My favorite passtime

I (Avery) have rediscovered my favorite passion in my life- going to see live music! A couple months ago I went to an Indigo Girls concert in SLC with my best cousin and friend Jasmine. I loved it so much and I was amazed at how good I felt just being there. I love being in the crowd of people I don't know who look and dress very different from what I'm used to seeing everyday. Last week I went to see Brandi Carlile and it was equally great. I just stand there and marvel at how talented she is and what an amazing voice she has. And thanks to my great sis in law Lataun for making my whole trip possible by watching my kids and letting me feel 18 again! I owe you big- so thanks.

Brandi Carlile- Beauiful voice, beautiful person- I highly reccomend her music to anyone.

Jasmine and I- she is my favorite person in the whole world- besides Faren of course- I hope to someday live next door to her and her husband Kevin and spend every day together! Ok, maybe that's too much of a good thing...

We were so close to the stage, which made it even better.

Here's my update on Simon. We went 4 wheeling on Saturday with some friends and Simon did a face plant down their ramp which had the texture of a cheese grater. He cried for about 30 sec., then he kept trying to do it again. This kid will be lucky to get through life with all his limbs.

The morning after the fall, Simon fell off the bathroom counter and cut his chin open. I guess this picture of him eating his sticky pancakes and syrup doesn't make him look any better either. We decided not to take him to church that day so we could avoid anyone calling CPS.

(Dear reader, please don't call CPS on us!)

an update with photos

Avery is too lazy to update this blog so I'm (Faren) going to do her job for her......just like everything else.

River and Boston at the top of Jackson Hole Ski Resort. I love that they can fight for 7 hours straight in the car and then smile and hug for a damn photo.

In Yellowstone, each animal spotted by the kids was worth a dollar amount. This moose netted River $2.

We looked good enough in this photo that some Asians actually took their cameras off the geysers and began snapping shots of us.

Stealth Avery

We stayed at a hotel with an indoor water slide.

River on the first day of school with his sweet D.I. clothes.

One of Ave's 10,000 quilts that are too pretty to actually use as a blanket.

And another.

And Another.

The Riv Man turns 7!

Yesterday was River's 7th birthday, and I can't imagine where the time has gone. What happened to my curly haired blonde boy who bounced off the walls and made everyone wonder if his parents were actually disiplining him? River has mellowed out A LOT since then, but sometimes I still wish he could have at least kept his curls. It's like my aunt Toni says, as soon as we cut his hair, he lost all of his power, and he's been a calm little boy ever since. But we're so happy that River is in our family, and he makes the perfect older brother. He is so helpful with Boston and Simon, and he is very genuine and kind to others. He is especially kind to Simon- he never loses his patience with him, and will play with Simon whenever I need him to. We love you River, and we love having you in our family. It is a privelage to watch you grow up!

The birthday theme this year: Monsters!

River loves Where's Waldo books- and now he has one for travel- as long as he doesn't get car sick and throw up!

My 3 monsters- 4 if you count Grandma.

I had to throw this in here. Isn't Simon so cute? Notice the disgusting scab falling off his forehead- another one of his falls. I bet you want to pick that off, huh Taun?

We took the kids to a street festival in Rexburg for Riv's bday. He rocked that climbing wall.

More Legos- endless fun...

Uncle Cody looks a little jealous in the background.

Our two cute Crash Test Dummies

Ok, I know I said that people who don't update their blogs are on my pet peeve list and are totally lame- I know, I know- you can now add me to that list of totally lame people. Here are some of the things the Eddins' have been up to in the past couple months.




Boston learned how to ride a bike with NO TRAINING WHEELS! He is our youngest child to do that- only 4 1/2. The problem was, he wasn't so great at going down hills and braking. We took his bike up to our cabin, and not 5 minutes after arriving, Boston had crashed and burned pretty major riding down a hill. We heard him scream from far away, and when we found him, he was walking his bike up the hill with blood running down his face and arms. We took him to the Dr., who gave him 9 stitches on the upper lip. And let me tell you, watching your child get stitches has got to be one of the most miserable things to witness. He was fine after that- as soon as we went to get him some ice cream.
Boston has problems staying grounded on his feet- this is only one on a long list of injuries he's had to endure so far- and I'm sure there will be plenty more to come.

Simon is our other Evel Keneivel child who thinks he's a big boy and tries to climb and ride the big boy's bikes, the lawnmower, the four wheeler, and Faren's motorbike. He ALWAYS has a huge nasty scab on his head from falling on his face on the pavement or a corner of the wall. Now that I think about it, maybe it's not these kids fault that they get hurt so much- maybe I'm just not a very attentive mother....

No, I'm sure it's the kids fault.

Our Cruise 2009!

Faren and I went on our first cruise last weekend to Catlina Island and Ensenada, Mexico! We had a lot of fun being gone for a whole week (away from the kids-thanks Lataun and Myrna!) My brother Cody and his wife Brittany took us on the trip, and hopefully they didn't get totally sick of us after spending an entire week with us.

