A little behind...

Okay, so Halloween is long past and so is Shep's second birthday. I am behind!!! :> Adee and Shep were Dorothy and the COURAGEOUS Lion for Halloween and I guess you all know what that made me... the GOOD witch! :> They had a ball and I think they both thought they were very cool on their costumes, they kept looking in the mirror and smiling. Shep tried to hide his happiness with himself, but not Adee, she never does. :> Shep also turned two November 3. He is getting so big!! He can talk up a storm and he holds his own with his smart sister. He wipes my kisses of his face these days and when I ask for one he says "nope" and smiles. Love him. :> We have lots of party pics thanks to my wonderful sister in law :> so hope you all enjoy them. Ash.

Adee is 5!!!

Adee grows up more everyday - I guess that is what they are supposed to do, right? This year she is very into a book called Pinkalicious, so EVERYTHING was pink! :> She asked me to make her pinkalicious cupcakes for school and a pink princess cake out of her princess cookbook. Adee gets what Adee wants. :> We had a fun celebration this year and it is so hard for me to believe that she is 5. She is so mature and smart and witty, we love her to death. Adee also got to sing a solo in the primary program this year. She did so great! The kids sang the first two verses and then Adee sang the third verse to Beautiful Savior while the other kids hummed in the background - not a dry eye in the house. :> She stood right up to the mic. and sang beautifully, I was really wanting to hold it together so when I finally tried to take a deep breath I snorted really loudly, it was awesome!!!! I am so proud of this little girl and I can't believe that she is ours, her talents and confidence amaze me everyday. We are lucky to have her! Love you Ad's! Mom and Dad. Oh!!! I almost forgot. We also got Adee's ears pierced on her birthday. It was super! :> She was so upset after the first hole that she was ready to leave. Sam thought he would be sly and told her that if she didn't calm down and sit in the chair to get the other side done then we would just go and she would look really funny. Adee just looked up at him and said "Okay, let's go!" :> I had to be the voice of reason and pull the tough love card, it was hard to do, especially with the mall cop hovering over me. :> (apparently he was concerned about the screaming kid????) We made it through and Adee now has some pretty earrings and I have some GREAT shots of all the drama. ;> Oh yeah, and a special thanks to Lys, Luke, Jake and grandma for the fun October B-day sleepover, it was Adee's favorite part! :>

Camping Trip.

So camping is going to wait for a few more years after our last trip. The kids are just a bit young to really enjoy it, or so I am telling myself! :> We went to Phi Kappa camp ground near Sun Valley for two nights and my favorite part was when we got to drive into Sun Valley to eat breakfast at The Kneadery, yum!!! Ok, so the kids each caught a fish, and that was also fun. :> But the "let's go for a walk or a four-wheeler ride and enjoy nature" just wasn't their thing. Oh well.... maybe when they get older. :>
Sam had his 32nd b-day and I don't even think we got a cheesy picture of him. He is not like me when it comes to birthdays, silly, silly man. :>
Adee started her second year of preschool and is loving it, she can't wait to get home to do her homework, let's hope she stays that way FOREVER!
Now we are into my favorite part of the year. I love fall soooo much! YAY! Hope you are all doing well! :>

From Dillon to West Yellowstone and LOTS in between!

We went with Sam to work in Dillon and then took a drive over to West Yellowstone for a few days. Good times. :> Dillon has a great Patagonia outlet, but not much else, so that is all I have to say about that leg of our trip. :> The drive from Dillon to West was very pretty. We stopped in Silver City and took a train ride up to another ghost town which I can't remember the name of. It was quite neat, there is one street that is completely preserved with all the old shops and items that were in them, and a GREAT candy shop that Adee and I enjoyed. :> We got to our hotel around nine and let me just tell you DO NOT trust the ratings on Hotels.com, they lie - flat out. :> Our hotel was rated 3.5 stars and to sum it all up I'll let you know that I had to shower with my thongs on, it was TERRIBLE!!! Stagecoach Inn - no thanks!!!! We went through the park and saw all the animals and Old Faithful - our car about got plowed over by a buffalo who was not going to let us block his path - so Sam finally decided we better get out of the way - and made it through a few crying spells from Shep who was tired of the whole trip. :> It really was good times all in all. :> Shep also got his big boy haircut, which was sad for me and happy for everyone else (picture overload, by the way). He sat so still in the chair and I think he actually enjoyed it. He looks sharp, I must admit. Onto more summer adventures. :> Ashlee.

Brahms' Lullaby

Yes, Adee dances, and she is actually very good. I know. She must get that from her dad????? Because we all know, I have no rhythm. :> This year the dance was to Brahms' Lullaby and it was a ballet. Adee came on stage and immediately started scanning the audience to find us - while nailing all her dance steps mind you. :> She did an awesome job and since I am "that" mom I yelled "good job Adee" as soon as the dance was over and she yelled back "thanks mom!!" Seriously, so cute! It made me cry, of course! :> She loved taking pictures in her costume and she even threw in some ballet positions for your viewing pleasure, don't ask me which ones - because I have no idea. :> Enjoy. Sam and Ash.

April Fun.

