The Esquibel Family

Law Day Run

2011-05-07T16:28:00.004-06:00

Ran in my first 5K today. I ran the whole way without stopping. It was amazing I was so proud of myself! I am definitely doing it again next month!

Savannah's Baptism

2011-05-07T16:23:00.002-06:00

Savannah got baptized and it was such a special day. She was the only one in the stake to get baptized and the room was packed full of friends and family who love her. She is so lucky. Her dad baptized her and she was so excited about it. So special to watch, and we are so proud of her.

Savannah's Birthday

2011-05-07T16:20:00.003-06:00

Savannah turned 8 on Easter Sunday. Boy did time fly. We love her so much! She is such a joy to have in our lives. She definitely keeps things interesting!!

Easter Dresses

2011-05-07T16:18:00.001-06:00

My beautiful girls!

Easter Eggs

2011-05-07T16:13:00.001-06:00

This is the first year we have dyed eggs with the kids for Easter. It was fun, except when we were done, the kids didn't want to eat them. They were convinced that the eggs would hatch soon, and they would have new little baby chicks. John secretly took them to work with them, so someone would eat them!

Christmas 2010

2011-05-07T16:08:00.002-06:00

Christmas was great as always. Instead of posting all the gifts and all that stuff, I thought I would just post the photos of the kids with Santa. They are all old enough that they now know who Santa is and what they need to do to get him to come for Christmas!

Bonnie's 29th BIrthday

2011-05-07T16:05:00.003-06:00

Can't believe I'm 29. That came fast, almost 30 now. Yikes! I have great friends and so we decided to have a girls night out. It was super fun!

Birthday Bash

2011-05-07T16:00:00.003-06:00

We had a little birthday bash for Georgia and Ezra. They are so lucky to have such wonderful people who care about them!

Georgia's Birthday

2011-05-07T15:56:00.004-06:00

Georgia is such a sweet girl, and in December she turned 5. I can't believe how quickly the time has just flown by, she is getting so big, and this fall she starts kindergarten. We love her so much and are so lucky to have her as our little girl!

Ezra's Birthday

2011-05-07T15:51:00.002-06:00

Ezra turned 4 in November. His birthday fell on Thanksgiving. So we tried to make the most of it with him. I think he had a pretty special day. We are so grateful that he is in our lives! We love him and his goofy personality so much!

Where Does Jesus Live?

2011-03-05T00:52:00.002-07:00

We had the opportunity to spend some time as a family today, we were out for a drive, and decided to go to a movie. We were driving along, and we hear this little voice ask "Where does Jesus Live?" We looked back, and asked who had asked that question. Turns out it was our little Ezra, and so we got to explain where Jesus lives and how some day we will have the chance to live with Him too, if we choose the right. It was such a nice conversation to have with our little kiddos. We sure do love them!

An Attitude of Gratitude

2011-03-05T00:38:00.002-07:00

The last year has truly been one of many joys but many hardships also. I have found it difficult to allow myself to focus on the positive, and instead I have dwelt on the negative things in my life. As a result, I have lost close friends and I have felt alone and depressed for much of the last year. I questioned my faith and my courage. I questioned who I am as a person, and most importantly, I set a terrible example for my children. I have put my husband through a living hell that no man should have to endure, but he stuck by me and loved me through my challenges. I felt alone and wondered if God had abandoned me. But over the last couple of weeks, I have felt a shift. One day last week, I hit an all time low, and I was having a difficult time even getting out of my bed, let alone out of the house. I asked my husband for a blessing, and through the power of the Priesthood, I was able to feel a calm come over me that I hadn't experienced in a very long time. When the world around me felt like it was falling apart and I felt like I had no one in the world who cared, I was able to feel my Heavenly Father's love for me. I could feel that there was more to life than the drama I was living with. And as a result, my spirits began to lift. I am happier than I have been in a long time. Normally I would blame myself for all the troubles of the world, wonder what I did that was so wrong and why no one likes me, but as I sit here right now, I don't think that is as important as it once was. Instead of spending my days worrying about pleasing all my friends, I have spent the last few weeks with my family, focusing on making them happy. My home feels like a shelter from the rough world, and the peace that feels our home is unlike anything I have felt in a long time. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father, for His love, and for His gospel. I finally see a light along the path and I am slowly picking myself up and walking towards it. I have spent too much time dwelling on all the negativity around me, and it has taken me a while, but I finally realize that life is not so bad, and my problems are so small in the grand scheme of things.

Happy Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T20:14:00.004-06:00

Our little monkeys had so much fun with Halloween this year! I think they all look so super cute!
Georgia was Snow White! What a precious little princess!

Savannah was a medieval princess. Kind of like Robin Hood era! She loves this dress and I think she wants to wear it for church! It is such a pretty color on her, and she is so cute!
Ezra was a Dinosaur! He loved his costume! And I thought he was so cute! He loved his costume too!
And Madison is a fairy. I tried to convince her to pick a warmer costume, but she was dead set on being a fairy. And she loved her costume, she even wanted to sleep in it! She is so super cute!

Judging Others

2010-09-25T22:08:00.002-06:00

If you judge people, you have no time to love them ~ Mother Teresa

I went to the Women's General Conference tonight, and the talks were all about judging others. And I am incredible guilty of passing judgment. I hope I can take the talks into my life and change things. I have discovered I am a very harsh person, and I pass judgment too easily. And then I find that my judgments are way off. I know that things can change, and I am willing to work on it.

Our Beautiful World

2010-09-19T21:55:00.005-06:00

While we were out driving around the mountains today, we saw some beautiful creations.

Family Pictures

2010-09-19T21:27:00.005-06:00

Here are some pictures that we took of the family while out on our family drive today! I really love them! They turned out really good!

Friendship

2010-09-18T23:15:00.002-06:00

"As I reach a time of complete uncertainty, friends are my most precious asset"

I came across this quote, and I was really moved by it. It is so true, no one wants to be alone, and when there is a struggle in life, everyone wants to have a had to hold. I often stay up late at night wondering if I have been a good friend. I worry that I've hurt someone's feelings, or that I didn't talk enough to them. I wonder if I am doing enough. And I am always questioning if there is something more I can do. I pray that every one in my life knows how much I love and care about them, and that they know I am always here for them, no matter what.

