Built Ford Tough

Where do I even begin??!!??

2010-12-17T20:39:00.000-08:00

My life has been crazy between moving, moving again, teaching, breaking and spraining my ankle, blah blah blah. Blogging sort of moved to the bottom of my list. But I think I'm ready to jump back in :) Here is a mix of things that have been going on the last 6 months. Enjoy :) Brace yourself!

My baby boy is growing up way too fast!

Mayzie bug turned 4.
She's got more than enough sugar and spice to go around :)

The birthday gang

My sorry attempt at a princess castle.

My sassy girl showing off her new leotard :)

The girls at their school Christmas program
(I have to throw a shout out to myself for making their skirts. They are good from a far, but far from good)

Hallie with her dance partner/ secret crush! :)

Hallie made the choice to get her ears pierced.
I think they're pretty cute!

Cat in the Hat, Thing 1, and Thing two

Gardner's Village
(I made these skirts too) Ha

Hallie started kindergarten and Mayzie finally got to go to pre-school.

I took the kids up the canyon a few times. It is so beautiful up there!

The girls riding their scooters along the board walk in Chicago.
So beautiful!

My mom drove us out to Boston for another summer with APX.
We pulled in to Niagara Fall at 5 o'clock in the morning.
It was beautiful and we had the whole place to ourselves. Definitely a time I will always remember!

Niagara Falls
We had to wake all the kids up and drag them out of the car. They were so happy and loved seeing the fall.

Our Time in Boston

We were able to visit a few different beaches.
Always a fun way to spend daddy's only day off!

We were fortunate enough to have our good friends out in Boston with us. These 4 girls have a lot of fun together.

Grandma Lisa came to visit and took us all to the zoo.

Historic down town Boston

The girls played a lot of dress ups!

The days get long during our summers away from Utah.
We try to spend our time out doors as much as possible.

Lots and lots of time at the pool

Candle stick bowling

This was our 3rd fourth of July away from home. It was a fabulous day spent with lots of friends, food and fun.

My sister in law and I drove across the country in my mini van with 4 kids, 2 dogs, and lots of crap. We decided to drive 36 hours straight through so we were a little delirious by the time we got home!

Before we left for the summer

Hallie graduated from preschool

Hallie turned 5 on May 18th

Mothers day with my sweet kids.
I am so blessed!

Nothin but pictures

2010-05-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

My sister and I decided to do a little photo shoot with the kiddies today. Sorry there are so many, but this is the best way for me to share these pictures with daddy.
We miss you Daddy!!

Hallie on her bike

2010-05-12T17:31:00.001-07:00

Dirk

2010-05-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Dirk is 1

2010-04-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

I will forever remember the day this sweet boy came into our world! He has brought so much joy to our lives. Dirk is such a sweet boy! He loves to play with his sisters and will do anything to play outside. It is the cutest thing, at night when the girls are in bed, he will crawl back to their door and scratch like a dog on their door. Just begging to get in and play. Every morning Mayzie asks when he is going to wake up. The minute she hears him make a sound, she goes running in his room and gives him snuggles.

Curt is such a proud daddy when it comes to his little boy. He worked very hard to make sure Dirks first word was BALL. Dirk is always super excited when daddy walks in the door from work. I still haven't worried about getting Dirk to sleep through the night. I just enjoy our alone time. I love watching Dirk grow and love watching my girls interact with him. I look forward to many memories to come.

2 months

Love those first smiles

4 months

5 months

6 months

8 months, learning to crawl

10 months (Before his first hair cute)

First hair cute
Lookin' like a stud

Seeing as Dirk's first word was ball and he loves to play with balls, I had to make a ball cake.
He wanted to get his hands on that cake so bad!!

Just getting started

He ate the whole baseball and still screamed when I took the paper towel away :)

Oh how I love this boy!

I can't imagine our family without this little guy
(my cute mom in the back with her new hair cut! love it)

April

2010-04-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not very good at keeping up with the old blog anymore but here are some fun things that we've been up to in the last month or so.......

The sun finally came out!! We've been spending a lot of time outside :)

Yay for coloring Easter eggs

Carli and I took the kids to the Orem City Easter egg hunt at Mountain view

It was early and cold.... Give us a break :)

They don't get much cuter than this

Carli and I took a trip up to the Children's Museum

Kai felt super cool in his mail man outfit

Where better to go, then Chuck e cheese!!

That's right folks..... We went to the good old classic skating. The kids loved riding their scooters around the rink. (so old school)
Dirk is getting ready to walk

I've been buying way too many ugly dance outfits from Savers. But my girls love to wear them!

We had to bid fare well to our daddy until June :(

Boston

2010-03-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting to let you all know where we will be going this summer for APX. Boston, Mass. is the place. I am super excited about the location but I get a pit in my stomach every time I think about it. Curt will be leaving April 10th. The kids and I will join him the first of June. I am nervous to be away for so long.

The part that makes me the most un-easy is my living situation. We really like where we live right now and don't want to lose it. But on the other hand we can't afford to pay double rent. If anyone knows of someone that is looking for a place to rent for the summer please let me know. It is a 3 bedroom apartment and rents for $800. The thought of packing and moving everything just to come back in 3 months and do it all again makes me sick.

Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers. I could use it :)

Cancun Baby

2010-02-20T14:11:00.000-08:00

So I was supposed to be on a cruise for 5 days but our flight got canceled. Luckily APX decided to book a last minute trip to Cancun for us. Besides the our long lay-overs and crapy traveling, the trip was perfect. I honestly can't think of anything that could have made it better.

This is where we ate breakfast every morning.

I've been to a lot of beaches and I think Cancun has one of the prettiest I've seen.

One of my favorite things about the trip was playing hours of beach volleyball with all my friends. I can't get enough of it!

Curt had fun being able to hang with his brother/best friend too!

Curt and I were exhausted by our last day. After breakfast we headed down to the beach and took a nap in the cool morning breeze.

We ate breakfast and lunch everyday at our hotel. Then we would head out for the night life for dinner.

One night we went down town to the famous "La Parilla." It is a well known local mexican food restaurant with awesome authentic food and a meriachi band. We had a group of 30 that night.

