I've been tagged!

Joy, Fear, Goals, Obsessions & Surprising Facts

The rules are as follows: List 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions, and 3 Random Surprising Facts About Yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Here goes...

Joys
1. Husband and Kids
2. Photography
3. Family outings

Fears
1. Someone taking my kids
2. Something terrible happening to Ray
3. Speaking in public

Goals
1. Finish the painting on the main floor
2. Finish our yard, and fence
3. Get Ellie's new room done before school starts again

Obsessions
1. photography
2. blogging
3. digi-scrapping

Surprising Facts
1. I take thyroid medication, and have for most of my life.
2. I am getting ready to start a Photography business
3. I broke my birdie finger on the right hand by slamming it in the front door of our home when I was in fourth grade, and had to have about 8 stitches in my finger. Along with loosing my fingernail, I had to keep that finger straight for a month or so, which meant I was free to flip the bird without getting in trouble. :) haha

I am tagging Emily Greaves, Kristin Nielsen, Tami Shephard, Rachel Wilson, & Courtney Luff

Fine Feathered Friends

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

We got these new birds, and Ellie and Jake were told that they could each name one bird. Ellie named hers Daisee, and Jake decided to name his Duke. I thought it was funny and laughed cause of the Dukes of Hazard, but neither kid had a clue what was so funny. It will be easy for me to remember their names. We have to watch our cat Fred very closely cause he thinks they would make a great snack, and has already tried to pounce on them a time or two.

Splishin' and a Splashin'

Make a Smilebox photobook

Summer Campout

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Ellie and I decided that we wanted to go camping for our birthday, Sunday we headed up Hyrum Canyon, and spent the rest of Sunday and Monday camping. What a relaxing day. I would love to spend all of my birthdays that way.

Happy Birthday Ella Bell

We Love you so very much, and hope that you have a very

HappyBirthday!!

Love Ya Sis!

Dad, Mom, and Jake

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Ray, I know how much you hate having your picture on this dang blog. But, I hope you know how much we love you. Ellie and Jake picked out these pictures, and helped make this page, so that they could show everyone how much they love you.

Happy Father's Day!!!

Love you forever Daddy...

Ellie and Jake

Sick and Tired

This past week, the kids and I have been sick. It started with Jake having a cough, and then Ellie started coughing, then I started feeling like my throat was on fire, and my ears were ringing. Well today while I was attempting to get a Dr apt for the three of us, I sent my kids downstairs to watch a movie. When I went downstairs to turn off the TV, and get them ready, this is what I found. I quickly relished in the fact that my house was quiet, and that my kids were getting some much needed sleep. After clicking some pics, and getting them up, we went into the Dr, where he told us what we already knew, that we were sick. He gave us each a prescription for medicine, and sent us on our way. We are hoping that we will be better by Thursday, so that we can go to Idaho for our Westfall Family Reunion. The kids are looking forward to seeing, and playing with cousins, and I am looking forward to taking lots and lots of pictures, and being able to visit with family that we do not get to see all that often. :)

A Bit Bugged-

So, I have been the kind of mom who has had a hard time letting my kids out of my site for more than a few seconds, and rarely do I let them outside without myself or Ray being with them. But, Ray and I decided that this was the summer that we were going to loosen up a bit. We thought it would be OK to let the kids go out and play in the neighborhood with the other kids, and even venture over to the park without us breathing down their throats. Well, tonight Ray thought it would be OK for the kids to ride their bikes around the block but told them to hurry back so that we wouldn't worry. About 10 minutes later both kids came in all excited cause a man gave them each a quarter. I asked who it was, and Ellie said she did not know him, but he said his name was Goofy, and that he was really nice. He asked them if they thought that Goofy was a silly name, and both kids agreed it was. He then proceeded to ask them their names, and Jake was quick to tell him his. Then both quickly said they were going to come show their mom what the nice man gave them. That was when he left. When they cam in with this story I flipped. I probably did not handle myself, or react the way a level headed person should have. I asked what he looked like and they told me it was a man with a green baseball cap riding a scooter. I quickly went outside to find him gone. I asked Ellie if she had seen this man before and she was quick to reply that she did not know him. I quickly explained that we do not talk to strangers. That if a stranger starts talking to us we should run away.

What kind a man does this? What kind of man just be-friends someone else's kid, gives them gifts, asks their name? Tells them his name (which is obviously a fake) and then vanishes, unless he is up to no good? I wanted to quickly call the police, but Ray had me hold off. He said he would like Ellie to watch for him tomorrow, see if she sees him passing by our house, and if she does, see if we know him from church or the neighborhood.
This worries me. What's next, he can't find his stupid dog and knows my kids are friendly and will help him? Idiot, leave my kids alone. Why is it that no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we prepare our kids for this type of thing (strangers) they always fall for the quarter, candy, or lost pet? I now remember why I have been so protective of my kids. It is because there are weirdos out there in this world, and I choose not to trust anyone. I don't know, I just may give the police a call tomorrow and see what they have to say. Now I have something to worry about tonight instead of sleeping.

Sunday Drive

My parents came up and stayed a few days with McKyla, and so we decided to head up Logan Canyon to show them some sites they have never seen. We were going to show them this small lake, that is up a side road, and secluded to the world. We got about a mile and a half from the lake only to discover that the road was still snowed over, and only those with snow mobiles could go up. We let the kids play in the snow for a bit, and then headed down the hill to a cave in the mountain where water bubbles up. The kids thought that it was pretty cool, and mom was to nervous to stick around. She quickly headed back to the van. There was this small cave on the side of the hill, and you could tell people had been in there, so Ray headed up and looked inside. He said that it went back 30 or 40 feet. Ellie was so mad at him for being dangerous and telling her where he was going, but soon got over it. :) We then stopped by one of my favorite camp sites, and snapped some photos of dad, mom and the kids, and then headed down out of the canyon for a bite to eat before heading home. It was a nice quick visit with family, and we enjoyed having them for a bit. Now, my kids are looking forward to heading back up the canyon for an over night camp out. It should be lots of fun. :)