So this year I asked Preston what he wanted to be for Halloween. His response " Well, since I am probably the most popular boy in my class and, well , really popular at school, I think it would be funny to show up as a nerd." I am finding out after having two teenage girls that are very modest and struggle like the some of us women/girls with insecurities , that boys don't suffer from low self esteems! They don't worry if they sound conceited. It's just a strong ego--and a male trait.

He's just wearing clothes from his closet and we got the tie & glasses at the dollar store! Everyone kept calling him Alfalfa--which he didn't like because he was NOT Alfalfa. I guess I got carried away with the hair.

Ava was really easy this year as well. She wanted to be a cheerleader. We already have pom, poms. I found this costume at Goodwill for $4.00! She loved it!

The Cheerleader and the Nerd!

End of the night! Preston had a long night of geeking it up!

Here's the closing shot-he is such a NERD!

Carter Family Update!

Here's the update. Life has been crazy busy-and I don't have time to elaborate :) Here are some photo's to prove this. I love my kids, I love my husband, I love my friends and am feeling very fulfilled. Will write more when I get the chance!

This is Honeyville Farms, the food storage "mega superness store" where I am the assistant manager. (Julie & Kyle in picture)

For Memorial Day we took a short drive to Bartlett Lake. We didn't have a boat or fancy equipment, but we really had a great time! I love that it was only 30 minutes away from the Scottsdale Mall.

Mackenzie on her own private Island :) She is the best fisherperson in the family. Sorry Preston!

Taylor and her Mini Me. They are so cute together!

I would love to blow this picture up and hang it up to look at it everyday! I love seeing my family together enjoying simple things.

EW! Another Bluegill! They are pokey!

Preston is catching another one. He's not so bad at fishing either!

Then we lost Grandma Hinds and attended her funeral. She was Robert's Mom's, Mother. Super sweet lady that always remembered the kids names, ages and always sent them birthday cards. She lived and was buried in Cottonwood which is just outside of Sedona. I was a really beautiful service.

Another picture I should blow up. I love these girls-even though they're teenagers.

Robert and his Mom and Sisters Mindy and Christin.

All the Great and Great-Great Grandkids that were there at the funeral. The girls are Danielle and Lauren, Mindy's daughters and the cutie little man is Jordan, Danielle's son.

Preston's always happy when there's another boy around. Jordan's Dad is currently serving in the military. His Mom Danielle served also. We would have adopted Jordan in a second he was so fun!

Then---SCHOOL STARTED!! Ava started Kindergarten this year. She was only 4 1/2 when she started, but we think she is ready to get to school. She's attending a Charter School and is my first child that has ever had to wear a uniform. I'm loving it! It was so cheap to get her clothes and really easy daily to pick out what to wear. Not to mention she happens to look amazing in navy :)

Taylor (a Sophomore this year) finally got glasses! Man, she was blind! She also started early morning seminary this year.....this trooper get's up at 4:30 am!

Ava's birthday came next. ALL she wanted was a puppy, and specifically a small one. I looked all over for a free or really cheap puppy because knew I couldn't afford one. I looked everywhere, and felt so sad that I just wasn't going to be able to get her the only thing she wanted. Then, the day before her birthday on my way to work, I literally almost ran this dog over! I couldn't believe it! I laughed so hard, it was like she fell from the heavens :) right to us to make Ava's wish come true. She loves her, takes really good care of her and named her Bailey.

Ava told me the other day after cleaning up after Bailey, "It's really hard having a Chihuahua rat dog -huh Mom."

I took Ava a couple of friends to see the Circus. I had free tickets for the kids, and free help (Taylor and Kenzie :)

The PRESTON'S. This is Preston Salano, one of Ava's good friends. Our family loves him so much! We have known him since we lived in Ahwatukee. He absolutly loved the Circus.

Another really great friend of Ava's, Maggie. They love eachother (obviously :)

This is Morgan-another one of our favorite people! And Preston is obviously one of her :) She was cuddling up to him. Morgan's Mom (one of MY favorite people) used to babysit Preston and Ava when I first went back to work.