Curt and I headed to Coco Bongo for my first club scene experience. It was a little weird at first but then I relaxed a little and ended up having a great time.

"The clan"
most of us anyway

It was so nice to be with my husband and have lots of "together time"

The best part of it all was that I didn't have to hear or talk about cookie monster. If you know what I mean :)

December a little late

2010-01-12T15:53:00.000-08:00

Dirk is 8 1/2 months now! He is army crawling all around and starting to pull his knees up. He is full of smiles and keeps us smiling :)

I turned 25! My mother in law gave me a sewing machine. My sister and I have spent countless hours braking up fights between our 6 kids while pretending to sew.

Here is the fabulous apron I made Lisa for Christmas

While Curt was out of town, the girls and I tried to put together a ginger bread house. As you can see we didn't have much luck. We needed dad there to construct the house. After all, he's the framer in the family.

My sweet Mayzie turned 3. She is obsessed with purple and insisted on having a purple cake
All dressed up for Christmas Sunday

Hallie getting her first of many golf lessons from Grandma Juli

My sister Carli had her 3rd baby. Welcome to the family Steeler.

We took the kids sledding at Curt's old hot spot. (Mountain View football bowl)

Then there were 5! (Family pictures)

2009-10-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Look at those smiles!

This is the same rock we took our engagements on. 5 1/2 years later and we still got it :)

Our 3 little rascals

The whole Ford family

We're Alive

2009-07-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

We made it to Tennesse! We have been doing lots of different things to try and stay busy. So.... Here is goes

Playing at the sprinkler park

We made cow masks and went to Chick Fil A for free meal
4th of July at the Rehrer's house

My baby turned 4!!!!

Lots and Lots of time at the pool

Boating down the Mississippi River

Dirky Boy at 2 1/2 months

Sunday is Curt's only day off so we always try to pack it with lots of fun activities

Dirk is still doing a lot of this

Presenting.........

2009-05-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

Dirk Dee Ford

Born Monday April 27th 2009

8 lb 2 oz 19 inches

I went to the hospital on Monday morning at 6:30am to be induced. Finally at 8:30am I was all set up and given the PIT. It took about an hour to get me to a 4. My contractions were a minute and a half apart so the nurse turned the drip almost all the way off. My body continued to progress quickly on it's own. The pain was a lot to handle but I was able to stay calm and breath through each contraction. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die when it was time to push. I didn't have to push long and Dirk was out. It is that moment of instant relief that I love. He was born at 11:15 am.

I love this little boy so much already

Hallie is my big helper and loves to hold "buddy boy" (that's his nickname)

check out those eye lashes

The whole fam damily

(Do I really have 3 kids!!)

Proud daddy getting ready to take his son home. He has been waiting for this day for a long time :)

Wish me luck!!

2009-04-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

So it's 10:30 p.m on Sunday, my bags are packed, the girls bags are packed, house is clean, car seat is installed and now I'm going to attempt to get some sleep. The hospital should be calling me around 5:30 or 6:00 am to be induced.

Tonight was a little emotional for me as I put my girls to bed. I read them extra books and sang a few extra songs. I couldn't help but look at their sweet faces and think that after tomorrow our lives are going to change. It won't ever be just us three again. We are so excited for the little guy to arrive, but I always struggle with change.

Keep me in your thoughts and pray for a quick delivery. I will keep you all posted on how things go.

Happy 5th Anniversary

2009-04-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

Curt and I celebrated our fifth anniversary this weekend. It is always fun to think back on all the good and bad times of our marriage. In our five years of marriage we have lived in 3 different houses, had 2 daughters and almost a son, been pregnant for almost 2 1/2 of those years, paid off a car, fought and made up many times:) and the list goes on. The best part of it all is that we've gone through it all together. Curt is my husband, friend, support, baby's daddy, and playmate. We always have a lot of fun together, he can always make me laugh.

To celebrate we went to eat at Tepanyaki, one of our favorites. I made a "better than sex" cake for Curt seeing as with this big belly, cake would be better than the other thing. he he (Sorry, a little too much info!)

35 Weeks

2009-04-01T07:14:00.001-07:00

I am 35 1/2 weeks and counting. I am feeling good and getting anxious to meet this little guy. I am planning to be induced on April 27th which is a week before my due date. I'm not very excited about it because as you know I choose to have my baby's all natural and I've heard that the "PIT" intensifies the pain right away. I'm crossing my fingers that the baby will come before the 27th so I can do most of the laboring at home again. I am being induced so that Curt can have a day or two at home with the baby before he heads off to Tennessee.

A Poem for the Ladies

2009-03-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

Someone will always be prettier.

Someone will always be smarter.

Some of their houses will be bigger.

Some will drive a better car.

Their children will do better in school.

And their husbands will fix more things around the house.

So let it go, and love you and your circumstances

Think about it!

The prettiest woman in the world can have pain in her heart.

The most highly favored woman on your job may be unable to have children.

The richest woman you know, she's got the car, the house, the clothes,

might be lonely.

And the word says, "If I have not love, I am nothing."

So, again, love you and Love who you are.

Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say,

"I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed"

I love this poem! We as women are always too hard on ourselves. I always try not to compare myself to others. It always seems to get me down when I do. I am so thankful for everything I have, especially all of you other women who understand me. Thanks for your friendship and love:)

Viva Las Vegas!!

2009-02-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we got to take a little get away to Vegas for Curt's NABA Baseball tournament. Watching Curt play baseball is one of my favorite things to do. For our first 3 years of marriage that is how we spent our summers. Now that we have been doing APX during the summer we don't have that privilege anymore. Curt and I both really miss it, so this was a fun weekend for us.

We only lost one game due to one bad inning and won the whole tournament.

Our first night we went to Cheesecake factory and looked at the fish. The girls loved it!

They were both so tired, but were great and well behaived.

The first games of the day were always cold and early. The girls were troopers.

My husband looks hot in baseball pants

Mayzie thought she was quite the comedian taking her clothes off and talking about poop the whole time. I don't know where she gets it. She must be 2!

