Wow it has been a long time.

Well there were a few things that were notable over the past few months that i can think of right now.

We went to California for Roberts home coming. He got home from his mission on February 23. We drove down there that day and met up with them when he went to the stake center. It was great to see him. We went to Liz's house to have dinner and visit. It was great to see him. The next day we went to Disneyland. It was pretty busy but the kids loved it. We all had fun. Kaylee was able to see a Princess too. Ethan was a lot more willing to go on the rides than i thought he would have been. Tay loved it too. It was great. On friday it rained ALL day. It was terrible. We were glad that we decided to go to Disneyland the day before. We drove to St. George on Saturday and had snow and rain throughout much of the drive. Even in much of California. We made it safely. We Played in the pools lots which made the kids loved. It was a good trip.

In March it was a little more eventful. Adam and Kelli were Sealed. We were able to go and it was wonderful. We were able to help serve some loved ones which made me so happy. It is a touch of heaven to serve someone. We encountered a few medical issues and Strep for me was among that. That really knocked me down. My face felt like it was going to explode. I felt like a wimp needing to go to the dr. I thought it was a sinus problem, but it was all caused by strep. Rob went to Puerto Rico, and there was some other medical issues that came up. (nothing serious just stressful). Then we had Robs birthday. We sent him on a scavenger hunt for his gifts which was fun and i surprised him. Then we went out to dinner.

In April so far we have been good. General conference was great. One talk that left an imression on me was Elder Johnsons. He talked about challenges and how they are some times laser guided specifically for us to our weakness and in ways to help us grow. This is so true. My weakness that is constantly put to the test is that in the role of mother. I need to build patience and to be a calmer better teacher. The most exciting thing this month is that i had Laser Eye Surgery (the PRK proceedure) It is wonderful. It takes a lot longer to heal but it is nice to not have glasses and contacts. My eyes are not perfect yet but each day it gets better. I had surgery the 8th of April. That day was tough. It scared me that they prescribed percocet for me but i was able to make it through with just the numbing drops. The first day my eyes were sore and hard to open. The next day was better, then the vision got worse, (thats normal while the epithelium grows back) and over the past few days it just keeps improving. Still not great but good. I look forward to when my vision is great. It is such a blessing.

and lastly for the month we have 5 extra boys staying with us for 10 days. Today had great and not so great moments. There were great moments of playing nicely, and helping out without beeing asked, playing at the park (which is an awesome park) adn so on. Then there were moments like this: we were out side playing (all 8 kids and myself) i was with the 2 two year olds and the others were playing kickball. Screaming and fighting erupts on the field. i go over there to see whats wrong. then the babies start fighting. so i rush down to them. while i am taking care of them there is an eruption on the field again. so i run up there. They are banned from kickball. the babies are attacking eachother again. I run down there. The others begin painting the sidewalk with water. for a minute it is great. Then more fights (all the fights involve physical action) i get after them only to hear the babies screaming. I run down there to break it up only to have the others start back at it. I put an end to the water painting and the babies are fighting. I felt like a chicken with its head cut off running around. All the while my neighbors are sitting on their porch laughing at me. So embarrassing. Finally that all ended and they played so nicely the rest of the evening. Its like a rollar coaster. Hopefully we have a good rest of the week.

this is the cool park we went to

Sorry if these 3 posts are confusing. Picasa was only allowing me to do 4 pictures at a time. These pictures are from Puerto Rico. It was so nice. Our first day there we went to Old San Juan. We toured the fort that has been there for hundreds of years. It was amazing. this first picture is

taken from inside the fort to the little part at the tip of the peninsula. There were some great views from the fort. This other picture is also of San Juan from the fort aswell just on the other side. Pretty amazing.

this one is of Rob and I in the fort.

This is a picture of our hotel (the Hilton Caribe) from the hotels beach.

We were able to enjoy old san juan and we went to Robs favorite place in Puerto Rico. The Chirasco Factory. It was pretty tastey if i do say so myself. We snorkeled in teh little bay by the hotel. I lounged on the beach, in chairs and hammocks, swam in nice warm water, and read my book. It was so very relaxing. Before we left we were able to go to the rain forest to hike some. It was awesome.

This is our cute kids the Sunday before Christmas. They are so cute.

this was a cool picture from our trip to see the lights.

