Creepy, Crawly, Huge Spider!

There aren't very many spiders that freak me out......black widows, and the giants spiders we keep finding around our house, well they totally-freak-me-out! Last summer Derrick and I came home from a movie and as we opened the garage door something ran across the floor. At first I thought it was a mouse, but it was a big spider. Derrick caught it and brought it IN my house. As we looked at it, we realized it had baby spiders all over it's back....EEEWWWW! There had to be at least 50, but maybe even close to 100. It sat on my kitchen counter (yea, I was thrilled with that, but I didn't want to even touch the jar to move it) for a few days and then the babies started to venture off the mama and crawl around. Double EEEWWW, now it had to go! Derrick took it up the canyon and let it go. We had two more last summer and then last night another one was on the lawn. Derrick did some checking and decided they are wolf spiders. Why do they have to live at my house? I can't squish them, they are HUGE and they would crunch and squirt! Anyone have any advice on how to get rid of them or creative ways to dispose of them? I do have to say I'm thankful they haven't come into my house, unless brought in by my husband, but still, YUCK!

ICK is all I can say! It was really all I could do to take the picture. Isn't that thing HUGE, no itsy bitsy spiders at our house!

(by the way, that is a quarter in the bottom of a 32 oz cup)

Good Old Small Town FUN!

We just got home from our yearly outing to the local burnout contest. You know a little good old fashioned white trash fun! Fillmore does this every year on the last Saturday in June along with the ATV Jamboree, and a car show in the park. For those of you who have not been lucky enough to have ever attended such an outing, here's how it works~ You line up at the starting line which has been wet down and spin those tires for all you're worth & for as long as you can! Each car gets 3-4 tries. Derrick's cousin Richie drove this year and asked if either of our boys wanted to go with him, of course Brock was all over that and felt pretty cool. One of the little Pink Ladies from the hospital (she is like 70 something) even drove with two of her friends and I just have to say she was one of the best! After we had inhaled enough smoke, we walked through the park and I drooled at all the cars.....I'm such a car girl, I think I want a car to fix up as much or more than Derrick does. I was bummed because I forgot my camera and couldn't get any good pictures. Anyhow, it was fun, but I'm happy to be back in my air conditioned house!

At the end Richie (in the white boat) & another guy decided to try it nose to nose.

They got tons of smoke, untill the other car blew a tire!

Flashback Friday is BACK!

Flashback Friday has been MIA for a bit, but I'm going to do better I promise! I thought this was a great picture for today. This was taken oh, 20 something (and don't ask exactly how many, I won't tell) years ago today. I have another picture of me helping to frost the cake...what kind of mom has the patience to let little ones frost a cake? Not me, I guess I have a really great mom! When we were done, there were little animals on it too. I remember my birthday always being the best day. I got to pick any cereal I wanted for breakfast, even the sugar ones and dinner was whatever I wanted. We always had cake and ice cream with all the Beckstrand family that was around. It was so fun to play with my uncles, the cousins my age didn't live close. Grandma and Grandpa Ainge always drove down from Spanish Fork and Grandma always had the funnest presents. There were 4 of us girls just 2 years apart, and after my birthday the other 3 usually knew what they would get for their birthdays that year. Lots of the time it was something Grandma had made, she was one talented lady. What good memories, I've really been missing my Grandma lately, and my Grandpa too, so I'm glad I have such good memories. Anyway, here's to another year and some GREAT memories!

What's in a name?

Some of you may have noticed that the name of my blog has changed. I've not really loved the title from the beginning, and well, it's just been bothering me lately. This is MY blog and not really The Dearden's blog. Yes, I write about my kids and our family a lot, but that's because my life really centers around them, but the entire Dearden family does not contribute to this blog, heck, Derrick rarely (if ever) reads this. I'm not sure how many of you know me as, or call me Mo, but all my nieces and nephews do, along with most of the family. My brother-in-law started calling me Mo before he and my sis ever even dated. Anyway, this blog is about all the little moments in my life, thus the new name
{MO}ments!
P.S. I really haven't forgotten about posting about our vacation, I just haven't had time yet!

A project completed.....FINALLY!

I just have to share my happiness with you all! When we built our house almost 2 years ago, we left one wall section in the basement unfinished so we could put in a brick surround for a wood stove. Derrick has a good friend that is a brick mason and they had plans to do the work together, but this friend also teaches school and only bricks on the side. Since we were a more or less, non-paying job (we did some trade work) we had to wait until the timing worked out just right. I've tried hard to be patient, but, I just have to say how much I hated that ugly wall. Well, it's not ugly anymore, in fact I'd have to say it's BEAUTIFUL! Derrick and Maughn put in almost 4 full days working on the surround and the chimney that they had to build. I felt really bad for them hauling the heavy block up through the attic and onto the roof in the heat. Now all we need is the stove, but it will be much easier to be patient waiting for that, now that I don't have to look at that ugly wall anymore. Today I am VERY thankful for talented friends and a hardworking husband! They have also spent most of the last week bricking the front of my mom and dad's house and it looks marvelous I must say!

Is that not SERIOUSLY the ugliest wall you've seen?

Carlie was a big helper when Dad was poring the cement cap for the chimney!

All the family put our hand prints in the cement!
Brock helped out a lot and even cleaned up some of the mortar joints!
Doesn't that new chimney look nice?
Isn't that beautiful, and SO MUCH better than that ugly wall?