Taylor-LOVED helping me with the kids at the Circus! Thanks sweetie!!

After the Circus we invited the whole neighborhood over for games, facepainting and cupcakes. We have GREAT neighbors. Little Russell below with Mackenzie was also celebrating his Birthday on the 19th. He brought his Racecar cake over and shared it with us.

Well I don't know about you but I am exhausted :)

Father's Day 2009

My kids are SO lucky they have such a great Daddy!!

We had a great Father's Day. The kids picked out a great tie for Rob..(as seen in the 1st photo) and they all made really sweet cards for him. We grilled flank steak and had ceviche. Then Mackenzie made delicious brownies for Rob's fav dessert brownie sundae. Then after all that eating eeck!! we had mandatory Sunday naptime.....ahhhh

What's new with Ava Liz??

So can you see anything new about AVA??? She is 4 and 1/2 (she insists on the 1/2) and sweet as can be, but what is she missing?

wait for it...

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wait for it...

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wait for it...
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She missing 2 teeth!!



Usually kids lose their teeth at age 6 or 7 so you can imagine how surprised I was went she started telling me her tooth was wiggling. Then Mackenzie and Preston talked her into letting them try to wiggle the tooth and it came right out! They then realized the one right next to it was loose also-and boom 2 teeth out!
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PRESTON ROCKS!

So it was Preston's turn this year for the school musical program. This year it was all about bugs and they decorated shirts with flowers and bugs on them. He learned really cute songs about bugs and even a few dance moves. At one point in the program they had to freestyle dance moves and Preston busted out the robot moves. It was cute and he did a great job. Here's a few pics. I couldn't find my camera and so these are just stills from the video camera so they aren't great.

8 things tag............

Thanks for the tag Kori. I have been wanting to blog, but every time I sit down I either get pulled away to do something else or all I can think to write about is negative or complaints :) So I'm glad I have a topic!

8 things I look forward to............
1) Last Day of School! Just because it's such a fun day. The kids are always so excited and it just feel like a great accomplishment to have completed another year in school. 2) Memorial Day Weekend- because it's a day off of work :) but also so we can take time to remember some of the amazing people that have passed. 3) Calling my Dad today. He's serving a mission in Mexico City and it's his birthday. Love you Dad! 4) Mothers Day. I love being a mother and it's so sweet to have your kids express their feelings of love and gratitude towards you. Especially from your teenage daughters who seem to be frustrated and mad at you most of the time. And the gifts from the younger ones that they have worked on themselves that mean so much . I always love being able to have a special day that I can let my mother know just how special she is to me too. 5) The economy improving. I know kind of an obvious one. I get to spend more time with my kids when the economy of my house is good :) 6) Finishing the landscaping of my backyard and improving on the front. 7) Being better at family prayer and scripture study. I look forward to the day this will be easier and that I will be more consistent at it. 8) Paying off debt and getting my food storage complete.

8 things I did yesterday................
1) Clean the church with my family.
2) Cleaned my house which included 10 loads of laundry-yuck!
3) Work on Scouting requirements with Preston.
4) Helped a new family in our ward move in. They are actually four housed down from us which is exciting for us to have new neighbors with kids.
5) Worked on Primary things-made new Talk, Scripture, Prayer reminders.
6) Took Preston and Ava to Pacana Park. Preston loves playing basketball and Ava makes a new friend every time we go-she's a little social butterfly.
7) Read a chapter in the book I'm reading "Pathways to Perfection" by Thomas S. Monson.
8) Made dinner and took it to Rob who was babysitting the cutest little kids for a friend so his wife could go watch him play hockey.

8 things I wish I could do....................
1) Be in a good mood all the time.
2) Talk in church or share my testimony without crying. I even cry when I visit teach. I have the ugliest cry face.
3) Remember everything with ease! I can't remember why I wish I could do this, but it seems like I think it would make things so much easier. But, I'm not sure. I can't remember.
4) Feel satisfied that I have done enough. Even after a long crazy day, I can still think of things I wish I would have done. I am sure this day will never come-
5) Sing.
6) Go on an amazing vacation with my family. We haven't even been to Disneyland!
7) Go on an amazing vacation with my man. No kids. Sorry guys! But this vacation would only happen after we first went on one with the whole fam :)
8) Make a decision by myself. What do you think?

