We had a sad day in our family last Wednesday. Connor's pet parakeet, Tweeters, died. It was very fast and sudden (no, the cat didn't get him, luckily) On Thursday, Connor buried him in the back yard. It had been raining all day and was turning to snow, so I foolishly suggested just putting him in a nice box in the garbage. No way. Connor even put his favorite bell in the box with him. We had Tweeters for four years. This was the first pet we have had awhile to die, so the kids were sad. Kenna kept asking when he would wake up and why we couldn't take him to her doctor. Everyone said goodbye and remembered something they liked about Tweeters. To be honest, not having to vacuum under the cage daily, clean the cage, feed him, and clean the wall be him is sounding pretty darn good to me. Hard hearted Mom. Connor wanted to get another on right away, but I asked him to wait until spring. Maybe he will also enjoy not cleaning the cage weekly.

Wow, it's been awhile and really no good reason. We're just busy living. I picked a couple of silly pictures to put on today. In November, when Chase had parent/teacher conference they made these paper mache heads. Then they took clothes to school and posed it at their desk, so when you walked in, it looked like they were all there. He had been really excited about this and even took shoes and gloves to complete his faux self. This pict is from the day he brought home his head. He put it in his shirt like this during dinner. It was pretty funny. The head is still around somewhere. Whenever we get irritated with Chase, we just kick the head instead of taking it out on him. J.K. Miss Katie here loves to play with blocks and builds things quite regularly. I was commanded to take this picture so we could always remember her tower. We have also spent some time going to a singing concert (in which Kenna, our diva, wouldn't sing a word go figure), attended a couple of Utah State Basketball games (I love it!!) and gotten a bit of Christmas shopping done. Mike has been eyeing this pillow at the My Comfort store. It was kind-of expensive, but he really liked it and since he has been on a quest for the perfect pillow, I decided to get it for him for Christmas. I was driving into Logan to buy it on Thursday and called him to see how his day was going. He was so excited. The manager of the My Comfort store had just called to tell him he had won their monthly drawing for a free pillow. Can you believe it? I'm glad he won, but now I am 10 days to Christmas with no gift!!

A little bit of Mackay

So on Thursday, luckily after Halloween, I was up at the church playing volleyball. I went up for a very sweet block ( and I did block it), but when I came down someone else's foot was where it was not supposed to be. My night of ball was ended and I went home with a very sore ankle. I iced it and told myself it wasn't so bad. Surely I would be fine in the morning and able to exercise. Not so. In the morning, my ankle was very swollen. I spent all day Friday on ice and elevated (except for going to Chase's parent teacher conference and Connor's piano recital). I should have been updating this blog, but I read a book instead. Maybe this is a sign that I'm getting to old to play volleyball? Noooo way. Anyway I wanted to post these pics my Dad took of the kids while we were in Macky last weekend. I think they turned out great. We had a fun weekend. The boys went up in the morning and worked with Dad. I think they sorted nails or something. In the afternoon there were four-wheeler rides and a craft thing at the movie theater for Halloween. My boys shot their bows in the backyard and while I and the three younger kids were at the theater, Dad took Connor up for his first time shooting the twenty-two. We also saw the Legend of Sleepy Hollow at the theater and played Killer Bunnies with Mom, Dad and Cerese (go ahead and ask Cerese, she loves this game :) ). Any way it was quite a weekend. We also went to church and saw Grandma on Sunday, but Grandpa was out home-teaching so we missed him. Here some of the pics.

Whew, that's a lot of pictures. I'm not a proud mom or anything, but those sure are some great kids, huh.

Yay, Halloween is over and the candyfest begins. We had a great night, every one had fun and it wasn't very cold. Kenna liked giving out the candy as much as trick-or-treating. Katie was a die-hard. She just wanted to keep going and going. Here are my cuties. Katie was a Muskateer.

Kenna was a princess, of course. This is Chase, fitting as he is a clown.

Connor is either a dementor or an elf from Lord of the Rings, depending on how he felt.

