Megan at 7

Megan is 7 right now.

She is sporting a double gap in the front.

Which I love.

She and Laney are the best of frenemies. Emphasis on the "fre".

Sometimes they are like this: 

And other times she is willing to pick up her scooter and run just to keep Laney from passing her:

She can be a slave to her fashion. 

It was in the 90s that day.

She is a prolific crafter. PRO-LI-FIC.

Just call her if you need:

A pig-duck,

A little construction paper weaving,

A family of geese,

A full-body paper suit,

A color-coordinated fire escape plan,

Or a custom "Book of Apresheation".

She got a tooth filled WITHOUT MEDICATION.

She would probably agree that the tub is getting crowded these days.

And she prefers storytime with Dad over my version....any day.

Can you blame her?

Anna at 1

This is Anna just a few short months ago:

Oh! Those chubby cheeks! That toothless grin! That soft baby fuzz!

Well, my friends....alot can change in 8 months...

She's got her eye on you.

And the second you turn your back, or use the restroom, or logon to facebook, or close your poor tired eyes, or go to change your booger-encrusted shirt,

She seizes the opportunity.

She goes for the gold.

Lock up your markers. Hide your glitter. Don't even buy a product containing bleach.

You better close your eyes during the prayer. Because she is watching you.

And then....

she'll just pass out.

Because all that mischief takes alot out of a person.

When she awakes, she'll be ready to roll with the big kids,

Color with both hands,

Dig with her best pal, Laney, 

And hold perfectly still for her manicure.

Don't let down your guard, though.

She's still watching.

And she never too tired to take out a tub of yogurt.

After she dances on the table for a few minutes

This girl has Hufford running through her veins.

Have a little faith...

I think next time I'm sitting in church and the Sunday School teacher asks that trusty old question "What is faith?"

I'm going to raise my hand and say...

"Faith is being willing to park your minivan under the massive canoe suspended from your garage ceiling."

Mathew at 9

Mathew is 9.

Mathew is an enigma.


He is intelligent, sweet, a fast study, and a deep thinker. He's a laugher.

He is also quick tempered, a compulsive gamer, passionate, and excitable. He's a little nutty.

He is the first to bear his testimony every month and it has become an achievement for even some of the adults in the ward to beat him to the pulpit. And he gives my favorite kind of testimony....short, direct, and to the point.

He is allowed 30 minutes of computer time everyday...but he'll do major extra chores to earn a few more minutes. I admit I love that about him...

He played baseball this year, and looked so snazzy in his uniform.

He loves to play with the neighbors and always has his eye on one of the many stunt bikes that come out...hoping to hop on for a turn. Unfortunately it often ends with tears or blood. Usually both.

This year was his year to go on a big trip with his dad, so they drove up to Chicago and went to a Cubs game. He was in heaven!

He spends most of his free time with his big brother. 

Sometimes they play chess.

Sometimes they beat each other up.

He wants to have already learned to play the guitar.

He is a dare devil and a risk taker. He tied a ribbon around his tooth and tied the other end to a door knob.

He lives for the thrill. He has attempted water skiing and mastered full-speed tubing. That kid is hanging on for dear life!

Life is funnier, sillier, and richer because he is in it. I love you, Maferdee.

Today....

....I resumed mall walking. There's something about the smell of the food court in the morning that really gets me moving. I've missed the elderly gentlemen that walk in packs and make small talk with me every time we cross paths. Today one of them asked me jokingly when I was going to have another baby. (I think he was referring to the 5 kids that were doing gymnastics off of the deserted kiosks) I replied that I actually am having another baby, but he is hard of hearing, so after he said "WHAT?" three times, I resorted to hollering "One is coming SOON!!" and patting my belly in an exaggerated manner.
It was a moment.

....We went to Walmart and bought fish tanks and bettas to replace 2 dead glo-fish and a dead betta (rest in peace, Levithon). I hope these ones will last longer. The Hufford home can be a dark, dark place anything smaller than Anna. Just ask Tootsie.

