me and hugs me goodbye (even when friends are around)

*He loves spending time with his cousins

*He loves peanut butter M&Ms

*He loves to sing

*He is fun to watch on the field and on the court(he does this funny little clap thing:)

*He fulfills his priesthood responsibilities and never complains

*He gives great F.H.E. lessons

Bubba - Happy Birthday!!! I am so glad that 18 years ago Heavenly Father blessed our family with you!!!

CHRONIC IRRITATION DISORDER!!!

I have decided to start a "Chronic Irritation Disorder Club". To be a member of this club you must suffer with severe IRRITATION!!!! Your irritation must be so bad that anything and everything irritates you. You are irritated by things that are absolutely lame and have nothing to do with your eternal salvation and the irritation you experience must last at least a week:)

EXAMPLE - My dear sister brought me a piece of coconut cream pie from Trappers (the best pie ever!!!) and I quietly put it in the BACK of the frig. The next night I thought "Oh yeah - I can have a little late night snack and share a treat with my honey". I went to the frig and looked and looked and there was NO pie. I started to get irritated and went to my honey who was watching T.V. in the bedroom and asked him if he had seen my pie. He immediately got the look of "oh crap - I'm busted", I was so irritated that he would eat my pie and he proceeded to give me some lame story of how he opened the box and it was already half eaten, so he just finished it off thinking I didn't want anymore. Well - that irritated me even more because I hadn't touched the pie and now there was more then one inconsiderate TERD living in my house!!! Now -I need to explain that this happened over a week ago and I am still IRRITATED!!! I want my pie!!! Now -I know it is a stupid piece of pie and I can always go to Trappers and get me a new piece but the thought of me having to do that is also IRRITATING!!!!

See what I mean, the irritation just goes on and on. So - if you experience events like this in your life (on a daily basis) and struggle days/weeks later with irritation, please join my club and we can suffer together!!!!

I haven't yet figured out what cures this disorder but I will tell you that consuming a huge amount of chocolate does help:)

Any thoughts or ideas - please let me know!!!!!!!!!!!

***Freedom - Family - Friendship***

This past week was a little crazy for me. We had a lot of different things going on. We had a big Slade family reunion, a baptism for my niece Eva, the adoption and Temple sealing of six of my nieces and nephews, Carissas run and ALL that comes with the 4th of July Celebration!! Just to give you an idea of my husbands 4th (Saturday)

He ran 2 miles in Carissas run - I am so proud of him!!

Our ward was in charge of the pancake breakfast

He drove a truck in the parade for the football team

He sold hamburgers & hot dogs for the Senior class

He took tickets at the youth dance after the fireworks

I was tired for him, he came home to watch the fireworks and you should have seen him, his eyes where so blood shot from all the smoke from the barbecue grill (I asked him what he had been smokin:) All in all it was a super fun day. I really enjoy the 4th, it is one of my favorite holidays. I greatly appreciate those men and women who fight so hard to keep our Country FREE!! I have so many memories of the 4th and I love the traditions that this little community has and I hope we don't take them for granted because they are important to me!!!!!!!!

I couldn't let this weekend pass without thanking my friend Lori Nelson (aka Jillian). She is a BIG TIME RUNNER and she was kind enough to run by my side in my very first 10K. She basically ran in place for 1 hr and 22 minutes but she was right there by my side, encouraging me the whole way. It meant a lot and I know that it was a sacrifice for her because her little legs are trained to run and run fast and hard!!!!!!

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL - THANK YOU LORI!!!

Good friends are like Bras, supportive, never leave you hanging, make you look good and are always close to your heart!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROCKABELLA!!!!!!

I can't believe my baby turned 12 today!! I call him the baby of my 1st family:) He was the baby for a really long time and then graciously gave up that roll when Nate joined our family. We joke and call him our NEPHI (not the jt and macky are laman and lemuel) but Brock has always been obedient and such a easy child to raise. There are so many things that I appreciate about Brock.

He is a great big brother!

He is a very good babysitter and he babysits A LOT!

He loves hangin out with me!

He is a good friend.

He has a tender heart.

He loves spending time with his cousins.

He loves to read and he gets good grades.

He has beautiful eyes and cute freckles:)

Happy Birthday Brock - We love you!!!!

REUNION-REUNION-REUNION!!!!

re*union /re'yunyen/ n 1:act of reuniting 2: a meeting of persons after a separation

I must admit by the end of the summer I am REUNIONED out! We just had our Big Tenney 11 Reunion this past weekend and we have our Big Slade Reunion this weekend and in 2 weeks we will have another Tenney Reunion for my siblings and their families. I do enjoy them and love seeing family that I haven't seen in a while but reunions just happen to wear me out. I am so exhausted by the time I get home and get the mess all cleaned up:)

This past weekend was a lot of work but a lot of fun. We had a great turn out and I was able to see cousins that I hadn't seen in a long time. We have miracles occur on a daily basis with a family of our size. It was a treat to see my Grandma Tenney. She is 95 years old and the most incredible woman I have ever known. She exhibits all the qualities of a virtuous woman. We joke that Grandma Tenney could commit murder and still get into the Celestial Kingdom:) I love you Grandma!!! I also was able to visit with my Aunt Kem who has battled breast cancer this past year. She looks beautiful and her faith and testimony is such a strength to me. My cousin Marnie and her husband Lorin were there. Lorin has been fighting Leukemia for the past 3 years. He is an amazing man and a hero to many and I admire their faith and courage. On Sunday we had a great meeting, the spirit was so strong and I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my amazing family.