Eww-wing...

Due to the ban, (read about in previous post) we have alot to catch-up on.

One Tatelyn's first day of preschool (9/5/06, I know almost a month ago) Tesse wanted "Eww-wings" Translated 2 yr old talk "earrings". She had watched the 3 bigger girls fuss with earrings when getting ready for school and decided that she wanted some also. I explained to her that you don't just "get them" but you have to have them "put in your ear" and did she want someone to do that. She insisted that she did, so after we dropped Tate off that afternoon, we headed to walmart. In the jewelry department, the manager (an older lady) said that they did pierce little ears and that she'd be happy to do it with the help of another associate. I was a little leary because she was OLD but decided to go ahead. We piced simple 24k yellow gold balls and proceeded to have Tesse sit on her dads lap. I couldn't bear to be apart of all this so I wandered around the corner to the make-up aisle. Ott held her tight in his lap and wrapped one hand on her forehead and held on as the 2 ladies proceeded to count. 1...2....before 3 I had to peak...3.. and they pierce her sweet little ears. SHE BAWLED! She cried and cried, "She huuuurt my eewr!" she bawled and pointed her accusing finger at the lady. Ott quickly took her to the candy aisle as I paid. Tesse soon returned, candy in hand and announced "it no huurt no more".

She proudly told "the wady huurt my eewr" and showed everyone her "pin-cess eww-wings" (translation "princess earrings")

The BAN is officially over..

Ok...so where have I been? Why hasn't the blog been updated? Well, because I was boycotting BLOGSPOT..that's why. "Why?" you ask. Because the adding picture thing "s*cked" thats why. I tried to upload pics like a thousand times, over and over from every computer know to man, and no luck. I uploaded some pics in the early days of the blog, but for who knows why, it was to be no more. I enlisted the help of Mindy. Even with her amazing computing abilities, no luck. I was so frustrated! Some entrys seemed "incomplete" without an accompanying photo, and if you know me at ALL, you know that I don't do anything half-a**ed. So, I said "NO MORE BLOGSPOT"

So, we come to today. Marty (our former computer guru at work) "enlighted" me on the way of the BLOGSPOT ... I uploaded my pics to "Flickr" and post the pics from there! Hooray!

My only thing now is, I read the Flickr website and I am not sure if after posting new pics, if the old ones will still show up after a month.

I guess I will cross that hurdle when it comes. For now at least, I am again "bloggin'"

Spread Your Wings..

Well, another one has left the nest. Tuesday was Tatelyn's first day of preschool. She was really excited. She had on a cute new outfit, new earrings and a My Little Pony backpack. Her school is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 1:30-3:30. I took the day off so I could take and pick her up. Ott also had the day off. At 1:15, Ott, Tesse and I drove (Tate didn't want to walk) her to school and took a few pictures of her. When I took her into her class, she found her cubby and put away her backpack and jacket. Her teacher had her find a board with her name written on it and a place for her to trace her name under it. She sat down and immediately went to tracing.



She didn't even say goodbye to me! The teacher (Miss Allison) had previously asked all parents not to stay so the kids could get use to staying at school alone. I stood there waiting, helplessly, waiting for some kind of clue from her that she loved me and would miss me. NONE. NOTHING. Ott (from outside the door) said "Are you EVER going to leave?" I suddenly started to feel panicky and my breaths started coming faster and shallower. "Are you going to kiss me goodbye?" I asked her as I bent down to the wee desk. Without lifting her eyes from her paper, she half turned her mouth and puckered up what was a sad excuse for a kiss. I stood, walked out and tossed a longing look over my shoulder. I had a strange feeling that I should go back in and get her. Just then, Tesse, her big eyes welling up with tears and bottom lip quivering said "I want Tate-Tin." It took all the strength in me to hold back what surely would have been a full blown panic attack. (Even though I have never had one, I know that that's what it would be like.) I walked back to the car with a heavy heart and sat quietly during the short trip to Walmart. I looked back into our big car that seemed sadly empty with only one lousy kid and saw Tesse, her eyes still wet, hugging her baby doll so tightly over and over again. Being the youngest of 4, she never gets the opportunity to be an "only child" and I don't think she was crazy about the whole idea of it. Over and over she hugged that doll. I think she was secretly thinking (pretending?) it was Tatelyn. Truth be told, I wanted to grab it and hug it and pretend too.