....While preparing dinner, I dumped half a carton of cool whip into my chicken pot pie filling. I sent the kids that witnessed the deed to do a couple urgent tasks while I tried to remove it. Then I stirred the rest in before they finished and returned. Tonight's dinner had a little extra specialness to it. I suppose cool whip always goes well with pie.

The drive home

So, somehow, I ended up with this canoe on the top of my van. The Blanchard Family canoe was taking a trip to Kansas to begin a new chapter with the Huffords.

I know it sounds a bit wimpy, but I was nervous about making this trip by myself. I like having Mark along to secure canoes and take the blame if it flies off the top of my van in the middle of the freeway. 

But, when it came right down to it, gosh darnit, we wanted that canoe and there was only one way to get it there. By silver minivan. 

So we convinced Ty to use his "attention to detail" skills (otherwise known as OCD) (little jokie!) to properly secure it....after I loaded everything in the back, of course.

And we were off! 

Except we weren't. Because Megan got pneumonia. Lucky for her she has an uncle who is a doctor and could break it gently to her "let's see what happens" mother that she needed some antibiotics.

And THEN we were off!

And we did just exactly what all of you do: 

We jump for joy on the hotel beds. Because we are so slap-happy thrilled to be out of that car.

We eat at Wendy's so that we can pretend that we are getting the "healthy baked potato" (with nacho cheese and sour cream).

We come to our senses and go for the chicken nuggets and fries at the next stop.

It makes us happier.

And somehow we survive and we make it home and back to our own beds and we are so happy, but at the same time sad to leave all of our family back in Utah. And we begin our nightly prayer campaign to make Heavenly Father see how important it is for everyone to move to Kansas.

We're positive it is going to work.

We're willing to fast....all the way to dinner.

An announcement

Ha.

I think it's safe to say I fell off the blog wagon.

But I'm ready to claw my way back in.  I am imagining my grown children saying to me, "Why did you stop writing about our lives...right before I was born?"

Oh the shame.

So...

To kick things off....

Meet baby Number 6!!

We found out we are expecting again about two months ago...SURPRISE!

After some stunned silences, a few baffled laughs, and several weeks of getting used to the idea...

we are now starting the process of gearing up for another little Hufford.

We are now in the second trimester. Which means two things: I'm not barfing anymore and Mark has solidly entered his "joke name suggestion phase".

Can't wait to meet you, Jebediah Francois.

Utah trip round-up

Like every vacation, the majority of our time wasn't spent going on outings or at theme-parks.

It was spending time with each other and enjoying living life amongst the people we miss and love. Here is the long and the short of it.

Fine.

Here is the long of it: (If you have somewhere you need to be, don't start reading this now. You will be late.)

Watching the birdies on Grandma's back porch. Grandma is a great friend of the birdies and has a solid, trusting relationship with them. She provides them with a constant food supply and a heated bird bath. They repay her by showing up to eat and pooping on her deck. It seems to be working for both parties.

I completely enjoyed spending time in my mom's backyard paradise. It is a dream come true of landscaping. Someday I hope to have somewhere like it to spend my time. This is also the reason why 9 times out of 10 when I call and ask Mom what she is doing, she says, "Just doing some work in the yard." This gorgeousness doesn't happen by accident, my friends.

I can't even remember how many times we filled up the pool and let the cousins run around in their bathing suits and fight over the scooter cars.  It's the best part of summer.

Sunday afternoon walks down by the creek.

The unique and sometimes unsettling experience of shopping in the Utah Walmart. Modest clothes and food storage.... we're not in Kansas anymore. You know how racy Kansans are.

Meggy loses her front tooth.

And then she loses the other one!

Experiencing the wonders of Grandma's bird clock.

Keeping in touch with Dad via Facetime.

Entertaining the baby...

Whoops!

Getting together with old mission companions. Letting our kids play in fountains and at fast-food play places. Miss you, Hendricks and Wadley!

Helping Grandma water the plants with the coveted mini watering can.

The joy of the bulk candy bin at Maceys. 

Utah can be a magical, magical, land. And I didn't even mention Grandma Sycamore's bread or the close proximity of the Distribution Center....