Back from the dead..... I'm alive!

Wow... it's been TWO months since I've blogged!  Not that nothing hasn't been happening around here in our lives, it has.... but because I've had literally no time to sit here and put my words down on my blog!

After seeing my family members click on my blog to read my newest post, and seeing our dear Smokey on the page -- it was time to blog again.  :) 

So.. what have we been up to?

First of all, I went to a 4/10 schedule at work, and while I love having an extra day off to get my errands done so I can enjoy my Saturday with my family -- it's been at times hard!  Lack of sleep, trying to shuttle the girls where they need to go (drop Katie off at seminary before work at 5:30 -- almost over!!) -- has just been overwhelming at time, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Add in overtime that I'll be working for about a month or so -- it's only going to get harder!  So, trying to figure out a way to find the time to work out (which let's face it, hasn't been happening at all since I started working last August), create fast dinners, etc.  I'm just grateful that Mike has been keeping the laundry going.  He's a super hero in my eyes!

The girls and I went to a Bat Mitzvah last weekend.  The girl was a good friend of Maddie's (she has several Jewish friends, and we live near a Jewish temple/synagogue so we have a lot of wonderful Jewish friends around us).  We went for the close of the Sabbath day (I have no clue the terminology they use), and her friend read a story of Ruth in Hebrew.  Very amazing!  It was so interesting to see how the Jewish observe.  The men and women are separated in the room.  They walk in different doors.  Their books they use.... we were told to go to page 602, and I go all the way to the back of the book, and see it's page 158.  I KNOW it's not page 158.  After realizing that the books go the opposite way we normally read.  All in all, so grateful for the experience.

After the service was over, we went into a huge room for a celebration.  They had an amazing DJ w/ a troop of helpers -- teenagers or college kids -- to help get the kids dancing and having a blast.  They passed out beads, light up necklaces, funny hats, sunglasses, leis, etc .... Katie was going to go w/ Maddie b/c I was just exhausted from setting up Mormon Prom the night before and that day -- but I decided to go as well.  I'm so glad I did because all of the moms of the girls were there, and one of the mom (Kelli) and I and Katie went out on the dance floor and had such a fun time.  Brought back memories of my time in Y.O.U. as a teenager dancing w/ all my friends on the dance floor.

We didn't want to come home -- but finally left at 11:30.  Katie was a little hyper from all the grape flavored cotton candy (which was delicious) she ate.  They had the most delicious food there.  Once I realized one of the foods was a BBQ beef sandwich, I was too full!

One of the my friends took this picture of Katie & I while at the dance..  Katie's mouth lately is ALWAYS open like this in pictures.  Must be a thing... like making that duck lips .... I'm sure a fly is going to fly in her mouth someday.  One of the moms I don't really know, looked at Katie and I, and said "is she your daughter?"  another mom laughed and said "yes... can't you tell?!"  The first mom said "I wondered b/c she has your eyes and smile!"  Katie & I lately have been getting more and more comments about how much she looks like me.  We still don't see it much.  Must be the hair.  :D

After we got home from the Bat Mitzvah, I documented the things the girls got, and to show how wild they were... it was so fun to see Katie (Maddie wouldn't let us dance with her == apparently we're too embarrassing) -- dance.  She doesn't dance a lot at her Stake dances apparently. 

This picture below I labeled on my facebook page "Guess which of my kids had more fun than the other?!"