HOW TO WASH WINDOWS 20 FEET HIGH?

Okay, Rock and I are still trying to figure out what we were thinking. Yes these windows actually go 24 feet at the highest point. Rock found a ladder, but getting a bucket up there to wash the window is not going to happen. Humm, I have no idea what to do now..........

MOTHER'S DAY

I have 4 wonderful daughters and 4 wonderful daughter-in-laws. They are all exceptional mothers! So they all decided to celebrate for us all for Mother's Day in style! All the girls pictured here are also Marathon Runners!

Left to right - ERIN ELIZABETH - mother of 2. / TERRI Grandma - mother of 8 exceptional children - /SAGE - mother of 5 / BROOKE - mother of 5 / JENN - mother of 3 / AMBER - expecting her 3rd. (Not pictured - ELAINE - mother of 4 living / CAIREN - mother of 2 / LISA - okay we're cutting her some slack, she just got married a month ago....)

Brooke, who is the president of the family, bought us all our Princess crowns. (I secretly wear mine sometimes when I feel down...) they have little batteries on them that blink. Then the girls made a beautiful lunch as you can see here.
This was so fun to honor ourselves.

Amber is expecting our 24th grandchild in October. It is a boy!

That tired old lady with the white hair is the grandma.

THANKS GIRLS FOR THE GREAT PARTY!

COULDN'T YOU BE DOING SOMETHING BETTER WITH YOUR TIME?

I have a terrible flaw and unfortunately I think I passed it on to my kids. I guess you could call it a passion, in the same way that my dear husband has a passion for running.

I love to read good books.

I would rather read a book than sleep, exercise, talk to people, work, or even sew sometimes. It is not uncommon for me to stay awake all night reading because that is the only time I can squeeze it in. I do not care about sleeping at all, to me that is a big waste of time. It is not uncommon for me to skip a lot of social events because I would rather just curl up by a window and read a book instead of socializing.

I take some flack for it. Hummmm.. I probably have lost something in the trade-off too.

Okay, here is a typical conversation between me and my dear husband (who, by the way runs a really lot...) "...Don't you have something better to do?" Answer ; "Yes, I could be watching TV. I could be driving to Ogden, Provo, or St. George to run a race that I didn't even sign up for, I could be calling people on the phone, I could be on the computer reading eveyone's blog, I could be cleaning the house, doing the yard, volunteering at a literacy program, go shopping, get a second job, travel around the world, take some classes, or listen to a webinar on how to build my business.......(you get my point) but I want to do this..."

Rock adds: "or even cleaning out cupboards every day, or weeding the mountain...."

"Yes, good point..." So much to do, so little time...."

For some reason, reading a book is not morally equivalent to the above mentioned list. It's in it's own bracket with the title of: "wasting time..." And believe me, I feel the guilt!

But while we're on the subject:

A "DO READ" and A "DON'T READ":

DON'T READ

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. Yes we all loved the Percy Jackson series, and they were really fun. But don't waste your time on this one, the first in a new series. This is a "Dan Brown" wannabe for kids. The main characters use the Lord's name in vain, and are repeatedly taught that there is no difference between "good and evil" but to think in terms of "chaos and order". HuH? Too trite, too unimaginative, just a series of events with no meaning using his vast but meaningless knowledge of imaginary Greek gods which the author actually makes more irrelevant than they really were.

YES Do read "The Help". A really a sweet story of the intertwined love/hate relationship in the lives of Black and White women in the South. Social injustice, pride, disgusting retaliation, and tears will pull at your heartstrings.

BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY was my FAVORITE! and I didn't read it, I listened to on my IPOD. I would recommend it to everyone, the guy that reads it iIswear I fell in love with him just cuz of his yummy voice. I loved the book also. There are three in the series. Sort of in the Genre of Harry Potter, but narrated from the perspective of a very likeable, albeit fierce Demon. Highly recommend it for all ages. (Only the first book is pictured).

HERE BE DRAGONS - Yes do read it if you have a lot of time. (small print, lots of pages...) If you went to see the movie 'Robin Hood' and you are interested in the history of that time period. No, it doesn't have Robin Hood in it, in fact it doesn't have any dragons either, but it is an interesting look at the history of Wales and England during the time of King Henry, his wife Eleanor, and their famous sons King Richard (the lionhearted) as well as mostly King John. This book takes a lot of concentration to remember all the Welsh names of the numerous characters, but I think the author was trying to be historically accurate about the events and personalities. Now for the disclaimer, halfway through you have to endure a little common romance novel crap if you can handle that, the rest of the book is great.

