Sweet Home Montana

Happy Birthday Kyle!

2011-09-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

Kyle is 33 today.... Thanks to the man of the house who still helps change diapers, works hard and loves what he does, shovels snow in his shorts and t-shirt, sings "You are my sunshine" like a pro, loves to wakeboard, and is always up for a new challenge. Hope you have an awesome birthday and know how much we love you!

Summer fun!

2011-07-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast summer is going by. It has been so fun having the kids around more and feeling like the day is ours.... keeping up with them has been tiring but these times you can't get back. I have been trying so hard to just enjoy Chloe. I always hate that first little bit when you bring a new baby home and the older baby sort of gets kicked out of their "baby" spot. My kids always tend to cling to their blankies a little extra in those first few weeks. I have been trying this summer to teach the kids to be a little more independent. I have realized I'm going to need their help more and more. Spencer, Brooke, & Makenzie have become really good at doing dishes, and changing diapers. It was fun today to walk in on Spencer changing a diaper without having to be asked! What a guy! :) We have done so much already this summer.... camping, biking, swimming, boating, visiting cousins etc. I continue to realize everyday just how blessed I am. How wonderful it is to be a Mother and to cuddle up with my kids and just enjoy them being children. It truly is my greatest joy in life. I have 80 days left until this new little girl arrives. It has been interesting to hear the kids' suggestions for names. Makenzie says we should name her Rexy. Pretty sure that isn't going to happen. Anyway, here are some pics of our summer so far.

Biking the Hiawatha with friends.... it was a blast!

Makenzie picking flowers in the mountains up by Jewel Basin.

Lake Blaine.... having fun!

Chloe chillin in the boat.

Kyle teaching Brooke to wakeboard.

First there was Spencer and then there was 4 little ladies all in a row....

2011-06-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

I know it's late, but here are all five of my precious loves on Easter. We are having another girl if you can believe it. Spencer was a little dismayed, but he got over it and honestly I'm excited to have all these girls. I had 5 brothers growing up and only 1 sister so it is a "girls just want to have fun" adventure around here. Now I'm looking for a name for this little girl. Any ideas????

Paradise

2011-05-09T19:42:00.000-07:00

I am set on finding this hammock in a couple of days. Going to Kauai with Kyle.... pictures to come!

Brooke & Makenzie

2011-04-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

These two little ones are getting not so little. Brooke just turned 7 and Makenzie turns 5 in just a few days. Where does the time go? I constantly look at Makenzie aka "buggie" and wonder what I will do with her at school next year. Her and I are like little companions. She would rather spend time with me than pretty much anyone else. We eat the same lunch, we both like watching Barefoot Contessa... a cooking show and then we buy the food and make the recipes. She plays with Chloe 24/7 and they have their own little lingo and get each other. But I know that things always change and that is the bummer sometimes! Next year I don't think I'll have much time to think about it.... I'll have an 18mo. old and a newborn to keep me busy, but I know I will miss her like crazy just like I missed Brooke.

Flynt

2011-03-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

It has been 5 years since Flynt passed away. This will always be one of my favorite pictures. The best thing we can do is enjoy the moments as we have them. Sometimes it seems hard to believe that this life is just a blink in the eternal scheme of things. The kids will still every once in a while say something out of the blue about Flynt and it reminds me that he is not forgotten, though they were young, they remember. He lives on. There is no end. What a blessing that is. There was one day I went to school for Spencer's class... they had made journals and had a topic given each day that they were to write about. One day the topic was called "the looking window"... if you could look into a window and see anything, what would you see. There inside a pencil drawn window was a stick figure with beginning first grade writing underneath that said "My Uncle Flynt." I have often wondered what he is doing today.... someday I guess we will all find out.

Family

2011-01-03T20:33:00.000-08:00

This is as good as family photos get for us. One of these days I'm going to actually get one done.

New Year, New Resolve....

2011-01-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

I know we are all making New Years resolutions.... well most of us, which is a good thing. It is good to set new goals and evaluate our lives every now and then. It can actually be exciting to think of things in our lives being different no matter how good things might be. It is like having a brand new chance. I have made some realistic resolutions this year and one of them involves my new Breville juicer aka "Juicy Lucy" as I so have affectionately called her. It makes it more exciting for the kids to drink Juicy Lucy's concoctions in the morning because they came from Juicy Lucy and not from dear old Mom.

Anyway, this is my two cents. I have been moving over to a more healthy organic food lifestyle now for 3yrs and have beat myself up numerous times for not being able to do it all at once... ya know all the soaking, etc. But, duh! I have realized that is how life is.... we do things that way... ease into them. So, this year.... add into those resolutions a new resolve to eat better. Feed your body something better. Even pick just one thing you are going to do different. Remember this is how you get there... one step at a time. I'm pointed in the right direction.... have a ways to go, but headed that way anyway. Happy New Year.... to a happy, healthy New Year!

My precious Chloe...

2010-12-10T09:28:00.001-08:00

I had these pictures taken recently by a talented Andrea Jones here in Helena. I bet you are jealous I just squished and kissed those cheeks and toes....

Rodeo

2010-11-11T21:52:00.000-08:00

This was taken a few months ago.... we went camping and to a rodeo in Lincoln, MT. It was a great time. I got no sleep with the baby but the kids thought it was the greatest thing ever. This picture makes me laugh because Brooke is the life of the party as usual.... Spencer is laughing at Brooke..... Makenzie has been bugged in some way by Brooke... total depiction of the usual. It is great... Rodeo is the right word for what it is like around here sometimes. We had such a great summer and fall this year. I think it is too late to back post on it all so since I am back on the blog wagon I think I'll start right here in the present.

The Faith of Abraham Lincoln

2010-11-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

Watch this video.... I love hearing about inspired men! Hope in a vast scope of seeming hopelessness!

Randomly Catching Up....

2010-06-16T20:42:00.001-07:00

I found this picture on my camera.... Brooke and Makenzie went around outside snapping random pictures. This warms my heart especially because this looks like two sisters that are loving each other.... which is not always the case :)

Makenzie turned 4....

Chloe is melting all our hearts.... she is pretty much used to always being held and entertained. I think I will be in for a battle when 2 of the entertainers go back to school. Babies are the best and the most hilarious beings on the planet.

Brooke lost 2 teeth... I found this note under her pillow....

Brooke... the last week of school.

This is Chloe's blessing day! She was a doll and we were so lucky to have both of our parents there. Two great couples on either side of us. We have been blessed to have such great parents. Heather is missing from the picture, but she was there with her kids as well. I love our family!

Things on the calendar for the summer.... trip to Lake Blane... camping in Waterton... soaking up the sun at the pool... picnics.... sitting on the front porch watching those amazing Montana sunsets and watching the kids ride motorbikes... Summer 2010 is shaping up to be a good one. Hope you are having a good one too!

Out of options....

2010-04-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

(My little "monsters" looking not so monsterish)

Today was one of those days with the kids. I found tons of junk under beds and other missing life essentials in odd places around my house. I found dirty laundry stuffed places so as to not be brought ALL the way up the stairs to the laundry room. Brooke embarrassed me with some classic "girl" behavior and I was just sick and tired of riding everyones tails today to do chores. Nothing I have tried so far works.... so out of options I pulled the Mother of the year card and did something that had them shaking in their little monster outfits.

We had a heart to heart meeting in which I told them I had failed miserably as "Mom". I wasn't teaching them to be kind... or they would be kind. I wasn't teaching them to work.... or they would know how to. I just was failing at teaching them all the life essentials, so there was only one thing for us to do. They all looked at me puzzled and asked me just what that was.