Curt played catcher most of the tournament, but got to move around a little.
3rd base

Catcher

Pitcher
Batting stance

Mayzie was so amazed by the lions

Look, I made it in a picture. Try to enjoy it because it doesn't happen very often:)
That's my belly at 29 weeks and my butt after eating way too much crap.

Daddy and the girls after a great victory

Hallie thought it was so fun to run in the dug out when the games were over

We were up at 6:30, had little to no naps and went to bed after 11:00 everyday. The girls were completely exhausted. We were on the road for only 20 min when both girls were out. They both slept for over 3 hours. We are still trying to catch up on our sleep.

All and all it was a fun little getaway and I am so proud of my family. Curt did awesome playing baseball and the girls were such good sports the whole trip.

Tennessee here we come....

2009-02-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

As you know, my family and I lived in California for the summer last year while Curt sold alarms for APX. We just found out that we will be going to Memphis Tennessee this May for his sales. If everything goes as planned I will have my baby around May 4th, stay around long enough for the baby's 2 week check up and then head East. I'm not very excited about the whole thing. It feels like a lot to move myself and 3 kids for only 31/2 months. I am just trying to support my husband on this one :) If you know anything about Tennessee please share with me. It might help me to be more open about this new move.

One Word Tag

2009-02-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Answer the following questions with one word. ready.... set.... go!

1. Where is your phone? Pocket
2. Where is your significant other? Work...
3 .Your hair color? Brown
4. Your Mother? Talented

5. Your Father? Heaven

6. Your favorite thing? Holiday's
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your dream/goal? Home
9. The room you're in? Family
10. Your hobby? Dance
11. Your fear? Death
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Utah
13. Where were you last night? In-Laws (Go Steelers!!!)

14. What you're not? Worldly
15. One of your wish-list items? Debt-Free
16. Love Someone? Yeah

17. The last thing you ate? Toast
18. What are you wearing? Sweats (Duh)
19. Your TV? Old
20. Your pet? NEVER
21. Your computer? SLOW
22. Your mood? Content
23. Missing someone? Husband
24. Your car? paid-off :)
25. Something you're not wearing? Socks
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your Summer? Different (I lived in California)

28. Where did you grow up? Orem
29. Your favorite color? All
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today teaching 3 yr olds
31. Last time you cried? Last week
32. Something you crave? Sweets
33. Why you blog? Friends

I Tag... Anyone who wants to do this.

My baby Mayzie is 2

2009-01-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

On December 20th 2006, I laid in my bedroom with the lights off and fought through labor pains as long as I could. Finally, I yelled to Curt that it was time to go. He helped me to the car and drove me through a snow storm to the hospital. My mom then wheeled me up to labor and delivery while Curt parked the car. They got me right into a room. The nurse checked me and said I was dilated to a 10. I was so relieved, I couldn't see how the pain could get much worse. The doctor was near by and came straight to my room. He gave me the go to start pushing. Curt made it back just in time to see me, with a few strong pushes, deliver my second daughter. My life hasn't been the same since:)

Mayzie has brought such a sweet spirit to our lives. She has been such a smiley, yet feisty little girl. She is always making us laugh with all of her funny things she says and does. She loves snuggles, dogs, blankets, and her family. I can't imagine life without her sweet smile.

This picture says it all! Mayzie wakes up with this smile everyday:)

Look who's two

Mayzie and Hallie playing with one of Mayzie's B- Day gifts.

We had a fun family get together at Grandma Lisa's with cake, ice cream and presents. Mayzie had so much fun playing with her sister, cousins, and friends. Thanks so much to all of you for making it a special night for Mayzie Ray.

It's a BOY!!!

2008-12-22T16:47:00.000-08:00

The doctors gave us some really exciting news on this past Wednesday. We will be having our first BOY in May. Curt couldn't be more "stoked" as he would say. He did fist pumps of excitment all day long. We were at Target today and he wanted to go look in the little boy department. He informed me that he will be dressing our son.

8's Tag

2008-12-04T22:24:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by my dear friend Melissa...... So here it goes:-)

8 T.V. shows I watch
1) Biggest Looser
2) ANTM
3) Oprah
4) Old friends episodes
5) Steeler's football
6) Law and Order
7) I'm stumped
8) I rarely watch T.V.

8 Things that happened yesterday
1) Woke up at 6:30 to make Curt breakfast and lunch and send him off to work
2) I got my daughters closets and toys all organized and looking pretty:)
3) Felt my baby moving (I love that part of being pregnant)
4) Went to lunch with my good old girlfriends
5) Got new sweats from Curt (YAY, seeing as that is all I wear)
6) watched my sisters kids
7) Had the day off from dance and got to work on my bows
8) Rocked and sang both of my sweet daughters to sleep by the Christmas tree lights

8 Things I'm looking forward to
1) Finding out the sex of my baby on December 17th
2) My sister in laws baby joining the world after Christmas
3) Christmas
4) Having my baby in May
5) Paying off our car in December (yay for us)
6) My children's faces on Christmas (such a special moment)
7) Going to Magelby's on Saturday with Curt for my B-Day dinner
8) Waking up to the first snow

8 Things I Love about winter
1) getting out all my sweaters, coats, and boots
2) Christmas decorations all over my house
3) Looking at Christmas lights
4) Sitting by the fire (I think this belongs at the top of my list)
5) Waking up and seeing the first snow of the year (so exciting)
6) All the family party's that come with this time of year (I love being with family)
7) work getting canceled due to too much snow. (I know, wishful thinking)
8) The cozy atmosphere the cold creates inside my house

Happy 24th Cassie Rose

2008-12-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to think back on some of the fun, happy, sad, and life changing things that have happened to me in the last 24 years.

