Santa Caved....

Daddy did his best to clear the White Christmas
Now we're doing all we can to avoid the EMERGENCY ROOM or bloodshed in general.

Us...

We LOVE torture so we took family photos twice.  These are actually the 2nd sitting.  Our 'photographer' is trying to locate the first set on his computer.  And now he is requesting we take a THIRD set.  I am picky but very content with what we have.  Apparently the photographer thinks we can do better and is asking us to take them AGAIN at a new location.  I think he loves seeing me suffer.  Good thing he's cheap... I don't pay full price for ANYTHING.

Award & Reward

Ireland received an award for her entry (pottery) into the state wide Reflections Program

Because we're so proud of her accomplishments we bought her a new set of ...

And 1 week after this fabulous reward we received a call from Principal Baker.  We are not a violent family, however, Chris and I do carry Swiss Army knives. (The knife contains the best set of tweezers a girl could ever have.)  Well....Ireland took her knife (a gift from daddy) to school and had it in her desk, showed enough kids to draw attention to her desk and the teacher had no choice but send her to the office.  Possession of a weapon carries a 10 day school suspension along with a few days at some 'special school'.  Thankfully, Ireland didn't pull the knife on anyone and the Principal let her walk.  Although, she did say, she's keeping the knife in her office until the end of the year as 'EVIDENCE'!

On this day we gave Thanks...

The Roth girls at Grandma Betty's house

With my sister, Mailee and my mom, JoAnn, at her house

The cousin's at Grandma Jo's

Keeper of Pie

Fast forward 10 minutes... completely SICK of pie

Chris and his 'EX'

Last spring Chris pulls up on a Harley and says, “it’s this or a girlfriend”.

mmm…..I gave it a 15 second thought. He must realize a Harley is far cheaper than any girlfriend could possibly be. I knew it was a rhetorical question so I shook my head, rolled my eyes & refused to ride on the back until he took the Harley “motorcycle course”.

Then a couple week ago he throws an ad on KSL.com and sells the Harley! Money ahead. I was puzzled. Our Harley friends & fellow neighbor ‘riders’ were in shock. One thing about Chris....he's always thinking... the ride time in a Utah winter is slim to none - the economic crisis isn’t going away soon - there will be some desperate Harley seller in spring.

I was just relieved he wasn’t opting for the his 'alternative' suggestion.

A VERY Late Night b-day party.

Pulling poppers on the front porch.

With Savi Price - a best friend since birth.

In her new snowboard jacket and hat co-chillin' with the posse.

aka Lauryn Judd & Jessa Davies.

Couch potatoes: Bree Meyer, Kambria Killpack, McKall Dunford and in the chair a very ill Anna Bench who spent the next 5 days in bed.

A dead president - the gift from daddy.

Snuggling with pops.

....so November is all about Ireland

We had a 'Roth family' party to celebrate November birthdays. Ireland shares the month with cousin's Janee (beautiful girl in the gray and Christopher, hot guy in the sweater)

Chris' dad, Larry, was determined to be in every picture (haha) and Sheridan never strays far from any cake. Cute Riley (far left) is a family friend.


What we once referred to as Ireland's 9th birthday is now Ireland's birthweek. It just keeps going and going. In fact, almost 2 weeks later she got a gift from her Aunt Mailee. Each year I say 'this is your off year, no birthday party this year.' And then I cave....convincing myself with only 2 daughters what is wrong with a birthday party each year. They're all I have and one day I will wish I was still creating a cake or at least ordering one from Harmon's.

Viva Frida!

Ireland receiving the Principal's Pride Award

I took Ireland to the Library to find a Biography for an oral book report. I was reading off the possibilities: Abe Lincoln, Ben Franklin, Anne Frank, Helen Keller, Frida (she questioned this one and I explained she was a famous painter from Mexico and continued on) Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Mother Theresa, etc. She stopped me and said “the painter lady from Mexico”. I figured no other student in Mrs. Asay’s 3rd grade classes had ever done a report on Frida Kahlo.

Ireland enjoyed learning about Frida’s tumultuous life but I became obsessed. I got the ‘adult’ version Biography. I rented to movie “Frida” staring the ‘una-browed’ Selma Hayak. And then I spent 2 days reading the background regarding each of her almost 200 paintings – most of which are self-portraits.

