These Kids??!!

Well the weather has been WONDERFUL!!! I find myself in a much better mood, I wake up and I just cant wait to go running outside! Its almost not real. I even managed to get my first sunburn this year!!!! YAAY!! We have been outside all day, everyday, this whole week. And you can just see the excitement in our home, the whole mood has changed. We aren't snapping at each other as much, there hasn't been as many temper tantrums, I have more patience, the kids are exhausted by the end of the day and go to bed willingly and happy, as do I. I know there is supposed to be a yucky storm on Mon. but I feel like I will be just fine with that. At least we got a good week of fun in the warm sun. I will take it better now since I got a chance to at least be outside, if only for a week. Plus it is a sign that summer really is coming!!!! Here are just a few pictures of us having some fun this week....

Okay, I'm not sure why but lately I have been making the weirdest stuff for the kids. Things I know they love but really don't go together?? I must be making them eat my weird cravings!! On this day we had a can of black olives (YUMMY) and pizza for lunch! They ate it right up, so did I!

This Morning I woke up and wanted pancakes so bad!! The weird part about that is I normally don't like them, they are usually way to sweet for me to have so early and I totally suck at making them!!!! But I did and I even managed to get a little creative (actually Rory usually always makes our pancake like this, guess I'm just a copy cat)

Mmmmmmmm...

I also found a couple of peeping toms at my door today!! This is our little neighbor Bubba and his dog Hank. They lived 2 doors down and have become really great friends of ours. But sadly they are moving, last night was officially their last night here. Edwards, we are really going to miss you guys!! You have become like family to us and true friends. Julie (Bubba's mom) Has helped me out so much. She always makes me feel better when I am down and always helps when I need it. And Brinley, Bubba and Mckaylee are the best kids!! They are such a joy to have around and I love that they have taken such good care of my kids! They are the most well behaved children. Not to mention their dog Hanky poo!! He comes over almost everyday to play with tweeder. He is the funniest dog and I know Tweeder will be devastated when he realizes Hank is gone. So will I, I am going to really miss them! But don't worry, we will still keep in touch!! We are already planning our next sleep over and I have my eye on Mckaylee, she is the BEST little babysitter!! I will be calling her very soon!!

So it has been a busy week for us. OH! And Jameson started baseball!! He is doing such a great job already this year and got 2 really good coaches. Not to mention, I am one of the TEAM MOMS!!! That's right, my other neighbor Gina and I are this years team moms!! Next I will be joining the PTA!! Just kidding, but really, I never ever ever ever pictured myself as a team mom??! Its all just kind of funny the way things work out and the crazy thing you do for your kids. And Chanel will be joining dance soon, who knows maybe I will be her team mom too?? The possibilities are endless........ Lets just not count on it.

What the...Cr..Shhh...Fff. UGHH!!!

Honestly!! Could we please be DONE with the COLD???!! I don't know how much longer I can last?! Its bad enough I'm eating so much because I'm preggers but now I'm eating because there is nothing else to do!! Plus every time I look outside I just want to CRY! Doesn't play well with all the emotions I already have going on. We had a few really nice days, just enough to make me want summer so bad I could have squealed! Then we get more of this crap??!!


This is from our backyard.

OK... I am really being a big baby right now, I just really don't like the cold! At all. But its not like I haven't lived here long enough to know that it stays freezing cold here until at least end of April. I love Utah and our weird weather, I might like it better if I lived in St. George though!? Please Summer... PPLLLLEEEAAAASE HURRY!! My kids are going insane which means Mommy isn't very well in the head either! I usually let them out for a little while everyday but they are so sick of the back yard and nothing new to do. So am I. It will be so nice when we have the sprinklers, pools and we can ride our bikes and go for walks without running back in after 10 min. I'm am so looking forward to seeing my kids running around outside, every year they learn something new and fun. Chanel is doing great on her little bike, maybe we will attempt taking off her training wheels (if she can learn to watch where she is going!) And Jameson I'm sure will amaze me with something, he just learned how to do BACK FLIPS!!?? I have been trying that for years and still land on my neck. And our little Rori is well on her way to walking!! She has been standing up all by herself here and there the past few days but yesterday she started doing it constantly!! And she is starting to take her first step!! Its all coming so fast! If she could learn not to throw her whole body forward when she takes a step she might be able to pull it off! I wasn't really expecting this yet! Very exciting! And all of the kids have a birthday in the summer! Plus we will be having a new little family member join the fun this summer too! So much to look forward to it couldn't come fast enough!!!

Goodbye Louie & Lilly!!!