Dec 1st 1984- I was born in Orem Utah to Kelly and Juli Montgomery
18 months later my first sister Carli was born
At age 6 my next sister Kami was born
Age 8 I was baptized and I moved to a new home in a new neighborhood. That means making new friends. This is where my life really took a turn. I am still friends with these people today.
Jr. high I played on the tennis and basketball team and played softball in the summer.
Age 14 (9th grade) my father passed away. I would say this changed my life for the better. It helped me see what's really important in life. I became a nicer person and made new friends at school. These girls all danced so I took a dance class at school. I really started to like it and decided to sign up at Center Stage.
Literally over night I went from the basketball gym to the dance studio. This changed my relationship with my mom a lot. She is a sports fan and was always my coach. I went from seeing her for hours in the gym, to only saying good morning and good night. She new nothing of the dance world and felt helpless. It was really sad but an exciting change for me.
I spent the next four years basically living at Center Stage. I loved every minute of dance. Some of my best friends were there and dancing always makes me happy.
In high school I had a great time dancing with the high school dance team, dating boys, hanging out with my friends and just having plain old innocent fun.
I starting dating Curt my Senior year and had a hard time staying focused on school:)
Age 18- The week after graduation I moved to Rain Tree apartments with my best girlfriends. We had a great time.
Age 18-I got my first real job at Sizzler and started my first season with Odyssey Dance Theater. I was lucky enough to travel around the US and to a few other countries. This was a great time in my life. I met a lot of new great friends.
April 17th 2004 I married my best friend Curt
4 months later, I became pregnant
I worked for an insurance company all during my pregnancy and began teaching dance
May 18th 2005 I was given the best gift one can receive, Hallie Rose was born
Curt and I had a lot of fun in our summer and falls playing co-ed softball.
I was lucky enough to be a mother and still perform, dancing with Origins
Dec 2006 Mayzie Ray was born
4 months later and I was able to begin performing again

Today I am 24, pregnant, have a loving husband and 2 beautiful daughters, teach dance, play indoor soccer, still live in Orem (yay, I never want to move) I am surrounded by all my best friends and family and am very happy.

Thanks to all of you for making my life what it has been and will be. You have all touched my life in some way:)

My Sweet girls in their Christmas Dresses

Aloha

2008-11-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

Curt and I were lucky enough to enjoy a very relaxing 8 days in Oahu, Hawaii last week. We arrived in Hawaii on Friday. Tika (my brother in law) picked us up at the airport and took us to our Resort where we met up with the rest of my family. My mom is a time share owner of Marriott's in Hawaii so we are always spoiled and get to stay in beautiful rooms equipped with full kitchens and living rooms. Our pool area was very fun and relaxing. There was a basketball hoop in the pool, so Curt, Tika, Kami, and Juli had fun playing two on two tackle basketball. Our beach had little lagoon's so there weren't any waves. It was perfect for swimming around, playing with Carli's kids, snorkeling, and throwing the Frisbee and football. I finally mastered the Frisbee. (yay me!!)

Tika's parents live on the North shore, about an hour from our resort. They were so generous to let us use their van for the week. We spent one of our days on the North shore. We started out by stopping at the famous Matsumoto Shaved Ice. From there we headed to Sharks Cove where there was awesome snorkeling. They saw a turtle, eels, octopus, and many schools of colorful fish. I stayed back on shore with the kids and protected my tummy. I get scared of being slammed into rocks. We then went to Tika's parents and showered off to head to the Polynesian Cultural Center. We ended the night with a feast at Tika's. His mom was so sweet to cook for us.

For dinner one night we drove into town and had dinner as a family at Chili's. It was a beautiful night. We sat outside and listened to some awesome live music. Curt and I got to enjoy several dinners by sunset. They have several restaurants just of the beach for a perfect view of the sunset's. It was very romantic. (he he)

Curt and I enjoyed just relaxing, watching our episodes of friends at night, playing cards, hanging with our family and having a little time away from our kids. We missed our girls soooo much, but it was healthy for us to have some time together with each other. We felt like honey mooner's. I love my husband so much:)

The Honey Mooner's

Me at 14 weeks. I popped right out this time.

The whole fam damily at Matsumoto shaved ice
Snorkeling at Sharks Cove

"The gang"

Polynesian Cultural Center

Curt relaxing pool side

Two on two tackle basketball

Our transportation
We fit just right:) add my mom sitting on Carli's lap

Dinner at Chili's
We figured if we got enough liqour in KoDee he'd pay the bill(ha ha)
Thanks again bro:)

Picture taken from my seat at dinner
Lagoon on the beach

My hot husband on the North Shore
Special Thanks to... Mom, Mitch and Christine for watching the kiddies and Wesley Family

It's Alive!!!!

2008-10-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Today I got to hear my babies heart beat for the first time. I have never been nervous during a pregnancy before until this time. You hear that most women have at least one miscarriage in their lifetime so I've felt like my turn must be coming. As soon as the doctor put the "thingy" on my stomach, there it was...... Bum Bum, Bum Bum. It's little heart beat was fast and strong. Hearing that always makes things seem more real. It helps me realize that I am growing another sweet spirit in my own belly and it is about to join our family.

I love pregnancy!! I love waking up in the middle of the night and feeling my stomach in all different shapes. I love watching my belly grow with each month. I love feeling the baby move and kick. And most of all I love labor. It is so intense while you're in it and then all of sudden the room stops and there it is.... your own baby that you get to watch grow up and love. My favorite part of having baby #2 (Mayzie) was realizing that each child is different. They have their own personalities and love you in a different way. They bring a new flavor to your family. I can't wait to meet baby #3. Children are miracles and I love them so much.

Sorry for the novel. I am just very pationate about this subject:-) I feel so blessed to have my babies and I want you all to know that.

Why I love October

2008-10-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

I often find myself overwhelmed with different emotions during this time of year.
I wanted to make a list of all the reasons why I love it so much.

Waking up in the morning and putting on socks and a sweatshirt because it is a little cold.
Looking out my bay window to see all the leaves changing color
Snuggling on the coach with my hubby to watch football and baseball
Dressing myself and my kids in warm clothes
Getting out all the Halloween decorations
going to the pumpkin patch
Decorating and carving pumpkin's
Taking my girls on a bike ride around all the neighborhood's to see everyone's houses decorated for Halloween
Eating all the different squash's and beats from my garden
Burning candles
Baking all sorts of different goodies:)
Sunday drives and walks in the canyon
Being with family and friends (this time of year always brings us together more
Canning peach's and making apples sauce to last the winter
Finding costumes
Last but not least.... Trick or treating with my kids!!! (I will be in Hawaii this year on Halloween with out my kids. I am pretty beat up over it. I guess there is always next year)

Welcome home Daddy!!!