BOARDING SCHOOL..... yep... that was the place they could learn these essentials, because I wasn't doing a very good job. They asked about boarding school and I told them it was the place to go when you couldn't live with Mom and Dad anymore because Mom and Dad weren't teaching you how to be good little girls and boys. (How AWFUL am I?) Kyle even looked up and pretended to call a few places that could take kids on an emergency basis right away. I even looked distraught as I explained how sorry I was I had failed them and there was nothing left we could do. I was out of options. They started to quickly think of other options like never being unkind again and keeping their rooms clean, but I just wasn't convinced.

There were many things explained including the disciplinary procedures at boarding school, the type of food served etc. They were definitely not liking what they heard.

Well... I know I didn't earn any brownie points in heaven and I really do know I'm not earning any Mother of the year awards but my kids are all sleeping in clean bedrooms tonight. I know if they fail at all their promises I'm supposed to follow through, which is obviously not an option, but I guess for tonight I am queen of the house.... and somehow it just feels worth it.

Small Dog Syndrome

2010-03-27T19:27:00.001-07:00

Our dog has small dog syndrome... he thinks he can go after anything and that it is scared of him. We have saved him a few times from deer that were not so impressed by his antics. It is pretty funny at first until I see him holding his own against a few deer that are about ready to pounce on him.

Girls... Girls... Girls...

2010-03-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

Brooke had informed me a few weeks ago that her name is now Brookley. Everyone calls her that at school and she had started signing all her school papers as Brookley. So, after about a month of all her papers coming home as Brookley, last week I was informed that she is no longer Brookley but she has now assumed the name "Rose". I am to call her Rose now... Don't ask me why...

Tonight the two girls came upstairs... ripped their shirts off and ran around saying "Look at me... Look at me..." and I thought... "Oh dear... please do not let this be a preview of things to come." Whoever says that boys are rowdy etc.... girls in numbers can out-rowdy boys any day of the week at our house. Spencer headed up to Canada with his Grandpa today and the first words out of his mouth were "Yes! finally some free time without my sisters." We all had a good laugh. So, needless to say Kyle is outnumbered here for a day or two.

Here is Brooke, or Brookley, or "Rose".... on her little perch above the kitchen sink where she tells me all about Kindergarten happenings and all about how Jake's grandma can split open an apple with her bear hands. I kinda like her on the perch...

Chloe Anne Jackson - February 24

2010-03-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

She's here! I know it has been almost a month, but we have been busy changing blow out diapers and learning how to manage getting up in the night again.

They induced me finally on the 24th. Everything went really well and we couldn't be happier to have another girl in the family.

My house is a mess.... frozen casseroles have become a staple around here, but I just can't stop holding her. I know I am making some cardinal mistakes when it comes to a new baby... ya know teaching them to go to sleep on their own and soothe themselves, but I can't help it. She smells too good, her hands wrap around my fingers and well I just can't help it. I sit in the rocking chair and watch her sleep. So, for now, the laundry is piling up and time is standing still a bit. I might not even know what day it is....

My friends.... I miss you!

2010-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

Some of the greatest girls I've ever known! I'm missing you guys like crazy! I need my workout partners! This was taken about a week before we moved from Pennsylvania. I can't believe how fast time goes by, but life is just not the same without all of you. Hope you are good and hope you know how much I love you guys!

Spencer's Baptism

2010-01-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Spencer was baptized... We had cousins, grandparents, and aunts and uncles here. It was great! On top of that my 5mo. search for the perfect dog ended in us adopting a 3yr old yorkie that is the best dog I have ever known. This dog is potty trained and obedient. My kids are happy campers! and I am actually liking this dog. He is hardly any work at all and lets the kids haul him around everywhere. Anyway, here are some pictures of last weekend

and our newest addition.

It was really cute when he came up from under the water he had the most excited look on his face and he said "Awesome".

Spencer and Kyle right afterwards. The day after was Sunday and we were sitting in sacrament meeting and he whispered in my ear...."I can't believe I'm finally a member of the church. I can't believe I really have the gift of the Holy Ghost."

This is our new dog Pepper.

Winter in Montana

2010-01-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here at my computer ready to pop.... only a month left.... that sure seems like a long time. I'm not looking forward to the sleep deprivation but I am so looking forward to holding a new baby and smelling her all day long. Anyway, here are some photos of our Christmas and Spencer's birthday. We did not go anywhere this year, but had such a great time as a family.

Spencer did awesome at his first piano recital. He was not nervous at all.... he knew all his songs and breezed right through them.

There was a lot of sledding together.....

The kids finally learned how to ski this year. They all loved it! There is a little ski resort 25mi. from our house, so their dad has enjoyed taking them up.

Spencer had a great birthday.... they spent the day skiing and then home for his favorite dinner, cake and ice cream! He is getting baptized this next Saturday. Can't believe 8yrs has gone by.

Drawer Pulls

2010-01-05T14:14:00.000-08:00

what do you think about these drawer pulls? I bought a vintage desk and painted it white.... gave it a little distressing and now I need some posh drawer pulls for icing. I'm deciding between these three. The pictures did not come up before, so hopefully you can see them now.

Christmas! My favorite time of the year!

2009-12-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

Yeah! It is Christmas time again! It seems like we have spent Christmas many different places since we have been married and this year we are in Montana. This last week we have had the first load of snow that is sticking around because the temperature is dropping. The kids spend after school sledding on the hills around our house. I found myself laughing to tears as I watched Spencer and Brooke struggle to build a jump for the sleds toward the middle of the hill... once finished it was Makenzie they sent down first to test it out. I just love a winter Christmas again. There is definitely a feel to it.

I'm so glad for why we celebrate Christmas. It isn't just a time for new items and decorating and wonderful cooking.... It is a time when somehow all of us seem to feel closer to our Savior. I'm so grateful for the birth of the Savior! I'm so grateful for the spirit that is His at Christmas. My favorite Christmas song is "O Holy Night" ..... "Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth, A thrill of hope, The weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.... Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices, O night divine.... Chains shall he break for the Savior is our brother, And in His name all oppression shall cease." What beautiful words, but even more beautiful is the reality of it all.... that this really took place and Christ lived and died for you and me.

Several years ago I attended BYU Jerusalem. I remember that we went to Bethlehem and at night went out into the fields that surround Bethlehem and looking down on that village at night under the stars, there was a special spirit that was undeniable.... that this was the humble beginnings of something miraculous.

O Holy Night....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jr-2eyRtV4

My friend Cindy sent me this video.... love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vStl9PXWtiw

The Burrito!

2009-11-18T13:26:00.000-08:00

This is my little burrito.... I can't believe that he will be turning 8 soon. Where does the time go. Everyone called him the burrito because he was so chunky. Now he is tall and skinny. Oh, I hate that these days go by too fast... I just fear so much that I will forget something or forget what it was like.

A great website to read....

2009-11-17T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you love good information, in my opinion, this is a website worth reading. I know the writer and know he is no slouch and researches so many things that I just don't have the time anymore to do. Check it out sometime or add it to your blog list.

http://gregmciver.wordpress.com/

Fever... Why you DO NOT want to get rid of it...

2009-11-02T16:39:00.001-08:00

"The fever is a beautiful biochemical dance that reveals its footsteps to a symphony of predictable chaos. A fever that has resulted from an infectious condition is different from elevations in body temperature due to exercise, bathing, saunas, or sunbathing. Fever may be defined as a temporary elevation in the thermoregulatory "set point," usually by about 1.8-3.6?F (1-2?C). The fever is a product of the innate immune systems attempt to neutralize an infectious foreign invader (i.e. virus, bacteria)."

