We are alive.

I sure haven't been in the blogging mood lately. Actually, I haven't been in the mood for much of anything. Our family is doing fine and we are having a good summer. The kids and I have been able to go camping a couple of times. Dave has had to work and hasn't been able to go with us which has been such a big bummer! A couple of weeks ago we had a ward camp-out which was great! The kids had a fun time looking for and collecting snail shells by the creek. That was the highlight for them. We all had a good time and the ward was so awesome at helping me with the kids. Last weekend the kids and Iwent camping with my friend Becky R. She has a nice camp trailer that has everything; a sink, toilet, AC, cook stove, couches, etc. She found a nice place in Swan Valley that had a playground for the kids. We all had a great time! About 3 weeks ago we went to Lava Hot Springs and had a ball! We found a great camp spot about 1/2 a mile from the swimming pool. Lava is such a great place to swim and I know we will go again.

It's almost back to school for my kids and we have been trying to get ready. We were able to get most of their supplies the other night. We first went through their old supplies from last year which was awesome because much of it was still good. I was grateful. The girls were able to get some cute shirts, a couple of jeans, socks, and undies for school. I have mixed emotions about the kids going back to school. For one, I will miss the girls helping me with Hunter and the laundry. They are so good at helping me carry the laundry baskets up and down the stairs. My back is still bad and they are such good helpers. They are also so awesome with Hunter. Sometimes they change is bum and feed him and I appreciate them so much. They will be missed! My Slater boy will be going to kindergarted this year and I am kind of sad about that. He has been my little buddy for so long and I will miss him so much! He is such a big boy and he is getting excited to go to kindergarten. Can't believe he is old enough to go. It will be fun to hang out with Hunter, he will be my little buddy now.

Life is crazy, you know? There are so many ups and downs and sometimes the "downs" get old. I have been having a lot of experiences lately that have been helping me to see the good that is around. The last year and a half for me has been pretty difficult with some health issues but I am trying to be more positive in my attitude and trying to make the best of some situations. I have been doing a lot more reading in the Ensign, scriptures, good books, etc. Reading always helps me and I am grateful to be able to read inspiring messages. I have also had the opportunity to be a member missionary and that has been so cool. A good friend of mine is very interested in joining the church and will be taking the discussions soon. She has a blood clot in her brain and some other problems and I know that she is really thinking about her mortality. What an awesome exprience it has been to be her friend and share with her my testimony.

I have such a wonderful husband that I love and miss. He works SOOOO hard for our family and I hope he knows how much I appreciate him. Sometimes he comes home late at night after working 14 hour days and I have hardly done anything at home and I feel so guilty. He truly loves his family and takes good care of us. He does NOT like working two jobs but does it because he loves us. He is a good man and I am so lucky to have him as my husband.

I guess I have rambled on long enough. It is about 2:25 am and I am not even tired. I really should go to bed but have so much on my mind. I hope to be better at posting news of our family. I don't know how many people read this blog but I will try to do better at posting, no promises though.

Some 4th of July highlights.

We had a great 4th of July weekend with Dave's family in Utah. A pic of me and the kids at the fireworks in Kaysville. Not sure what I was doing with my mouth. Seriously, I am never in any pictures since I ALWAYS take the pictures and when I do have my pic taken I look like a dork!

The kids at the fireworks. Looks like Slater did NOT want his picture taken.

Mr. Happy Boy Hunter! He is just as happy as can be!

The kids sitting in Grandma and Grandpa Hamblin's front yard.

My beautiful girls who are growing up way too fast! They are good girls and good sisters.

My handsome husband in the middle with two of his favorite people on each side; his dad and brother.

Hanging out with cousins at the parade.

Hunter watching the parade while sitting on Grandma's lap.

It's summer time!

We are having a busy summer! Here are a few pictures that I took the last couple of months.

Emma at one of her soccer games. She had a great season and had lots of fun.

Hunter at the zoo. He loved seeing all the animals.

My sweet dad working out in his yard.

Miss Ellie sitting on a soccer ball at Nana and Papa's house.

Memorial day weekend sitting in Papa's truck drinking root beer.

Hunter's new "scrunchy" face. Love this kid!