Jessie clark- Hold on the light will come

2010-09-18T01:28:00.000-06:00

This song is just so beautiful. Sometimes I find myself saying, things can't get much worse, something has to give...And this song reminds me that there is light on the other side. But sometimes you have to go thru the dark to reach the light. I guess, I may just be halfway thru the tunnel, and soon, the light will come!

Confessions

2010-09-18T01:00:00.002-06:00

If you know me at all, and spent any real time talking to me over the last few months, you know that I have been having a very hard time. I have spent many nights questioning who I am, and if there is more to me than just being a mom and a wife. In the middle of raising my kids and supporting my husband, I have lost sight of the woman I once was. I ran across an old scrapbook the other day, and it was full of pictures of a young, fun loving, adventurous girl, who never said no to anything, and was up for everything. I had a lot of friends, and never questioned where I belonged and if I was loved. And I find myself wondering what happened to that person? In the caous that is my life; school fulltime, kids fulltime, wife fulltime, work fulltime, and little sleep; I find myself lost, and alone, and not really knowing who to turn to. I love my husband and know he is always there, but truth is, sometimes it is not the comfort of my hubby I need, it is the ear of a friend who understands where I am and just will listen to my troubles. The problem is that everyone is so busy, and there is never enough time to keep in touch....and the passing word of hello while doing the daily carpool, is about the only interaction I actually get outside of school. So as you can imagine, I find myself turning to God alot, and not finding the comfort and help I need...and my testimony is slowly fading. And I find myself questioning everything. My self confidence is pretty much wrecked, and I have spent the last few weeks trying to figure out what changes I need to make, so I can be the best me, I can be. So after much thought, I decided I need to get back to basics, and find the things that inspire me. The things that may help me get thru the day, maybe it's a quote, a little saying from my kids, a video clip, a song, or maybe just a picture, be whatever it is....I have decided to set a goal to post on this blog, something that inspires me. I am hoping to post something everyday, but realistically, I don't know if I will have the time, so the goal is to post once a week, if not more. I am not doing this to push my religion on to anyone, I am doing it to document my progress, and to have a record of my personal inspiration, however if by doing this, I inspire someone else...I will be pretty happy and grateful that I could touch someone, especially if they are experiencing similar feelings as I am.

Back To School

2010-09-08T13:15:00.007-06:00

It's that time of year again, all of the kids are back in school, Savannah is in 2nd grade. Madison is going thru Kindergarten again, and Georgia and Ezra are attending a preschool that a girl in our ward is putting on. All of us are pretty excited that they are back in school!

Star Craft

2010-08-24T00:15:00.003-06:00

Got this lovely star from a garage sale for $1. I know its not much of a looker, but I saw a craft that a friend had in her home, and I have been trying to find a cheap start to try it out.... So a with a little love, modge podge, and scrapbook paper...this is the final result! I think it turned out pretty cute! Can't buy this anywhere for cheaper than I found it! I love garage sales!

Happy Birthday Madison

2010-07-28T21:07:00.004-06:00

It was Madison's 6th birthday, and boy did we have a great time! We had a big party with all of her friends, and family! We had a water ballon fight, fishing, and a cake hunt! All of the kids had a ton of fun, and I even think all of the adults had a great time too! We sure do love our little Madison Jo. She may be our biggest challenge, but she is so special in her own way! We are so blessed to have her in our lives! Here are a few pictures from the party!
Madison with some of her friends! But not all, we couldn't get the kids to sit still long enough to get a group picture!Madison and my mom...Georgia fishing for a prize!Ezra...picking his nose, or scratching it....I don't know which!Miss Savannah posing!Kiddos playing the waterballoon toss!Standing in line to hit the pinata!

A Much Needed Message

2010-07-06T00:07:00.000-06:00

Maddie's Bedhead!

2010-07-05T23:44:00.003-06:00

Madison woke up one morning with this amazingly beautiful hairstyle! It is so her, it is not even funny...except that it is totally funny!

Fishing with Daddy

2010-07-05T23:28:00.003-06:00

Madison went fishing with John and had so much fun! They were gone for hours and Madison was so excited to show me the fish that she caught! She was so excited and wanted to eat it for dinner!

Savannah's School Program

2010-07-05T23:19:00.003-06:00

Savannah was in a school program towards the end of May and she was so excited! Here she is singing her little heart out! So super cute!

Tired Georgia!

2010-05-15T22:15:00.003-06:00

John and I were reading books in our room one night. I came out to get some water, and this was what I found! Little Georgia, sound asleep on one cat, with two others cuddled up to her! So cute!

Savannah's Birthday

2010-05-15T21:47:00.005-06:00

Savannah turned 7 this year and she had a great birthday! We had a party with our closest friends, and family. With a yummy cake and a pinata. Savannah had a blast! In addition to the party and all the great gifts she got from her guests, she also got her ears pierced. She was so brave, no tears at all! I love you Miss Savannah! Happy Birthday big girl!

Easter Bunny

2010-05-15T21:41:00.004-06:00

The Friday before Easter, we took the kids to an Easter egg hunt, unfortunately, the egg hunt started early and the kids didn't get even one egg, but they did get to visit the Easter Bunny! It was hard to get them to smile, because they were pretty upset they didn't get any candy, but at least some of them are actually smiling!

Homemade skirts for Church

2010-03-28T21:02:00.003-06:00

I made these super cute skirts last night for the kids to wear to church. They looked so cute in them, and I think the skirts actually turned out pretty cute! I love how easy they were to make, and I could actually control the length of the skirts. Because heaven knows how hard it is to find a skirt long enough to cover my long legged girls. Don't they just look absolutely precious?

Kids and Their Imaginations!

2010-03-25T02:52:00.003-06:00

So we had the Horton kids over today while their parents were working. It was such a nice day, and the kids spent most of it outside. Here are some pictures of the things they did...Here is Savannah posing with her campfire! Pretty much a scaled down version of the fire pit we use when we all go camping or dutch ovening!