Aw, motherhood. The early days are spent hoping and longing for the day when off to school they go leaving some time and energy for yourself, but sadly, those days come too fast and you start wishing that time went a little slower and that they would stay small a little longer....

When we picked up Tate that day, she informed us that she liked school alot. She played alot and made 2 friends. Which were both boys. She told us that there are only 2 girls and the rest were boys. Well, it's official. Tatelyn Kense Vongsavath is a preschooler, no longer her mommy's (or more accurately her Pho Pho's) baby.

Spread your wings...

The "GOON"

Lagoon, or THE GOON as Tesse calls it. Saturday was our big trip to Lagoon. Since we have to buy 6 tickets, its a treat when we get to go. So we get there about 12:oo noon and right as we were entering the park, the power goes out! None of the rides are going, the automatic flushing toliets don't flush and none of the food stands are working! We decided to stick it out and see if the power would come back on since we had already invested $7.00 for parking, 45 minutes to drive there and 1 hr getting ready and braiding all the girls hair! At about 2:00 pm some on the rides were working so I took Tesse and Tatelyn to the carosel. After standing in line and watching the riders, we got to get on the ride. Tesse picked a horse and Tatelyn picked the swan.

Well, after sitting there for 20 minutes, they announced the ride wasn't working so we had to get off. I thought the girls would be upset but they just got off and wanted to ride something else.

We didn't ride alot because it took a while for the majority of the rides to run, but Ott rode a few with the bigger girls. Tahne really wanted to ride Rattlesnake Rapids. Ott, the girls and his dad rode together. They got soaked! It was hilarious! The look on Pho's face.. priceless!

Tatelyn (princess) was crying because she got wet! DUH!

Anyway, we staying until 6:00 pm and all had a great time. Because of the power outage, we can go back on a Saturday or Sunday within the next month for free.... maybe, I am not sure if I can handle more than one day of THE GOON!

OFF TO SCHOOL WE GO..

Wednesday was the first day of school for Tahne and Taylee. Because this was Tahne's first day of Jr High and Taylee's first day at her new school, I decided to take the day off just in case they needed my help.

We were a little concerned because Tahne was told that she didn't qualify for busing we lived closed than 2 miles. 1.96 to be exact. If we lived one house over than she would qualify! How dumb is that! So I told her I was putting her on the bus. We walked out to the stop and of course I have to take pictures the entire way. As the bus came, she rushed on before I could take her picture. So I yelled (for all the kids on the bus to hear) "Don't you want to kiss me goodbye?" The bus driver asked me if I wanted to get on the bus and take the picture! I said "Heck Yeah!" and climbed on the bus. Tahne was horrified. I took the picture and got off before she died of embarrassment!

Then it was Taylee's turn.

Taylee had made plans to walk to school with Rachel. Rachel lives 2 doors down and is in 5th grade. I took Tesse (in the stroller) and Tatelyn to walk the girls to school. The whole neighborhood was walking to school. There must of been a thousand kids and their moms. I guess I am the only mom who works in that neighborhood! Anyway, when we got to school, I took a bunch of pics of Tay and Rachel outside the school. I took Tay to her class and took more pics of her..and her teacher..and her sitting at her desk. She was mortified! Then I took Rachel to her class and took some pics of her. After we were through, I took Tate and Tesse to play on the playground for a while. Then we walked home. I mean I walked home pushing Tatelyn with Tesse sitting on her lap in a tiny stroller. If you know Tatelyn at all, you know that she doesn't like to walk at all. She gets "tired" after a few steps. I guess it takes alot to move that "soft bum bum."