This is what you see coming out of the hotel lobby toward the ocean.

This is a picture of our hotel in PR looking ourside our window.

Wow it is 2011!!! and I can't believe it. Where does the time go? Well Rob and I had a great trip to Puerto Rico.

Sorry these few posts are a little crazy. Oh well. We decided not to go to Texas for thanksgiving. We were out of town the week before, the weather was supposed to be pretty bad. We were supposed to have blizzard weather. We didnt even get an inch of snow but the winds were bad. So we enjoyed dinner with Heather and Paul. It was nice. Hopefully we will make it to texas in the summer.
Then Rob had to leave to PR on the 5th (a sunday to friday) got home late friday and then had to leave again monday morning and got home late friday night. The first week was alright but the second week was crazy for me. I had to teach joy school and we were supposed to go to an old folks home to do the nativity. So i called and they had a lot of sick people so i set us up to carol to some of the elderly in the ward. Ethan was home sick from school tuesday. He had been running a fever since he got home monday from school. He was quarantined in my room. So we went out caroling and made it through the first house who gave the kids a treat, the second house was a no show and the third we caught her as she was leaving. so much for calling ahead. we stopped at one more home in our ward randomly because we had time and a gift to give. We made it back and practiced for the program we were supposed to do the next day at the party for our parents. That was crazy. After joy school ended, i took Ethans temperature under his arm and the Thermometer read 104.0. That is pretty much 105 and i panicked, called and set up an appointment with the dr. and called my sister in law for advice and called my husband. We had never had a temperature that high in our home before. I was a little scared. we went to the dr. and found out Ethan had strep. We went and got his medicine and i went home and had to make calls to cancel the Joy School Christmas Party and Joyschool for the next day. I also had errands to run through the week, Christmas things to do, an extra whiney baby. Joy School things to get to different places adn get some things done for the next person to use. There was also some family drama this week that i apparently caused. Had to make phone calls about that and get it cleared up. I found out my sister was pregnant and getting married on the 18 in las Vegas i had to get ready for that. There were some bad storms passing through that prevented us from making the wedding. And taylor threw up in her bed. There just seemed to be so much that i had on my mind that before Rob got home i had a little break down and cried. Then i felt much better. Robs flight was delayed a few hours and he didnt get home until 1 am and we were up at 6 to go to the wedding (which we didnt end up going to). It was just crazy but we are great now. Christmas went well. the kids had fun. We were able to do our tradional nativity and dinner at Heathers. Robs mom and Brent were there and it was nice. Christmas day my dad was able to come visit and have dinner with us it was just a lovely Christmas weekend. Rob has had this week off of work and we have loved having him home. For new years we went to heathers but didnt make it quite to midnight. Just after 11 both girls started to have melt downs. Surprisingly Taylar made it awake that long. Ethan could have stayed for hours longer. So we went home to say our happy new year. We are looking forward to this year. I guess that catches us up for now.
renee

this is christmas morning

This was all the snow that we got a few days before Christmas. It fell on Tuesday and was pretty much gone before christmas came on saturday. The kids had a fun time playing in 8 in of snow though. I think that they ate about half of it.


This is the family. We went to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square the day after Thanksgiving. It was freezing cold but we survived. Rob had the day off and finally at like 515pm he said lets go. I was surprised because he hates the cold more than anyone. I tried to convince him to go the next night when we could leave earlier and get better parking. He said lets go now because I may not feel the same tomorrow. So we went. The kids were all bundled and we loved it. Taylor wanted to walk around and would not keep her gloves on. She would grab the snow any chance she got. We loved it though.

The Bishop family had a Christmas party on the 19th of December and look who showed up. The kids loved the big guy and Ethan ran and gave him a hug just before he left.

this is Tay on one of her christmas presents. She always steals the nighbors so we figured it was about time for her to have one of her own.

Ethan got a new bigger bike for christmas. He loves to be out doors. Its a good thing that all the snow had melted from earlier in the week. It was a rather warm christmas but new years has been bitter cold.

Kaylee on her present. She has wanted a scooter like the big kids for a long time. Her 3 wheeled pink one just wouldnt cut it anymore.

Taylor also got a slide for Christmas. It definately has been a favorite of all the kids. I think the flashlights were a big hit too.