Give me a fever, and I can cure any disease."
- Hippocrates, The Father of Medicine

Okay, just a little info here. I have been listening to a lot of mothers talk about how they have been doping their kids up with Tylenol during this flu season. I know this is tempting as it just seems that they feel better with the fever reducers but beware of this mothers... Fevers are your child's friend. Surprised? Fevers are a natural response of the immune system and kill off the infectious virus or bacteria that has infected the body. I let my kids run their fevers.... I know this goes against the main stream, but let me tell you how it works.

Ever since I started allowing a fever to run it's course, my children get better faster. Our immune systems are amazing things. Now, this doesn't mean that I don't tend to them and nurse them through it. You want to watch the fever closely and try not to let it get over 102 degrees or so. Ways to do this include... cool compresses and Peppermint oil in their fluids... even cooler baths can help. It works... it has been tried and true. The main thing is to tend the fever and not kill it. Keeping it under control is the best bet here.

The main enemy is dehydration.... Keep them hydrated and their electrolyte levels up. Also, if they don't want to eat, don't force them. The body is using all of it's energy to fight the virus/infection... you don't want to make it use this energy on the digestion process. If they want to eat... great, but if not, don't worry.... when they start to feel better they will eat. The body can go quite a while without food.... believe me... I did it once for 7 days.... no food or calories whatsoever and lived through it just fine.

I once used to administer fever reducer to my kids.... I did it with Spencer once when he was very ill. The minute the Tylenol wore off, he started having a febral seizure... Found out that is from an extreme spike in temperature. Let me tell you it was scary! As soon as the Tylenol wore off, his fever spiked right back up but did it so fast that it caused a seizure. This seizure was all to your imagination and scared me to death!

So, next time your child has a fever, you know the immune system is doing its thing... yeah for the miracle of the human body!

Read on to see an article I found interesting on the subject... It tells you exactly what is going on in the body when their is a fever.. Article by: Dr. Chad Larson

How Does An Infection Create a Fever?

The hypothalamus is the head conductor of the temperature symphony. When a macrophage ("big eater") starts to chomp on an infecting organism, a byproduct is released called a pyrogen. This pyrogen then triggers the release of interleukin-1 (IL-1), which travels in the blood stream to the hypothalamus and stimulates the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which causes the body temperature set-point to be turned up. Like turning up the thermostat in your house, the body now thinks it?s too cold so it starts cranking up the heat. The hypothalamus generates heat and conserves heat at the same time. It conserves heat by teaming up with the autonomic nervous system causing vasoconstriction, which makes the peripheral blood vessels in the skin contract driving all the blood to the internal organs. Your skin is now colder which makes you cover yourself with warmer clothes or blankets, and the internal organs, especially the liver, become heat generators. Furthermore, you get the chills which cause piloerection (goose bumps) and shuts down the sweating mechanism and then you start shivering to make the muscles generate even more heat. By the way, when you break a fever you sweat a lot and vasodilate to cool the body back down.

IL-1 has a few other key jobs: it signals the hypothalamus to cause you to sleep to preserve energy, it causes the liver to pump out immune and body-repair chemicals, and IL-1 goes to the skeletal muscles to trigger muscle tissue breakdown. The postural muscles from the legs and back are usually used for this purpose which is why these areas are commonly susceptible to aches during a fever and chills. Muscles are not there to just move us around or look good at the beach, they are also a rich source of protein and amino acids. As IL-1 stimulates the unraveling of these muscle proteins, the result is an increase in the body?s amino acid pool. This amino acid pool suppresses your appetite, and provides your body with the raw materials for immune defense, tissue repair, and energy. This is important because when your body temperature goes above 99.5?F the digestive system shuts down. In fact, if you eat during a fever, the food will not be properly digested and there will be an added burden on the system causing it to use up resources that would otherwise be available for fighting the infection.

Fever is an immune system stimulant. "When the body temperature is elevated in fever, white blood cell production is increased as is the rate of white blood cell release in the circulation. At the same time, white blood cell mobility and killing ability is enhanced, the production of interferon is speeded up and antibody production is increased up to twenty times," according to Drs. Wade Boyle and André Saine. This much heat also makes it unbearable for many infectious organisms and many types of bugs are killed at high body temperatures. In fact, Drs. Boyle and Saine state that "between 106-110 degrees F, malignant cells are selectively destroyed," which is why "some cancer clinics are employing various hyperthermia techniques to kill cancer."

The brain ultimately orchestrates these responses, and if you do not get in its way (with anti-pyretic drugs like aspirin and acetaminophen), a fever can be your best medicine. This sophisticated elegance is a classic example of Vis Medicatrix Naturae (the healing powers of nature). Because Hippocrates knew that fever signaled the stimulation of the body's defenses to fight off disease, The Father of Medicine has been quoted as saying, "Give me a fever, and I can cure any disease." How could we have been so audacious as to think that some drug that has only been around for a decade or two can be better medicine than what has taken human evolution millennia to figure out?

The Fear of Fever

Sure a fever can be uncomfortable, but most of the harm associated with high fevers does not come from the elevation in temperature itself. Rather, it is dehydration (especially if there is vomiting or diarrhea), or electrolyte imbalance, or the underlying infectious agent itself that can cause impairment. Remember, if you eat while you are feverish, once again Drs. Boyle and Saine remind us that, "you are interfering with [your] body's attempt to overcome the disease and are in danger of running the fever to harmful levels." Just stay hydrated, and white-knuckle through it.

Church....

2009-11-01T12:07:00.001-08:00

Kyle so thoughtfully said he would change the clocks back last night. He has meetings early at the church....so I went to bed and woke up at 8 o'clock.... got the kiddos dressed in a mad dash, ran myself a bath and then decided that we were too late and I was going to have to chuck my hair in a ponytail and save the bath for later. We arrive at church already 10 minutes late, or so I thought.... we were 50 minutes early. Turns out Kyle set his alarm clock back, but didn't bother to do the family room clock. Oh well.... at least we weren't late right!

I learned the saying that your kids will be better if you are on time is totally FALSE! Don't believe it... they were little monsters the whole time and then right during sacrament Makenzie lets out a huge belch which got the attention of most of the congregation. It was fabulous!

So glad to be home for the afternoon!

Little Sweetpeas....

2009-10-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

Last night was game night.... we played games with our kids and did puzzles. My kids love puzzles and Jenga. Spencer and I played battleship and I barely beat him. Then it was off to bed for them and for me... time to lay on the couch and reduce my leg size... I can always lose a few inches just by laying there for an hour or so... :) Too bad after the baby, losing the inches isn't quite this easy...

Brooke and Makenzie share a room now.... which is ever so cute! I love their twin beds and all the cute little things in there that make it girly. It was finally time for me to go to bed and I snuck in to check on my little sweetpeas... you know just to make sure they are breathing and all... I stopped for a minute to see my two little girls with messed up hair sound asleep on their pillows and was grateful for the miracle of children... I covered them over (because they are wild sleepers you know) and could have watched them for an hour or so, but it was on to my little boys room.... and he is getting ever so grown up and tall... he had about 5 stuffed animals of varying sizes all tucked in with him and was sleeping in the "edge of the bed" position he always sleeps in. It was then that I noticed how tall he is getting.... he won't be shorter than his Mom for too much longer.

How quick this time goes by. How precious this time is that I can never get back! I hope today you kiss your sweetpeas.... because they are ever so cute...

Here are my 3 sweetpeas.... aren't I so lucky!

PS... Living in Montana is awesome.... you should try it some time....