Taylee had half day so when it was time to go pick her up, Tate and Tesse decided that they had had enough walking for the day and stayed at Pho's. I walked Tay and Rachel home. Tay told me all of her day and seemed to have a great time even though she didn't have anyone in her class that she knew. I think she'll make new friends quickly though.

Tahne came home later that "exhausted" and her feet hurt! She rambled on and on about this and that and to be honest, I don't know 1/2 of what she said. I then took her to buy ALL the things "she had to have" for school. It was an long but fun day.

Now, I just have to get though Tatelyn's "first day of preschool" on 9/5. Good luck to me!

Riding the UTA.....

So, 5 yrs of commuting has taken its toll. With 2 long yrs until the commuter rail is expected to be completed and 1 1/2 hr commute home last Thurs, I had to find an alternative. So started my UTA experience.
Some the following may not be suited for younger ears. :) Kidding.
As a 30+ yr old woman, who had never riden on a bus of any kind, not even to school, I was highly prepared with a complicated schedule printed off the internet. After much intense study and coordination of routes and times, I decided my best route would be to the Riverdale Park and Ride on the Express Bus that went non-stop to North Salt Lake in 44 minutes. Well, I left early to make sure I got to the stop on time. To my surprise the bus was already there! So I ran and got on. I sat in the front seat next to a chatty mining engineer. Needless to say, he told me EVERYTHING and I mean everything about the ins and outs of riding the bus. But seriously, talking with him made the ride really fly by and I did learn that I could buy discount tokens to ride the bus saving me $.80 a day! We then arrived in SL and he INSISTED that I take a different connecting stop than I had orginally planned. So I did. I then walked about 3 blocks to the TRAX station, and after asking several waiting passengers were the right route was at, I sat down on the bench and waited. I caught the right train and rode up to the stop by my work, and learned how to get off! SUCCESS! I strolled into work, 1 hr and 15 minutes after I had started out this morning, with a smile on my faceand welling with pride from my successful trip. I was pumped! Then my ride home.
Since the morning walk from the TRAX station to my work was less than 2 minutes, I decided to leave 5 minutes before the TRAX was scheduled at 5:02. The TRAX didn't come until 5:08! My connecting Express Bus was scheduled at 5:08 so I knew that I wouldn't make it, no problem, I would catch the next one. I got off TRAX at the Library Station this time, (everyone told me to get on here, as it was the first pick up instead of waiting for one of the last stops, which I am glad I did and you'll know why later) and walked the few blocks to the stop. I waited and realized that I was alone at the stop. SOMETHING DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT. I got out my handy dandy schedule and read the address again and realized that I was a street too far north! OH NO! I then quickly made my way down one block and then over a block where there was a large crowd of waiting passengers. OK, I am in the right place now. Just in case, I confirmed this withone of the waiting passengers. So the bus came, and I got on. The bus made alot of stops to pick up passengers, and I mean alot. I was thinking, "Man, I should have rode the TRAX farther down and got on this bus later." Well, at one of the last stops, the bus was full and the on coming passengers had to stand. At the last stop, passengers were told they would have to stand or wait for the next bus. Several of the standing people got off and said they would wait for the next bus, still 20+ people had to stand for the entire ride. Good thing I got on at the first stop. Then it started, POUND. POUND. A HEADACHE
The traffic home was bad as always. The first stop after Salt Lake was Kaysville. 1/2 the people got off there so we were there for-ever while they got off. The next stop was Layton Hills Mall, same thing. Long wait while everyone got off. Finally at the Riverdale stop, which was 15 minutes after the expected time, I got off. I got in my car thinking that wasn't so bad, 1 1/2 hrs. Then came the Riverdale/Roy traffic. It was terrible. Almost 30 mins to the house.POUND POUND. I was feeling so sick by now but I was home.
So there it is, my experience with the Public Transportion System. And guess what, I tried it again today. I decided that I would try the Layton Hills Mall stop this time because I'm going to to the gym before I go home and I didn't want to get to Riverdale and then back track to Clearfield. The interesting thing is that it took longer, about 10 minutes longer from Layton to work today even though it's closer. We'll see how it goes. I am determined to make this work.