We had a busy Easter this year, but as always it was fun. We got to see almost all of our family and that was nice. We went to Porter's baby blessing and then had dinner at Todd and Raelynn's, headed out to see grandma and grandpa Colleen as Adee calls them, then went to Sam's grandma's house for an Easter Egg hunt and more food. Adee was in heaven. :> I love Easter, it seems like no matter how bad the weather is up until then it is always nicER on Easter Sunday. :>
I turned 31 in April, and I kept telling everyone that I was 28, again. I am a firm believer that on your birthday you should do whatever you like and that it should be all about you (hence my birthday theme song :>)- I mean really, how many times a year can we do that? :> I think Sam has come around to my way of thinking and he says that I basically have a birthday month. Works for me. :> My dad and Colleen took the kids and Sam and I had some time alone, it was nice to have a dinner that we actually got to eat, not to mention the uninterrupted conversation. :> After the kids had gone to bed and we were in our pj's Sam decided to remind me exactly how old I was with a big 31 shaped out of 31 candles on my birthday cake. Thanks Sam. Good thing he will ALWAYS be older than me. :> We are looking forward to summer and can't wait for the warm weather. Hope all is great. Ash.

Updates, Updates!

So, we have been doing some fun stuff. I, however, do not have any pictures of it. booo.... me! One of my friends asked me if I had been using my high tech camera to take lots of pictures of my kiddos and the answer is no, and now I feel guilty, so be prepared for a picture overload in the next few months. :>
We all went to Salt Lake a few weeks ago and Adee and I braved Disney on Ice while Sam and Shep looked at Harleys and ate lunch at Dick's Sports Bar. (What a boy thing to do.) Sam said that Shep had the waitress wrapped around his finger - I guess I can't leave those two alone for to long! :> Adee LOVED Disney on Ice, but apparently the production team that puts on these things has failed to notice that there is a SLIGHT economic downturn these days. :> We paid $4.00 for a drink, $6.50 for a pretzel, $10.00 for a snow cone and $16.00 for a SNAPSHOT with a plastic Mickey and Minnie! A little spendy, but the picture of Adee grinning ear to ear was so dang cute, that it made it all well worth it!
We also took a trip to Boise so that Sam could watch March Madness with his highschool buddies. They had a good time and I am glad that they can all get together and hang out, it is good for those boys! Adee and Shep and I did some shopping, sledding and relaxing up on the hill. ;>
The pictures that I DO have posted are of Shep enjoying his first Oreo, and of Adee and Shep eating an early Easter treat. I know, not so entertaining, but pictures all the same. I just have to say that I am so grateful for my kids and for Sam. I love them so much and do not know what I would do without them. I think I am FINALLY starting to slow down and enjoy the SMALL stuff. It does not always have to be a huge trip or something really exciting in order for it to be fun or memorable. Sometimes the ordinary things can really make you realize how lucky you are. Adee is such a good example of this for me, she gets excited over EVERYTHING, and it is great for me to learn from her. Love you all and hope you are doing well! :> The Butler's

Training Website

Okay ladies - here it is, http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm - scroll down to the bottom and it will give you a print option, print it - and GET RUNNING!!! I really like these training schedules, they gradually build up and all of a sudden you are running 10 miles! I used his program with the 6.2 mile race, and liked it. :> Keep me updated on how everything is going for you! It is a 12-week program, but I think it is good to give yourselves a few weeks of cushioning just in case you get hurt or sick or anything like that. ENJOY!!! :> ALMOST forgot - register and pay ($85.00, which is not to bad for a good event) at http://www.seejanerun.com/t-See-Jane-Run-Half-Marathon-and-5K.aspx!

OKAY, it's a half marathon!!!!

June 20th, in Boise. Who wants to join me, the date gives us plenty of time to train, and this event is sponsored by See Jane Run. It is a GREAT store and it is also a race for the cure! This is an all woman’s event along the green belt and totally flat. They will have chocolate and champagne at the finish line, not to mention massages! :> I think it will be a fun race, and if you are going to run 13 miles you might as well have chocolate waiting for you, right???? Who's coming with me??? Come on ladies, See Jane Run's motto is - "If you can run a mile you can run a marathon!" :>

8 BLISSFUL years!!! :>

Yes, it has been eight years. :> So does that mean we are officially over the 7-year itch, or is there another scratch that is coming up? Just say no, that is what I want to hear!
I hope it just keeps getting better. It seems like over the years Sam and I have learned to understand and work with one another more and more. I joke with him that we are a TEAM, and that we both need to make sure we are being good players. Sounds lame, but it really is true, and boys tend to relate to the whole "team concept" much better than the whining about feeeelings. :> (I do plenty of that, too) Anyway, Sam is a good man. I have no doubt that he was made just for me, and I know how lucky I am that I found him. Here's to many more anniversaries, Love ya babe! Ash.
Okay, I added the picture after the post.:> Yes, we were cool, and YES full eyebrows were in back then so PLEASE no comments on the size of ours, and NO, I am not sure why I am sitting like that. ENJOY! Yes, that is OUR song playing also....ahhhh! :>

MERRRRRYYYYY Christmas!!!!!!!

Wow, I am behind! We had a great Christmas. Adee and Shep got a Gator and they LOVE it - but it has been parked until spring because my walls and trim and doors can't take much more! :> I got some really cute outfits for the kids to wear to church and when I sent Shep out in his Sam said "That there's an R.V." (line from Griswalds) and Shep was reffered to as cousin Eddy the rest of the day. I did not agree, Shep totally pulled of the plaid pants! :> It seems like Christmas was forever ago and I can't even think of anything fun to write! It was a good Christmas, and hopefully you all had the same!
Now that the Holidays are over it is time to find things to look forward to until it gets warm.......... anyone have any good ideas!!!???? I am already done with winter.
On a side note, we got in the car the other day to meet Sam for lunch in Idaho Falls and Adee asked me if we could have a little Johnny. Yes, Johnny Cash. She has great taste in music. :> So, I got to listen to Ring of Fire and Get Rythm about 60 times. (She said they were her favorite songs and they had good beats. :>) Funny girl.
Stay warm everyone, hopefully I will get better at keeping this thing updated! Ash