IMG_3729

2009-10-05T08:35:00.001-07:00

Kyle and a few of the other residents at his final graduation dinner. It was a fun night.... thanks to Matt we had some great laughs!

IMG_3729, originally uploaded by Heidi Jackson.

IMG_3716

2009-10-05T08:28:00.001-07:00

IMG_3716, originally uploaded by Heidi Jackson.

Life in Montana

2009-09-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

I still can't figure out how to post pictures from my new apple MacBook Pro on here because it isn't approved by Blogger... lame. Kyle said there is a way but he hasn't had time to show me how to do it.

So, what do you get when you move and have a husband starting a new business from the ground up? You get a busy busy life! What a job it has been getting this practice up and going, but it has actually been fun, I know that sounds crazy but I have enjoyed helping out and I know a lot more about Orthodontics and Dentistry now... yeah for me!

Kyle has been seeing patients now for a couple of weeks. We still have some tweeks to work out but he is actually starting to get busy already which is a great sign. He is in pure heaven and loves every minute of it. I'm so glad that he does. His website won't be finished for another week or so, but we have a temporary up. So exciting!!! We love being our own bosses.. It is great!

At home, I will let you in on what I have been up to besides helping Kyle out.... Let's see..... ummm I've been growing a huge round bump. We are expecting number 4 mid February. I am 20 weeks and finding out next Thursday what it will be. We are so excited. I think I am more excited this time than I was my first time around. Even though my 30 something year old body is not handling it like it used to.... ha ha... it will be worth it. I can't hardly wait to hold a new baby again.

I love our new home, I love Helena..... I love Montana! This is definitely the place for us. I love the weather.... sunny and warm and hello I love the seasons, so if I get sick of winter I'll head down to AZ for a break, but I love winter too! The kids go to a small school that is K-8 and have small classes where they still do all the things I grew up doing in school.... honoring the constitution and I have regained some faith in our country after seeing what the kids are doing at school. Spencer has been in football, Brooke and Makenzie in dance. Spencer is still in piano lessons and not loving me for it... He'll thank me later don't ya think??!! I stay pretty busy taking the kids where they need to go and keeping the house put together and running errands for the office.

I have been doing something so fun and I'll be sharing it with you later. I have been trying a new recipe every night for dinner for the last 2 weeks. I'm going to keep going for the month, so I'll be posting some of my absolute can't go wrong dishes on here. I have come across some absolutely yummo dishes.... all of them are healthy.

One of my inspirations.... Shari Goodman has inspired this year to keep my kids and family healthy.... I have gotten lax a little the last couple of months through the move and sick part of the pregnancy and have finally gotten back on track. So, kids, the party is over! Mamas back on track! Check out her blog to the right.... The Enlightened Homemaker. I have started all of us taking the the Vitamin D3 and the B12. I have been on all these great things for over a year now and can't tell you what they have done for me. I finally have my kids and hubby on it too. Check it out. It will keep you out of the doctors office this year.

Montana for the Jacksons....

2009-07-08T11:39:00.001-07:00

So, we have officially made the commitments and are moving to Helena, Montana. It is going to be a HUGE life change... Life is different in Montana.... The kids will definitely have a different sort of childhood there. We are excited for this new adventure. Sometimes I wonder what the heck we are doing but nothing ventured nothing gained right!!!

Kyle has leased a building while he builds his own building and we are good to go! Jackson Orthodontics is the name and it just so happens that one of the main roads in Helena is Jackson Creek Road and there really is a Jackson creek there..... sort of ironic I guess...

We will be living in a small town 5 minutes outside of Helena called Montana City where there is a small school that kids go to until grade 9. It is a darling little school nestled up by the mountains and by a river.

I'm so excited for Kyle starting up on his own.... it is a leap of faith and he has had no hesitation at all. It is hard to believe that we are really to our goal. He is excited to be his own boss and to make his own way. I'll let you know more details as we get them....

PS The picture above is of some property we are looking at to build on. It is 10 acres and 2 minutes from town. We were driving around and there was a lot of little kids riding on their little quads everywhere. Our kids were with us and thought it was the coolest thing ever.....

Kiddos.....Joys of being a Mother

2009-05-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

Most of all now, I am just grateful for what I have... I love walking outside to see this...
Street football with neighborhood kids and Dad (in his scrubs of course)..

Finishing the dishes and looking for my little one and finding this...
Two little feet from underneath her crib....

Yep, she is sound asleep... I wanted to crawl under with her and just listen to her breathe, but I had to settle for this.

I had the best Mother's Day I had ever had.. My kids were so helpful and wanted to be the one to help Mom with everything. I am just soo grateful for what I have. I am basically just enjoying the journey right now. Everything isn't great, but there are moments in each day that are more than great. Almost always it seems that there really is no destination for happiness in this life, but the things along the way that are mixed in with everything else. I hope you are loving the journey too!

Corrupt?? Irresponsible?? Sickening??... You decide..

2009-04-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today I read this from the associated press:

"Last year, the AP reported that trace amounts of a wide range of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in American drinking water supplies. Including recent findings in Dallas, Cleveland and Maryland's Prince George's and Montgomery counties, pharmaceuticals have been detected in the drinking water of at least 51 million Americans.

Most cities and water providers still do not test. Some scientists say that wherever researchers look, they will find pharma-tainted water.

Consumers are considered the biggest contributors to the contamination. We consume drugs, then excrete what our bodies don't absorb. Other times, we flush unused drugs down toilets. The AP also found that an estimated 250 million pounds of pharmaceuticals and contaminated packaging are thrown away each year by hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Researchers have found that even extremely diluted concentrations of drugs harm fish, frogs and other aquatic species. Also, researchers report that human cells fail to grow normally in the laboratory when exposed to trace concentrations of certain drugs. Some scientists say they are increasingly concerned that the consumption of combinations of many drugs, even in small amounts, could harm humans over decades."

Seriously!!! "antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones" What has it come to now?? We are drugging ourselves and our kids with our water.. Why have "drugs" taken over our health?? Well, I know the answer to that question, but ask yourself why that is.

I guess it is human nature to take things that can be good in certain circumstances and overuse and abuse their uses for "money". Sorry, but like John Stossel always says "Give me a break!" This really ticks me off! They are getting away with it scott free as well. In the span of less than 10yrs one drug maker dumped 2,285 pounds of lithium carbonate into the wastewater treatment plant... That's just one drug from one drug maker!! Did you know that most water treatment plants do not test for pharmaceutical compounds in your water? Did you know that hundreds to thousands of pounds of these compounds used to make the thousands of different types of drugs are dumped into our water system? Do you want female sex hormones being ingested daily by your son? Really, this is a classic case of Americans abusing their freedom to contaminate the rest of us for their own benefit. Where's my freedom in that?

Look, if there is one thing you take from this, it is that most people don't need a drug every day of their lives for the rest of their lives... I know there are certain circumstances where someone may need to, but drugs in this country are way over used and abused. Our kids are being drugged if they don't behave a certain way in school. Can you imagine what a lifetime of drinking trace amounts of antibiotics would do to your body? Not to mention the kind of "super bug" it prepares us for.

I don't know about you, but I'll sure be thinking twice about where my water came from the next time I take a drink....

To Save a Mockingbird....

2009-04-10T20:50:00.000-07:00

I saw in my backyard the other day a bird hopping as fast as it could away from our dog Daisy. I ran out and put Daisy in the house and went over to see a little bird that I thought was hurt and could not fly. The sweet little faces of a 7, 5, and 2yr old peered into the bush the scared bird was hiding itself in with wonder. My initial instinct was to leave it to the fate of nature and then almost just as quickly I knew that I should probably save this bird .... I asked the kids what we should do and the decision was unanimous. I was wrong in thinking I could easily find a rescue shelter to take the bird to, but after about an hour of searching I found a phone number for small bird rescue.