2008-09-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

Curt has been away from Utah for 51/2 months and has finally returned. It was a rough summer and he was very excited to get home just in time for fall:) I'm not going to lie, it has been a bit of an adjustment for me. I got used to sleeping side ways in bed, doing what I want to do when I want to do it, eating what I want to eat, watching what I want to watch etc... Now it is back to compromise. Don't get me wrong, i love my husband and have really missed him.

The girls were thrilled when daddy walked in on Friday morning. Mayzie has been following him around everywhere and has a fit when he leaves. She insists that "Daddy change stink bumb" ha ha it's great.

The girls have been waiting for daddy to go to the local pumpkin patch, so Saturday morning we headed over and let the girls pick their favorite ones!

Oh Hallie..... :)

2008-09-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

I know I am always saying this, but Hallie is such a bright child. One day she told me that at pre-school they were learning how to stand for the pledge. I recited the pledge for her about 3 times and then ta duh.... She could recite the whole thing on her own. She amazes me everyday!!!

Yes, I am alive!!!! Here is a wrap of what is going on in the Ford's crazy life.

2008-09-09T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have been home from California for 3 weeks now. Curt went on to Boston until the 1st of October to continue to sale for APX. I have a full house of people right now so I'm not feeling too lonely. Full house is an understatement, 6 Ukrainians, my mom, my sister Kami, Carli and her kids during the day, me, and my kids. Wow, I know. We rented our upstairs to 6 Ukrainian kids while we were gone for the summer and they are here until the 15th of September. My mom just bought a town house in St. George so we headed down there for a weekend to get away. We just layed around, played tennis, and went to the splash park with the kids. They love it!! My mom left two days ago with the Ukrainians for a ten day trip. She is taking them to Vegas, California, and Bryce Canyon. Now that they're gone I am beginning to get my house back in order and cleaned up. I'll be honest, I'm moving in slow motion due to the fact that I'M PREGNANT and have no energy and am very tired. I never thought I would have 3 kids by age 24. I am back teaching dance again and loving it. All in all I'm glad to be home and have missed you all.

Here are some highlights of what has been going on:) Enjoy.....

Hallie practiced hard all summer on the monkey bars. She is now a Pro and can make it across just about any monkey bars.

The results of too much practice:)

She is also working on her "Bridge"

Celebrating our sweet Baby Kelly's 2nd B-day at Chuck E Cheese

My dearest mother came and visited us in Cali and took me golfing! I love golfing with my mom. She coach's me in a way that makes sense to me. My game is slowly improving.

Curt's parents also visited and took us to Sea World. It was so fun and the girls loved it

Grandma Lisa couldn't leave with out buying a couple of "Shamu's for the girls"

Santa Barabra Zoo
People aren't used to seeing that many little kids all together. We had multiple people ask is we were watching other peoples kids or running a day care. It was pretty funny.

The girls had so much fun riding on the train. They didn't stop smiling the whole time:)
The results of way too much time at the swimming pool

Curt had his 24th b-day in Cali. We are getting old.

At the splash park in St. George with Grandma and Wendy

Hallie dares to cliff jump on higher rocks than I do (I'm a scaredy cat)
Grandma reading to the girls before bedtime in St. George

Hallie's first day of Pre-school. This is one of my neighbors and Curt went to pre-school here too!

The 6 ukrainian's living in my house. I'm not sure how but we managed to have room for everyone. This shouldn't surprise you if you know how things go at the "Montgomery" home. My mom always seems to find room for people who need a place to stay. We've had multiple homeless, foreign exchange students, family members in need, you name it living in our house. Mom always seems to find a way to make it work. I've learned that I can get buy with a lot less than I ever thought. That is one trait I hope to take from my mom.

This is the truck they are taking on their road trip. So far they have hit vegas and saw the Hollywood sign. They say it is a dream come true. They've slept in a church parking lot, a school parking lot and one night at the Bilogio. Some sleep in the back and some camp out on the ground in a sleeping back.

T.G, Curt, Brother Mitch, Bro in law Tika
A dream come true for Curt. He got to go to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park. He loved every minute of it. We can't wait for him to come home! (Love you Bubbies:))

A walk down memory lane

2008-07-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

Memories...I hope you will play along.
Here are the directions:
1. Add a comment on my blog and leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot just do anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.It's actually pretty funny to see the responses.

If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments!

Fool's Gold

2008-07-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

As an incentive APX threw 2000 pennies in the pool today. Each pennie was worth one dollar. Here is Mitch throwing in the money

There were only 6 guys that met the requirements to dive for the pennie's
Here is Curt going down for more pennies. It was really exhausting and hard to pick the pennie's up off the bottom of the pool. I was quite entertaining to watch though.

Here is Curt with his grand total of 361 pennies.

The best part of the whole thing is that Curt, brother in law Tika, and Tika's brother TG all went down to the pool at 11:00pm to practice. They timed each other to see how many pennies they could get in an amount of time. Curt didn't crawl into bed with me until 1:00. They are such nerd's.

Beach Volleyball

2008-06-29T13:00:00.001-07:00

Beach volley ball is one of the activities we do in the morning before Curt has to go to work. It is my favorite thing we do here. We meet at 8:30 and drive 10 minutes to the beach. There are 7 volleyball nets set up and we usually have enough people to use 2 of them. Last time we played round robin style and played all the teams twice. It is so refreshing to be out by the beach and feel the cool breeze on your face while playing a game of volleyball. It is very theraputic for me. This is Curt thinking he could save this ball. Let's be honest, it probably went the complete wrong direction. Bless his heart for going for it though.
I didn't have to get my kids off the court once. They played with sand toys and found this little hill to climb. They love it at the beach.
One of the mornings that we went, we got to see dolphin's. Tika looked out not too far away and noticed there were 2 dolphin's jumping side by side. It was so cool to watch there fins go in and out of the water.