The kids rushed inside to tell me that they had built a sand castle, and I was pretty excited to see it...I went out to take a picture, and this is what I saw! Having trouble seeing it? Well don't worry......

Here is a picture of it up close! Ha, ha...so hilarious! These kiddos sure have amazing imaginations! And they were so proud of the work they did!

Home Improvements

2010-03-05T13:21:00.006-07:00

So I finally set aside the time to do some much needed updates to the living room and our bedroom. I repainted the living room a light tan color, added some decorations. And made some pillows. You will also notice a cute ottoman in the corner that pulls the room in nicely. I really think it adds a nice demension to our home, and gives a nice flow thru all the house.This is our bedroom now. I made the pillows (and that is alot, since I don't sew all that great). I stensiled a nice pattern on to the wall, and our room finally feels like a sanctuary!I go this idea from a website, I spray painted some wicker plates and a picture frame. This is hanging in our bedroom as a nice decoration! I am really happy with how it turned out!

I wish I had taken a before picture of this vase, because is was this ugly pink thing from DI, that I spray painted black with some silver leaves, and added these great flowers to it! I am quite proud of myself for this one!

And finally this is a hope chest my parents gave me a few years ago, back in my high school days! It has been thru a lot, and the lid had become broken. I apolstered it, and reattached some new hinges, and now it is a bench/storage unit for me and John in our room! It looks great!

Doesn't my house just look great! I am really happy with all that I have done, I don't think I will be making any changes anytime soon!

Kitchen Redo

2010-02-27T00:38:00.002-07:00

Repainted out kitchen Here is the before....And here is the after...I really like how it turned out and think it looks so much warmer and inviting! I would love your feedback though! What do you think?

Happy Birthday John

2010-02-17T20:12:00.001-07:00

Today was John's 31st birthday, and I cannot believe how quickly time flies! But I just wanted to drop a quick little note about how happy I am he is my husband, and how grateful I am that he is such a great dad! We love you John. Happy Birthday Old Man!

Whitney's Photography

2010-02-11T05:15:00.002-07:00

My friend Whitney has an amazing photography business and her blog is so super cute. She's doing a giveaway that ends tonight, so jump on over to her blog and get youselves entered! It is totally worth it!

Around the Table

2010-02-09T21:26:00.002-07:00

We were watching our friend's children today, and dinner time came around. Of course everyone was super hungry, so we gathered the kids around our itty, bitty table. This is how the kids looked, all squished together, and chowing down! John and I joked that we never thought nine kids would fit around our table, and how crazy life would be if we had had all multiple births! This would have been a reoccurring sight! Just thought we would post this great moment! Rachel....this one is just for you! We love watching those precious kids of yours! They fit right in!

Tired, Oh So Tired!

2010-01-20T10:00:00.002-07:00

So I came home from the store one night, and this was what I found! John was asleep on the couch, and Ezra was squeezed in between the couch and his daddy, and Madison was curled up inhis legs. I think it was the best thing to come home to!

Ezra

2010-01-20T09:54:00.002-07:00

This is how Ezra fell asleep the other night. Notice the bag of cookies we couldn't pry away from him! So cute, we had to get a picture!

Savannah Helping Out!

2010-01-20T09:47:00.003-07:00

So Savannah has been wanting to help out more around the house lately. So she helped me with the dishes, and then insisted that I let her mop the floors. John took these pictures. Aren't they so cute!

Holiday news letter!

2009-12-21T08:35:00.002-07:00

I have not been the best this year at sending out Christmas cards, but I am so overwhelmed with gratitude this year, that I wanted to take a minute and just write it down. This year has been a crazy one with alot of changes and alot of challenges. At the beginning of the year, I don't think we could have imagined all the blessing that would flow in on us, if we just listened to the Spirit and did what we were supposed to do.... Things started out pretty miserable. John was in a dead end job that he really was getting sick of, and I was pretty sad with how much stress and misery his job was making for us. But by September, things really were looking up...He recieved a job offer, and we prayed about it, and knew it was the right choice. And it has been a struggle, but we could never have imagined how things would turn out. John's family has really helped us out, as have mine, and surprisingly, we have had a few anonymus people from the ward do wonderful things for us. As have our wonderful friends! But perhaps the biggest blessings have been the happiness that surrounds our home. John and I have never been closer, and the kids love having Daddy home so early in the day. They get to spend time with him and play with him, and it truly is the best thing in the world to see him with the kiddos. The other day, we were driving around town, looking at Christmas lights, and out of the blue, John just turns to me and says, "I know we have a long road a head of us, and that things are tight right now, but I can honestly say this is the happiest I have ever been." ANd I have to say, I agree. I have never been this happy! So I just wanted to send out a big Thank You to everyone this year, and tell you all how much we love you! Have a very Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Georgia

2009-12-21T08:33:00.002-07:00

Our little Georgia turned 4 this month on the 2nd and I cannot believe how big she is getting! She is so smart and so goofy all at the same time! We are so proud of her and we love her so much. Shs is our little trouble maker, but even with that, we could not imagine our lives without her! She is so special! We love you Georgia!

Happy Birthday Ezra

2009-11-28T20:17:00.002-07:00

Our baby boy just turned 3 on Thanksgiving Day this year. It was a great day. He is getting so big, and it is killing me. My little man is getting so big, and He is no longer so concerned with mommy anymore. But we love him and he makes our lives so much better just by being around! Any one who knows Ezra, knows he is a big fan of the girls' toys, so we got him a GI Joe and a noisy gun, and surprisingly he hasn't put them down for the last couple of days!

We love you Ezra. Happy Birthday Big Guy!

John's Graduation!

2009-11-28T20:03:00.002-07:00

John spent 4 weeks away at the post academy for Idaho Peace officers. Training for his new job at the women's prison. At the end of the 4 weeks, we got to attend his graduation. We are so proud of him!Here he is getting his certificate. He recieved the award for most physically improved! We thought that was pretty great!I was able to get a great picture of him and the kids, they missed daddy so much and was glad he was able to be with them!And here is a picture of his graduating class! Congrats Honey. We love you so much! And so super proud of you!

Madison Lost A Tooth!