Happy Halloween!

Dancing with Daddy

Almost every night, our little Diva has to dance with her Daddy. They put on quite a show and believe me, she loves every bit of attention and we must clap or else. I think it's funny

that no one taught her the hand movements or poses, but she does very well. You would think she watches Dancing with the Stars, but she doesn't. She did watch Strictly Ballroom with Cerese and I though. Maybe she picked up a few tips. I guess some things you are just born
with. Mike may not be to happy with me when he sees this, but luckily he doesn't look at my blog much. I think it is a great thing and someday a memory for them both. Many nights, she will put on one of her princess dresses and a veil. Side note, I made her shirt and pants. Mike thinks that pants are hideous, but I think they have personality. What's your vote?

Dancing with Daddy

I haven't posted for away, because honestly my life is pretty boring and I don't have much to tell. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Boring with children usually means everyone is healthy and doing well. So here is a normal day for us. Wake up at 6:00 and make breakfast. Connor is out the door by 6:50. Katie and Chase get up around 7:15-7:30. Chase leaves for school at 8:20 and Kate at 8:35. Then I take Kenna and go to the gym for an hour. After we get home and shower, I usually try to run any errands before Katie gets home at 12:00 or I try to do something with Kenna. When Kate gets home, we have lunch and read stories. In the afternoon (all the time, it feels like) I try to do cleaning and yard work or whatever comes up. I try to be home and not busy when the boys come home, because that is the best time to talk to them. One of the few times they will talk. Con is home at 2:30 and Chase at 3:30. Then I finish any tasks and cook dinner. We do homework after dinner. I read to the kids, have scriptures and try to get them in bed by eight-thirty. There you have it, a most exciting day in the Wallace household. It seems like I am always busy, but never get anything done. I don't know how moms that work do it. When there is free time, I like to read, sew, work in my yard, and do projects, right now I'm trying to get all the wallpaper off so I can repaint Katelyn's room,

So, I want to get in on this before and after bit. What to do a before and after of? I haven't done any decorating for a long time. I have some pictures like Miste's, but the early ones and "before" my digital camera and that just seemed like to much work. I could do a before and after of Katie's hair because talking her into letting me do something with it is a big production. Or a before I clean and after but by the time I got it posted it would be back to the before. I finally decided on this.

Before

After

I still have a hard time getting these pictures just where I want them. I have been a peach slave this week. After many batches of peaches and jam I am finally done. We went to Brigham's Peach days and bought them. Do you know every little town in and around Cache Valley has their own little celebration. Maybe it's like that everywhere, but I think it's funny. There's Smithfield Health Days, Richmond Black and White Days, Paradise Trout and Berry Days. You can go to a parade just about every weekend. Here's one last picture. My neighbor made a cute purse and brought me the leftover fabric. I made this.

The skirt silly. I do take some credit for Kennadee to. You can't see it as well as I hoped. I'll have to do another picture later. And yes, I know, the bunny keeps showing up. You know the best thing about it, it doesn't make noise. Also, it is so mellow. Smoky lets the girls haul her all over the place and hasn't yet scratched or bit them.

A Bunny!!!

Tomorrow is Katelyn's birthday. All she has wanted since going to the county fair is a rabbit.

We have done some research, talked to a lot of people, (and the kids and Mike have laid some pressure on Mom,) and finally made the decision to go ahead and get her one. We went tonight to this guy's farm. He had two hundred rabbits. (It was gross. Bunny poopy everywhere) But he was nice and answered all our questions and showed us many different kinds of rabbits. We ended up with this cute gray Mini-Lop. By the way, the mini is so deceiving, it just means it will only get to about 6lbs instead of 8lbs, still a pretty big rabbit. Anyway, there were a couple of other kinds that would be docile, but he didn't have any babies of those. Katie is so excited. I have to admit, he/she?? is pretty cute. She named it Smoky. The best thing about it, is it lives outside so the smell does to. Wish us luck.

