THE REASON FOR THE PRIVACY

So hello there - close friends! Wow, I feel like I can be so much more open and friendly now...

Anyways, so here's the reason(s) I went private.

To make a LONG story short, I know someone - who knows someone who - was saying some stuff about where they like to spend their time on her own blog one day, the next day she was found killed in that very place... It kind of scared me, but it wasn't the only reason.

With my Food Storage blog being rather "big" I feel the need to take a couple precautions. I have almost 6000 fans on my facebook food storage fan page, and 20,000 on the email list. Just in case ONE of those people are kinda crazy, I'd rather protect my families identities a little more. I know someone could easily find us if they really wanted to, but just in case... I'm making the pictures of my ever so incredibly cute children a little more difficult to find.

Also, I often find myself being a little guarded in what I write because I don't know who is reading it. I write for my own memories because I'm getting my blog turned into a pdf, or book each year.... because of that I would rather be a little more open - If it's just my friends reading it, I don't care- I'm not THAT private of a person... but strangers?

So there you have it... My reasons/excuses. I hate that it's even an issue - but I've been almost about to do this for a long time... so here I am...gone private.

GOING PRIVATE

For real- I'll post about why after I make the plunge. I'm not sure anyone reads this other then Kayla, Andrea, and my mom anyways, but I write the blog for me anyways- so that's ok.

If you are an old friend or a new friend that reads this and wanna keep reading- please email, or facebook message me your address - I don't mind sharing - Hey if you are reading this I probably read your blog and some of your friends blogs too- so don't be shy :)

4TH OF JULY

By the 4th of July we are always really tired around here. It's always right in the middle of our hockey camps which is the way busy season for us. This year we tried to keep it a little low key, just to catch our breath. We spent Saturday around our house and went to a local carnival. It turned out really fun. Tyler had a blast riding rides. I had fun people watching -seriously- some people that go to those things... Chase enjoyed the stroller ride. Jeremy resisted trying to do the milk jug game (where you have to throw some hard ball and hit the jugs down). He said, I'll just throw my back out and not even win anyways. All and all it was a fabulous day.

Then Monday we went to Aunt Irene's house for a family packed night of swimming and visiting with Gary and Anita's family who were in town. Love them. Tyler loved swimming and the red popsicles.

SICK CHASE

Baby Chase is sick. It's sad, sad, sad. He'll be okay. Doctor said to wait it out. I feel so bad for the little guy.

ROSCOE

This is one of Tyler's little friends. He really likes playing with him, and they play great together. The reason for this picture, Tyler took it himself - what did I say awhile back. He's a little photographer.

PACA TANS (GRANDPA STAN)

Little Tyler has started Weiss Tech Hockey this summer. We let him come on the ice in the corner with his personal coach. The coach happens to also be his Grandpa Stan, whom he calls Paca Tans. It's been really cute and fun watching Tyler learn to skate. He gets bubble gum from Grandpa when he works "super hard". I think it probably brings back good memories for Jer and Stan both from when Stan taught Jeremy hockey as a kid. It's a really cute thing to watch. I almost had to make Tyler skip hockey the other day, and he threw a fit at me and said, "BUT PACA HAS TO TEACH ME TO SKATE!" I had no choice but to take him anyways. Then when I was taking off his skates, he got really mad at me for not doing it like "Paca Tans". SO cute.

LIFEJACKET

TOO bad it's way too big.

MARTHA STEWART

I make homemade whole wheat bread 1-2 times a week. Homemade pizza crust usually once a week (100% whole wheat), and whole wheat buns for sandwiches. Where's my prize?

KATE'S VISIT

Kate, Andrea's friend from Toronto came and it was so fun to see her. She is like a little sister to me. She played Rugby, even when my real sister Andrea wouldn't... ahem ahem. Anyways, I'm pretty sure we may have driven her to a life without children with these 4 cutie's shenanigans, but it was fun to see her and have her meet our kids anyways! hehe. Notice Chase and Livia's faces on the second picture. Priceless.