2009-11-28T20:01:00.003-07:00

Madison Lost her first tooth a couple of weeks ago! She didn't even tell me about it. I noticed it when I was brushing her teeth! We all thought it was pretty cool! She is growing up so fast!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-28T19:51:00.003-07:00

So I know this is a little over due, but I finally have some time to update our blog with what has been going on in our busy lives! First, here is our halloween. This is Ezra as Chubacca. He had this cute little hat that was covered in fur. It was so cute, but he wouldn't put it on.Here is Georgia and Madison at Madison's Kindergarten class parade. Maddie is Snow White and Georgia was Dumbo.And this is Halloween night. Savannah, was a cat, and when Madison saw her cool costume, she insisted that she be a cat too, which made Georgia happy because the Dumbo costume was pretty small, and she really wanted to be Snow White. She loved that costume! And didn't want to give it back to our friends we borrowed it from!

And I know it is late, but Happy Halloween to all of you!

Watch Giveaway

2009-10-12T16:22:00.001-06:00

I am giving away 2 watches on my blog for Bonnie's Beadiful Creations! Hop on over to http://beadiful-creations.blogspot.com/ to enter for your chance to win!

Dare Devil Georgia!

2009-10-04T22:12:00.002-06:00

Don't let this innocent face fool you! Because behind this sweet face hides a cleaver little monkey!Those who know Georgia know that she is full of mischief and since the day she could crawl, it has been a never ending battle to keep her out of things. If there was something she wanted, there was no stopping her. But over the last couple of months, things have gotten out of control. For example, she was over at a friends house one day while I was at school. My friend had to run upstairs to do something, was gone for may be 2 minutes, and when she came back down stairs, Georgia and Ezra both were gone. She looked all over, and couldn't find her, and finally decided to go check our home, maybe they were there, and it turns out they were. They had walked down a back road. All the way home, and the worst part, and maybe even a miracle, is that they have never taken the back roads home, and they made it safely. My little Georgia, what a trouble maker.
Then today marks the next brave thing Georgia had tried. You see, John and I laid Ezra and Georgia down for a nap, we knew they didn't feel good, and thought a nap would help. Well , they had other ideas. A short time later, we heard crying, and went to check on them. They had opened a window, and Georgia had fallen out. We found her sitting on the front step crying for us to let her in. We couldn't believe it, she had fallen out and was unhurt at all. What a miracle, now we are asking our selves, what do we do now? What a challenge. Anyone want to take a turn raising her, she is making us age too prematurely!

A Little Catch Up

2009-09-20T21:08:00.002-06:00

Well life has been a little crazy lately. And so much has happened in the last few months, that we haven't had much time to stop and breathe, let alone catch up on my blog. But I have a few moments, so I thought I would quickly catch everyone up on our busy lives! First and foremost, John has been offered a job with the state, and we have decided that he should take it! So this is his last week with Merlin's TV! We are pretty excited, but know that we are in for some tough times, as it is a bit of a pay cut! As for me, things have actually been really great with my bead business, and I hope things keep pace. There seems to be a big response and I am keeping faith that his endevor with help relieve some of the pressure! All of the kids are doing well, and are growing so fast! I can't believe how quickly they grow. Ezra is talking more and more everyday. Georgia is just the smartest little girl, and is as mischievious as ever. Madison is loving kindergarten, and with the exception of her occasional whining, is my little angel thru the day, I hardly see her after school, she pretty much just chills and rests on the bed after her long day! Savannah is learning the harsh world, and that life is not always fair, and people are not always nice. She is having a hard time with this lesson, but it is definately one she needs to learn! Just a side note, John has really taken to Dutch Oven cooking, and loves to try new recipes. And he is really a great chef. We have made it a tradition with some friends, to head up to the hills and dutch oven together on Sunday afternoons. And it is the best way to spend a Sunday! We get to reflect on the day, away from the cell phones and TVs and just chill. We have a ton of fun. And although the weather is getting worse, we plan on keeping the tradition going until it is too cold to bare! So that is what is going on in our lives. :)

Testing, testing

2009-09-14T20:41:00.001-06:00

Just trying to test this new signature thing out, tell me what you think of this one!

We're Still Here

2009-09-13T21:55:00.001-06:00

I know it has been a while since I last posted, but I promise we are still alive, we have just been so busy with school and work, that I haven't had much time to post anything. Hopefully I will have some more time really soon to play catch up!

Savannah's in 1st grade! And Madison is in Kindergarten!

2009-08-29T00:03:00.003-06:00

Little Savannah is not so little anymore! She is in 1st grade now and is loving it. She has made a lot of new friends, and was so excited to go to school and start learning again! Oh and Madison is in Kindergarten, but she wouldn't sit still long enough to get a picture, but she loves going to school with Savannah in the morning, and riding the big bus home. She is really enjoying learning this year!

New Craft!

2009-08-29T00:00:00.002-06:00

I created this tonight, and I think it turned out pretty cute. I am pretty surprised!

One Last Hoorah!

2009-08-28T23:09:00.008-06:00

So John and I decided to take the kids on a quick get away before school started for all of us, and we had the best time. Friday we headed out to Ogden to the dinosaur park. We went with our friends Anna and Ryan and their 3 kids. Along with my brother Josh and his family. We had a great time. Here are a few cute pictures we got of the kiddos!

After the park, we headed to Bear Lake, where we spent the rest of the weekend. We went 4 wheeling, and we tried to go to the Lake. The only problem was, that when we arrived, there was not one open spot on the beach at all. So we decided to go to the Minnetonka Caves. Which was so beautiful. I was reluctant to go, because the tour is long, and the caves are cold, but everyone had a great time!I had to put this picture in because by the time we were done with the tour, Ezra had had enough walking. John was trying to bribe him with a bottled water,but he was not buying it. So finally, John just started to drag my poor boy along behind him. It was hilarious to watch!So over all, we had a fabulous weekend, the only complaint we had was that time just flew too quickly. If only we had a couple more days. We were not ready to leave!

Bonnie's Beadiful Creations

2009-08-20T22:33:00.003-06:00

So I have finally gotten my business up and moving. I set up my new website you can check out that blog, which includes a new incentive program for those who host a party, at
http://beadiful-creations.blogspot.com/ I hope that you all will be interested in my new business venture. And that you might be willing to host a party for me! Thanks!