As most of you all know, I have been raising my Lola's babies because she wasn't able to pull through after giving birth. These past 6 and a half weeks have been such a whirlwind of emotions!! Right after Lola died I told Rory I DID NOT want these puppies and to take them to the vet and hand them over. I didn't want to raise them, even though I have hand raised so many different other animals in my life, these 2 were different. I didn't want to constantly have these little reminders around me that my Lola really was gone! Of course Rory told me no and to get to work. A few days later I found that I DID NOT want to let them go!! I then wanted any little piece of Lola I could hold on to and here were 2 living breathing parts of Lola and I couldnt have felt closer to her than if she were actually there. The following weeks were just a blur. There were days that I was a complete zombie from waking up every 2 hours to feed them and days that I was so frustrated because for one reason or another I couldn't get them to eat or go potty or keep warm or keep from getting sick!! I have bought every puppy formula and made every concoction under the sun and bought every dog bottle and baby bottle to make sure they were eating enough. I have learned so much from these 2, mostly a lot of patience!! I have loved them like they were my own little babies. But we have decided it would be best if we sold them to homes where they will get the love and attention they will need forever. In about 5 months I will have ANOTHER baby and it will start all over again just a little different because this will be my actual child. I wont be able to give these pups the proper training and everything they will need. I am running crazy as it is and it is only going to get crazier!! I will be big and pregnant chasing a 1 yr. old soon and still trying to keep up with my 5 & 2 yr. old! There is NO way I could keep up with 2 puppies as well. So last night Louie went to his new home with his new family and Lilly will be going to her new home tomorrow. I couldn't have asked for better homes for these guys!! Louie went with his new mommy Gina and the best part is SHE LIVES NEXT DOOR!!!! That's right just 25 ft away from me Louie is there playing with his new family! I am going to be honest and admit that it has been torture stopping myself from running over there just to give him a quick kiss but I wont! He needs to bond with his new family and home. It will be so exciting watching him grow and seeing what he does and who he turns into all from my front window! Just far enough that I don't have to clean up after him! And Lilly will be going home with her new mommy Amber who has loved her since before Lilly even entered this world. She too will live close by and I will be able to see her occasionally. I am so excited to know that they will be going to loving caring homes. Thanks you guys!!!! And give them kisses for me everyday!!

Here are just a few pictures to remember...

Seconds after they were born!

Days after they were born...

Weeks after they were born...

With Mommy!

I WILL MISS YOU GUYS!!!

Moab

This weekend was a nice little getaway. It was so nice to feel the warm sun and let my kids go outside and play and get dirty without having to bundle them up so they cant even move. They got a lot of pent up energy out!! We took the WHOLE family! Dogs and all! This weekend was also the first time Louie and Lilly went outside!! The only time they had ever gone out of the house was to go to their weekly vet visits, and they went from my door into the already warmed up car. Here are a few pictures....

Lilly's first time setting her feet on the outside world!! Such a big world for such a little puppy!

Louie loved every minute of it!!! He couldn't believe all the new smells and things to growl at and play with!

I noticed after being outside for a minute that we started to get a little audience! I think they were thinking these two little pups would make a great snack!!

Of course we cant go anywhere without the motorcycles or visiting the near by moto X track!!

Here is Rory and Chanel going for a quick ride around the track. I think he is prepping her for when she starts to race!

Rori Ana loved being outside and digging in the dirt. She even managed to stick a few rocks into her mouth.

Jameson got a lot of practice in. Every time he goes over a jump he gets a little bit braver and goes a bit faster and higher!!

Okay... I probably shouldn't even post this, its got to be child abuse or something. Here is a picture of my dad JUMPING over Rory and James!! In my defense Rory did it without telling me and I happened to get a picture!

Have you ever seen a buffalo play with a basketball? One of the locals here raise them, we always like to stop and say hi.

On Sunday morning we decided to go up "Hells revenge" (just coincidental). The girls decided to wake up a 6 am!!! And when your all sleeping a little trailer you have no choice but to all wake up! We had some extra time on our hands so we took the kids in their PJ's to the cliffs.

Here is Lilly putting her feet in the sand!!

Louie and Lilly making their way up Hells revenge!!

You can see how tired Rory is. He wasn't very fun this day.

Chanel and Lilly ran down the cliff because they had to pee!!

Notice the picture above.

Jazmine blended right in!

Here is Jameson rock climbing in slippers!!

Look at the determination!!!

Jameson took this picture. He was not happy when we decided to kiss in front of him!!

And here we all are packed on our way back!! Jazmine is laying down in the very back. I'm not sure where another one is going to fit into all this??!!

In all it was a wonderful last minute trip. We all got out in the fresh air and warm sunshine. It was so nice to spend some time together without a schedule or anything to do. I think we plan on going back in 2 weeks, but this time its for a race! Not so relaxing...

Last Minute Trip...