An older woman answered and said that she takes the birds as a volunteer. So, out we all headed to the yard with gloves and a little cardboard box. We captured the bird and drove her to her rescuer. When this sweet little old lady answered the door, we opened the box and she said that the bird was a Mockingbird and a baby at that. Sometimes the mothers will push them out of the nest too soon and they will be eaten by cats or dogs. To her this bird was just the most precious thing and she was ecstatic that I had rescued this bird. All the kids were happy and that was the end of it. On the way home I was thinking about what a softy I had become..

I learned what the woman had said was true the next day when the kids ran in with a dead baby bird... I guess this mom was sick of feeding all those babies...

Brooke: "Mom, why is this mother doing this to her own babies?"

I said, "Well, it could be that the mother just cannot feed all the babies anymore and so she can only keep some of them."

Makenzie: "Thats a mean momma mom!"

Brooke: "Mom, I'm not hungry anymore... I'll wait until dinner time."

I'm still laughing about this one. Just something Brooke would say.....

Spring Break

2009-03-25T16:44:00.001-07:00

We started off with Brooke turning 5. She had some friends over for cup cakes and games.

We only had a couple days so we spent a lot of time at the beach. Kids had a great time, while we just relaxed.

At the top, Rylan was screaming for someone to help him and that he was going to die. I cannot look at this picture without laughing to the point of tears. Of course Brooke wanted to go again even though she peed her pants on the way up (no joke). Spencer was hesitant, but what could he say when his little sister wants to.

5 tickets to Sea World $180, 4 stuffed animal souvenirs $48, the look of terror on the kids....PRICELESS!!!

Can you sing Moto Moto?........

2009-03-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

Kyle putting Brookie to bed..

Brooke: Daddy can you sing me a song?

Kyle: Sure, "I am a child of God and He has sent me here has given me an earthly home with parents.....

Brooke: Stop Dad, I don't want that song..

Kyle: Okay, which song do you want.

Brooke: I want Moto Moto....please..

This is a song from Madagascar 2.... I guess we really need a good FHE tomorrow night!

Check it out http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3882539/10576736

February Flashback....

2009-02-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

As I was cleaning the house today I turned on Pandora. If any of you don't know what it is, it is an on-line radio that continuous plays songs that are similar to a certain song you choose as the theme for your station. I picked Motley Crue and for the next hour or so it played songs from the past, all the old rock...Guns n Roses etc. It is amazing how you have certain memories related to songs. I remembered my cheap highlighted puffy permed hair. I used to put on a cap and one of my friends would pull my hair through and my Mom would perm it really tight. Then I would administer my fried mop with about a half bottle of white rain hairspray. It was soo bad I have buried all my pictures and hope to never see one any time soon. One of these days I'm going to break into that high school and have my grad picture disappear from off the wall. I remember driving my Dad's truck filled with girls way way too fast through the snow to school in Cardston. We were invincible and after our last minute primping in the mirror we were at good old Cardston High School. The most important things in life were boyfriends, sports, friends and what was going to happen over the weekend. In my graduation post under my picture in the year book ironically enough I remember writing that I was going to marry someone from Arizona and live where it was warm. My how things have changed.... I did just that, I live where it is warm and my hair I am happy to say looks a lot better. Even though I spent the day cleaning toilets and scrubbing floors, I think I have come a long way babey!
(At least I hope I have...) My kids are definitely going to have a hay day looking back at my old photos.

Jackson five recent life....

2009-02-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

So, just up the road from our house we have Usery park. It really is a great place...road biking, mountain biking, hiking etc. We headed up on a family night with our friends the Fisks. It was great times as usual. Makenzie bit the dust more than a few times and I think was having an all around "clutz" night. After a while I think she gave up and sat on me the rest of the night.

Brookie loves Rachael and thinks she is the coolest thing since the invention of bubble gum lollipops. She told me she wished Rachael was her big sister.

So, I was thinking back about my blue-eyed baby today. We snuggled on the couch and chit chatted. I like our chit chats. I looked into her blue eyes and wondered where did all the time go? Maybe in the eternities we can do flash backs in time or something. I sure do hope so, because I do miss sitting in the rocking chair with baby blue eyes.....miss it a ton.

Here she is, almost 5 with all her cute little friends that she goes to pre-school with.

Fun Times!

2009-01-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving the Jackson five headed to California and hit Disney and Legoland. It was quite an adventure staying in the sweet digs of a roach motel. The kids could have cared less, I have to say that I did. I had sheets spread out over the floor because the carpet was SCARY. Nonetheless, memories were made and we had a fab-o time.

So, the advantages of a tall family are everyone gets to ride the rides. Makenzie would sometimes get an unsure expression on her face but said "That fun mommy." Brooke was her usual thrill seeker self.

I tried to get a cute Christmas card picture this year, but didn't get around to it. We did have a great Christmas in AZ.

Brooke likes to do her own hair now. It usually ends up 80's style. Hey you never know, it may come back some day. 80's aerobic instructor???

Things your Mom never mentioned.....

2008-12-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

Readers beware....this is graphic in a Mom sort of way.

So, today I was thinking, just briefly.... There are a few things my Mom never mentioned before I had children. I've gotten over most of them, the one I really have a problem with is what I call the "chunk factor". No one ever mentions that when your kids get the barf-os that those chunks don't wash out of the washer....oh no, no, no. You have to wash them off of all the bedding before sticking it in the washer, otherwise you are left with washed chunks stuck to the side of your washer. They aren't going to magically pick themselves off the carpet and they don't care if it is 1 or 2a.m. One way or another it is up to you to hand pick or wash off those nasty chunks.......
I guess some things are beyond words.....

Halloween 2008

2008-11-05T17:40:00.000-08:00

Boy am I glad Halloween is over!!! We had a blast with the kids this year, but I couldn't stop eating all those little naughty Snickers, Reeses, Mars, & Hershey bars....and I thought I was over the whole chocolate addiction.

My cute little ones. Spencer had to be a skeleton pirate this year.

Our good friends Karl and Vanessa...what you can't see is Karl's rockin fannie pack! I was talking to a friend at the ward party and Kyle was over talking with the missionaries and she turns to me and says "Where did the missionaries pick up that investigator?" I said "Oh, that is Kyle."......she would not believe me until I took her over there.

We decided all his get up was missing was Kyle's wig.....Karl you are one HOT number!!!!

A Little Boy Must Always Be Prepared.....

2008-11-05T17:25:00.000-08:00

Doing laundry....this is what I find in my little boys pocket. One of his pairs of shorts I had to take outside and dump all the dirt that he had filled his pockets with. I know I will miss this side of him some day.

Nail polish that is great for a Mom.

2008-10-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite things. This nail polish actually stays on. One of my friends told me that it doesn't chip...I was skeptical but decided to try a bottle. It is a bit pricey... $15. I cleaned all day yesterday and today and after 3 days... no chipping. If you get a chance to pick some up. Superstar is an awesome color.

October

2008-10-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

So, there are a few things I seem to never do. One is check my voice mail...and another is take my pictures from my camera to the computer. Usually Kyle has to get around to doing it. Anyway, here are a few updates...

Brooke on the couch avoiding chores...what is new??

Makenzie is always saying "Brookie did it", when I find nail polish on the carpet or various other misdeeds around the house..