Getting so big and sitting up like a big boy.

Miss Emma had her #9 birthday in June. We love her sweetness!

How can one not resist that face? His eyes are so big and beautiful.

Just hanging around.

School is out!

Yesterday was the last day of school for my girls. Monday was the last day for Slater. I have some mixed emotions about school being out. I am happy that the kids get a break and that they can play outside more and stuff like that. On the other hand the kids will be home ALL DAY LONG! Don't get me wrong....I love my kids very much but there are going to have to be some rules that we establish or it will make for a very long summer. I will be making chore charts and we will have to have some "down" time every day and of course the kids need to be outside. This will be our first summer in a "home" with a yard (which is still being worked on) and I want the kids to have a good time being outside. I am grateful to have this wonderful home and good kids and a hard working husband. I hope I can be patient with myself and with the kids. I have pretty touchy emotions lately due to continued health problems and I don't want to let that spoil my summer and the kids' summer. So, here's to hoping it will be a fun summer filled with good times!!!!!!

Crazy is as crazy does!

This is the after picture of the house. Dave has spent hours and hours digging out stumps and bushes. He is my hero!! Such a tough guy and so determined to get the stumps out himself. Slowly but surely the yard is coming together! Next on the list is to kill all the weeds and old grass and plant new grass.

This is the before picture of our house. There were so many trees and bushes you could hardly see the house and the back of the house was a jungle. This picture doesn't even show everything there was in the yard.

Just a little update.....

I am sorry I have been in such a blogging slump. It's just been a weird few months around here. We are all doing fine though. The kids are healthy, Dave has been working like a mad man, and I have just been trying to stay sane with some health issues. I won't even go into that. Just thinking about my health makes me crazy and frustrated.

I am loving the great weather today. It was a beautiful Sunday. We went to my cousin's homecoming talk and it was great to see family. I miss getting together with the family like we used to in the old days. I have such great Aunts and Uncles and cousins....it is always good to be around family. I truly feel blessed to have such good family.

Right now my parents are in Utah spending time with my Grandma Smith. Yesterday was her 75th birthday and oh how I wish I was there to celebrate. She is an amazing lady and I love and miss her to pieces. She is my hero and such an example to me. I love you GG!!

Last week on Mother's Day I had the opportunity to talk to my little brother who is on his mission in Mexico. It was so good to talk to him. I miss that boy! It was just great to hear his voice and know that he is well and happy. Can't wait for him to come home. He will come home to 4 new nieces and nephews.....Creiden, Riley, Hunter and Cy.

We feel so blessed as a family to be where we are right now. We have such a great neighborhood with awesome neighbors! I really feel like we live on the quietest street in IF. Our ward is so great and I love all of my new friends and neighbors. We have been working on our yard like crazy, well Dave has anyway. He has dug out by hand all of the tree stumps and old roots. Sometimes he will work on one stump for up to 4 hours. He is amazing! Our house was vacant for almost 4 years before we bought it and it was so completely overrun with trees and bushes and it looked awful! The poor house and yard just needed some TLC and I guess we are the right family to do that. It will be so great when we have the yard finished and the inside of the house painted. We love our house!

Well, I guess I ought to go feed little Hunter.......who will be 8 months tomorrow! Where has the time gone? He is growing up so fast and is such a great little guy. He has been such a joy to our family and we are grateful to have him.

I will try to post some before and after pics of the house soon. Take care and I hope to post more regularly.......we shall see!

This is blog worthy...

I lost 8 lbs. in 5 weeks!!!!!!!

Not in the blogging mood lately...sorry!

It has been such a long time since I have blogged anything. Lots of things have happened around here but I haven't felt like sharing I guess. We are all doing fine at the Hamblin house. The kids are healthy and busy and Dave is working hard as always so that I can be home with the kids. My health has still been a little up and down. I have good days and bad days and hopefully the good days will continue. In the last couple of months we have had some birthdays: Ellie's in February; Slater's in March; our anniversary in March; and Dave and I had our birthdays this month. I will post pics of the b-day people. I don't have any of myself because my friend took the pics but I will post pics of everyone else. Also, enjoy a few random pics from the las few months!

Blogging and pictures coming soon!!!