Happy Birthday Madison!

2009-07-26T07:11:00.002-06:00

Today is Madison's 5th birthday, and I cannot believe it. She is growing so fast and it is wierd to think she will be starting Kindergarden this fall. I am so unbelievably proud of our little girl! Although she has her own stubborn personality, she also has this amazing compassion and love. This trait makes her so unique from the other children! We love you Maddie and are so lucky to have you in our lives!

Ballerina Ezra

2009-07-25T10:09:00.003-06:00

So I made the girls little tutus for Halloween last year. They were Barbie Dancing Princesses. I went outside yesterday, and this was what I found! So cute. Someday, he will be pretty embarrassed that I posted this! And I am sure John is not going to be too happy either! He just keeps saying I have to start buying ONLY boy toys! Even for the girls, but what kind of fun is that?

Sweet Madison

2009-07-14T18:55:00.004-06:00

This picture was taken on the 4th of July. I think it is so beautiful with the clouds in the background and Madison's blue dress and dark hair and beautiful big eyes! Even if she isn't smiling!

Getting Dirty!

2009-07-14T18:46:00.005-06:00

So John built a fire pit in our back yard so we could dutch oven cook in it. And true to form, Georgia and Ezra take every opportunity to play in it. This is how they often come into the house. Filthy dirty and loving every minute of it. I just had to capture them on camera. Someday, I will look back and laugh, but in the moment, it was not so funny!

Random photos

2009-06-26T23:36:00.005-06:00

Here are a few pictures of the kids at the park. We really try to go to a few different parks around town, but we haven't been to many thanks to the weather, but the kids have a blast everywhere we go!

Clutsy Georgia

2009-06-26T23:24:00.004-06:00

Ok I am warning you, this picture is pretty gross, but I had to post it! Georgia fell today while jumping on the bed with Ezra, and crashed right into a dresser. She came out of the room, with blood on her hand and told me she hurt her finger. I cleaned up the blood, but didn't see a cut. But then she turned around to go play, and all over her back was a ton of blood. And it was at that point I found the gash in her head. So I had to call Anna to come and watch the kids so I could run her down to the urgent care center. She was AMAZING thru the whole thing. Not one tear while they were stitching her up. She was so brave and calm. Meanwhile, I wanted to sit in a corner and cry!
This is her, about 2 hours later, playing around like nothing happened! She is such a little monkey, I always knew something like this would happen with her, but I didn't want it to happen when she is so young! We love you my brave girl!

Computer Addict

2009-06-26T23:21:00.003-06:00

The kids got a computer game as part of a kids meal from Wendy's, and ever since, Savannah has been glued to the computer. She sat in this position the first night for like 2 hours. I know bad mom right, but at least the game is educational!

Our Little Runner

2009-06-26T23:19:00.003-06:00

We took the kids to a peewee football game the other night, and while we were there, Savannah decided to go running around the track. She ran so fast, it was amazing! I think we will have to get her some good running shoes and let her go run with me in the evenings! She is so cute!

Father's day

2009-06-26T23:14:00.005-06:00

For Father's day, John really wanted to spend time 4-wheeling. So Saturday night, I took the girls grocery shopping, and John took Ezra with him. Ezra loves to 4wheel, and John loves to take him! The kids are so lucky to have such a good daddy, and I am pretty lucky to have him as my childrens father. We love you so much John!

7 Wonderful Years!

2009-06-07T13:08:00.001-06:00

Today marks 7 years of wedded bliss for John and I. And those seven years have been pretty great. Here is our engagement picture from 2002...
And this is a picture taken just last night...

Pretty crazy how much things have changed, not just in our looks, but also in our lives. We just can't wait to see what life has in store for us in the next 7 years!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T15:40:00.000-06:00

Today was a great day. John was off of work, so we took the kids to the Tautphaus Park Zoo in Idaho Falls. There was so much to see, and the kids had so much fun. After the zoo, we went to a park and had a picnic. Here are some hi-lights of the day! The kids sitting on a lion statue! Notice Ezra petting it!

The tigers were up and moving, we have been to alot of zoos, but this was the first time we saw the tiger moving and out for all to see!

The kids liked this statue of a tiger, they wanted to ride it all day!

Georgia loved this monkey, it sat right next to the window and was interacting with her!

And I had to put this in, because everytime, we took a picture of Savannah, she would pose, she is turning into a little model!

Summer Reading

2009-05-22T08:17:00.000-06:00

I just finished this great book, and I have to tell you about it, just in case you are a big summer reader! It is called "Lemon Tart" by Josi Kilpack and it is the first in a series about a woman who solves murder mysteries. It combines suspense with food and has even some pretty yummy sounding recipes included among the chapters. I didn't know if I would enjoy the stories too much, but the book was actually pretty good. It moved fast and I was on the edge of my seat thru the whole story. If you want to read a good story, you should totally check this out. The second book is due out in August, so there isn't too much of a wait for the next adventure!

Weightloss and other summer goals!

2009-05-04T10:02:00.000-06:00

School is FINALLY over for the school year, and now I can really start concentrating on the things I have been neglecting for the last few months. I have so much I want to get done this summer, and I thought what better way to commit to something than to place it on the internet for all the world to see. So here goes: The biggest thing I want to get done is to continue with my weightloss. I put it off over the holidays, and then just never picked it back up, and I am feeling pretty frustrated with myself. So for this goal, I commit to working out at least 5 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, and I do swear that I will limit my binge eating to just one day a week, and follow the suggestions of my nutritionist by eating 5 times a day, and limiting my sugar intake. I hope someone out there will jump on board, and join me in this. I want to have a HOT body for summer!

Goal 2: Get my house in order. John leaves for Denver this Thursday, and I have big plans to paint the living room and clean my bedroom. I desperately need to get my home clean, it is driving me CRAZY!

Goal 3: My yard, I have so much to do in the yard, and I want to plant a garden. I hope we can really dig in and get some things growing!

And finally Goal 4: I am going to work from home and bring in lots of extra money. I love to have extra money to do things with the family, so I really need to buckle down!