(and yes, the carpet will be put back as soon as the floor dries out)

**Sk8 Stars** Girl's Camp**

I'm finally home from camp and CLEAN again, can I just say how happy that makes me? I have to admit it really took some time for me to get excited about camp, but once I got there I had a good time, and I'll be sad if I can't go next year.

The stakes theme was ALL S.T.A.R.S (Standing Together As Righteous Sisters). Each ward chose a sport/team to be, we had everything from hunting to ping pong to surfing. I picked skateboarding for our ward and we became the Meadow Sk8 Stars. I thought it would be an easy one, but skateboarding stuff isn't the easiest to find. We really ended up focusing more on the stars part of it.

Anyway we left Tuesday morning. The plan was for one of the other leaders and I to drive our trucks, and Derrick to take out Tahoe with the seats out full of stuff. Well, our brick wasn't done and Derrick couldn't leave.....Plan B? Oh, I didn't have one. We ended packing everything into the back of the two trucks. I really should have taken a picture of that one, but I was to scatterbrained and stressed out. I honestly can't belive we fit everything in. We got there and got set up, most of the day was windy and I kept waiting for it to rain. That first night we had the Stake Presidencies wives there to speak. I'm sure whatever they said was spectacular, but well I was too dang cold for my brain to compute! I don't think I slept much that night because it was FREEZING!

Why is there a SNAKE in my camp?
The next morning the girls had hikes. Sometime during that day one of our girls got misplaced and well, I was a bit stressed, but it all worked out ok. The talk that night was a seminary teacher, Brother Wilkins and his wife, they were so great....plus it was either warmer or we were more prepared for the cold! I was the last one to bed that night and then the last one up the next morning. I'm really not cut out to be the leader, I just don't do well without sleep. We played some fun games around the fire and did you know that glow stick open up if you stick the ends in the fire? The girls had a bunch of fun flicking the glow stuff all over so they all were glowing!

Glow Sticks!

B, N, A & C Being Silly Girls!

Day 3 was certification and I lost at rock, paper, scissors and ended up being the leader to go~ not really my idea of fun. The skits were that afternoon, and I laughed so hard. We did Samuel the Lamenite, but modern day. The girls were deflecting the arrows with skateboards. The ones shooting were supposed to miss, but poor K got hit right in the eye. After that no one could quit laughing.

My Girls, Kels & James....Check out that hair!

Skits~ Why are we laughing?
We had the Bishopric come that night and had our big last night program. I was stressed about this one, usually the stake does a fantastic spiritual program and well, it's just amazing. This year they decided to turn it over to the wards to do their own thing. AHHHH, there is no way I could measure up to what the girls were used to. We played Fear Factor to start out the evening. We started with easy things like unwrapping chocolate with only a knife and blowing bubbles. Then had a relay moving live fish from bucket to bucket. We had a bucket of worms with marbles you had to get out, it wouldn't have been too bad, but one of the worms died and it SMELLED! The girls ate some BBQed meal worm things, ick! We thought we were done, but the girls dared each other to swallow the live fish and I think 4 or 5 of them did. Whatever? Can I just tell you I have the best sister? She did the fry bread for our Navajo tacos and made honey butter, plus she ended up singing for our program! I'm one lucky gal! We had a Sister from our ward talk, can I just say perfect. It was just what I wanted. She talked to the girls about choices and how they affect our lives. She centered it all on Christ and likened Him to the North Star. It was perfect. Lis and one of the YW pres. sang "A Prophets Prayer", if you haven't heard this you have to listen to it, I love this song and it makes me cry everytime I hear it. We had our testimony meeting and WOW, we have the best girls! I can honestly say I liked the last night program in the ward better and all the girls I asked did too. I felt lucky to have two of my previous YW and camp leaders three that night. I had been thinking, how unappriciative I was of my leaders and all they did for me and was gratefull I got to thank them, though it was a bit late!

Nice Bubble, Lis!

Run C Run! (fish relay)
Friday we slept in and went to flag ceremony, had breakfast and then loaded up to go home, because we slept in we were the last ward to leave, honestly the sleep was worth it! I really did have a good time, bring on the I told you so's, Lis and Ann. Our ward only had 8 girls, but they were the best 8 girls. I was so glad Kels and James, my girls, came to hang out with me a lot cause I just love them, they're gems. One of the speakers told the girls what a shame it would be if they left exactly the same as when they came, well I didn't leave the same. My testimony grew so much and there will always be a special place in my heart for those 8 girls and my leaders who are now great friends! Also, a big huge THANKS to Derrick and my mom who kept the kids all week, I honestly didn't worry about them at all! What a Cute Bunch of Girls! GO SK8 STARS!

1 week.....1 WEEK!!!!

I woke up this morning and realized~ I HAVE ONE WEEK UNTIL GIRLS CAMP! Well, now I'm just a little stressed. I finally made it down to the church yesterday to go through supplies and see what the ward has. I brought the tents home to set up and see how they work and how big they are. I seriously have so much to do. Why, do I always leave things to the last minute? You would think I would learn. I really did get a lot done yesterday, and I know it will all come together, but until then.....it's stress time for me, and unfortunately that means my family gets neglected. As if camp wasn't enough, Derrick's friend is coming on Thursday to brick a chimney and wood stove surround for us. I am SUPER excited that it is finally going to get done, since I've been waiting oh, 18 months or so, but this isn't really the best week. I'm not complaining, not even a little bit. This is one big project that I've been wanting done. I can't wait to post before and after pictures. And, yes Ann, I will be posting camp prep. pictures soon too!