My Dad took Spencer, his cousin, and a friend to the next to last D-Backs game. We had awesome seats and he bought them all shirts and hats and whatever they wanted. They had a blast!

Melissa and I have been canning like crazy.. I don't think we knew what we were getting ourselves into, but we ended up with a great result! So much more fun together!

Around 4p.m. Spencer tells me how afraid he is for it to be night time and he has to go to bed..... Apparently, during library at school, he found a book on werewolves and vampires and it was a historical book of sorts. So, no matter how convincing I was that it was not real, now it is definitely real to him... aahhh. This is where I found him when I went to check on the kids before bed.

Children...our sweetest joys!!

2008-10-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

So, I watched this video on YouTube yesterday morning. It really had me thinking. I suppose it may have been the fact that they were home all day. It was nice having them here. I have to say that I felt an overwhelming feeling of responsibility to them. I had some serious time of reflection as to my duty to them as their mother. Am I doing all I can?? I guess as we see the world changing around us and the difficulties that are surely going to come for them, I wonder am I preparing this rising generation to meet these great challenges? Am I teaching my children to face seemingly insurmountable adversity and to be courageous during these storms? Am I teaching them how to be happy in a life that may very well be full of tribulations? That through all of this, there is a loving Heavenly Father aware of them and a Father that will strengthen them and uphold them during these times. That this life is a test, but that the rewards will be greater than human mind can comprehend. I am glad they are still little as I felt a great urgency, not out of fear, but rather out of love, that I must do even better. I guess that life size mural drawn on the wall by the one and only Brooke during her supposed nap time isn't such a big deal after all.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PXZvlZXlVA

September 08

2008-09-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

So, lately it has just been more of the craziness that has become our lives. Kyle had the Tweed conference in Tucson for 10 days. Students from Romania and France were there. He said it was interesting to hear about their dental/ortho experience. He was definitely done with bending wire after all that time. We have been looking at land and office shells etc. Just trying to decide what the heck we are going to do with our lives. Where should we live? ahhh It is the hardest decision when you can really go anywhere. I can't believe we have less than a year left to go! Kyle is loving it, but the money part is not so great. Oh well, all a part of the journey. We just keep counting our blessings that we didn't have to wait a year or two to get in somewhere. We could not have gone to a better place. Ortho was the right choice for him. I can't believe how much really goes into it. Anyway, he loves it, which is great for everyone!

We have been camping again. The fun must counter the sleep deprivation because we keep doing it. This time we took our cousin Rylan. The kids rode their scooters around all over the place.

Makenzie loves salsa. Hot salsa. I have never seen anything like it. She will sort of wimper and say "hot", but then she goes back for more. Anyway, here she is on our camping trip diving in and then guzzling water. I had a good laugh over it. It reminded me of when my brothers and I used to take our cat and hand feed it horseradish and other spicy foods and it would still come back for more. I was just glad that it was finally the cat and not me they were doing it to. 5 older brothers out number you fast!

Kyle turned 30 this last month and the kids were so excited for him to open their presents.

Brookie on her way to dance. She loves it and I love watching her. She is definitely not shy. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. Where did my little blue-eyed baby girl go?

Camping = No Sleep

2008-08-14T22:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went camping up past Strawberry. We had a blast! We played baseball and had yummy smores and stayed up late looking at the stars. It was soo nice to get out of the heat for a few days. Brooke is a daddy's girl. The only negative was the fact that it was soo exciting that my children (early risers anyway) woke up even earlier (5:30a.m.).

Kyle enjoying a nice Louis Lamour book.....

My fabulous friend Carlee and her adorable kids! It was sooo fun to see her! Our stash of kids just keeps getting bigger.

Spencer and Adlee. I will never forget their conversation one day in our Limerick, PA house. In the middle of consuming peanut butter sandwiches.

Adlee: Spencer, when are we going to get married?

Spencer: Well, Adlee it will take some time, I will have to go on a mission and then to BYU and then well we can get married.

Ha ha ha. I think Adlee will have a good choice of suitors some day.

Brielle and Brooke

My friend Melissa on her birthday. We had a big group of people show up to celebrate at the Cheesecake Factory. Yummo!

"I don't want to be a Mom!"

2008-07-28T16:15:00.001-07:00

So, this made me laugh today. Brooke was sitting on my lap and I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. Our conversation goes like this....

Brooke: "I want to be a bus driver."

Brooke: "No I want to be a fire fighter."

Me: "What about being a Mom, do you want to be a Mom like me?"

Brooke: "You mean someone who has a baby."

Me: "Yeah, someone who has a baby."

Brooke: "Noooooo way!!! I don't want to be a Mom, I want to be a Daddy!"

Me: "Why would you want to be a Dad and not a Mom?"

Brooke: "Because Mom's have to clean up poop."

Me: "And Dad's don't have to?"

Brooke: "Yeah, Dad's don't have to do that or clean."

I'm sure all of you Mom's out there will get a laugh out of this one. I did too.

Daddy!!!

2008-07-16T07:24:00.001-07:00

My brother Derek took my Dad up fishing in Alaska for 10 days. I was just sent this picture this morning. It makes me happier than I can even say!! I went fishing a lot with my Dad growing up, especially after the boys all left the house. We would get up really early in the morning and go. We went hunting too, he would send me down into these basins to scare out animals. Yeah, can't say I enjoyed that too much. I mostly just enjoyed being out there with my Dad. He is a darling, dear man. 46lbs..not too shabby Daddy.

Oh Canada!

2008-07-10T20:22:00.001-07:00

Brooke was always climbing on everything and the first one up the trails. She wanted to be in front.

Our trip to Canada and Montana was AMAZING!!! We took the kids on several hikes up in Waterton. While we were up there we acquired a new member to our family. Yessss, I know, why do I do these things to myself. I couldn't say no. No, I am not prego!!! We bought a zuchon puppy. We ended up getting a "girl" dog and Spencer says "Mom, I know she is a girl dog and I wanted a boy dog, but I love her anyway." Here are the pics from our trip!! Who is coming with us next year???

We had Rylan with us on the hikes. This is on our way out of Rowe Lakes.

This is on our way into Rowe Lakes. There was a lot of snow once we got higher up. We hiked through snow for quite a while.

Spencer trying to show me how much bigger his muscles have gotten...

This is on our way into Bertha Lake. It was sooo beautiful! We could not have had a better day. Makenzie's little legs didn't last too long. The rest of the kids did pretty good all the way there and we got them home with the bribe of ice cream.

We had a great week in Canada and Montana, Lake Blane for some water skiing and inland surfing.

Kyle was the best at it!

So, here she is. Daisy. She is just a tiny little thing and won't get much larger. The kids love her to death. She gets dressed up and pushed around in strollers and taken everywhere.

Trader Joes Mishap......

