Do YOU have a muscle there?

All I have to say this morning is OUCH!!! I am old, and so incredibly sore. I am used to riding so it's not my butt so much as... EVERYTHING ELSE in my body! I am sore in places that I really don't think we're supposed to have muscles. I won't go into where because frankly the list is just too long. Jim was very optimistic about this when he reminded me "just think, 27 years old (shut up) 4 kids and you will be the most tone woman in the world." He is so sweet. The hard part will be getting back on the horse today! After Jim fed this morning I asked how Abbi was, he said "she is spunky and jumping around, I think I heard her say... I beat her, she won't get on me again today".

THAT'S A CHALLENGE!!!! (and I'm going to win!)

Brave, Open Minded, or just plain stupid?

First, I want EVERYONE to vote on my poll. Remember that I don't know who votes what way but I am really deciding that I just DON'T know, and wonder what all my family and friends think. This is the most recent why.

Last night Jim and I got a quick ride in, Alex went with us because like I said before his girlfriend loves to ride horses. Well, Jim was riding behind Alex and when Abbi (the white crazy horse) actually bucked! A few times! He did GREAT, he rode it out and stayed on and kept riding even though he pulled a muscle. Well it made us mad because she has always been a pretty good horse, and we have let all the kids ride her even Trever by himself. Not to mention she is the horse that we put friends that ride with us on. (Sorry Tabi, Cori and your family, Tim, and probably more) So we weren't happy with her and decided she really needs some ground work and manners. We headed home and I have been telling Jim that my horse who isn't a bucker, does this thing where she decides she wants to go one way but tries to make you think she's going the other. Then she jumps/lunges her own way. The first time she did it caught me by surprise and scared me a little but I've learned the signs and can "feel" when she is about to do it. Jim jumped on her and was so surprised how powerful it is and was amazed that I hadn't been thrown yet, so he worked her and ran her. We decided she needed some manners too, as an excuse for her... she is very green (new to the saddle and just learning, but so am I ) and she gets confused because she was a sulky racer before so it's all new to her, but I do need to work with her more. So today I worked the horses, first I started with Abbi... she is heard bound/barn sour. So when we got a little ways from home she freaked and BUCKED and REARED UP, threw her head spun and did everything she could to get me off of her. Well if you know me you know that she challenged me and the game was on and I was going to win. I don't believe in hurting and beating a horse, I can't see how it would work so I DON'T and WON'T EVER do it that way. But I have long reins and I'm not against getting their attention by swatting their neck or butt. Abbi didn't like that either and let me know the first few times, not to mention I wore persuaders, also known as spurs. She didn't really love those either, but I think after an hour or so, she got MY point. I was almost thrown MANY times, but stayed on. (Thank you God... amen) I know this isn't a one time thing and she will be great, but it was the first step. We ended on a good note and her attitude is MUCH different tonight. She didn't pin her ears at all after that ride. But this is what she looked like, all lathered and SOAKING wet. I thought she had hurt a leg and worried and watched to see which one, but after watching her I realized she was fatigued and weak. She'll sleep good tonight.

I should leave well enough alone, and I don't know why I haven't learned this lesson yet. I thought I would take out my huge horse Hazel and work on her attitude. She just made me mad. And I run her to get my point across and to be honest she is SUPER DUPER fast and I have only gotten her in a run (not even a FULL run) one time and probably will never do it again, she is FAST!!! But I didn't spend as much time with her tonight because from what I hear it is better to do frequent short sessions, and I was SPENT! I didn't get pictures (or the kids didn't) but she was actually more lathered then Abbi, and I scraped as much sweat off as I could because I am always afraid they will get cold, but she was SOAKED. We ended on a good note too, and I didn't get thrown from her yet either. I guess that constitutes a good day.

So this is where the poll comes in. I actually really enjoy doing this with the horses. I like the rodeo they provide. And although I know that I will probably get thrown one of these days, I still don't mind doing it. I will re-evaluate after I get thrown. I jump into anything without asking how dangerous it is, horses, hoof cleaning, bore herding (the ones with tusks), pig castrating, dirt bike riding on some scary rides, scary horse rides, technically the list goes on and on. So am I brave? Jim thinks I am brave. Am I open minded? I think I'm open minded and enjoy trying new things, my biggest fear is being afraid to do something so I like to face things that are out of my comfort zone. What's the worst that can happen right? Which makes me sometimes wonder, am I just plain stupid? I am a wife and a mother of 4, and they NEED me. So I wonder if I should stop taking the chances. The problem is... it's just NOT ME!