My First Adventure

2008-06-23T11:02:00.000-07:00

Today was the first time I have driven somewhere on my own. I got in my car and drove 55 miles to Edge Performing arts. It is a famous dance studio in LA where many great choreographers and teachers teach. It is somewhere I have always wanted go, and now I can say I have. I took a Jazz class and it was alot of fun. It reminded me why I used to be in such great shape and why I no longer am. Dance uses such different muscles. I am so glad I did it and I hope to get back there again before I leave california. (Thanks again Carli for watching my girls so I could go. You are the greatest sister:)

Tribute to my loving Father

2008-06-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

I lost my father 9 years ago this October to stomach cancer. I've always missed him but it wasn't until I had children that it really hit me. Sometimes I look at my kids and think how much they would've loved their grandpa Kelly. My father taught me so many things.....

*Always put family first (Any one who knew my father will tell you he was a family man)
*When you work, work hard. When you play, play hard (He was great at that. He was one of the hardest workers I know. He also knew how to have fun, travel, and laugh)
*Treat my mother with respect. He loved my mom so much and was willing to do whatever it took to make their relationship work.

*Before he passed he bought my mom a new red truck and a boat to match it. He wanted her to be well taken care of. A few days before he passed I was laying next to him in his bed and he told me something I will never forget. He told me that he doesn't get to take his truck, his boat, his house, his money, ect... All he could take with him was his knowledge and the relationships he made through out his life. Things are only things and nothing else.

Loosing my father was a horrible thing but I am a stronger person because of it. I love him still and am thankful for his example and all that he taught me

Happy 3rd Birthday to my first born!

2008-05-31T13:51:00.001-07:00

Hallie is my little sweetheart. She is so smart and witty. She is always saying and doing the funniest things. She has a smile that melts my heart daily and a brain that doesn't quit. The little girls thought these were the coolest hats ever.
Hallie and Auntie Christine:)

We invited some of the crew over for cake and ice cream. Thanks everyone for making Hallie's birthday special. Her smile was so big when all of those people were singing to her.

Things that make Hallie special

She has to give everyone a hug and kiss before they leave
She always says please and thank you
She is a puzzle master at age 3
She is so brave, she will try to climb anything and everything
Her memory is outstanding
She loves her sister and tells her everyday. (so cute)
During the day she will just stop and say, "oh mamma, I love you" or "I had a good day"
When I get out of the shower she asks me if I had a good shower
She makes me want to have more kids:)
The list could go on and on and on..........

We made to Cali!

2008-05-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

We arrived to California on Sunday @ 9:00am. I drove a wopping 45 minutes. My dear mother drove the rest of the way. I don't know how she did it. (I guess that's what living the night gambling life does for ya) We were so excited to see Curt and everyone else. Today was also Hallie's 3rd B-day so we all went to the beach . It was Hallie and Mayzie's first time and they both loved it. Hallie made a sand hill the hole time and then we barried her.

Thanks again mom for bringing me out here. With out you I probably would have ended up in New York with one kid. Ha Ha
I am not a huge fan of the ocean. The water is always so cold and the sand gets wedged in place where it doesn't belong. Come on, you know what I'm talking about. he he

Bye Bye

2008-05-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

It is finally time.....

I have waited for 5 long weeks for this day. Tomorrow we are on our way to re-join with Curt in California:) I have my studio recital tomorrow. My day will start at 8:00 a.m at Mountain View and get over at 8:00 p.m. I will race home, jump in my truck and be on my way. My mom is driving me out to Cali. We have chosen to drive through the night so the girls can sleep. Also so we can spend all day Sunday with Curt. I hope to keep updated with my blog but it might be hard. I still plan to stalk all of you as much as possible:) hehe.

Tonight I had an end of the year party with all 23 of my Company students. I know I brag about them alot, but they are great and I spend alot of time with them. We went to Jump on it, ate pizza, cupcakes, and pop. Here are some pictures of the Clan:) I will miss you all and look forward to seeing you in September. Love you!

I made picture books for all of the girls. It was a lot of work but well worth it.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

"Children will remember you not for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherished them."

-Gail Grenier Sweet

I love this quote. It reminds me what being a mother is really about. It is about loving and caring for your children, teaching them, and preparing them for everyday life the best that you can. I am so blessed to be a mother. My children bring a new light to my life everyday. I couldn't ask for a greater gift from God.

On that note, my day started out like one of a true mother. We had a homecoming to get to by 9:00. I got up at 6:30 to make sure everything ran smoothly and to asure we would be on time. I showered, got ready, fed Mayzie breakfast, gave the girls a bath, got them dressed and curled their hair. They both looked adorable and we had plenty of time to get to church on time. Hallie said she wasn't hungry, but I insisted that she eat some oatmeal. She started to cough on some flem. Then it gagged her and she threw up water all over her dress. I stayed calm and changed her clothes, fed her the oatmeal and we were on our way. We got there with 5 minutes to spare, found a good seat and were ready to listen. Things were going great when I looked over at Hallie and she was holding her hand over her mouth with the look of death on her face. I grabbed the diaper bad and shoved it in her face. Blaaaah, here it came. Oatmeal and water filled the diaper bag. I grabbed both of the girls and we went home with out hearing my friends talk. Apparently Hallie is sick and I didn't know it. She has thrown up 2 more times since then and has been laying around all day. Oh the joy's of motherhood.......... We get the good and the bad, that is what makes it fun though right...

I hope all you mother's out there have a great day.

2008-05-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

Fellow bloggers, please excuse the excessive video's. This is daddy's only way of seeing his babies. These girls miss their daddy more then you know. It breaks my heart!

2008-05-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

We decided to send a little love from home to Curt. We miss you so much daddy. Hallie tells me everyday that we are going to California but not today. I can't wait until the morning when we wake up and I get to tell her that it is finally time to go.

Utah Dance Fest

2008-05-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I took my companies to Logan UT for Utah Dance Fest. They made me so proud. All my duo's and solo's and groups performed better then they ever have before.