2008-06-30T14:02:00.001-07:00

So, this last week was crazy. We arrived home Mon. night from Canada & Montana, changed our clothes, went to the annual Ortho dinner at the golf course...yummy food! The next day I am at Trader Joes. This is one of those energetic days where you get up and get your kids dressed all cute and their hair all done. So, I was feeling pretty good about myself as a Mom. We are heading down the aisle of sauces and stuff and Brooke says "Mommy, look at me and my new hat." She had one of the plastic produce bags on top of her head like a hat. I say "You are hilarious Brooke." Next thing I know this girl approx. 25yrs old, long beautiful hair, dressed to the hilt, high heels, with her chanel purse with matching chanel glasses and earrings walks by me and says "Your daughter has a plastic bag on top of her head. If I was you I would do a much better job at watching my children." O.k. so now I am in total shock that this girl just ripped into me. Brooke is standing in front of my cart with the bag still on top of her head. I say "I know she has a plastic bag on her head." Before I could say anything else she goes off on how I could know that and not be freaking out and what a terrible mother would ever allow her daughter to do such a thing. Everyone in the produce section is staring at us. So, at this point I'm feeling the flush in the facial area because I think the bad mother card is not quite the card you want to pull with a mother. So, calmly (very proud of myself) I say "Yeap, you are right, I should stop letting her do that all the time at home and I was just going to stand here with my 4yr old 3ft from me and allow her to suffocate or possibly hang her self with a produce bag. That is exactly what I was going to do....... You don't have any kids do you?" She says "No, but if I did I would certainly not allow my children to put a produce bag on their head, I mean what kind of a mother would allow that." This is the point where I knew I needed to walk away. So, I cooled off and finished my shopping, headed out to my car, loaded Spence, Brooke, and Makenzie in, turn around to get into my side....and there she is in her brand new black hummer glaring at me. My heck!!! Are there seriously people out there like this??? Maybe I will leave my kids at home next time.

Happy Anniversary!!

2008-06-10T21:44:00.001-07:00

Kyle and I have been married for 8 years! Where did the time go? We haven't celebrated yet, we are going to celebrate in Canada, but wow has a lot happened in 8 yrs. I'm so lucky to be married to such a great person. The poor guy has been in school since we were dating, but I know all of his hard work will pay off. It was his dream. His dreams became my dreams. I love you honey! I guess we have learned to love with the true love that can only come from life experiences. The good and the not so good. May we have many more years to pass through together hand in hand and may the saying be true."Grow old with me, the best is yet to be."

Heidi, (I know I never write on your blog, but I'm sneaking this one in)

Thank you for 8 great years! My love for you has grown through the all the wonderful times and especially during the heartaches. Thank you for sticking with me during all of our crazy schooling, moving to Pennsylvania and then back across the country again. You are the still the one for me and I love you more each and every day. Thank you for the children you have given us and being my best friend always. I think Shakespeare said "Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love, Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. Oh, no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests.. and is never shaken. It is the star to every wandering bark Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken. Love is not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come. Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out.. even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

I love you. Here is a good pic I snapped of my wife over the weekend. Shes smokin HOT too don't you think.....

The last couple of months......

2008-06-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

So it has been a while. Lots of things have happened. Makenzie turned 2...how did that happen so fast?!! She is supposed to be my baby. Kyle finished his first year in Ortho....yes we are still in school! Spencer finished basketball and kindergarten... Brooke, well let's just say that Brooke is ever improving on her Brooke skills. She has recently become a great escape artist.

"Mom you stay outside and I'll be right back. I just have to go to the potty." I come inside and she is gone...down to one of the neighbors. I put her down for a nap, take a shower, open her door to check on her. There are pillows under her blanket but no Brooke to be found. I think to myself "Oh my goodness what is this going to be like when she is 16!!?" Sure enough, she is down at the neighbors. Sunday we come home from church. Brooke goes upstairs to change her clothes, next thing I know I can't find her again. I go to the backyard and peeking over the fence, 2 doors down I see Brooke's arms in the air as she screams down the neighbors slide into their pool. I am dying here. She knows we don't play at friends house on Sunday and especially don't go swimming. Secretly I couldn't help but laugh to myself but tried to stay composed enough to ground her from her friends.

So, here are some pictures from the last couple of mo. My brother Paul and his wife Hope were sealed in the SLC temple this last weekend and we were able to be there. It was awesome! Love you guys!

Story time before bed. I'm going to miss these days when they are gone.

Makenzie is 2 now! She is such a joy and so cuddly.

This a picture of the Jackson cousins at Bryce's baby blessing. This was the only one I was able to get Doug in. Aren't they soo cute?!! The only one missing was Cade.

The Things That Uplift.....

2008-04-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

Click on this link...http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/2008/03/

These are photos that are on display at the Mesa Temple visitors center.

This brought back so many memories of my time at BYU Jerusalem. The way that the Sea of Galilee was, the way the landscape looked. It was such an amazing experience. When I was there, my strongest hope was that everyone I know and love could have the same experience. To see what I saw and feel what I felt in those sacred places. These pictures brought back a lot of that for me. I hope you enjoy them. It helps to remind us that this is not just some story written down on paper. These pictures are depictions of actual events that took place....the Savior is real. What He did for us is not a dream...a hope...it actually happened. Mark Mabry did these pictures and I hope you can feel the same spirit I felt by seeing them. Enjoy!!

Aloha!! Yes! we finally went away ALONE!!

2008-03-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Maui for a whole week was AMAZING!!! I so enjoyed this time alone with my man! We seriously just had fun together like we were kids again. Kyle is the best person I know to go on vacation with because he is up for doing anything and so he makes it fun. He was in the ocean more than I was, but I had a few good laughs watching him. We came home late Sunday night and Spencer got up at 3 a.m. to come in and tell us he was glad we were back. Then 6 a.m it was back to reality. "I don't like that oatmeal Mom." "Makenzie took my pink spoon!" "I have to have the pink princess flower bowl, not the princess heart bowl!" Standing there in my pink bathrobe I say to myself...."Welcome home Heidi." and then off I was to convince my 4yr old how yummy and good for you coaches steel cut oatmeal is. Second day rolls around and Makenzie is still calling me "Grandma" by accident. She must love her Grandma's. Anyway, here are some pics from our trip. By the way, who in the heck invented chocolate macadamia nuts? they are sooo in trouble with me.

Free pina colada refills in a pineapple at the luau....ummm back to the chocolate macadamia nuts. Bit of advice.... do not overindulge on these before going to a luau, where you will spend the next 2 hrs looking at beautiful island girls in grass skirts and coconuts moving their hips in mysterious ways.

Kyle body surfing....

At the top of Haleakala crater.

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

Here I am my love.....

Who doesn't look totally hot in snorkel gear? ha ha ha

Here's my real Romeo....I think he's a keeper.

Relishing our last night on the beach.... we were ready to see our kids again.

Sum Sum Summertime & Birthdays!!!!

2008-03-15T13:09:00.001-07:00

Brookie turned 4! She got a new slip and slide for her birthday and they had a good time outside. Everyone wants to live in their swimsuits now. Sprinklers on the trampoline, sprinklers everywhere! It brings back memories. I am really starting to love Arizona. It is a great place.

Brooke is so much fun!! She gets more fun every year! She had a blast on her birthday, she had both grandparents here and her cousins Rylan, Kaylee, and Taylor. Brooke was born in East Norriton, PA with a midwife. She was 12 days late, took her time and came when she wanted. She weighed in at 8lbs 14oz and 21.5 inches long.

Grandpa, Rylan, and Spence having some fun.

Wrestlemania!!

2008-03-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

So, you would think that Spencer, being the only boy, just might miss out on some of the things that brothers would do. Well, he is lucky to have Brooke for his sister. She wants to be in on all the boy stuff. Star Wars games with their marshmallow guns and even the wrestling. I can't get them to stop wrestling. Actually, it is the cause of much laughter lately.

We live right by Usery Pass and use it all the time. We have been mountain biking a lot lately for our dates. That and going to the Suns games. We are really enjoying the "no winter" thing. Every day is a perfect sunny day. The kids play outside and that just always makes life better.

Kyle is already almost done his first year in Ortho. It has been such a great opportunity for us. He could not love it more than he does which makes all of us happy. We are looking for places to go right now. It will be exciting to finally be taking that step next year. I have just been busy doing what I'm always doing. I miss my friends in PA a ton!! I'm still trying to lose that last 7lbs!! I miss my personal workout team, Angie, Sheree, Carlee, where are you when I need you!!??