The Tornado hit at Christmas, now it's a Volcano...

Sami won this volcano set at school for being good in class. Imagine that! We had to make the volcano with plaster and wait a day for it to dry, then make it erupt. She let Trever help the whole time and they really looked forward to watching it erupt. The only problem was that it needed seltzer water and I couldn't find it at our store here or even the next store over, so we tried Sprite first. It worked a little but not very good. Then Alex told us to use baking soda and vinegar, that worked pretty well. We added some red food coloring and made it work good enough. It is still sitting in the boys room so they can erupt it again sometime. (I washed it out so everything wouldn't be dyed red). And YES I did let my kids stand on the table. Bad Bad mom, I know!

Good News and Bad news...

Ok, bad news first. I took my computer in to ARRC in Bako and it is $150 JUST to look at it. Then they said they will call and let me know how much it will cost to fix everything. I may not have mentioned that since Jim and I took it apart I charged my battery in Tabi's computer (thanks Tabi) but my computer STILL wouldn't turn on, so needless to say we messed something up. Then they said once they give me the final price to decide if it is worth it to fix. I am so upset. I have MOST of my pictures backed up but nothing else. The pictures are the main thing, but I loved my laptop. I'm not going to panic until I get the final price, besides it's tax season. Although I can't do my taxes without my computer. This one just won't work for it, just too old.

Good News is... I FINALLY figured out how to get my pics from my camera to this computer!!! YEAH, and it only took like 53 hours. (almost true) So now I can get caught up, but I don't know where to start. I haven't taken a lot of pictures because I couldn't blog them. Stupid excuse I know, but it's the truth so I may be blog crazy for a few weeks.

I will start with Winter Formal! Jim and I chaperoned because we didn't like the idea of Jimi being so young and going. I'm glad we did, only because it was kinda fun to see the kids in THEIR element, and how they act around their friends.

THE DRESS: This is the dress I wore about a year ago to my best friends wedding. Jim decided to let her try it on and she loved it. So we had a lady take it in about 3 inches but NOTHING in the length. NO JOKES! Then we found the PERFECT fabric to match the dress and the same lady made a shall, a pretty one that was long and I was proud that she kept it on ALL night.

Her hair took about an hour, and actually stayed in most of the night. She hated holding still for the hour though. Imagine that!Doesn't she look so grown up? She needs to stop it NOW! She truly looked beautiful, and after seeing how she acted with her friends, I know she isn't just beautiful on the outside but on the inside too. She doesn't know, but I think it made Jim's night that the dance after the mandatory duchess/dutch dance, she asked her dad to dance. It was very sweet and I do have a picture, but it's on Jimi's phone and that's a whole other 50 hour project to figure out how to get those on this computer. Love you sissy!

ALEX's THREADS: We found them at a discount store and with Jimi's shoes, his shirt, tie, hankie, and pants, oh and Sami a pair of boots, we only spent $40. He wore his hat and looked very suave! This was all his idea, he had told us EXACTLY what he wanted, he has some great fashion sense. Too bad he still HATES to shop and doesn't mind making me miserable when I MAKE him go...

I'm going to go ahead and say, not just because I'm his mom, but he was BY FAR the best looking boy there. He was sweet, and courteous, fun, and outgoing. Jim and I were even stopped by one of his teachers who said they had a gardening/digging project and she was SO impressed by his hard work. She was amazed that he is such a hard worker. I thought Jim may shed a tear, it is so important to Jim that his kids know the value of hard work. Looks like we do teach them something.

Jimi was crowned duchess. She was so excited. Our niece Toni was Queen. All the cousins that went got their picture taken together so when we get that back I will post it. I also got one of Alex and Jimi. They weren't allowed to have DATES! (besides Jimi wanted her boyfriend Ryan to go, but he couldn't because he goes to a different school) They are NOT allowed to date until they are 16, maybe older!



Alex got a new girlfriend at the dance. Her name is Lea, and Jim and I actually knew her from before. We went horse back riding with some friends on New Years Day and she went with all of us. She is so super nice, and gets straight A's and she is so pretty, and looked beautiful at the dance. (her shoes were even worthy of my friendship)
I didn't get a picture of them together because for the first part of the dance Alex was embarrassed of us, but Jimi and her friends wouldn't leave our side, I was embarrassed of THEM! But isn't Lea beautiful?

These are just a few more pictures of them and their friends at the end of the dance. See Jimi's crown?

