MMMM... Homemade beef jerky!

I just made at least 10lbs of homemade beef jerky using my new meat slicer and new dehydrator. Owen got them for me for Christmas and I am soooo glad that he did! I am enjoying the dried apples I did 2 days ago and now the jerky. I LOVE IT! (: Thanks Honey, I love you!

The kids found a lizard friend...

The kids were all out back this morning yelling and screaming... Owen and I went over too see what the fuss was all about. They were huddled around this bush checking out a big lizard. Duke kept it at bay trying to eat it. This little guy was really interested in all of us, cause it kept on coming up to see what we were all doing. It got really close several times. The kids just love it and now I'm sure will be outside everyday looking for their "buddy"!

Yard work-Before and After

I did some yard work in our backyard for 2 1/2 days trying to get it just right. Owen worked on the garden getting it ready for April's planting time. I'm really enjoying the looks of the finished backyard now... I'm a dork like that! (: I tried to take some before and after pictures since I knew it was going to be a HUGE project. Here they are:
Before:

After:

Before: After:

Before: After:

Before: After:

Before:

After:

These are just of the after part, since I forgot to take before pictures of this section.

Before: After:

Here is another after and no before to go along with it... Sorry!

Enjoying the warm weather... While it lasts!

While Owen and I were out in the backyard gardening, the kids wanted to get their swimsuits on and jump on the tramp with the sprinklers on. The kids had such a fun time and the weather was absolutely wonderful... Warm weather and all!

Rylee and BO still have the chicken pox. Rylee still only has the same four she's had the whole time. BO is getting new ones still, but the older ones are starting to go away which is really good. If only I can keep BO from NOT itching them so much, he shouldn't get anymore, but I doubt that will happen! Kodi still doesn't have them, but it could take up to 21 days for hers (if she gets them) to come out. We've not been letting Rylee and BO bath with Kodi, so we'll see, fingers are crossed!

Chicken pox!

So two of our three kids have the chicken pox I'm pretty dang sure! They have red itchy bumps all over their tummies, backs, bums, legs and arms... The bad thing is, the one that hasn't gotten them yet is Kodi and she hasn't had the vaccine yet! I'm hoping beyond all hopes that she lucks out and doesn't get them please, please, please! By the way Jeff... I still love you! (;

Just itchen for some campin! (:

Are whole family is dying to do some camping. Last Saturday, Rylee and BO kept telling me we needed to go "tenting" so I bought some marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers and we made some s'mores over a small fire in our backyard. Anytime Owen takes the kids on a walk around the golf course, the kids are always pointing out good tenting spots to him. Today for lunch after our morning walk, Owen pulled out the roasting sticks again and made a small fire to grill the kids some hot dogs like we do camping. Boy... I don't know how much longer we are going to be able to keep from taking the kids camping. (:

Best device EVER made (well one of them)...

I have tried telling sooooo many moms about this baby right here. It has saved me so much head ache and trips to the doctor! This device right here, tells me how severe or not severe an ear infection really is. If the kids say their ears hurt, I just stick this thing in their ear, press the button and it tells me if it is an ear infection or not! I have had mine for about 3 years now and recommend it to EVERY mom out there! I got mine at "babies R Us" for I think around $40. I am so glad that I found it and it has been used on countless occasions, it even worked on Owen! It's rather funny, cause if he says his ear is bothering him and he wont go to the doctor, I just check it and he takes care of it, doctor and all! (:

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How EarCheck® Works
The EarCheck® Middle Ear Monitor uses gentle sound waves to accurately and painlessly detect the presence of middle ear fluid, a key sign of an ear infection. This is the same patented and proven acoustic reflectometry technology used by thousands of physicians since 1997, and is a technique recommended by the American Academies of Pediatrics and Family Physicians.1Simply place the tip of EarCheck® into the child's outer ear canal and press the SCAN button; the monitor works by sending a pleasant chirping sound into the ear canal. Some of this sound bounces off the eardrum and travels back to the instrument's built-in microphone. EarCheck® then analyzes the reflected sound to determine if the eardrum is working normally. If there is fluid in the ear, the eardrum's vibrations may be restricted. The greater the fluid level, the greater the reflected sound. Within only seconds, you will be able to determine if your child has fluid in the middle ear.

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Expert Opinion
"EarCheck® Middle Ear Monitor has led to closer monitoring of middle ear effusions, fewer unnecessary office visits, decreased antibiotic use and better follow up to ensure that the effusion resolves. We have the opportunity to dramatically improve the management of otitis media by working with parents in a new level of partnership."
Alan R. Greene, MD, FAAPPracticing Pediatrician

mmm... Strawberry JAM!!!

Over the weekend, strawberries went for $1.50 a box. I couldn't pass up the amazing deal, so I took the opportunity to make my first batch EVER of jam. I am so proud. They all set up properly and tasted so wonderful. I even did it the, some what "healthy" way and did half the sugar! Owen and I both really like it. YEAH! Thanks Mom (Sheila) and Grandma Dansie for the help and the advice! (:

Princess...

Today for church, I curled the girls hair with the hot rollers. Kodi didn't like them to much, so I couldn't keep them in long enough. The only thing I had to say to Rylee to keep them in was, "Dont you want to look like a princess?"Needless to say, she kept them in and than she walked around church telling everyone that she was a princess! Kodi just had to keep looking in the mirror every 10 minutes or so. Girls!!!

Enjoying the sun shine (while it's here).

Friday, Owen and I took the kids on a little walk on a dirt trail around our neighborhood. The kids and dogs love the walk! The kids get to throw rocks off the cliffs and look for golf balls and the dogs go crazy since they don't need a leash on. Here is two quick pictures that Owen took with his phone.

(Rylee's showing us she can make "fire" with the rocks just like Sid on "Ice Age".)

BO was on the walk too, he was just running ahead of us with the dogs and didn't want to come take a picture with us!

What we've done the past 3 weeks...

Last Wednesday, the kids and I headed to Utah. We found out 2 hours before we left that we were going. I had a filling chip and fall out two weeks before that and it started giving me HUGE problems. The dentist in SLC fixed it and now I am 98% better. I still fill some pain (on no pain meds now though, so really it's just fine), it's going to take a few more days I'm guessing to be 100% up there! (: Kodi and I headed home on Friday morning and we left BO and Rylee to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for the weekend. The kids love spending time with Grandma and Grandpa Park. BO is Grandpa Jeffs "Side kick/partner in crime" and Rylee just loves to just see her Grandma Sheila. It was nice to have a weekend with just Kodi bug. There are days that I feel we don't give her enough attention. We spoiled her and took her to dinner with us and all kinds of fun things. Saturday night, I was playing with her hair and decided to put them in curlers to see if she would keep them in. She was a sport the whole time with me putting them in, she even kept them in until midnight. To tell you the truth, it was probably a good thing since the curls were so tight that she looked like one big frizz ball. By Sunday morning, the curls had relaxed a bit and her hair was adorable (I wish I would have taken a picture, but I forgot to, sorry!)!

Kodi and I picked up the kids Monday morning and BO wasn't a very happy camper to be coming home so soon. He forgot to get the chicken eggs with Grandpa that morning and no job can go unfinished with BO.

Besides the trip to Utah and the weekend with Kodi, the kids all got Bronchitis a month ago and that sucked having all three of them on antibiotics. Oh, Owens still limping on his ankle, but he tells me that is so much better and that it's really just fine (ya, right!). I'll try to post more often, I've just been so drained of all energy these past few months! YUCK!