I hope that I can get it all done, and maybe feel awesome about myself and my home by the end of the summer! Here's hoping!

Happy Birthday Savannah!!!

2009-04-24T21:52:00.000-06:00

Well today officially marks the day we welcomed our little Savannah into our lives 6 years ago! I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by! John and I are so proud of her, she is truly a great daughter. She has the sweetest spirit and is so helpful with her siblings. We celebrated the day with parties, parties, and more parties! The whole day was a big party for her, and she loved it! We threw a friend party for her, and there were so many kids, it was nice to have so many of her friends and classmates there. They played for so long, and had a ton of fun. Then my family came up for cake and to play some Wii. And then Savannah had her girl cousins spend the night. It has been a great day, but I am totally ready for it to be over! Bed here I come! Happy Birthday Savannah! Mom and Dad love you so much!

Easter Sunday!

2009-04-17T19:52:00.000-06:00

Easter weekend was a fun time for the family. We went to an Easter egg hunt for the city with Anna and her kids. We had an easter egg hunt with my family. And we had a fun day playing with the kids Sunday afternoon. We went on a walk, rode the 4-wheeler around the yard, and just enjoyed the nice warm weather! Here are some cute pictures of the kids:
This is them in their new dress clothes:

Egg hunting at my parents house:

And egg hunting at the city park:

This is a picture of all my kids and our friends: Brenya, Jackson, and Bella. They had a great time together!

Bunny Cookie House

2009-04-07T23:00:00.000-06:00

John is out of town for a couple of days, so I decided to let the kids have a little messy fun...usually I am so stressed out when John leaves, I think it is a bad experience for the kids. So I really tried to make today alot of fun for them. We made this little house together, and the kids loved every minute of it. But what they loved even more was getting to rip it apart and devour it! I'm glad we got to do something wonderful together today!

Brigham City

2009-04-07T19:29:00.001-06:00

We went to my brother's house over spring break, just for one day...but we had a ton of fun. We went to the park, mini golfing, and to Mcdonald's. We had so much fun, and can't wait to go down and hang with them again!

LOL, this is my Bro Josh...Walking the balance bar. Notice how it is bending in the middle!! Just Kidding Josh!

Our Funny Man!

2009-04-07T19:23:00.001-06:00

One night Ezra kept getting onto the couch in this position....he would then slide to the floor and just start laughing. It was so funny!!! John insisted we get it on camera! Goofy guy!

Is It Spring Break or Winter Break? Who Can Tell?

2009-03-23T10:11:00.000-06:00

John woke me up this morning and warned me not to look outside. Against his advise, I looked, and this was the scene. And all I have to say is, What the.... It is March 23rd! Where is the sunshine?

A day at the park

2009-03-19T23:03:00.001-06:00

Today was John's day off and the weather was so nice, we just couldn't stay at home. So we loaded the kiddos up and headed over to our favorite park. The kids played hard and had a blast. And John and I enjoyed playing with the kids. Being outdoors is our favorite thing to do, and the kids enjoy being able to run free. So here are a few picture I took, but not all of them. I find I've been going crazy with the camera lately!

My First Wreath!

2009-03-17T16:33:00.000-06:00

I made this wreath with the help of my friend Anna. I have never done anything like it before, but I think it turned out pretty cute!

Yummy, Yummy Cheesecake!

2009-03-17T16:14:00.000-06:00

On Saturday we babysat for our friends, and as a thank you, they brought us over a cheesecake. It was so yummy and the kids love it so much. But today, I came into the kitchen, and this was the scene: Savannah and Ezra had the cheesecake out, and were finishing off the rest of it! It was so cute, I needed to take pictures!

My Wonderful Husband

2009-03-08T22:02:00.000-06:00

I wanted to just take a minute to rave about my great hubby. Today I went to church while the kids and John stayed at home. They didn't feel too well, so I let them sleep in this morning while I went to teach our class. When I got home, I was so tired, I decided to go take a quick nap. Well the quick nap turned into a 5 hour nap. And it was great. In the mean time, John took care of the kids, I wasn't woken up at all. Anything they needed, John took care of. It was so nice. I really needed that nap, and John knew it. So he let me sleep for as long as I needed. So thanks babe, you're the best. I love you!

Recipe Blog

2009-03-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking alot about trying to cook more at home lately, and decided that the main reason I don't cook is because I don't have any thing new to make. And then I got this idea, and after talking to some of you, I decided to start a recipe blog. Everyone can view it, and everyone can contribute to it. If you want to add a recipe, you can just e-mail me at bonbon81@yahoo.com. And then I will add your recipe to the blog. I hope everyone will get a lot of use out of it. So please send me your recipes, and check out the blog at http://ourlittlecookblog.blogspot.com/

Funny Video

2009-03-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

So I have told some of you about this video and wanted to post it just to make everyone laugh a little harder today.

Sledding

2009-02-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

So I heard my kiddos just laughing so hard yesterday, I had to see what was so funny, and this is the scene I saw. They were pulling each other down the stairs on this bean bag. I asked them what they were doing, and Savannah told me they were sledding down the stairs. How cute!

A New Opportunity

2009-02-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

So a couple of days ago, John approached with an opportunity to join a new company that is selling this all natural energy drink. It is just starting out, but studies and surveys say that there is a lot of people who are interested in the product. We decided to try it out, and see if we can make some money off of it. If anyone is interested in more information, you can check out our website www.myefusjon.com/jbe This is a great time to join, the company will start being marketed on facebook in just 2 weeks, and is expected to be huge there. If you sign up now, you could make some good money. Please just call us for details, or visit our website!

Happy Birthday John!

2009-02-17T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well, today John turned the big 3-0. That's right 30, and man is he old! It is an ongoing joke that he is old, and no matter what, I will never be as old as he is! But I tried to make his big day as special as possible, We delivered balloons and Snickers ice cream bars to his work. And then I took him out to Red Lobster for dinner. I am truly greatful for this day. John is my much better half, and I try to celebrate him as much as possible on his birthdays!

We got him this mug that is put in the freezer and then his drinks will be chilled by the mug. He is a big North Carolina fan, so we try to get him items with their logo. John also got this cool sweat shirt....