I'm not sure of all these girls but from left to right, Haven Bevin, Jimi, Haddy Fletcher, Destiny Peeker, Heather Mullen, and I can't figure out who the other girl is.

Again left to right, Jimi, Haddy is hiding behind Jimi, Destiny, Heather, the unknown girl, Ty Hurley and Chaz!

This is our nephew Austin he is in 5th grade. The girl is Haven and she's in 8th. He really likes this girl and she danced with him and made his night. She's a sweetie!

Yes that was ALL of the dress on the girl on the left, I thought if she sneezed her whoo haa would be everywhere. And I was even asked to dance by the boy on the right, yes the dutch (is that what it's called?) Peyton Wyle. He is a sweet boy, very polite. He asked me to dance, so I did, but I think it's because he's been IN LOVE with Jimi for the last 5 years and thought he would get in good with me. They are just friends and he is good with that, but he's still very sweet.

Inauguration Day, my thoughts in Karrie's words!

I have been wanting to post something about Inauguration Day. Frankly I couldn't think of HOW to say what I wanted too. I am NOT racist, and NOT a sore looser, but I am outraged, and scared. So, when I looked at my good friend Karrie's blog I read her post. She has a way of saying things that I, and many others, just "GET". Thank you Karrie for saying what I was thinking, in a good non-blonde way! (she's a smarty pants)

Karrie's thoughts on "The Most Important Day in History"

I'm in modern electronic detox

So last night Jim asks me about the power cord for my computer and I told him I hadn't done anything with it yet. He couldn't believe it wasn't driving me nuts. The truth is that it was I had just been too busy to do anything about it. He suspected a different problem other than the cord itself (like my computer). So I trot to Tabi's house (she has the exact laptop as me, and technically since she wasn't home Tim helped me) and I try out her charger, no luck. I try my new "broken" charger on hers and it worked. We switched batteries and my computer worked so Jim was right and we figured out the problem is the part that you put the charger INTO! Jim is a PHONE GUY! Not a computer guy! He had a laptop for work, and it stopped working. He stayed up all night one night to "fix" it. The next day he took his laptop and about 7 additional parts to his boss and told him his laptop was "broken". You can imagine my fear when Jim decided to open up my computer. I was in horror! We didn't actually fix it because I almost cried multiple times and decided to put it back together and take it to a professional COMPUTER GUY, not a PHONE GUY! (they are NOT the same) We didn't have any extra parts, mostly because I drew a nifty picture of where every screw came out and what went where. So I will be using this laptop for awhile, which is OK but it doesn't have wireless Internet, and it doesn't have bluetooth or even the cool port on the side to put my memory card in. I guess that means I have to do it the old fashioned way and find the cord that goes from the camera to the computer. YUCK! (ok, after writing that I feel a little spoiled, remember when people actually wrote on paper, I know WEIRD!) To top it off I have NO cell phone, here's that story...

One beautiful day I went to pick up a friends son from school. I gently placed my life, oh I mean phone, in the middle console of my van while I diligently took him from the care of his teacher into my care. Little did I know that a demon (Sami) had left a paper McDonald's cup of Sprite in the cup holder and of course the bottom had came out BEFORE I threw the cup in the trash, leaving the cup holder full of, yep you guessed it SPRITE!!! Everything was going magically as I pulled out of the parking lot. As I turned the corner my phone slid right into the Sprite filled cup holder while singing a tune of "you gotta friend, somebody likes me, hahaha, you don't got glub glub glub..." that's when I grabbed the phone, shook it a few times as Sprite spattered the front seat of the van. This boys mom was calling to check on him (ok, to make sure I didn't forget him) and my phone worked... for about 3 seconds. I got it home and put it in a bag of rice to expel all moisture from the phone/PDA/camera/LIFE! Voila, it worked. All except the end button, but I even found a way around that and Jim was just glad that I could no longer hang up on him when I was mad. The joy only lasted about a week before tragedy happened. First it was just the sound during a call, then all sound, rings beeps everything, then it hit rock bottom... it won't even charge, or hold a charge or anything. So for the last month, or two, or... well I really don't even know because I don't have my PDA/phone to look at to tell me, I've been out of reality. Really! I feel so blond all the time (no offense of course) and I'm taking full advantage now. I never know where I'm supposed to be, or what time to be there. I forget everything and I blame it on not having my life planned out. I sometimes even forget how many kids I have, mainly because they can't call me a million times when I run to the store. I'm hoping to get a new one this weekend. So if we have plans you should probably call me to remind me, but not on my cell! I am scared to use the microwave, and it is risky each time I turn on the T.V. and I walk around in the dark most of the time because I don't know what will happen if I touch the lights. For some reason though, the stupid washer and dryer and stove work! Typical!!!