It's been awhile since this trip, but I had to post these pictures. I just got them from Cerese. My kids favorite activity at Wildhorse was playing in the river, specifically jumping off the bank. I was up at the camp with Kenna while she napped so I missed the begining jumps. Luckily my Dad and Cerese took these great pictures for me. Connor wanted to set the record for the most jumps. He jumped 30 times and was pretty darn tired by the last one.

Chase just jumped a few times. He also liked floating down the river.

Here is Katie's infamous jump. If her brothers can do something, so can she. You can see Karen's head as she prepared to save Kate. My Dad took this shot, so you can tell where his prioritiy was. J.K. Anyway, I wanted to put this out as proof for you, Karen.

Today we drove to Bear Lake for the afternoon. It was our last little trip before school starts. The boys and Mike swam, but it was to cold for me. I helped make our excellant sand castles. I love it when we get away from the house and spend time with no distractions. I also like it when I feel like I have time to just sit and watch my kids. Kenna was so excited, she spent the first ten minutes running through a puddle, just zooming back and forth. Kate collected shells and very seriously, built her sand castle. The boys pulled Mike out to swim, then Chase built a moat and Connor and I built a castle. We didn't stay as long as we would have liked because a storm came in. On the way home, we stopped at USU and saw Cerese. The kids have been wanting to know where she goes to work. This last picture is how my kids sleep in the summer. I think it is so funny, but they love to sleep on the floor and all together. During the school year, we only let them do it on Friday nights and Katie would start counting down on Sunday how many days until she could sleep on the floor with the boys. Why would anyone want to sleep on the floor when they have nice, comfy beds? I have no idea, but I'm glad that they all like each other and get along so well. I wonder how long it will last.
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by wallymack
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Another normal day

Last night I went to the University and Cerese showed me some of the process of print making. It was really interesting. I like to hear where she gets her ideas from. My mind just doen't work that way. I am always fasinated by people who can create art or write books or music. I like to enjoy it but I sure can't create. I'm glad there are others who have those talents. Here are my boys. Connor tried out today for a pre-swim team, team. He isn't sure he wants to do that though. I think it is hard to help them find something they love. Chase said he just doesn't understand soccer or basketball. "All you do is run to one side and when you get there, you have to turn around and run back. It's just alot of running," he said. He does have a point. Only two weeks until school starts. Summer went so fast, I'm not ready, but the kids are. They are starting to fight and pick at each other. Katie wants school to start tomorrow. She is so excited for Kindergarten.

Potty Training

So, I had my kids all set with their very healthy, well fast, breakfast of cold cereal and went to take my 2 minutes or less daily shower. When I was done Connor was complaining that he had to help Kenna go to the bathroom. I had taken her already, but of course she had to go while I was busy. We are pretty much done potty training, but every time I want to have my diaper burning party, some little problem pops up. Any way I guess it was going to take awhile, because this is how I found her. Connor didn't want her cereal to go soggy. I hate potty training. You would think it would get easier each time, but no.

Other news, Katie is taking swimming lessons. She is a little fish, with no fear at all, so I thought we had better start giving her some skill to go with the bravery. She is doing awesome and loves to be there. She especially likes jumping off the diving board or the side. She also asks me everyday if summer is over so she can start school. I definately don't hear that from the boys.

Cerese is staying with us and it's really fun. I like learning about her job. It's new to me and very interesting. My kids love here. Kenna was pretending Cerese was her baby for an hour last night while we watched a movie. Cerese was so patinet and went along the whole time.

So this is my first time creating a blog and all I can think of is that I have to boring of a life to put it out for anyone to read. I have been reading a bunch of my relatives blogs and I think it is a great way to get to know someone. My husband is on a business trip. My four angels :) are finally asleep and this some quiet time to myself. Isn't it funny how sometimes you love your kids more when they are sleeping? Our summer is winding down, with only two and a half weeks left until school. Honestly, I'm not ready. I like the lack of structure in our summer days, even though they still seem very busy.