Camping is fun...

So, this weekend we went camping in the Uintahs. We had a great time spending quality time together enjoying nature and the joys of potty-ing outside. We "rough-ed it" this time. Tent sleeping sure isn't the same as sleeping on the giant pillow-top bed in the trailer! And, there's nothing quite as enjoyable as plants tickling your fun parts as you squat to "go" and try hard not to pee on your shoes. Ott did make a make-shift outhouse for all his girls though. It was fashioned out of a camping shower stall and a port-a-potty.

We went on 2 long rides. The last one being on Saturday morning from 9:00-2:30! And these hills were rate "MOST DIFFICULT". The hills were SOO steep, going up and down. Tahne squeezed me so tight that I had a stomach ache the whole rest of the day.

This was the first time we'd seen the area since the forest fire....4 yrs ago (i think). It was sad to see the acres of burned trees. They span as far as you could see in someplaces. It really bothered Tahne because she is such a tree hugger. But even in all the destruction, new plants and trees were growing. It just proves that nature and life goes on.

We found a lot of new trail that were fun to explore. There were 2 cool bridges that we stopped at for photo ops. We saw alot of wild life, a bunny that Ott wanted to shoot. Cows that Tesse wanted to "spank" and a deer that Ott hit with a rock.

It was fun..but all good things must come to an end..so we went home and took A SHOWER. AAHH. Heaven!

This blog thing is tough...

Boy, this blogging is tougher than I had expected. It's not the actual "blogging" but trying to find time to do it. "CUTE MINDY" just got on my case for my lack of blogging, she went so far as to call my blog "stale"! :(
If you know me at ALL, you know that I have tons to blog about SO I VOW TO DO A BETTER JOB! Since I can't possibly tell you EVERYTHING that has happen.... I will sum up.
We are all busy getting the girls ready for school. Taylee and Tate will be going to the new Parkside Elem. (about 1/2 mile from our house) This will be the first time that Tay will not be bused so we have been practiceing walking.
Tahne is going to Sunset Jr this year! Go Sundevils! 7th grade... if she's old enough to go to Jr High, how old does that make me? Someone should have told me that if you have your kids young you can't lie about your age! At least not affectively! She is at the school right now learning her way around and LOOKING AT BOYS! She made me stay up all night last night "3-barreling" her hair. That girls hair is like a horse mane! It took hours! And my arms hurt! But it was worth it, she looks adorable! If only that would help her remember her locker combination!
Tesse....sweet Tesse. She is getting bigger and smarter daily. She is attempting to sleep in her own bed..kinda. She still comes in during the wee hours stating "I need to luv you" and climbs in bed. Of course she doesn't leave after the "luvin". Don't tell, but I kinda like hugging her and trying to sleep while she lays wrapped around my arm and kicks Ott in the head.
Ott... hmm. Well, he's working days right now. Monday through Thursday. Other than the early mornings, he says he's liking it. I know he enjoys the evenings with us. WHO WOULDN'T! Hot meals and TV! I know the noise of all the kids and the constant chaos is something you have to get used to. I don't like how it has totally messed up or night time routine but I guess it's worth it :) The whole routine was set to change anyways with school starting next week.
Work....What more can be said about that subject. Only new thing is that we ( I am talking about the Techs) got a new BOSS. Jeremy. Obviously, he's a guy. He seems ok...hey he brought us do-nuts yesterday..but it is still early.
Well, I think that's enough for now. CUTE MINDY is probably starving and waiting to go to lunch. I brought Stir Fry noodles THAT SHE MADE ME COOK AT 8:30 LAST NIGHT after I got home from the gym and went to buy the stuff to make it. I don't really care though as I would make anything that PREGO wanted to eat. More Later!

WOW..A BLOG!

BLOG..BLOG..BLOG.
My cute friend Mindy introduced me to THE BLOG! After reading hers, I was compelled to BLOG! So many funny little things happen daily that I knew I could find many a thing to write about.

So here I go.....entering the realm of THE BLOG.