Luck (or unluck) associated with a name.

I know that everyone is wondering why I STILL haven't posted because I would have gotten that darn cord by now, RIGHT? Well, I did about 3 days ago... IT DOESN'T WORK! Now just to be sure I am going to take the cord and my laptop to Tabi's to test them both and find out which one it is. I was warned, although I'm sure it was after I was in the family, that the last name Hurley can bring some bad luck. I didn't believe it, until every year when we do our taxes and at the end we run the audit checker to find things that will throw a red flag to the IRS to audit us. The same thing comes up every year only we can't change it, it's the name HURLEY! I swear to this! And yes we have been audited twice. No fun, lots of stress. So this cord thing really isn't a huge surprise to me, just like it wasn't a surprise that someone turned us in for having the horses here. (although their are several and have been for quiet some time, and we keep our corals cleaner) I have learned that after 13 years just to roll with it. No need to get upset or mad, just roll. So... once I check the puter and the cord I will order another, and have it EXPRESS shipped. NO MATTER WHAT THE COST! I think all my jokes about blogger addiction is an actual illness, and I have it. I have SO many things to post, I can't wait to get back. I even have pictures! Now watch me forget it all.

STILL NO POWER CORD!!! I am so NOT happy, and going through blogger withdrawls... but my house is getting cleaner. Hope to be really back soon.

I wonderd why I even had kids...

I know that sounds harsh but here is a little background. My kids all know this so it's not a BIG secret, and it ends good so it's ok.

I didn't want kids and a family. I wanted to be a cardiac surgeon or an emergency room DR. I had been proposed to at least 5 times before where I literally LAUGHED in their face. (I wasn't a nice girl back then... I know I just opened myself up for tons of comments) That was all until Jim Hurley! I had the biggest crush on him from the time I was little. He had moved to California while I was in Colorado, but he was my security fall back boy. I could and did tell many people that HE was my boyfriend and it didn't matter if he was in California, we were in LOVE! He didn't know, but I never forgot him. I was in college and on track and had a steady boyfriend, with NO intention of being married and settling down when I find out that Jim was back in town. He had went to visit my grandma and the word spread. We had a mutual friend that was getting married and I KNEW he would be there so needless to say... I LOOKED GOOD!! (just ask him!) Sure enough, he was there, we talked at the reception although he wouldn't dance with me. I gave him my number and left with my mom to go home just an hour away. On the car ride home I told my mom that I would marry him. I thought at the time that she just blew me off, thinking yeah yeah yeah. But to my surprise 3 months later when I called her from California where we had come to see his family, and asked if her, my dad, and my sister could meet us in Vegas a few days later because we were going to get married on our way home, she didn't miss a beat and said "of course". She later told me that she KNEW that when I told her that I would marry him on that car ride home, that she never once doubted that it would happen. Awh sweet, I know. Ok so here we are today, well last night...

As we all know big families are not easy. They are complicated and hectic and it's always chaos. We had a pretty uneventful Christmas break, the kids stayed up super late almost every night and slept late every morning. Everyone stayed healthy, until I got sick Saturday evening that kept me up puking all night and then carried over to most of the day Sunday. Well Sunday night when it was time to get ready for bed and get cloths laid out we found a bug... yes a lice bug! I FREAK out over this. Mainly because in Colorado where I grew up it just wasn't a problem. Kids didn't get it very often and if they did it was usually the dirty kids. So quiet a few years ago when one of my kids had it (on Thanksgiving day) I cried for hours. I later found that it is a HUGE problem here because, well truthfully I don't know why, but they actually prefer clean hair. So the clean kids get it worse. (that's my defense) I do know that if you don't kill it on their head, treat others, wash ALL bedding, toys, furniture, carpet... pretty much EVERYTHING, that it will NEVER go away. Someone will get re-infested and the cycle will go on forever! Nothing like finding this out at 7pm the night before school starts back up, remember that I was super sick and that it wouldn't have been such a big deal ANY OTHER NIGHT THAN THIS. So I started ripping beds apart, washing sheets, blankets, heads, everything. I was in tears, not the good ones either. Before Christmas we had all watched this comedian Jeff Dunham, he's a ventriloquist and sings O' Holy night with his own words. Trever and I were in the laundry room on load 3 or something. I was spent, done, ka-put, still puking, exhausted from not sleeping the night before. If your a mom you know that kind of day! I started singing this song but with my own words... yes I do that ALL the time, I LOVE to sing. So I sing "O' holy crap, I think I'm going to throooow up." and Trever looks at me and says "mommy, you sing beautifully, I LOVE to hear you sing your so good". YUP I cried! Usually I have my MP3 player on, singing along and they are all yelling at me to shut up, and don't even ask them about the Wizard, but it has given me a complex and shot down any confidence I may of had. But this was my 8 year old monster, looking so sweetly and honestly telling me he LOVED to hear me sing. I melted. I walked in the bedroom with tears in my eyes and said to Jim "if someone would have shown me clips of my life, on nights like tonight when things are hell, I would have NEVER done this, I would have never had kids and my no marriage thing probably would have stuck... " he just looked at me like I was SO mean, probably because the kids could hear me. But I finished (I told you to wait till the end) "but for some reason I wouldn't change a thing. There usually aren't very many moments that the kids even notice what I do for them, much less me or my feelings. But those rare times that they reciprocate that true unconditional love that we devote to them, make it ALL worth everything, and I wouldn't change a thing. " I think he just thought I was delusional at this point, sleep deprived, sick and stressed out. I walk out of the room and puke. (I told you I was sick)

