4/13/14

Visitors

Last week some of our very favorite visitors came to see us! We were all so excited to see Gma, Gpa, and Aunt Jackie. We counted down the weeks, days, hours, and then minutes until they got here. They stopped at our house for dinner Saturday. Jaylie, Chazzy, and Bri sat in the window watching for them for 45 minutes. They couldn't wait to have them watch all their tricks. As soon as they arrived we hugged, and then the tricks began. The kids had a blast. Bronson didn't even get shy. He just played and played. He loved Gpa teasing him, and Gma loving on him. Aunt Jackie read him a story, and life was perfect. Jake cooked us a delicious dinner. Then we showed the pigs off and our baby cows. Just after dark everyone (Bri in tow) took off for Vernal. Sunday we woke up and headed over there ourselves. We went on a nice walk (even if it snowed) and then hung out at Grammy and Papa's. We got a cool tour of the high school. Lots of neat changes! Monday was a busy day at work and Bri had her last swimming lesson. It was great Gma and Gpa got to go watch. Bri did wonderful! Aunt Jackie bought Bri some sweet shoes that afternoon, and she hasn't taken them off since! Stac got home from her Ragnar Monday evening, and so she and Charlie were there to hang out too. Tuesday was just a normal day. Bear went to school, we went to work, and then we spent the evening hanging out. We also watched the Union/Uintah softball game. Go Utes! Summer Stensgard is going to be fun to watch the next 4 years! She is talented! Wednesday was a crazy day! Gma read to Bri's preschool. Brilee LOVED that! It was so much fun for them. Gma answered all sorts of questions about kindergarten and what to expect. I wish I could have been there. SO cute! Jake and I were in the fire refresher all day, and in charge of the bbq. Jake cooked a leg of lamb and I did some sides. Everything turned out perfect. After work we got busy on Bronson's birthday party! We wanted him to have a party while the Cali crew were with us. He loved being sang to, and everyone wearing the party hats. It was cute. Then Jackie gave him tonka trucks that have just made his world complete. He was thrilled and playing so good with them. Then he was surprised with a new wagon from Gma and Gpa. He literally has spent every minute pulling it or riding in it since he has gotten it. He loves it, and he loves his trucks! (Both have made this past weekend spectacular!) After all that excitement the kids were in the back yard playing when the Easter Bunny showed up. Brilee could not believe this was all happening. It was so fun. Thank you for the baskets! We all loved them!!! Then, sadly, it was time to say goodbye. It's never long enough. We got in the car and started up the road when Brilee started crying, "I didn't hug Gpa. I have to go back. I have to have a hug." So, we turned around. She got her hug (second hug… she really had hugged him) and we headed home. Thursday I worked while Jake stayed home with the kids (grammy was out of town), and Friday I stayed home while Jake worked. Both days the kids LIVED outside. They wouldn't come in for anything. Thursday we had another baby calf. Two years in a row we have only had bulls… We have one more coming this year and we really want a girl! What are the odds of only having boys??? We just want to build our herd! Saturday we played all day, and bought a new heifer. Today was freezing so we have been inside all day long, and it was just rough. The kids were hyper and needed to be outside running. How did we survive the winter? Hoping the rest of the week is nice!










 Bronson's favorite thing to do… Feed cows




4/2/14

April Fools Day

I love April Fools Day! I woke up and went to cross fit, and didn't really remember what the day was. Somebody said wouldn't it be awesome if this workout was a April Fools trick? As soon as I heard that I turned to Julie and said, "I'm taking your kids to school!" I didn't know what I was going to do, but I went home and thought it over. I remembered how the kids saw a woman who looked out of place walking up our road on Saturday and it scared them. I then worked up a great plan! I filled Jake in on it and we loaded up our kids. We went to the Michaelson's and grabbed the girls. Right when we started backing out I said, "Oh crap! I forgot my phone." Jake respond with "Oh no. Mines at home on the charger." We drove up the road a couple of miles and then I slammed on my brakes a bunch, and turned the car off. I started freaking out that the car was ruined. Chaz says, "Or you didn't put gas in it." Jaylie instantly starts crying and saying, "I am NOT WALKING. I am not walking. You can't leave us here alone." Jake said, "Jay we need you to go get your mom. But you can take Bri." She was flipping out! Bronson kept telling Jaylie, "It okay Jay. It okay Jay." Bri started cry, and Chaz's eyes welled up with tears. This was no more than 30 seconds. Then we yelled, "APRIL FOOLS!" We all started laughing and had a good rest of the drive planning more tricks. When we got to Vernal Bri stayed in the car and we fooled Grammy by telling her we left Bri in Roosevelt. It went well. Then Bri planned a big trick on Papa… and I heard he was fooled too! Just after lunch Amber Batty texted me asking me to help her with a prank. I agreed to it, of course! She told me to call Marsen furniture and ask to speak to a manager (her husband). Then she told me to go off about a mattress I had bought there, and how I had received horrible service. So I called. I asked to speak to the manager and I went for it. I told him how disgusted I was with there service, and how nobody would call me back. I told him his workers had taken pictures of the mattress and agreed with me. I told him I needed a new mattress. I was mean, and he felt bad. He was trying so hard to help me but I had used Jenny Laws' name and she isn't in their computer system at all. I complained about employees (all because Amber told me too). At one point I said, "Sherri is NEVER around to help me and that's who everyone tells me I have to talk to." He said, "She's standing right here, let me put you on hold so I can discuss this with her." I kinda started getting nervous because I REALLY didn't want this innocent woman getting in trouble. I texted Amber (who was watching the whole thing) and said what should I do now? She said keep going or call it when you want. I knew I couldn't do much more so when he got back on I said, "And I have one more thing to say… Your wife wants me to tell you APRIL FOOLS!" He was so mad. He kept saying, "Who is this? I need to know who this is?" I just hung up the phone! Amber texted and said, "hahaha he is so mad at me. This was so funny." I responded, "Anything to make a marriage happy." It was a good one!

Around 2 I picked Bri up and told her no more jokes! We were heading to kindergarten testing. She was so excited. We got to the school and they took her RIGHT back. They told me 30-40 minutes. Luckily, Erin showed up right after us so we could visit. After about 30 minutes Bri came back and we went and talked to one of the counselors. The lady said all of Bri's tests were perfect and our only issue is she tends to wrap her thumb around her pencil occasionally (my thumb is ALWAYS wrapped around my pen). They worry about that because they don't want her wrist to get tired. She said she excelled on all of their tests; her vision is great, and her hearing is perfect too (now she has NO excuses why she won't listen to me!). They mentioned her left ear tube is in place and functioning, but they didn't say anything about the right. I figure it must have fallen out… Dang! The lady gave her a high five and said, "We can't wait to have you in kindergarten!" Brilee just beamed! We went back to Grammy's and Bri walked in with a frown and said, "My kindergarten teachers don't want me." Grammy had a look of shock until Bri yelled, "April Fools!" Then she played them same trick on Granny, Grandpa, Annalee, and Andre. She got them all good! Next year I have to get Jake somehow!