Sage's 3rd Snow White Party

Sage's third birthday party was a blast. It was a lot of work but that is how I do things. Stressful. Everyone around me is like "why don't you go to costco and get some cake, balloons and paper plates? "
That just makes me cringe to think about. I know that works for most people and I just can't do that. Things have to be handmade and unique and different, and I am not sure what I did without pinterest. So many cute ideas. I haven't thrown sage a party before because we didn't have family and because it wasn't worth the stress when she wasn't really old enough.
Sage loves all princesses and she is a bit obsessed. She also would rather dress up as a princess than play with a princess doll or barbie. I don't mind it because I love growing up loving disney and I think it is so fun for little girls. but I hate when girls want to dress up for halloween as princesses and princess parties because they are princesses everyday. I think the same thing about zion and his batman.
I really wanted to do a magician themed party because she loves Sofia the first and she loves the magic and Cedric. but I priced a magician and it was just not in our budget at the time. I loved talking with sage about what colors and what cake she wanted and sage was really into her party.
So I was excited about sage's party because I chose Snow White themed and sage was currently obsessed with snow white. I bought her a darling dress from Zulily and I based the entire party around that.
The colors were red, yellow, and blue and I did a woodland theme for a more "snow white and the huntsman."
And I need to thank over and over again my friend Natalie because she drove down to make Sage's party absolutely perfect. She dressed up as Rapunzel for us because she had the costume from a halloween a while back and I thought of her for sage's party. I didn't care what princess it was because I mean, it doesn't matter to sage.
So I had sage in her beautiful snow white dress I bought and when she made her grand entrance she wore her sofia dress she got from grandma. She still looked absolutely darling but it kind of threw off the theme. but when I took pictures of her with rapunzel they turned out so perfect.
right before rapunzel got there someone was yelling to me that sage got stung by a bee! I ran inside and put some clay on her foot and wrapped tape over it. Sage is such a trooper she stopped crying and felt better quickly to enjoy her party. when we went back out rapunzel was there to greet her and her face was priceless. she wouldn't leave her side the whole time.

 

Rapunzel was such a hit! The girls and boys loved her. Even Zion and that is saying something. They all talked about her for days afterwards. I know there are party rentals that you can hire a princess and they can be pricy so I am really grateful for her. 

We also had a "party crasher" that we had no idea who the kid was. And he was stalking Rapunzel the whole time. I kind of felt bad for her but she thought it was funny. 

Food

I thought really hard about the food. because I wanted it to be snow white.

of coarse I had candied apples because you can't have a snow white party with out apples. We went on a hike with the kids to find the sticks and we made them a couple days before and just covered them.

we did deli sandwiches to make it super easy. and I got the idea from pinterest to do the veggies in a cup.  

 I loved the milk bottles for the drinks but there wasn't enough. next time I will make sure we have a lot of paper cups on hand as well.

balloons, plates, and straws were from zurchers party store. I like them because they have every color you can imagine. 

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The party hats I handmade and they really weren't worth it.  I got some felt and made the hats with the kids. the pom poms were the worst part because I hand sewn them on. The idea behind these were the "dwarves" and they would be running around in their cute little hats. I was trying to save time so I didn't go buy stretchy string just regular and that is what made them so hard to stay on. so they were cute anyway!

the bean bag game was really fun for all ages 

I wish I would have got more pictures of the centerpieces because they were super magical and fun. We had vases with flowers and owls and bunnies. I wanted to light candles but thought it would be a bit dangerous with the kids. and also cans of popcorn for snacking on too. 

My husband didn't like this idea because he had to do it. but I found some hay bales for about $6 a piece. they were originally going to be tables for the kids to eat at, but they turned out to be seats and it was better because there wasn't many places to sit. so we threw out some blankets in front and it was a good way for socializing.

 The cake was absolutely beautiful. Better than I would have thought. I had cody's sister Kristie make it because she is a talented chef and she is such a sweetheart for doing it for her. For some reason I thought that she was going to make cupcakes too so we would have some to pass out so I didn't make any. I thought we would have a bunch of angry sugar seeking children that we wouldn't have enough cake. My husband is such a good daddy and goes into the kitchen and looks up a recipe and makes home made cupcakes in about 30 minutes. The kids loved them and they were hopped up on sugar with blue covered mouths.

sage's blue covered mouth and worn out from her evening of turning 3.

Uinta Mountains Oct 2014

Every post I always say...."I need to get around to blogging more." and again...I hate blogging because computers are not my friend. but I will post about our hike to the Uintas because it was a long drive and very beautiful up there and it is worth sharing. I live-eat-breathe for mountains and I feel like I am trapped if I do not get to be elevated. It is so important for me I can't even describe it. I am so happy to be back in my element and have lots of adventures with the kids in Utah. When we moved here I spent money on camelbaks, hiking shoes, a baby carrier, and all the essentials for adventuring. I plan on getting a huge collection and force my kids to go. Although I don't have to because they love the mountains just as much as me. We have drug them through hot Zion national Park hikes and freezing hikes and they are always good sports and never complain.