At the age of 7 Frida was struck with polio making her right leg small & frail. At 18 she was in a horrific bus accident that should have taken her life. A metal railing went thru her spine and exited out her pelvis leaving her childless. She spent much of her life in bed often in a cast corset. When she felt good enough to move about she used a cane, walker or wheel chair. The majority of her self portraits express her pain not only from the accident but also from an unfaithful husband, Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera, whom she loved deeply. As she grew older and deeper in pain the paintings became more abstract and bizarre. Frida’a paintings are now worth millions of dollars.

Not only is Mrs. Asay Ireland’s teacher she also teaches Ireland & Sheridan Spanish. She loved it. And Ireland then received the ‘Principle’s Pride’ award for the project.

3,288 days ago at this very hour....

I was in full labor attempting to remove this sweet little angel from my body. Chris & the O.B. spent my delivery watching the Jazz Game. My mother was FREAKING OUT frantically video taping not only my delivery but also my Baby Shower being held at the very moment Ireland decided to enter this world....2 weeks early. And that was the LAST time she did anything remotely early.

What fuels my fire?

6 months ago I drove out of the gas station absolutely ANGRY at the ridiculous cost of fuel. To keep my blood pressure down I avoided checking on current gas prices. These oil companies are living mighty fine thanks to each of us.

I just don't get it....

And then today I was reduced to tears when my fuel nozzle stopped at $30.00. I stared at the pump, tried pumping more, fixated on the digital readout. I wanted to scream "YEAAA my nightmare is OVER!" I refrained from celebrating my shear delight for fear of freaking out the man at the next pump. In a split second my fellow Fuel man was saying out loud to himself "this can't be?" and a HUGE smile flashed across his entire face.

Body Worlds 3

With Ireland's insistents upon seeing Body World - we took her along with our friend, Tiffany, and her daughter, McKenna. Let me clarify that the following pictures are not Tiffany or McKenna. Ireland was fascinated - actually we all were. She was all about taking notes in the little pocket book they provided.

A great educational experience. So worth it.

And if you're a smoker you'll kick the habit after a trip thru this museum.

The Day After

It blew in on Wednesday (1 day after elections) and didn't stop until 6 inches covered the our front yard. Snowbird & Alta received almost 4' (slopes open today). So you out of state skiers can start showing up - we've got beds ready for your stay! The weather was beautiful on Tuesday, November 4th - election day. In reality Tuesday was the calm before the storm ON SO MANY LEVELS.

A Day at the Spa

Dayton recently stopped by for Sunday Dinner (yes, occasionally I cook) and a treatment at our Day Spa.

Halloween 2008

Gone are the days of Disney Princesses, Lady Bugs & Care Bear Costumes.
Skela-Rocker Girl & the Vampire Princess

With Robyn & Savvy Price

Witches Brew & Vampire Juice with worms

Each Halloween after the kids have filled their bags with neighborhood candy we hit the Price Party. 13 years ago I brought a pot of my homemade chicken noodle soup (noodles from scratch). And every year we are invited back as long as a pot of this soup accompanies our family. This year I lost my mind and decided to make homemade cinnamon rolls as well. Although they both tasted great, both are VERY time consuming. Yes, I am an idiot. And no, I will not bring cinnamon rolls next year.

We lost....AGAIN!

Sarah with pregnant daughter, Bristol & baby, Trigg

2007 Costume

2008 winner's 'Blades of Glory' included an amazing routine - haha.

KISS arrived 30 minutes late with 2 pregnant members.

Each year we pull out all stops to win "Best Costume" at the Martinson's party. Last year I was the 'Brick House Girl' and Chris was, of course, the brick layer (get it?).

This year the obvious choice - Sarah Palin & her pregnant 17 year old daughter, Bristol (carrying Sarah's 7 month old son, Trigg). Sarah needs all the votes she can get but she didn't get enough to win 'best costume'! It went to Randy & Nicki Gates as 'Blades of Glory'. Hope to post the group picture as soon as I get it.

Each year we're forced to out-do the year before. Bring on 2009!

4th Annual Carmel Apple Night

Adam teaching Randy the Kitchen 'smack that' moves

4 hot chicks in the kitch

'But you say he's just a friend!'

Ireland, McKenna & Jana wrapping pretzels

Sheridan rolling carmel

Great Ways to Spend a Warm Weekend

A cool plunge

An intense game of croquet

Co-Chillin' with girlfriends

Swimming at the High School Musical II pool

Sugar'd up on 3 hours of Sleep

A hot tubby

(With a little attitude)