So, here are some recent pics of the kids.

Brooke is turning 4 this week! I can't believe it!

Spencer is always laughing and saying the words "hilarious Mom". He is always finding something crazy to try or some way to make Brooke and Makenzie laugh.

Makenzie just had to wear this hat everywhere for some reason. She is the best kid. She is always trying to keep up with Spence and Brooke and has earned the nickname Speedy at our house. She runs everywhere and she is fast!!

A Cute Poem For All The Parents Out There!!!

2008-02-11T19:07:00.001-08:00

No Children!
Edgar Guest

No children in the house to play--
It must be hard to live that way!
I wonder what the people do
When night comes on and the work is through,
With no glad little folks to shout,
No eager feet to race about,
No youthful tongues to chatter on
About the joy that's been and gone?
The house might be a castle fine,
But what a lonely place to dine!

No children in the house at all,
No fingermarks upon the wall,
No corner where the toys are piled--
Sure indication of a child.
No little lips to breathe the prayer
That God shall keep you in His care,
No glad caress and welcome sweet
When night returns you to your street;
No little lips a kiss to give--
Oh, what a lonely way to live!

No children in the house! I fear
We could not stand it half a year.
What would we talk about at night,
Plan for and work with all our might,
Hold common dreams about and find
True union of heart and mind,
If we two had no greater care
Than what we both should eat and wear?
We never knew love's brightest flame
Until the day the baby came.

And now we could not get along
Without their laughter and their song.
Joy is not bottled on a shelf,
It cannot feed upon itself,
And even love, if it shall wear,
Must find its happiness in care;
Dull we'd become of mind and speech
Had we no little ones to teach.
No children in the house to play!
Oh, we could never live that way!

Saying Farewell to President Hinckley

2008-02-03T10:19:00.001-08:00

Kyle and I had a few hours before our flight, so we headed down to temple square. We were on W. Temple street and you could hear the choir very clearly from the conference center singing "A Child's Prayer". A lot of saints then started to line the streets as Pres. Hinckley's funeral came to a close. There was a silence and a spirit there that was strong and sweet. There was not a dry eye.

We had not expected to see anything just maybe be there, then to our surprise, out came the funeral procession for Pres. Hinckley right in front of us. The saints all waved farewell, it was such an amazing experience to be there! We were so fortunate to have been there.

After President Hinckley passed, in each one of these cars was the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and then The Seventy. They drove slow and looked out over the saints as we were all waving. We were so close that you could see the emotion of the brethren as they drove by to see the saints lining the streets to say farewell to the Prophet. They also did not have a dry eye. We saw Elder Holland, Elder Bednar, and Pres. Eyring especially close.

Ski Trip/ Orthodontic Seminar in Park City

2008-02-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Yes!!! Finally off without our kids for a small break! Yes, we do adore our children but still enjoy the moments that one can enjoy without the little cuties around. We stayed in a cabin with our fabulous cousins Brek and Emily.

There was so much snow our cabin that was huge, looked like a snow mountain with a door. Here is the entrance into the cabin. We should have gone sledding down the roof!!

So, now you are starting to get jealous at how great you know the skiing was. Here is the driveway into the cabin. It is a great thing that there is such a thing as giant snowblowers. Thank-you Kent and Brek!

We had a blast!! We finally got to ski again after a long dry spell. It is pretty hard to beat skiing in Utah. There was 2ft of brand new powder we woke up to the first day. We had not been in so long we forgot how much we loved being out there and ski/snowboarding. All we could talk about was how much we loved it. Kyle went to an Ortho seminar in Park City Thurs/Fri. We went skiing Solitude the first day and Park City the second day. Kyle was snowboarding and I still like skiing the best.

O.K. so compare this picture of myself in complete solitude on a quiet snowy mountain with fresh powder everywhere to my normal everyday, Wow! what a difference! This is why I would ski a lot more if I could.

We had a few wipeouts here and there, it didn't seem to matter it was so soft.

Brek and Emily on the lift. We had a great time trying to keep up to these two, we definitely got better keeping up with them. Kristin was able to ski with us in Park City, we had a blast!

After a great day of skiing we just had to beat our husbands in ping pong. Ha ha! I'm sure their story is a little different, we had to stop them from cheating a few times. In the end no one could stop our winning force!

2008-01-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

Annual Jackson cousin lineup by age, and the annual Jackson gingerbread house competition. Yeah, we didn't win.

I think Kelcie and Adam won this year.

Makenzie at the Phoenix Zoo. Yes, in Arizona you can go to the zoo in the winter.

2008-01-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

We did the manger scene at grandma and grandpa's house. Grandma had full on costumes for everyone, we even had a donkey.

The shock and awe of receiving Barbie Island Princess singing Barbie. This is something that the Chaffee's can back us up on as a bad pick toy. I think I heard Lee singing, "Here on My Island..."

Spencer just turned six, loves school, and is always reminding me of what I need to do. We bought him his first pair of scriptures for his birthday and so now he reminds us when we forget to have family scripture study at night, it's a good thing because it does seem to get crazy right around bed time. There is a little boy that lives down the street that he plays with a lot. They are loving Arizona winter weather and are outside most of the time.

2008-01-17T08:37:00.000-08:00

So, we never got around to Christmas cards this year, we were lucky to get a picture of all of us together looking at the same time. Thanks to a singing rudolph stuffed animal with a blinking red nose placed next to our camera on self-timer. You know with each blinking light you are trying to hold a smile while also looking at your kids and telling them to look at rudolph. Why are family photos so stressful??

Last trip to what Spencer calls the green park, so it must be in Pennsylvania

2007-10-14T22:32:00.001-07:00

yes it does get a little crazy at the park......

We are finally moved into our house in AZ

2007-10-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Kyle just finished dental school at Temple in Philadelphia. We really loved it out there and miss it especially in the fall and around Halloween. Kyle and I did the road trip by ourselves and had so much fun. We spent 10 days stopping at all the church history sites and taking our time. We went to the temple in Nauvoo, stayed in Jackson Hole and it was a trip we would do again for sure. The only downer was 3 speeding tickets. 2 by Kyle and 1 by Heidi. All different states then we finally got smart and purchased a radar detector. We miss everyone out in Philly a ton. We miss their kids and families so much and our kids constantly talk about their friends in Pennsylvania.

One last wagon ride around Hickory Grove Drive. It was bittersweet.....

Here is our fabulous semi trailer that we didn't think we would need all of....yeah right!!

One last picture in front of our house in Limerick, sooo sad.

These are some pics from Kyle and I's trip across the country. We went to New York right before we left.

Right before our session at the Nauvoo temple, there is an awesome bronze of Joseph and Hyrum.

So, this summer has been crazy to say the least. We are all finally moved into our new house in northeast mesa. We love it, it is brand spanken new so this is a first for the both of us. Everyone has their own bedrooms and so life is good, really good. Spencer started kindergarten and loves it. I'm not loving the fact that the bus picks him up at 7:20 in the morning but oh well, he loves to ride the bus and I know that won't last for long. I love his school and his teacher. Kyle loves his residency and has made some really great friends there. I really know no one that I didn't know from 4 years ago when we lived here but there are a lot of moms with kids my kids ages in the neighborhood so I'm sure it will be great. Brooke is 3 1/2 and she is just a free spirit, I don't know how she comes up with some of the crazy things she does, but she keeps me constantly on my toes. Makenzie is running everywhere and she can open doors now and so it is all just a little chaotic sometimes but we are having fun with it all.