I was trying to go to a lake called Dean's Lake that I went to in High School but I had no idea where it was and I think it is a couple hour hike. So I googled easy hikes for kids in the Uintas and everyone said that Ruth Lake was an easy fast hike to a great lake. 

So I packed lunches and off we went. We got a little lost at first because it's been a while since I've been there but we found the canyon and we got to drive a long long way until we got to Ruth lake. We got to enjoy all the gorgeous fall trees and colors and then when we didn't see anything but pines and snow I knew we were going to be high up. we had a few jackets and hats in the car so fortunately we were some what warm. 

When we got to the lake it was so fun but very quickly turned freezing cold and had to run back down. I was holding Raelyn close to me for warmth because I was so worried about her but as I was running down the hill the bouncing must have been relaxing because she fell asleep. I wasn't trying to be careful at all, but she dozed right off. 

We got some good pics and good times and drove home. We knew we wouldn't make it before dark through the canyon so we stopped in heber at a little cafe and got some soup and scones. It was a good day and I hope that we have many more like that. We left all the other stuff behind and for a couple hours we had nothing to worry about but getting up and back down the mountain. Things have changed since we have had kids, and at times I feel like my life is over. No boarding, no long hiking trips, no camping or traveling anymore. It is only a very short while that they are tiny and pretty soon they are hiking along side you and you can teach them. Soon you realize they are wiser than you and you need to learn from them. It is quite an adventure. 

Zion Hiking Trip

I am trying to blog more and will eventually get around to it but I will share with you our Zion trip.

Cody goes Turkey hunting every year and I don't think its fair. If I want to go do anything I have to drag 3 rug rats with me with one on my boob 8 hours a day and I don't get to "get away." So I have always told Cody that I don't mind if he hunts as long as he takes the family camping throughout the year. He still hasn't done that but now that we are living in Utah I am going to make everyone hike/camp whether they like it or not.

Cody's friend from Vegas and his dad were going to Zion Canyon and he wanted to take the opportunity to see them. We left Thursday and stopped to fish for a couple hours. It was a bad time of the day and we didn't catch anything.

we got to the camp late and it was getting dark. Both the kids were getting scared and Zion was asking about bears and giant skunks getting us. Then it got Sage scared. Cody is trying to put up the tent and I am building a fire with one hand and Holding Rae in the other hand. We are trying to make hot dogs and chili and everything is just going wrong and the kids are screaming. Our propane light wasn't working, and our flashlight we got the wrong batteries. Then we went to play a movie for the kids with our new laptop and realized it doesn't have a CD/DVD spot. We finally get the kids to sleep and it is FREEZING. Cody said he was fine because he slept next to a dangerous propane heater.

 

 

The next morning we took the kids hiking on just a little trail but I was very impressed with both of them. Zion is a great little hiker and he wanted to go farther and farther. We finally had to turn back and Sage was a good sport until she got tired. then we had to carry her for a bit.

 

       Zion was named after this National Park

Zion National Park

 then we stopped at the river to cool and it was really pretty. We realized though the water was not flowing well. There will be a drought and we are planning on getting our water storage ready.

 

 

 

then we went to a couple fun little souvenir shops and got some ice cream.

We got back to camp and cooked some potato stew and relaxed and enjoyed the evening.

 

"Roughin It Rae"

 

view from our tent in the morning, I thought it was cool.

and SUPRISE Grandpa Blaine rought Great Grandpa Bushell's old 4 wheeler. We were excited to try it out. The kids weren't being very good so we drove around for a bit and them packed up our stuff.

 

Blaine said that he doesn't really have room, and he won't be driving the 4 wheeler in Las Vegas so he is letting us have it. I am so stoked because I have never owned a toy like that. It will be really fun to go cruising around the canyon with it every now and then. and I plan on buying a small trailer for our family to use because we will use it a lot. and bring along our little 4 wheeler to play on.

                                                        til next time....