So we decided a few hours ago we would go to Moab!! YEAH!!! Nice warm sun here I come!!! I will let you all know how it went and take lots of pictures. Now for the long drive there, its ok... I will be sleeping the whole way! Adios!!!

SiLlY KiDS!!

We have been trying to keep busy here in the Royce home. Its getting really difficult, we are seriously running out of things to do!!! I just hope summer comes really soon this year!! Here are some pictures of the kids keeping themselves entertained...

Chanel wears clothes that are waaaay too big and Jameson wears clothes from 2 yrs. ago!

One of her many tomboy outfits!

Lilly giving me the stink eye!

Rori Ana LOVES playing with the puppies, and the pups love her. Keeps them busy all day!

The kids enjoy going out to the hot tub a few times a week for a hot soak!!

Nothing new here....

There is absolutely nothing new to talk about. And yet, I am running 100 mph and have accomplished jack! Its just another day, wake up feed puppies, feed children (funny the pups come first), say goodbye to my sweet hubby and wish with all my heart he will decide to stay home so I can do nothing. Clean up little messes, laundry, get kids dressed, play with kids for a bit, and then I sit down for just a minute and look around and it looks like a tornado just blew through the house and to top it off I think my house smells like a perm!! I have not stopped all day, I look like a poo pile and still NOTHING IS FINISHED!!!! Rori has been sick so she has not let me put her down for the past few days, not that I mind because she is so sweet to cuddle with. Jameson is going nuts!! He has to be doing something at all times and he is begging me to sell his lizard to buy a turtle?? And Chanel... she is into EVERYTHING!!! She gets herself redressed about 10 times a day sometimes in ALL boy clothes, right down to underwear (poor James is running out of things to wear) other times she is a princess, other time she is just nude. I live with a bunch of crazy people!! And I think they get it from me. So I got my kids re-dressed and put them outside to play in the fresh snow and let little Rori Ana sit and watch baby Einstein. It is so quiet!? How nice. I am still not sure why I am writing this, maybe because I can? I haven't really been able to do much it seems like, so now that I can, I will. Even though I have nothing to write about and I am going nowhere with this.


Have a wonderful day!!!

I LOST MY TOOFS!!

Night before last while I had the kids in the bath I could see Jameson's tooth wiggle every time he would say something to me and it was driving me CRAZY!!! I couldn't even concentrate on what I was doing or what he was saying! I have recently found out that teeth are NOT my thing!! I hate seeing them wiggle and remembering the little suction noises they make when you would push on them with your tongue. Or the nasty taste of the blood in your mouth after if fell out and having that big raw hole where your tooth used to be!! YUCKYYYY!!!! Anyway, I couldn't take it anymore and I got up the courage to just yank it out!! I told him to sit really still and prepared him for the feeling and told him not to freak out when he sees the blood or the tooth!! Well, I wish I was as prepared as he was! I knew I would probably freak out but not like I did!! I got a good hold of it and just PULLED!! IT WAS SOOOO GROSS!!!! I was almost in pain because it made my insides crawl so much!! I tried my hardest not to scream but failed miserably!! I was screaming so loud and Jameson did not know what the heck was going on!!! It was your classic Americas funniest home video where the kid is in total shock and didn't know whether to laugh or cry!! And I did not help at all!! Well, that night he hid his tooth from the tooth fairy in a cup on the very top shelf in a cabinet so she wouldn't be able to get it. He wanted to make sure everyone saw it before he gave it to her. Then last night Rory called me down and told me his other tooth was coming out and he would only let ME pull it out!! After taking a few deep breaths I went down hoping I could handle it better this time!! Rory pulled out his camera really quick so we could get it on video, I definitely did a lot better this time!! After that we went to Grandma Royce's to see them because they just got home from Italy and Chanel was missing her Grandma terribly, she even dreamt of her all the night before!! James took his teeth to show everyone and when we got home that night he put them under his pillow for the tooth fairy. He must have woke up in the middle of the night and remembered to check because he came running into our room and was waking us up to show us the money he had gotten, then he said he had to pee so he ran into our bathroom and came out crying. He had dropped his money in the TOILET WHILE HE WAS PEEING!!!!! I seriously considered just flushing it but I knew he would have gotten so upset if I flushed the tooth fairies money so I fished it out and rinsed it off with soap and water and we laid it out to dry. This whole tooth thing is NOT my thing!! Yuck!!! Only about 78 more teeth to go and then I'm done forever!!

Jameson's Tooth!!

I have been wanting to post this but kept forgetting. This is at Jameson's last race, it always takes my breath away a little when I see James wreck like this, even though I have seen it a million times and a lot worse than this!! I was so proud of him for finishing but when he got off the track he was so upset that he had wrecked and ruined his chances of getting a trophy. I just had to remind him it was all part of racing, he is going to have ups and some nasty downs!!

Jameson's Wreck!