Aw come on, it's summer, go sit by the pool and read a book.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROCK

ON MAY 24TH. This is what I woke up to this morning. I had to check the calendar again. Yep, it's Rock's birthday. Usually by now I'm wearing my flip-flops. Today I'll wear my boots. And dumb me, I make this mistake every year, I put my geraniums out last week. They're dead this morning. Rock turns 61 today. He is the most healthy and hard-working man in the world. He is also a very sweet husband, always asking me what he can do for me. Last night after I climbed into bed I decided I was too cold. He got out of bed and went upstairs to get me another blanket. Then I decided I was too hot and needed the window opened a crack. He got out of bed and opened the window. Then I decided he had opened it too much. He got out of bed and fixed it the way I wanted it. Then he made sure I was tucked in good before he got to go back to bed. Gosh just writing this I sound to myself like such a Diva, but honestly this is what Rock is like.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROCK! Look how handsome he is! What a cute guy! If I were a nice wife i would take him to see Iron Man II. But I'm not that nice. Maybe Jordan will go with him? I think he will celebrate today by going to work.

WOMENS CONFERENCE

Me and all my sisters at Women's Conference April 29th 2010. (Pictured with Sister Allred of the RS General Board). It was so nice of them to come!

BEN AND LISA ENGAGMENT PICTURES

Lisa has been like part of our family for a few years now. Finally Ben has convinced her to make a commitment to the Ballstaedt name and stay in our family for good. We are very blessed to have her! The big event happens on April 17th! Isn't she a doll? Isn't Ben just so handsome! What a darling couple! There are more pictures on their website.

I PROMISED - SO IT'S SETH'S TURN

SETH turned 30 years old last month.

I cry when I look at his darling baby pictures, they just grow up too fast and now I'm old.

He has two beautiful daughters, one looks like her mom and one looks like her dad.

Can you see where Sienna gets her good looks?

Sometimes Ben and Seth liked to jump off their beds and dressers when they were little and it resulted in some stitches.

What heartbreak it was to see beautiful curly hair on a guy who grew up to be bald!

After his first haircut, the beautiful curls were gone. Our cute little Seth turned into a real boy.And he did a lot of boy stuff....he was pretty good at football, piano, and other things. He was honored as all-state in Football his senior year
He served a mission in Brazil, came home and married Cairen. Started a Painting company. Graduated from BYU, graduated from law school
We are so proud of him and we love him and his cute little family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

My youngest son and my youngest daughter celebrated birthdays this month.

It was a milestone for Seth, he turned 30! Yikes.

Erin turned 24.

She has been the baby of the family for 24 years, and now she is the mother to two beautiful children.

She always thought she got bossed around too much, but I dug up some pictures to prove how much she was the center of attention!

(Seth you're next, I just haven't found the pictures yet)Can you see Stone and Leah here?

Such a sweet little girl

Always entertaining her siblings!

Seth was such a cute protective brother of her -

Amber would even go to jail for her if necessary......

the center of attention in every family photo

Two years old, and I wasn't gray yet

She was always first in line to see what Santa Claus brought

Always got teased by her siblings

Always worried that she was doing everything well! She wanted to be just as great as her older brothers and sisters

Always beautiful!

We love you Erin!

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

Christmas Eve - We love our family!

I didn't have my camera rolling, so these pictures are borrowed from Lisa! Thanks Lisa. The regular chaos of Christmas Eve and opening the presents.

All of us hanging out on the couch

Passing out presents

opening their new quilts

lots of horse play

Trying out her new quilt

Holding the new babies

Looking forward to a new family being created

Getting a good shot for his mom

Grandpa and his funny game of throwing out money to the kids

You can't always get a smile from Ryder, he only wants his mom

River trying to anticipate where the money will fall

New Pajama bottoms for the big boys - (missing the other 6 boys in the picture)

Well, I made them open the quilts one at a time. These little boys probably don't care much about the pink ones.

I am not sure what game this was but look at the cute girls and cute grandpa

Lisa likes to take shots of J.J. (or Stone) (Jordan Junior) He loves Lisa

We couldn't decide who would be Samuel the Lamanite in the Christmas story, so we had three, they are up on the wall prophesying

Ben has decided Leah is his new little buddy

Sienna is so shy, she just doesn't see us enough to remember us. Ben likes to tease her a little

Cute daddy daughter shot