So, where have I been?

I can't really figure out why I haven't found the time to sit down and touch the daily blog, except for the following 14 reasons (one for each day that I didn't blog.)

1. PORTRAITS - We were SOOOO overdue for our semi-annual picture adventure to the local photo places. I try and go every May/June (for the girls' birthday pics and four-kid update) and then again in September/October (for the boys' birthday pics and our family holiday picture.) So, it HAD to get done before we left. I headed to portrait innovations and got pics of the girls in their Easter outfits, Mackenzie's baptism dress, and some of the kids and me for Tyler's birthday this week. They turned out cute, and since I spent enough on the "packages" I got the CD, so I'll post the pics soon.

2. CLEANING MY HOUSE - SERIOUSLY? AGAIN? and again? and AGAIN? I think I have put the same toys away fifty ba-dillion times, and the same shoes, and the same sippy cups, and the same EVERYTHING! I HATE coming home to a dirty house, but HATED worse leaving it un-perfect for Tyler. He's so wonderful, though, and it was SOO much cleaner when I got home.

3. MARTENSON FAMILY REUNION - Tyler's family reunion in Park City was enjoyable, as always. We always have the reunion in Park City, Utah and I drove up there with Tyler's dad, brother, and my kids, but no Tyler. Due to Tyler's time-off for France and his super commitment to our ward's Young Men (he had planned a "practice hike" to Mount Charleston to try on their hiking packs.) So, I took the kids and went by myself . . . well, if "by myself" you remember how much my in-laws helped me with my four kiddoes! We did some fun things, and I even managed a late night chat fest with Tyler's aunts (and an uncle). We also went to the ALPINE SLIDES - Part of our reunion trip and SO MUCH FUN! Jared, Mindie, Wade, Brandon, and I took all our kids for the new rollar coaster ride on the alpine slides and it was rockin'. It really zipped and the little cart thing you ride is right on the track. PLUS, for those of you who've hiked your sled to the slides after the ski lift, this coaster ride carries you up the rail right to the start of the coaster. I rode with Caylee and we went as fast as we could, until we caught up to Mindie and Courtney and we paused before we ran into them. Then we finished. It was fun, AND, the snow cones were a nice refreshment. Then there was a KID CARNIVAL - I was supposed to do cute gift bags for this kid carnival the reunion put on, but I didn't, so that's not a huge excuse for not blogging. I did, however, participate in the festivities by eating the yummy BBQ, watching the boys and men play football, tye-dyeing 7 shirts, and holding the crap-load of junk my kids won at the various games. AND, I finished the family history we were asked to do and donates some fleece blankets, burpies and bows, and a scrapbook to the auction.

4. FAMILY HOME EVENING CREPE NIGHT - Video on my next post. You'll see why that took me out of blog contention.

5. NAN's SHOWER INVITES - I had them ready to mail, but to sit down and address them, stamp, and drop them at the post office was a huge feat for some reason. I think they turned out cute, and I got to watch Moulin Rouge (which I had never seen) while doing so.

6. CHRIS'S PAINT PROJECT - SOOO, since we'd been in our house for more than three years all my major projects have been finished. So what's a friend to do when Chris casually mentions she'd like to paint her family room before moving her furniture back into her newly-wooded-floored room. Pshah, yeah, convince Chris we should re-paint her ENTIRE family room and kitchen. And, DEFINITELY bamboozle and pressure her by meeting her at Home Depot and then volunteer a bunch of other women to come and help paint! Love ya, Amy, Robin, and Annilee :) It was worth the two late nights (2am and midnight).

7. DANCE FESTIVAL - So, our stake is doing a youth dance festival. I'm choreographing the "Charleston" for the Priests/Laurels. Actually, I am copying a dance I learned on the dance team when I was a teenager. It'll be a ton of fun. Good thing I was born to dance.

8. MY COMPUTER AND I HAVE ISSUES - Sometimes we give warm fuzzies and fabulous props/results. Other times we trade insults and internet/word processing/printing problems. Thank you, Daniel, for talking us down and giving us therapy and instructions.

9. MICHAEL'S TEMPLE APPOINTMENT - My baby brother went to the temple and that turned out to be an all day affair. By the time we drive across town, went to the temple (we were there early, ya know, in case it was busy), drove through old Henderson to get to Cheesecake Factory (thanks for the detour, MOM!), waited forever, enjoyed a great lunch, and came home it was a 7 hour affair. It was really sweet, and kinda surreal since Michael seems so young to me, yet here he is all grown up!

10. BRYENNA'S BAPTISM - My cousin's little girl was baptized Saturday night, so we joined some of the family for that. It's so fun that there are so many girls my girls' ages. It was fun for Kenzie to go and remember her baptism not so long ago.

11a. DANIEL'S B-DAY PARTY - Add another into the 3-0 club. Stac and I went to the party for a unique and fun experience. It was great to put names with faces and meet Daniel's entourage. Brandi (Ms. Jensen if you're nasty) did a FFFFFABulous job coordinating everything for a surprise weekend for Daniel, and I am glad I could be a part of it.

12. SCOUT CAMP PACKING/PLANNING/SHOPPING/RE-PACKING/MORE SHOPPING - Tyler has been planning a 50 mile hike and this weekend he has been consumed by the preperations. He called me home from the birthday party because he NEEDED to go to Bass Pro Outlets at 8:30pm on Saturday night to get one more pair of hiking socks. WHAT? Whatever.

11b. NEVADA PALACE HANGOVER - I came home to get my kiddos in bed on Saturday and ended up going back to the birthday party to catch up with a mutual friend, Jaime. Me and Jaime (totally sober) ended up eating breakfast with all the partied-out party-goers. I hadn't been back to the hood for a midnight breakfast in a while, and I was feeling it after turning in at 3am after HOURS of catch-up with Jaime.

12. My cousins, Tyler and Christina, blessed their darling little girl, Kierston Ainsley, this weekend. It's hard to get across town too often (we've done better about it this summer), so it was nice to be there to watch Tyler bless his first-born. It made me remember all the times Tyler and played house and were the mom and dad. I can't imagine he gets as exasperated as we would when Erin and Dustin and Nathan and Kourtney were our bratty kids, ESPECIALLY since Kierston is so stinkin' sweet. I didn't hear her make a peep the whole day.

13. A repeat explanation, HARRY POTTER. It was amazing, and yes, I cried. I totally appreciated the epilogue. I don't want to ruin it for those who have yet to partake, but it is so worth spending a day in the jammies, rushing to finish the laundry, letting the kids eat crap all day, and/or staying parked in the bathroom til you finish the chapter. LOVED it!

and finally, 14. I have a to-do list of blogs and sometimes I get hung-up on how I can't blog other stuff until I get the to-do's blogs done. So, be careful about the to-do issues and blogs. SOOO, as a preview of coming blogs I am planning on posting our France video, a shout-out to Jenn for her 30th, several rants and raves, and a tribute to Jill (pa-lease, don't deny you check, just in case I've followed through with my threat!) So . . . stay tuned. Thanks for not dumping me as a dead blog.