FATHER'S DAY

We went to Jeremy's dad's house for Father's day this year (we did my dad's celebration the next day in the canyon - no pictures)... Lori made a huge feast and Jeremy and I were going to eat healthy, till the Strawberry shortcake came out and I lost it! IT'S GOOD OK!

It was a fun day. I'm not the sappy type on a blog type, but I guess it's standard to fill in how awesome of a Father your husband is ... here.

Jeremy IS an awesome dad.

Most kids don't get their dads around as much as my boys do, and they love it and I DO too. Jeremy helps get the boys showered and fed every morning. He is so good working with Tyler at hockey, gymnastics and all sorts of feats of physical strength. I am really lucky to have Jer as the daddy to my sweet little boys. I really do love my little family. We have a good life.

FINISHED

BASEMENT! AHHHHHHHHH insert breath of fresh air here. Excuse the pictures being in reverse order.

TOWER OF SUPERHEROES

This is a regular lego project around here. We build up a super cool tower of legos, place all the super heroes on it, and watch as they fight all the bad dudes. The best part of that all now though- is it goes on in the basement! Finished pictures coming soon.

BIG MUSCLE SPIDERMAN

Our friend and neighbor noticed Tyler's suit was a little old and small and gave us this super cool Spidey Suit! Tyler calls it his muscle one. He wears it around the house when he wants to feel super strong and powerful. He still wears the ratty old one to gymnastics though. It makes him more agile and spidey like I guess - Oh well -

BASEMENT PROGRESS

The undies painter. He did a good job and listened very well to Grandma Celine and I.

GIRLS AREN'T SO BAD

This is Tyler playing with Jeremy's cousin Vanessa's daughter Kaylee. Usually Tyler doesn't like girls his age that much because he's not allowed to wrestle or tackle them. He likes 6 year old girls because they are motherly and cute or something, but girls his age- not so much. Anyways, we had their family come over when Matt was in town and we had a lovely Sunday. I made pizza and we ate, visited, and just had fun!

CHASE...8 MONTHS

So I haven't been good at doing those milestone updates on Chase. I am sort of keeping track though - he sleeps better then Tyler and moves less. It's all relative right.

Anyways, he turned 8 months last month and he is just so full of love, and charm.

-The first 6 months or so, Chase mostly slept, cuddled, and smiled. It was BLISS.

-When he turned about 6.5 months he woke up to the world and started wiggling like crazy. ----You can't even barely hold him before he tries to jump out of your arms.

-He started crawling at 7 months.

-He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES solid food. If he could only eat french fries all day, he would be in heaven (but then again so would his mother).

-As soon as we moved him into his own room with a crib, he slept through the night. About 7 months - we debated for a long time how to do this because Tyler would probably jump in a crib and love him a little too much. Finally we decided the pack and play in our room just wasn't big enough for him and we were waking him up, so we put Tyler in a toddler bed in our room, and gave Chase his own room. We figure Tyler is already a lost cause at sleeping so why wreck the good sleeper (there is about a LOT of history behind this all, so don't judge me ;)

-He thinks Tyler is just about the funniest person in the world. Some mornings when Tyler walks into the room, Chase just starts belly laughing at the site of him.

We love this guy to pieces and he fits perfectly into our family. We often say he's the balance we really needed around here. He's just so easy going and loveable.

BEFORE JAMES

Before Jodi had her baby, we took her kids for an evening so she and Mike could have one last date without an infant... If you've had a baby, you know how hard it is do to anything the first few months... The kids had a lot of fun, and nobody cried.

GRAINS

I had a problem... I'm starting to use lots of grains in my cooking other then just wheat, brown rice and oatmeal.... I have it under control now, but I'm afraid I am going to start branching out in the legumes department too... And I still have some of these baggies left... hehe

HIGH CHAIR

Big enough for a big boy seat. Tyler and Chase BOTH squeeled with delight!

NURSING

Andrea and I were feeding our babies next to each other. We looked down and this is what we saw. Cute. YES- mine is the one with chunky legs- some things kids get from their parents.