And I had to throw this picture in, because on our way home from John's work, I stopped and got lunch for Georgia and Ezra...well, Georgie couldn't wait til we got home, she just opened up the bag and started eating. By the time we got home, all her food was gone!

Anyway, I just wanted to post this and tell my hubby how much I love him! Happy Birthday John!

Valentine's Day

2009-02-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

We had a great Valentine's day this year. John and I exchanged poems that we wrote for each other. It is our way of giving something special to each other, especially since I can't justify spending tons of money of flowers. So we decided to keep it simple. Later on that night, we went over to our friends house. Ryan and Anna, along with their 3 kids, Jackson, Brenya, and Bella; were generous enough to invite us over for ribs and yummy potatoes. We played games and hung out. It was a ton of fun, and we really love hanging out with their little family.

Savannah's 1st sleepover!

2009-02-15T21:27:00.001-07:00

Savannah had her friend Brenya over on Thursday night. They had a slumber party. They watched movies, stayed up late, played with playdo, and played video games. Everything you should do at a sleep over. It was a lot of fun for both of them. And all of the other girls too.

Riding the Bus

2009-02-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

So after about 6 months of living in fear, I finally decided to allow Savannah to ride the bus home from school. On her first day of Kindergarten, she rode the bus, and was put on the wrong bus, so I refused to allow her to ride the bus home. I always picked her up. But recently we made some friends who live near by, and they have kids who ride the bus home, so we felt safe allowing Savannah to ride home with them. So I walked up to the bus stop, and met the bus. She did great, and I captured the arrival all on camera!

We're so glad when Daddy comes home!

2009-01-12T21:56:00.000-07:00

So this weeks marks the much dreaded (by me) annual electronics show in Las Vegas. Every year for about a week, John packs up and enjoys a paid work trip to Vegas. And that leaves me home alone with the 4 kids, and absolutely no adult contact. This is perhaps the most stressful time of the year for me. I like to think that I am a patient person, and that I have the ability to keep a level head (especially with my babies), but by the end of the week, I am barely holding it together. I am about 2 hours away from having my hubby home, but every minute feels like an hour. How long can it take to drive home from Salt Lake? This year was not so unbareable thanks to a few wonderful people who knew I would need some support, and stepped up with out even being asked. My sister Emily came by in the mornings and watched the kids so I didn't have to take them on my paper route. My mom and dad watched the kids most of Saturday so I could enjoy a day at the salon getting my hair cut and colored (thanks Erin, I love the new do). And perhaps the person who truly saved this week, my friend Brooke, who allowed me to vent my frustrations and offered her help where she could. She may live 2 states away, but an e-mail goes a long way. And now, as the time gets closer, I know the kids are especially excited to have daddy home, they have missed him so much and I know they will be so happy to have him home. So welcome home babe, we are so glad you're back!

2009-01-02T08:44:00.001-07:00

Happy New Year everybody! We hope everyone has a wonderful year! We love you all and hope to see you soon!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well, the holiday season is upon us, and John and I are really enjoying this time. Yesterday, the kids were so excited about the whole concept of Christmas, they gathered around the tree, and anxiously awaited opening up their gifts. Once all of the gifts were opened, we spent the next 90 minutes putting batteries into toys. The kids played with their gifts for hours. It was fun to see the enthusiasm that they had. After a while, John and I decided to bundle up the kids and go sledding. It was so much fun, we laughed and played and just relaxed with our family. Surprisingly, Madison and Savannah loved sledding, and didn't want to leave. Georgia and Ezra fell asleep before we arrived at the hill, so it was just the 4 of us. The rest of the day was spent pigging out and hanging out. Later on, John commented on how much fun he had. This is the first Christmas that the kids were old enough to participate in the Christmas fun!!!

Happy Birthday Bonnie!!!

2008-12-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that Bonnies favorite day of the year is her birthday. Today is that day! Myself and the kids love to celebrate this day because without it, they wouldn't be here and I wouldn't have my wife or best friend! Despite it being finals week at school, we are determined to spend most of the day together and just enjoy each others company. Savannah has been keeping tabs on this day, asking for the past week how much longer until moms birthday. We just wanted to say we love Bonnie and appreciate all she does for our family.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BONNIE/MOM/HONEY

Tag I'm it!!!

2008-12-13T17:22:00.001-07:00

So I have been tagged! The object: post the 4th picture in my 4th folder on my computer. So here it is: Savannah, Christmas night of 2003. Her very first Christmas, the day was over and she and John were hanging out in their new pajamas. Oh, she's so cute!!! Now, I tag Abby, Robyn, and Lori!!! Have fun girls, just post the 4th picture in your 4th folder, no matter what it is!!!

Happy Birthday Georgia!!

2008-12-02T06:07:00.001-07:00

Today is Georgia's birthday, she is 3 now. I can't believe how quickly she has grown. She is so funny, we started singing "Happy Birthday" to her, and she comes up to me and says "Shhhh"! She didn't want to hear anything about it this morning! We had a party for her last night, and she was so excited that everyone was there for her. And tonight our ward is having a skating party for Christmas, and so she will get to actually do something super fun on her special day! We love Georgia so much, she is our sweet little girl. She is often a challenge (she is our child who gets into everything) and it is hard to keep up with her, but we are blessed to have her in our lives. We love you Georgie Porgie!!! Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Ezra!!!

2008-11-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Today is Ezra's birthday, he is now 2 years old. I cannot believe it. Time just goes so fast. My little baby is no longer a baby, he is now a little man! He is growing up so fast, and I am going thru a little bit of shell shock. I have never really had to face the fact that my kids are getting older until this year. Normally, I would have already had another baby, and probably would have another on the way, but since we decided to stop at Ez, I have no more little baby moments to hang on to. But, thes special moments are ones that I treasure. We are really going all out for him. My family is coming up tonight for pizza and cake, and the kids love it when Grandma and Grandpa visit. My brother Josh and his wife Joilynne are in town, and it is fun that they will be here because they have a son that is Ezra's age. They will have so much fun playing and laughing! I ordered him this cute cake, it is a construction theme with dump trucks. I hope that he has a great birthday and I hope he knows how much we love him. We are the luckiest parents in the world. And we are so grateful that he is our son!! We love you Ezra!!! Happy Birthday my big guy!