There will be calmness after the storm

I decided to write in my blog because I don't remember when the last time I can say that my life has been HARD, and I just need to vent I think.
I had a  wonderful experiencing giving birth  to Rae Rae, Even though it was an unforgettable one it was very stressful. I am a hobbit always looking for the next adventure and Cody knew I was going to plan something. I tried to hold off until I couldn't any longer and told him it was time to move. He didn't like the idea at first, but the more things happened Cody realized that it was finally time to leave Las Vegas. That is usually how it goes with us. I am pulling and dragging him into big leaps but he is the one who always has the final say.
I was so happy that he agreed that we could move. I was a packing maniac. While cody was working away in Laughlin I was stressed because I would be alone with the three kids.
To pass the time I was constantly organizing, cleaning, and the house looked amazing when I was done. It was ready to show and we called our realtor who is our dad's friend who did real estate in Utah. It was exciting to find a realtor that was perfect for us at the perfect time. We had the goal of getting our house sold by spring, so she gave us suggestions to work in the house to make it sellable. We decided to put it on the market and that same day we got our first offer, and it was a full price.
I didn't think it would take long but that quick was amazing. She also said she was willing to pay full price if we were willing to move out quickly, as soon as the day of closing. That panicked us and we countered with five days after closing. So as of right now we have until March 5 to move.
Cody tells me that he can see two more weeks of work in Laughlin. I did not want to be alone for that long so I decided to drive up with the three kiddos to utah to spend time with my family and also look for a house to rent. It was supposed to be a happy time of laughter and friends, and then the kids got sick.
The kids have been getting sniffles all summer but this was full blown flu with throwing up and croup cough. I was up all night with Zion, then sage, then zion again, then sage, then raelyn got a stuffy nose, and them ME. I cleaned up lots of throw up. I think the last time I got the flu was when I was pregnant with Sage, and don't remember the time before that, maybe even in high school. And all during this time of all of us sick I went and looked for houses to rent, and also signing and emailing papers long distance to our realtor. And trying to keep up on my knitting and shirt orders.
It was kind of discouraging after the first week when I couldn't find many houses to rent with dogs. I started calling houses and asked if they would allow dogs and they would yell NO. I saw a few that were either too dumpy, too far away, not a fenced backyard for Rosco, too pricy, rooms were so awkward and small that I didn't know where I was going to put my kitchen table, or if my mattress would even fit. Then the second week I was ready to live in a trailor park because there was just no where. I asked Cody if he was willing to have his dad babysit Ross so we could have a place to live and he said out of the question.
By the end of the two weeks I was so exhausted and living out of a suitcase with three kids was extremely frustrating. During that time other family members were also going to life changing and hard situations as well so it all added to it.
We drove home without any houses lined up and joking about being homeless and I should start putting holes in my clothes or shop at A&F to fit the part. I knew I wouldn't because I have lots of family who is willing to help us, but it would be frustrating trying to live somewhere for a while until we found a place. It was a humbling experience for me because it wasn't going as smoothly as I thought, and I had to be willing to take what comes.
I had my sister in law go see a house for me in American Fork and we were anxious to get in there. We had many phone interviews and applications and credit checks, and we still haven't heard back from them.
We have already been denied by three other landlords. It was like getting an slap in the face every time. I was thinking why are we not getting into anywhere? We aren't that bad of people that they wouldn't want to rent to us.
Then I realized that we have three kids and a dog. We are moving out of state so they can't meet us. Our credit is bad, but if it was good we wouldn't have this problem we would just buy a house. Cody doesn't have a job in utah yet because he is working here in vegas. I tried to explain that we will make equity on our home and will have enough to live until he gets a job. So it sounds as though we would not be able to pay rent. I was even bribing people with three months rent in advance. As of today, Still nothing.
When we got home the kids were so excited to see Cody and they were running around the house looking for him and it broke my heart. Cody calls and says that he thinks there is another couple of days of work. I said we all need to see you. He drove until midnight to come and see us for a couple hours in the morning Sunday. but he was so exhausted he slept that day and went back to work in the afternoon. I could tell he was so beat from working and it worried me a little that he was working with a lot of stress and horrible hours sometimes til 2 in the morning. He kept saying he was going to push through it and I was just trying to support him. Tuesday morning he says, you need to come get me I can't do it anymore. I was excited to hear that but was stressed on how I was going to come get him with all the kids. Bless my dad he drove me and raelyn while my mom watched zion and sage and picked him up at 10 and got home at midnight.
It was relieving that at least he was home and we would be able to move on the next step, but we haven't heard back from the appraisal and that is so stressful because this could determine if we would lose the sale or not. It isn't over until we have that money in our hands.
We don't want to start to move until we know that this person is going to follow through. When I make decisions I usually am very confident and have to convince everyone around me that it was a good one. This time I am kind of questioning it now that it isn't going as I planned. I am just praying everyday that I am just able to handle what comes and just have a roof over our heads and kids fed. Cody is fixing all the things that the inspection came back with but still just waiting on everything else and time is going by so slow.
If the sale goes through and we have a little longer in the house that solves the problem of having a place to live, but then our financial situation will be even scarier. We are becoming more dependent on that money from selling. 
 I'm not sure if the kids got sick again or if its still just lingering but they still aren't better. I know I just need to focus on them right now because they are going through this with us. I also just feel really selfish because I have been so focused on all the bad things that I am not seeing that I am not being grateful for all the help we have had. and I have neglected my church duties and feeling I need some spiritual uplifting.
I keep telling myself that this is all happening for a reason, that there is lessons to be learned and it will all be great in the end. Before all great things there is chaos before it. Hopefully we will have lots of great news soon.
We are waiting for our calmness after the storm.