Mini Elites

This is my 7-8 year old company. They are awesome and so much fun to work with. They have done really well at all of their competitions. Two weeks ago we went to a Comp at UVU. They won the overall High score in the Junior division and Orange Colored sky won best choreography over the whole competition. That was very rewarding for me as their choreographer. At Utah Dance Fest they won high score on both of their dances winning us a total of $100.

Orange Colored Sky

Track Jack
Jr. Prep

This is my 10-12 year old company. They surprise me everyday with new things. They are learning and growing so much. I am so proud of them and all of their accomplishments. This weekend they recieved gold medals on all of their dances and did well with their duo's and solo's.

Proud Mary

Dream Girls

I have become attached to all my students and considers them my girls and friends. It will be nice to have a little time for myself this summer, but I am going to miss everyone so much. I love you all. Thanks for making me proud:)

4 Wonderful Years

2008-04-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

Today was my four year anniversary! Seeing as Curt is in California, my mom took me out. We golfed 9 at Sleepyridge and then went to Cafe Rio for lunch. Then I biked all around North Orem stopping at 3 parks for my kids to play. I had a fun day but it would have been much better if I could've spent it with my loving hubby! I love you Curt:)

Sad and all alone

2008-04-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

My hubby, best friend, and source of adult conversation is gone:( Curt left at 6:30 this morning to California. I had to stay behind and finish out my teaching at Center Stage. The girls and I won't be moving until May 18th. That means I am without my husband for over a month. The longest we have ever been apart is 1 week, so this is going to be a challenge for me. I am going to try and stay as busy as I can to keep my mind off the fact that he is gone and how bad I want to be in the warm sun of California.

For anyone who is confused as to what is going on. Curt is going to sale APX alarms in California for the summer. We will all be back at the end of August. If any one wants to do a lunch date please call me. I would love the company and adult conversation.

Hallie and Mayzie have been tagged

2008-04-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

10 Things Hallie Loves

1. Peaches and Toast (it is one of the first things she says when she wakes up in the morning)
2. Climbing the rainbow bridge at the park
3. Bike rides in her bike seat
4. Dora
5. Watching movies in Mom and Dad's room
6. Snuggling in bed with mom in the morning
7. Playing in the bath with all her toys and then looking at her raisin fingers
8. Going in with me to get Mayzie out of bed in the morning and after naps
9. She has an obsession with cleaning in between her toes when she takes her socks or pj's off. She tries to do it to Mayzie too.
10. Puzzles (she is awesome at puzzles, it boggles my mind)

10 Things Mayzie Loves

1. Her Binki
2. Eating!!!! she is my little chunk and would eat all day if I let her
3. Seeing Hallie when she wakes up. (It is so cute, you can see her big smile through her binki)
4. Her "soft" Everytime I go to get her out of bed, she hands me her blanket and then just snuggles with me for about 5 minutes. It is one of my favorite things too!
5. Baby Kelly (she loves my sisters daughter so much)
6. Daddy (she gets so excited and runs around screaming everytime he comes home from work)
7. Babies
8. Soft objects (she is a snuggle bug)
9. Mom
10. Dogs

I tag.... Boston, Statton, Devyn

New diet plan

2008-03-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

For the last 3 years I have either been pregnant or nursing and have been able to eat whatever I want and still stay thin. I have become really addicted to sugar and have formed bad eating habits. It is finally starting to catch up with me:( I am slowly but surely gaining weight and it has got to stop. I have been telling myself for the last month that I was going to change, but I just keep putting it off until tomorrow.

Not this time! I am on day three of no sugar and very low carbs. I haven't missed a day of working out and I feel great. I am a little irritable at times, but I know that will pass. Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers! Ha Ha:)

Hoppy Easter!

2008-03-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Holiday's have been so exciting for me this year! Hallie is finally old enough to understand and appreciate what is going on. Our day started out with strawberry crepes and then a bath for the girls. Then we went out back to see what the easter bunny had brought for us.
Hallie got pretty much everything because one of the eggs came open, so Mayzie sat down to eat the goods. She is my little eater (hence the cheeks!)
Hallie also got some books, stickers, play dough, and crayons. That was all great, but she just wanted the candy. Our teeth are going to start falling out around here:)
After our hunt we headed over to my grandma's for my all time favorite "Potatoe Salad." We got to spend the day with all of our family and friends. It was wonderful!

Soccer Mom

2008-03-20T07:18:00.001-07:00

We're takin' soccer mom to a whole 'nother level!

I had my third game on Tuesday and I finally scored a goal. In fact, thanks to my team mates and their great passing skills, I scored 2! It is so much fun to get to run around and let my athletic side out again. I am so grateful for women's sports and I hope to continue to be involved in many sports for many years. It's awesome:) (Thanks again Jane for giving me this opportunity!)After the game we finally colored our Easter Eggs!
Hallie's face was so cute when we pulled out the first egg.

She was so amazed that her egg was suddenly pink.

Curt loves doing these types of things with us. Some how he ended up coloring twice as much as Hallie and I. He thought is was cool to color funny things on the eggs.

What a great daddy we have!

Lunch Date

2008-03-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been to Max & Cheese, you've got to go!It is a children's restaurant, totally designed for our little ones.

This is the toy center. There are peep windows all around so you can watch your kids from your kids while you eat.

Toys for the kids to play with while you wait in line
The menu is all sorts of noodles, hot dogs ect..
There is an adult menu as well.
Max & Cheese is off 1600 north and State in Orem. (Next to Costa Vita)

It is awesome! My girls loved it. If anyone wants to go for a lunch date with the kiddie's, I'm in!

Circus

2008-03-10T20:07:00.001-07:00

We got to go to the Circus on friday night. It was so exciting for me as a mom to see the looks on my girls faces! I think I watched them more than the circus acts.Curt waited in line to put Hallie on the elephants but she got scared, so this is as close as she got.
My beautiful butterfly
Yes, I was brave! I got the girls cotton candy. I hate sticky stuff:)
Mayzie was clapping and dancing the entire time.
When all was said and done, both girls were gone before we got out of the parking lot.

Happy Birthday Savannah

2008-03-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks for being such a great friend Vans! It is nice to have some one to vent to. Thanks for always listening to me whine. You are awesome! I hope you have a happy day!

