So why do we live in Arizona again???

11:23PM
Current outside temp: 91*
Current inside temp : 93*

Our air conditioner decided to take a small vacation at about 4pm today. Right in the middle of me making homemade spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. Yeah, we packed up and ate at my parents. We are back home, (why? Aaron didn't want to pack all the crap and sleep over there - what-ever) so I'm dying, the girls are dying, and I CAN'T WAIT until 7am to get someone over here to fix this. I'm going to pull the "I have a preemie" card and hope they get here before noon.

Summer Fun OR Mom loves her camera

So, if you haven't visited the Tempe Town Lake Splash Park - you should! It's free, it's fun, and if you go before Noon, it isn't busy and the weather isn't too bad. Just remember to wear your sun screen!!

Tiffany is such a water baby. She loves taking baths, or just playing with the hose!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We got recognized by the March of Dimes for raising money. (Thank you for all who donated). We got to go on the practice court of the Phoenix Suns / Mercury and then we got our picture take with the Mercury's WNBA Championship Trophy. Afterwards we were treated to a Mercury game.

This is Tiffany on the practice court. She would crawl all around the logo, but wouldn't crawl on it. Such respect!! It was very humorous!

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Okay, Here is a picture of the Sun in the clouds on Thursday. I thought it was really neat looking, UNTIL......

We were driving to the circus and saw the sun through the smoke from the fire by South Mountain.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My mother-in-law gets a few perks from being a State Senator. One of them is tickets to the Circus. LOVE IT! So we always have first dibs, and we take our kids, they love it, we look like the worlds greatest parents. The girls love it, and Tiffany was just in awe. She clapped and cheered and laughed at the clowns. She loved the elephants. She made the sound she does for our cat, for the elephants.

Cotton Candy - YUMMY!

Okay - I want one of these. I totally could bounce to work, to the store, and to church. They looked like so much fun. I asked my brother Stephen to make one for me. He said just give him an inner tube and some duck tape and he's set!

I also found what I am going to wear for Halloween. Just email me if you want a costume too. Vroom vroom

And finally, Tiffany enjoying the sights and sounds of the circus.

My Crazy Kiddos

My kids are driving me Crazy. When does school start again? I should put a countdown on this blog on when our school starts up again. Yeah, I'll just add that to the list of the nine million other things I need to accomplish this week.

Ever since Elle got diagnosed with Aspergers, we have been mucho grande crazy with her. She has so many doctor appointments, then there are the appointments that I go to to discuss her, and then there is group therapy and so on and so forth. Needless to say crazy. Thankfully we have a diagnosis and hopefully have a better school year. (Fingers crossed, and my eyes, and my toes).

Tiffany is a pill, to say the least. She is going through stomach issues and teething, and learning to walk and all the fun issues a one year old goes through. She has learned to tease. It's rather funny. She will offer you an item, and when you go to grab it, she pulls it away and laughs. What a stinker. She is still in seek and destroy mode.

Ashlee. One word - DRAMA!!! Poor thing being the middle child. Everything is the end of the world, and she has learned the dreaded phrase - "Fine! I guess you really hate me and don't love me". At times I want to agree, but being the "nice" mother that I am, I go comfort her and try to smooth over the situation. A few Sundays ago, we were at my parents and she began to lecture the group about being mean. She asked my mom how she felt when other were mean, and then she asked my aunt Liz the same question. After a short sermon, she ended by saying, "Guys, just remember to be nice and smell the cookies!" Good thing I was crying as I laughed, because she thought I was touched and gave me a hug. The child will be famous, and she has promised to give me a six figure income to sell her t-shirts. Score.

These are a few of my favorite things ...

Okay, so here are a few of my favorite things. Some are new, some are old, and some I am starting to like.

Okay, I know you have seen these while you have made a run for the border. SOO Yummy. I love, love, love the strawberry one. It makes me get a head freeze every time because I want to chug it down. Go to Taco Bell's website and download a coupon for a free one. You too will love it too!!

OH MY GOSH - I can not tell you enough how great these chips are. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Total five star rating. They are the best thing you can buy for a dollar at Wal-mart. Aaron wonders where all our cash flow goes - yeah, straight to the chip isle and a cart filled with pickle chips. I can't go a day without having a few. And topping your tuna sandwich with them - ahh heaven.
So my sister in law Lorena got me addicted to this soap. It makes you feel like you have taken a bath with a York Peppermint Patty. It is awesome. I have found many other uses for it, like when I forget that the clothes have been in the washer all day and they have that musty smell. Soak them in a tablespoon of this soap for 15 minutes - walla, a new fresh scent. Also works great for cleaning a stinky toilet, or refreshing the bathroom after someone has stunk up the toilet, a few drops and walla a new fresh scent. You can use if for mouth wash, cleaning your tired feet and as a pesticide. It is wonderful. Since a little goes a long way - a bottle last us a whole year.