A lot of Catch up!

2008-11-16T20:11:00.001-07:00

I have been behind on a few posts, and a few updates. So I thought I would add alot of posts, and alot more pictures! I just wanted to be caught up, and now I am!!! I am looking for your addresses so I can send out some holiday cards! Please e-mail me your addresses so I can add you to my list!!! esqubonn@isu.edu

Thanks!!!

Bye, bye big mama!!!

2008-11-16T20:04:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, I have had 4 kids awfully close together. By the time I was done having babies, I weighed in at a hefty 163 pounds. That's right, I really was that big. In June, I decided to take some action. My sister Robyn was seeing a nutritionist at the time, and had lost 15 pounds in 2 months. I decided to follow her lead and I also went to see him. Over the last several months, I have seen my body completely transform. I just recently went to see him for my check up. I stepped on the scale, and was pleasently surprised. I weighed in at 136. I was so excited! I now weigh less than I did on my wedding date, and am just 11 pounds heavier than I was in high school. I feel pretty good about myself. I've worked hard, and it has been a challenge at times, but I am determined to keep losing what weight I have left, and it will stay off!!! So here are some pictures of myself doing a few house chores, and showing off my new waste line!!!

Outdoor Fun!

2008-11-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

John and I decided to buy another 4wheeler in October. The new red one is mine. And although the weather is not the best, we have been having alot of fun with them. We go out on Sunday afternoons and take the kids on rides around the yard. It is so much fun! The kids love it. In between the rides, the kids were helping us out by raking up leaves.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-16T19:48:00.001-07:00

This Halloween was a great time for all of us at the Esquibel/Musselman family. My mom and and dad had a huge Halloween party for all of the kids, they played games, decorated cookies, and broke a pinata. It was so much fun, and the kids really enjoy it when they can get together with all of their cousins at grandma's. We also went to our ward trunk or treat, and John's parents were in town, so after that, we got to have them over to our house to visit. Here are some great pictures! The girls were ballerinas and Ezra was a bat. They were so cute!!!

Here kitty, kitty, kitty....

2008-11-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Savannah and Madison started in on this whole bit about wanting to have a cat. They begged us for weeks, and one day, Savannah says to me, with tears in her eyes, "Please mommy, can we please have a kitty?" I couldn't take it anymore, I broke down, and John and I decided that getting a cat would not be the worse thing ever. We found a cute cat, and the kids fell in love, the problem was, that there was not just one cat, but 2 that needed a home, so we decided to take them both in. About 5 days later, after the kids had fought none stop over the kittens, John and I decided to go get 2 more, and so now, crazy us, have 4 cats, and 4 kids. Our house is full, but these kittens are so cute, and so nice to our kids, we are pretty happy with the result. And so are the kids. Even John loves the kittens (Inever thought I would be writing that), he even gave one of them a name... He named the orange cat, with white feet Boots. I named the big fluffy orange one Chubs. Savannah named the others, Fella and Lady. Here are some pictures....

Savannah with Lady:

Georgia with Fella: Ezra With Chubs: He loves Chubs so much... He will always go right for him, never for any of the other kittens.

Ooops, I mis spoke, This is Ezra with Boots, but other than this, he is never with out Chubs!

Ezra and his Chubs again:

From left to right; Lady, Boots, Fella, Chubs. Aren't they so cute?

Lady and Boots

Just our little Boots:

Family Photos

2008-10-27T23:21:00.000-06:00

We had my sister Emily take pictures of our little family a couple of weeks ago. She is studying photography and is in the process of starting her own business. We were really happy with the pictures she was able to take and with her ability to handle all of my crazy kids! She has her own myspace page, if you like what you see or want to see more, you can visit her there: http://www.myspace.com/makinmemoriesbyemily
Thanks Emily!!! You did such a good job!!!

This is my favorite picture!

Primary Program

2008-10-19T17:19:00.000-06:00

Today was our ward's primary program. Madison and Savannah both had parts. But when sacrament meeting came, they both were having a little anxiety over speaking in front of a loarge crowd, so I had to sit with them. After that, the kids did great. They said their parts, and sang so loudly. It was such a proud moment for John and I. My parents and some of my siblings came and watched too, Madison was so excited to see Grandpa!!! It was such a good program!

Back to our regular lives tomorrow!

2008-10-05T19:23:00.001-06:00

Two weeks ago, my mom's work started inventory, so I was with out work for 2 whole weeks! It was so nice to have the time off! We used our valuable time to do major improvements to our home, and we are not done yet! By mid-October, we should be completely finished, but I am pretty excited about what I have been able to get done! First we replaced the stove and fridge, added a wood burning stove, and installed new doors on all of the rooms! We finally have a lock on our bedroom door, and the bathroom too! Then, the kids spilled bright orange and hot pink paint on my carpet, so John and I decided to update all of the flooring in our house. The living room got new carpet, and the basement carpet will be installed this next week. We are also tiling the bathroom and kitchen, along with putting granite on our countertops and replacing our kitchen sink. All of which will be completed this week. We ordered new windows, and they will be installed in about 10 days. Lets see, on Saturday, I plan on painting the outside of our house right before the windows are installed. We will then install the new storm door, which will be nice to have. We also had all of the trees and stumps in our yard ripped out. this has really opened up the yard, and we are so excited to be able to allow the kids to use it during the summers.
In addition to our busy house work, John left last night to go to Arizona. His boss took him and a few co-workers to a game. I don't know what kind; football, baseball, or basketball. What ever the season is! So he left last night, and gets home late tonight! I was not too thrilled about the trip, but at least it wasn't super long.
And today I was informed by my mom that we can start doing work again tomorrow. This means that the craziness that was our lives for the last while is finally coming to an end. Tomorrow, stability and routine is the norm! I enjoy my little breaks here and there, but I also really like it when I don't feel like a crazy person! I was so busy I didn't even know what the days were! And I am certain that my kids will be happy to have a normal routine again!
I will try to figure out how to post pictures of our house so all can see what we have done!