Freezing our buns off in NY
All sweaty at an Odyssey show

Hallie's First Dance Class

2008-03-07T21:58:00.000-08:00

Center Stage is offering a 2 yr. old dance class so I decided to take Hallie. All the other girls were wearing pink tights and leotards, some even had tutu's. I refuse to put Hallie in that "stuff." Deep inside I want her to play sports. When the time comes I will let her choose but for now this class is just to learn some coordination and to play with other friends. Hallie loved it. She was all smiles and looked so silly. The teacher said she was saying funny things the whole time and was full of personality (surprise,surprise) That's my Hallie for ya!

He keeps me young

2008-02-26T21:45:00.000-08:00

Curt has always had the ability to make me laugh even when I want to be mad. He never lets me stay mad at him. He has the ability to lighten a heavy room and bring light to a dark situation. I love him for this

Last weekend we went to a cute little restaurant in the midtown village. It was a small sophisticaed restaurant full of adults. Of course we were the idiots that brought 2 young kids. There was a ten minute wait so Curt took the girls outside to walk around. I stayed in the waiting room so I could hear them call our name. As I sat there talking to a few other couples, I looked out the glass doors and saw this...

I was so embarassed. He had found a wheel barrow and put the girls in it. The other couples were laughing, but I felt stupid. He is such a nerd. But hey, I guess that was better than having the girls running around whinning and getting into things. Thanks Curt for always making me laugh. You are the best!

P.S Thanks Myla and Jane for the gift card. We appreciated it so much. Going out to eat is our favorite thing. The food was great!!

Tagged!

2008-02-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

Ten Years Ago...... I was in 7th grade and hadn't entered the "dance world" yet. I spent my time playing basketball, soccer, and tennis. I think I was kinda snotty back then. Sorry to anyone I may have offended. I wish I could take it back!

5 Places I've Visited..... New York, Alaska, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Cancun

I Enjoy...... Dates with Curt, Reading books and watching Disney movies with my girls, Eating, Sleeping, Dancing, Teaching, Hot baths, Down time, and Excercising.

3 Bad Habits..... Waiting until the last minute to get things ready to go somewhere, eating when I'm really not that hungry, Checking my blog. (It gets addicting and I hate it)

5 Things You May Not Know About Me....... 1) I do push-ups everyday while I'm waiting for the shower to get hot. 2) I love to sit in the sink and pick my face at night. (That should explain the small scabes I always have on my nose) 3) I still have some Christmas decorations up because we had mice this year and I'm too afraid to go down into the storage room to put them away. I just wait until my mom comes over and make her do it. (Yes I do have a husband but I forget to ask him to do it.) 4)I am a major cheap wad. I still have a lot of clothes from junior high and highschool. Anything beyond that I can thank my mother-in-law for. 5) I have to work hard to be organized. I am always double booking myself and forgetting things.

5 Jobs I Have Had...... 1) Matthews baby sitter all through Jr. High and High School. 2) Sizzler 3) Odyssey Dancer 4) Secretary for a life insurance agent 5) Dance teacher, mother, and wife.

I tag- Savannah, Karleen, Reagan, Melissa, and Jane

Look out! Here comes trouble

2008-02-22T10:53:00.000-08:00

Today Mayzie learned how to climb up on things. First she figured out how to get up on the toddler bed. Then we came down stairs and she decided to try it out on the fire place.

Step one accomplished
It is a good thing the fire isn't on
Hmmm... I wonder where she learned this from? Hallie loves to climb up there and turn on and off the fire place and lights.
Mission accomplished! I know have two terrors. Yeah for me!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-02-17T22:18:00.001-08:00

2008-02-14T21:29:00.001-08:00

A Few Fun Traditions
My little helper

My mom always made this cheesecake for my dad on Valentines Day. I have since continued that tradition with Curt for the last four years!
I made two of these heart shaped cakes for my dance students! They all loved it and it was fun for me!

2008-02-14T21:24:00.000-08:00

My Valentine's!

2008-02-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

5.6.7.8 DANCE

I went up to Ogden this week end for a dance competition. I was really proud of my girls! It is interesting to be on the other side of the spectrum. I now understand why my dance teacher used to get so upset with us.
This is "Low Rider" one of our small group dances. I get so attached to my students. One minute I can be so upset with them, the next minute I just want to hug them and tell them how proud I am.
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2008-02-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

Homemade Excercise
I have a hard time getting to the gym with two young kids, cleaning, teaching, and all my other duties. So I've started taking the girls out in the snow and running around the neighborhood with the sled. They love it and I get my heart rate up. I guess it will do for now:)

We were outside for over an hour and Mayzie threw a fit when it was time to go in. She was all smiles out in the snow.

Mayzie had a hard time staying on her feet. I had to keep a close eye on her because she would fall face down and couldn't get back up.
Hallie had fun scooting around on her trycicle!

2008-02-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

Stormy Trip to Wyoming

We went to Wyoming this weekend to watch the Superbowl with my sister and her family. They are our closest friends and we are so sad to have them in Wyoming. Luckily, Carli keeps all of her doctors in Utah so she comes down quite often and stays with us at our house. We love it!

My Sweetheart, "Baby Kelly" She is growing up so much! I can't get enough of her.

Carli's newest addition, "Kai" We are so excited to have a boy around
Kai with his favorite aunt, ME!!!
These two are best friends. One minute they are snuggling and giving kisses and the next minute they are pushing and fighting over toys. They are always so excited to see each other.

2008-01-29T11:09:00.000-08:00

Mayzie's first real Piggy tails.

2008-01-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

When Hallie saw this picture she said, " Look mommy, I'm a clown!"

2008-01-29T10:50:00.000-08:00

This is Hallie's way of eating a chocolate butterscottch rice crispie bar

2008-01-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

Mayzie Ray, her smile says it all. She is 1 and still my baby. She is our little burst of sunshine. If i'm ever feeling down I just look at Mayzie and everything goes away.

Hallie Rose

2008-01-24T09:23:00.002-08:00

Our little Hallie is something special. She is 2 1/2 going on 5! She is so smart and keeps me on my toes.