Laugh

I don't know about you, but I save the really funny emails that I receive, and when I'm having one of those days where you want to choke everyone, I go back and review them in hopes of getting into a better mood. I came across this picture that I totally forgot about. I thought I would share it. Enjoy.

Birthday Par-tay

We had Tiffany's birthday party on Saturday. Between girls camp, a wedding, and all the other joys of too much on a schedule, we celebrated a week late. She's so small, she won't remember. So here is a play by play of our event. Side note - I got the crows feet goin next to my eyes. I'm getting old. Better start saving for a face lift. P.S. Can you tell that I worked the night before and got no sleep. I'll blame the crows feet on that.

Birthday Crown and Crows feet.
"Hmmm - this looks fun, but I'm not quite sure about it"

"Okay, totally not enjoying this. Don't you fools remember I have sensory issues with my hands"

"Wait, there is chocolate under this crap - not to shabby I guess"

"Yeah - I'm tough. I felt it, I ate it, and I'm ready for bed"

All in all, I think we had fun. We ate Neds and cupcakes, and just enjoyed that half decent weather. The winners of the candy bar were Julia and my Dad. The both guessed 3oz off of her weight. In case you are wondering, she is 19lbs 6oz.

This is my groundhog twin Abbigale (born on my bday). She and her father Bob Ross (okay his real name is Josh, but with a fro like that ....) are enjoying some Dr. Thunder. She is my kinda baby!!

Her sleeping in her totally cute outfit. I wonder which wonderful, amazing, good looking aunt would have purchased this for her?!

RECAP!

SO - here is a recap of the past few days events:

KENNY & KEITH

TOTALLY had a blast. There were only two things I hated about the concert, 1st LeAnn Rimes did not perform - she was ill. 2nd Sammy Hagar - too loud, too drunk, too old. Must I say more?! Someone needs to tell him to go to rehab, and that just because you show NASCAR videos before the show - you aren't a country act.

Keith was a really fun act. I must admit, that I didn't really have a desire to see him perform. I like some of his songs, but not all of them. I am now converted. The guy can rock. He is an amazing guitar player, he loved to sit on the stage and interact with the audience. I now have a new respect for his music.

Kenny was amazing - of course. He sang my all time favorite song:

The only thing I wish I would have done different was to bring ear plugs. We were so stinkin close that my ears still have that static background noise in them, and I feel like I am holding a cup over each ear. I guess I'm getting old. I sat next to an old woman on the 6th row who got mad each time I sang along or took pictures, so I decided to cheat and move to another area. It was really fun. The best part about concerts is watching all the fans. How the dress, who they are with, and them thinking they are the bomb. I love white trash.

GIRLS CAMP

I want to show all the fun pictures of camp - but I don't want any parents mad at me, so I'm going to display this.

We were the Greeks. The theme was My Time and each ward took a different time period. We were Ancient Greece. I had made head wreaths and togas for all the girls and leaders, and we decorated our cabins with columns and greenery. It was really fun. On Monday, the girls were off doing a high adventure activity - I left early so that I could set up some stuff for later. I thought noticed something moving down the mountain, but just figured it was my hair blowing in my eyes. WRONG - it was a 6 foot snake making its way down past our ramada. I screemed for the other leader to bring her camera, but she was already in the bathroom. I then ran and got her camera and got some pictures and video since I knew no one would believe me. When she gets me those pics I will post them. It was really neat. I also got to see a skunk when I was cooking breakfast and a ton of squirls. I hope the girls had fun, I sure did.

Now that almost all the madness is over, I'm not going to know what to do with my life. I just have Tiffany's birthday party this Saturday, and then the following Saturday a March of Dimes event. Watch the Phoenix Mercury game on the 16th, it will be nationally televised on ABC starting at 12:30 Arizona time. You will see us getting some recognition for our fundraising efforts. HURRAY!!!

Okay - I'm off to unpack and clean everything up. I think Aaron survived, hopefully. He had to go back to work today, and I think he was really looking forward to getting back to the office and playing games. Bishop told me that it was fun to watch him at church with the three girls. Tiffany was climbing all over him, and the other two were fighting. I'm so proud.