Chicken with my head cut off

This week has seriously been C-R-A-Z-Y. We've had a million things going on. In some ways it is kind of nice because the week goes by fast but in some ways its tough because something gets left out. Here are a few pictures from our 2nd trip of the week to Explora...

WOOPS! Extra photo. Grandpa getting some snugs from the boys

hinks self portrait
Can you spot somebody peaking out the window? And yes we put this together and yes the roof didn't fit. LOL

Can you spot 2 window peekers?

We had a beehive planning/leadership training pancake party on Saturday. We had a great turn out and it went AWESOME! The girls are so great. I am very impressed with them. We got some fun things planned and since I do not have permission to put their faces on the internet I will not put any pictures of them up. But when I was driving them all home they wanted to do Chinese Fire drills... Oh it took me back to when I was a beehive. Here are a few pictures of the fire drills but the girls really can't be seen much.

Is war really worth the cost?

So I started this post this morning and entitled it is war really worth the cost? The outcome now of this post is completely different then what it was going to be. I was so angry this morning. I had cried myself to sleep last night (I officially think that is the only time in my life that I truly cried through the night) I hated the fact that Troy was gone. I am tired of being alone. I am tired of hearing these stories of war. The horrible things that happen to people (get blown up, loose their eye sight, loose their spouse, loose their sanity) you name it I have seen it with this deployment and we are only half way through it! I am tired of consoling my 4 year old as he is sobbing in the middle of the day or night saying he misses his daddy. I get infuriated when people spread rumors about families who are going through this deployment. I am tired of getting these promptings that I need to get on my knees and pray for my husbands safety. Yes even in the middle of the shower!

Okay now that I have gotten that out of my system... If you were to ask me this morning if war was worth the cost I would have said with a great big HECK TO THE NO. Ask me tonight? Yes I do. I've had a change of heart in the last 10 hours. Thank you to a sweet Young Womens leader who was inspired today. THANK YOU THANK YOU!

I hate you KNEE, I HATE YOU!

Well, it has been 4 weeks since I went for my last run. It hasn't been 4 weeks since I went to the doctor... BUT it has been 4 weeks since my last run. SO... I decided to go for a run. I got up the hill to start the run and I was so PUMPED for this run. I started jumping up and down and clapping my hands. Well, I was just doing great until I hit my infamous mile marker 1. By the time I got to 2 miles my knee gave out and I was done. I was devastated. I came home kicking the rocks and cursing my knee. OH BLASTED KNEE! Sometimes it feels like it needs to pop but I can't pop it. UGH! So frustrating... ANYWAY... I guess its time to look into other cardio options.

One crazy week

Man we've had a crazy busy week. It all started on Sunday when I had 2 different meetings at church, church (3 hours), and home teachers over. We have been on the ground running ever since.

Wednesday by far has been our busiest! We started it off by going to Explora (we now have a year long pass there too). Its a children's museum. We met up with my friend Emily and 2 of her 3 kids. Emily has truly been a dear friend to me since we moved her! She reminds me so much of my bff Melanie. Anyway, my boys fell asleep on our car ride home and so we all took naps when we got home.

I love this picture of my baby

Both my boys could have stayed in this spot for hours. They love taking things apart and putting them back together.
Chandler and his car
Hinks friend Ian
Chandler grumpy (hence the granola bar)
The craft room Hinks other favorite place
My craft... LOL!

He was one tired boy.

After our short naps we were up and running to karate. Hinckley had another tip test. He did fantastic! This was Mr. K doing his tip test. He is a little ahead of the rest of the kids because he started before the other ones.

This is Hinks with MRS. Z. He loves karate!
Another picture of MRS Z and Hinks

This is his test This is actually get the tip

We had an hour between karate and New Beginnings (that is a program for the young women I am in charge of). So we ate dinner and did baths. Of course Chandler decides it would be awesome to poop in the tub! I was trying to get everything cleaned up and the kids ready and myself. You think an hour would be long enough but not with 2 kids!

Rough Morning

Man we've had a rough morning so far! So I decided to take 10 minutes to blog and remind myself how blessed I am.

We have a year long pass to the zoo/aquarium and botanical gardens in town. So we went on Saturday and saw our friends the Talleys. We enjoyed it!

We went to the farmers market before the zoo and had snow cones. Yes snow cones in February! Thats why my sons face is stained blue.



We got to watch the diver feed the HUGE lobsters

Monday was President's Day and Grandpa had off from work. I de cluttered my closet while Grandpa and the boys put the new screen on the back door and the outdoor table together.

Chandler thought he was a big helper

I found this jacket on clearance at target. I LOVE IT!
Hinks being a rock star... Maybe thats what I need to get a little pick me up is to have a dance party. Do you notice Hinks underwear hanging out? I guess he is a true rockstar.

This is Chandler doing his FHE job. Passing out the maracas.

We ate yummy smores for FHE with these Valentine marshmellows.
Of course we used reese's peanut butter cups

YUM-O!

Brag

Okay so really I have the most amazing husband in the world. 1 he is FREAKING HOT! 2 he is so in tune to what I need. 3 He is a spiritual giant 4 He really isn't afraid of much, his one and only thing he is afraid of is our little secret : ) 5 He constantly amazes me with his love and support. Oh and the list could go on and on....

One thing I do every year on Valentine's Days is write 101 things I love about Troy. Some are repeats from previous years but most of them are things that we have discovered and done in the last year. It really is amazing how if you sit down and count your blessings how much more abundant they are. I did something else special for Troy this year... I did 3 different slideshows put to music for him. One entitled US (just pictures of us and the last 6 years), one entitled BABY #1(pics of hinks) and one entitled BABY #2 (all about Chandler). It was very emotional putting it together to reflect on the last 6 years and to see how far we have come. The songs I chose to put in the slideshow were ones that have deep sentimental meaning to us. I have to say it turned out FANTASTIC. Far beyond what I expected and really worth the time I took to put them together.

Anyway Troy made the day apart (by the way we have only spent 2 valentine days together in our whole relationship) very special. He wrote me the SWEETEST 5 page love letter. I cried and cried reading it. I got a dozen red roses and yummy chocolate dipped strawberries.

Anyway, he also sent me this video of him in Iraq. Seriously my husband is amazingly strong. When you view this video keep in mind what he is moving it is called a MRAP, go ahead and google it. It weighs 14 TONS! That is 28,000 pounds! Guess who won the pull competition? YES, my shredded husband thats who! Here is a video of it. And I am not sure what the big boom is at the end but I think they were at the airport.... I dont know. But seriously check out my husbands BUFF ARMS. UGH... So hot!