8 people I tag..............................
I'm pretty sure there won't even be 8 people that read this tag :) but just in case........
1) Dorene
2) Diane
3) Jayna
4) Sarah
5) Corynn
6) Meagan
7) Cori
8) Amy

I am so excited to start work tomorrow. I'm going to be the assistant manager for Honeyville Grains. It's a food storage/emergency preparedness store. We will be selling freeze dried fruits and veggies, specialty grains, premade mixes for baking and fruit smoothies & water storage and purification items. I'm not sure what the store will be like because this is a brand new company to the area. They have locations in Rancho Cucamonga, SLC and Brigham City. Their milling facility is located in Honeyville, Utah which is an hour north of SLC. You can check out their website by clicking onto this link Honeyville Grains.

With having to go back to work I have been worried about the fact that with retail, the job I have the most experience and oppurtunity to make the most money in, requires me to work on Sundays and late evenings. This job at Honeyville will allow me to help my family out during this time financially and I don't have to work Sundays and they close at 6pm!! And I can make close to the same amount! I really feel blessed and appreciate all the prayers for me & my families behalf. This job is going to be a huge blessing for our family. Plus-I will have an amazing food storage! I have put all your emails on the mailing list and you will receive a coupon. Let me know what you think and I can help you and answer any questions. The really great thing about this company (besides that they are LDS) is that they ship your entire order for $4.49! It doesn't matter if you order a can of freeze dried strawberries or 500 lbs of wheat it will still only cost $4.49.

Before I start sounding like an infomercial I will end this post. Hope everyone is doing well. I'm quessing everyone is staying very busy based on the non-existence of postings happening :) I know things get busy and blogging is sometimes too time consuming but I'd love just a quick no frills update on how everyone is doing.

My life is so crazy right now.....so many things have changed and I am trying to get adjusted!!  I have had no time at all to be on the computer for anything FUN.  But I felt like taking a few minutes today and just blog about the last couple weeks.  I try to find things to be thankful for everywhere I look.  

1st the view from my bedroom window one afternoon.  The Icecream Man!!  My kids love it when this annoying music playing van pulls into the neighborhood.  The yell MOM MOM!!  The icecream man is here!!  I usually answer with "Great-do you have any money?"  and they knowing my sarcasm, know this means no, we aren't getting anything.  But this never seems to squish their hope, they continue with the same enthusiasm everytime.  Well, this day DAD was home!  Ava was so excited!  She yelled who hoo!! as she ran across the street.

Then the boys played for awhile outside....



2nd the view from my back porch.  We are working on getting grass in the back yard.  Brother Hedges had in inside scoop on free cow poop :)  They brought in a couple of loads and now comes the fun of spreading it and tilling it.

It was so cute to see Ava insisting that she help with the "stinking cow poop." She worked so hard and loved it!  We will work on the garden next.  Hopefully she'll insist on helping with the gardening too.

3rd  the view at Taylor's first High School Art show.  She had three of her pieces on display!  It was really great to hear Preston and Mackenzie brag about how Taylor's was the best.  It was also a fun opportunity to meet some of Taylor's friends and their parents and teachers.

4th  the view across the table at the dinner during the art show.  Mackenzie always the comedian.  She won't take a normal posed picture-it always has to be a funny pose.  Even though she is in her 1st year of Jr High-the other High School kids thought she went to school there!  Then there's Preston, never without a book to read, he doesn't care whats going on around him if he's into a good book.  The one he is ready in this pic is the new 3rd book in the series "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."  

5th  the view of the temple as you walk towards it.  I love being there! I was able to go twice in the last two weeks and am grateful for that.  I love the quiet that I find in the temple.  I love that there are no cell phones and chatter and no feelings of being rushed.  I know my Savior loves me and I feel this when I'm at the temple more than any other time.