I have a lot of faith in God. I know that He only gives us what we can handle, even when I have questioned it. We have had some really tough times that people looking in from the outside would wonder what we were thinking. I don't always feel like I was dealt the most fair hand and feel sorry for myself. I sometimes doubt that I will be stronger for some of these things but in the grand scheme of things, this is the easy way, the ONLY way. It can always get harder and can always get worse. I am truly blessed with my tornado making, lice head, puking in my lap, cookie thief's, back talkers, attitude giving, text maniac, ice cream demanding, mismatched sock wearing, anti-chore activist, school conferences, sports, demanding being driven, homework refusing, boyfriends, girlfriends, frienemies, parties, rebellion, did I mention attitude crazy kids. It could be a lot worse. It has been a lot worse, it probably will be a lot worse, and even though I thought I didn't want this... I WAS WRONG!!! Yes Jim I admit I WAS SO DEAD WRONG! I make rash bad decisions occasionally, but going to that wedding and marring Jim was the best decision I have ever made. Without him I wouldn't have my monsters, and frankly my life would be dull and boring. I remember telling my mom all the time "I'm bored" (insert whining). I couldn't tell you the last time I was bored, and I love it. Even when I think I don't.

NEEDLESS TO SAY... TREVER IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE THIS WEEK! I'm off to make him home made cookies now. (the other brats will have to EARN them)

excuses, excuses...

There is a great reason that I'm not posting and it's a few reasons. New Years day Jim, Jimi, Trever and I went horse back riding while I allowed Alex and Sami to stay home and play on the computer.... What was I thinking?? I love my laptop but I have gone through 2 power cords already and luckily I had ordered another just that morning. I came home to a dead battery and NO WAY to charge it. So NO blogging for me! I have been grumpy! It should be here any day now and I will get back on track, but for now before I forget this is what's to come...
1. On our new years day ride, Jimi got bucked (not really, more like FELL off) her horse. She's fine just sore.
2. What kind of law enforcement gives a ticket on Christmas Eve???
3. Bo and Coletons cube party, and Trever going over to be the crazy bouncer... we have pictures...
4. Me finally making batch after batch of HOME MADE cookies and only getting like 3 (I guess my butt is happy)
5. New Years Resolutions... um I don't like them but I will just say
a. going to Sunday School AND Relief Society in the SAME day!

b. not getting a speeding ticket (that doesn't mean slow down, that means NOT getting caught)

c. not sweating the small stuff. Who cares if my house is a little messy, I have 4 kids in a cracker box. Who cares if EVERY pair of socks in the house are clean AND folded? Who says dinner can't be cookies once in awhile? Who cares if I neglect my home once every couple weeks to just blog and play?

d. I AM going to sing in front of people, besides my kids... although I have the sweetest thing I have ever heard in my WHOLE life that made ME cry! Trever is so much my favorite this week! I will blog on that later!

e. I'm going to try not to procrastinate, but I will probably work on that one later, after I master the others.

6. Boring Christmas break to CRAZY late, sick Sunday night before school starts again.

So, now when I get MY computer back, and MY pictures back I will blog blog blog... but for now I think I have at least one that I can post about with NO pictures.