We departed from San Diego and went to Catalina Island the next day- it is so beautiful there. The next day we went to Ensenada and got attacked by salesmen trying to sell Faren some Viagra for super cheap. And the last day was spent at sea with overcast skies and ten foot waves rocking the boat all day long. I pretty much spent that whole day seasick in bed. In between all the travel we went to some good shows, played mini golf, gambled (Hey, it's ok if we're out at sea, right?), and we all ate about 8 ice cream cones everyday. Thanks Cody and Brittany for the great trip! Here are some highlights:

Top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, the city I hope I never have to live in.
Aparently this guy did something important in Mexico, or they wouldn't have a ginormous statue of his head.

Every night when we came to bed, or room steward had cleaned everything up and turned down our bed and left us a cute towel animal and some mints. Ahhh... it's better than having your mom take care of you!

Probably the only time we sat and did nothing.

Two sexy babes cruisin for a rich Catalina man who can afford to live there!

I wish I had a video of all of us trying to squeeze into our wetsuits to go snorkeling. And I won't even put on here my picture of me in my full body one either. That thing still gives me nightmares. Code Bode and Baby B

Cuppity Cupcakes!

I got the cutest cupcake book , and I have been trying lots of the recipes. They even have cupcakes that look like mashed potatoes and gravy and chicken drumsticks. Those are a little too complicated for me at the moment, so Boston and River and I have experimented with a few of the intermediate ones.



Here's the book- it's a must buy for anyone who loves to bake!

Chocolate butterflies- they were so easy to make.

Billiard balls- our fist attempt- not great, but ok.

And here are my cute little helpers- Boston and Mia- who kept dipping all of their fingers in all the different colors of sugars. I could not stop them. They didn't sleep for a week!

25 Things about Avery!

1. I love to clean out my ears with a Q-tip! I do it everyday, sometimes 3 or 4 times.

2. I have seen a two headed cow- When I was really little, my dad and I went on a walk and there was a baby cow with two heads lying on the ground. It had just been born, and it was crying, (well, they were crying). To this day, my dad and I still wonder if we really did see that, so it's a good thing both of us were there to see it, or we'd think it was all a dream.

3. I love putting sheets on a bed, especially the bottom fitted sheet. I don't know why.

4. I am also very good at folding fitted sheets. My mother in law once asked me to teach her how to fold a fitted sheet, and she is the queen of all domesticity. That made me feel really good until Faren said he thought she was only saying it to be nice.

5. I can't stand to sit and watch TV and not do anything with my hands. I always have to be working on something- a quilt, project, or writing.

6. I have a semi-photographic memory. I can remember dates and numbers very easily. Tell me your birthday, and it's locked in the vault forever. Oddly enough, I am terrible at math.

7. When I was young, I wanted to have a cool nickname, and I thought about what it would be for a long time. I came to my family and told them that from now on, they are to call me "Durd" I still haven't lived that one down.

8. My one true dream for my life is to be a singer/songwriter and play my guitar on stage. I wouldn't want to be super famous- just a local singer who everybody knows. I seriously get jealous of any young female singer/guitarist like Taylor Swift or Brandi Carlile because they are living my dream.

9. I've thought about it, and my van is my dream car. It seats 7 comfortably, it runs very well, good mileage, you can haul lots of stuff around, and it looks fine on the outside-except for the stigma of being a minivan mom.

10. I really get mad when people don't update their blogs! If you're going to have a blog, and you know people read it, drop us a note every once in a while for hell sakes!

11. I am realizing that it is more fun to be young and under your parents thumb than to live as an adult in the lone and dreary world.

12. I love making food for people, especially the ones who give me compliments on it.

13. Certain peoples voices are so soothing to me, and it feels like I'm getting a massage when I hear them speak. You know who you are- Lauralee Flores, Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa, can't think of the others right now...

14. I struggle with keeping my house clean, and this has been a major thorn in my side for years because I want so badly to have a clean house all the time. I don't know how some moms do it- like my sister in law Taun- she has a natural talent for it, and I wish so bad I had that talent. But I try each day to make this weakness of mine a strength.

15. My favorite foods are pistacio pudding and anything with sesame seeds on it.

16. I don't hate anybody, but if anyone were to come close, it would be Anne Coulter. Anyone agree?

17. I always have to read something before I go to bed.

18. My favortie shows are Lost, American Idol, The Office, Desperate Housewives (and no, it's not as bad as everyone thinks it is), Monk, The Soup, and the Cosby Show.

19. I really really want to have a little girl someday. I pretend like I don't care, but I do. I'll even take twins if one of them is a girl!

20. I hate to admit it, but I am a mama's girl. I love being with my mom. I still get excited everytime I see her or anytime I drive to her house.

21. I once saw Vanilla Ice in concert at the Roach Motel in Pocatello. Do I even need to explain how bad it was?

22. I really can't stand local TV news anchors- especially channel 8's. Terrible. And I hate it when they try to be funny. They're never funny! They make me so mad!

23. I want to be a great painter someday.

24. I HATE scary movies! I will never ever watch one, and I won't ever go to a spook alley- not even a kids one.

25. I think my dad is one of the greatest people to ever live on this earth. I know some people think he's odd, but to me, he's great.


Now I want to hear from others! I tag Rachel, Nikki, Megan, Liz, Chenae, and Stephanie- so git goin'!