Snowcone, Anyone???

This weekend the Wilde family hosted the Widowmaker Hill Climb.  For those of you who may not know it, for 9 years now, on the 3rd weekend in June, our hayfield becomes its own little Carnival.  My brother-in-law, Albert, puts in countless hours and effort to make it a success, with very little recogintion for his efforts.  Now, normally, a Motorcycle Hill Climb is not the type of event that I would enjoy or pay money to attend. Not that it's not cool or fun, it's just not my thing.  But I have been at EVERY hill climb we have hosted, for many, many hours.  And, I have to admit, that I love being a small part of the hill climb...
I am the Snowie Lady.  For one weekend a year, I have a job that I love, schlepping sugary SNOWIE goodness to cute little kiddos at the Widowmaker.  My parents come up and tend my kids, while I go down and spend hours in the hot sun, making an icy treat for the little cuties that come to watch those CRAZY riders go up that really STEEP hill.

Usually, my fellow Wilde Sisters come and we are all Snowie Ladies, but this year, no one else could, so Albert recruited extra help from our friends and neighbors, the Pfannerstill Family.  Mom Melissa and daughter Bailey learned the art of Snowcone making, while dad Mike and brother Colten hauled ice and did basically anything and everything else we asked them to.  I am so glad that they were willing to come and help, and put up with me for two straight days, even when I sang Pina Colada OFF-KEY every time some one ordered that flavor.  They even put up with me leaving every 4 hours to go home and nurse baby Joseph, something Grandpa and Grandma just can't do!!  They were so fun to work with and I am grateful for their help in the Snowie.  We worked our butts off for two days straight and were exhausted and sunburned by the time we finished Saturday evening. 

So I just wanted to give a big THANKS to everyone who helped at the Widowmaker this weekend.  To the Wilde boys, for the work they do to prepare for it, to my Mom and Dad, for tending my babies ALL WEEKEND, and to the Pfannerstill Family, for hanging out in the Snowie with me!!

Yay for MOMS, too!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

by Kim Gibby Wilde on Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 9:01pm

I have had such fun this week posting some of my favorite thoughts and quotes about Mothers and Motherhood, that I am a little bit sad that today is the last one. I am so thankful to be the mother of 5 crazy kiddos. I am thankful that my Heavenly Father has trusted me with his precious sons and daughters, and I pray that I will raise them in the way that will be pleasing to him. I am so very thankful for the good women that influence my life, and I hope that you have all had a VERY HAPPY MOM"S DAY!! Thank you for the good that you do...your work is noticed and appreciated, even if it doesn't always feel like it is!

My last thought comes from Gordon B. Hinckley- If anyone can change the dismal situation into which we are sliding, it is you. Rise up, O women of Zion, rise to the great challenge that faces you.

Sometimes I look at the world around me and I am very discouraged. All I see is contention and sorrow and wickedness. As I read this quote, I was reminded that this is the Lord's plan and He knows what He is doing, even if I don't. I was also reminded that I can be an influence for good, even if it is only within my own four walls. If each one of us chooses to be a good influence, we truly can change things for the better. May you see the good that you do each day reflected in the lives of others. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY :)

Wrote this before I started my blog, but wanted to share it here as well :)

Hooray for Dads!!

Just wanted to share my gratitude for Dads today.  I am so very thankful for the righteous men in my life.  From my own father, to my husband and his father, and both of our grandpas, I am surrounded by good men who are striving to help raise righteous families.  For their influence in our home, I can never express enough gratitude.


I loved this thought from Elder L. Tom Perry: "Fathers, by divine decree, you are to preside over your family units. This is a sobering responsibility and the most important one you will ever assume, for it is an eternal responsibility. You place the family in its proper priority. It's the part of your life that will endure beyond the grave" ("Fatherhood, an Eternal Calling," Ensign, May 2004, 69.) 
What an awesome and daunting responsibility is placed on your shoulders.  May you be blessed in your efforts to preside over your homes in righteousness and love.  We love you Dads!!

Adventures in Swimsuit Shopping

Summer is here and the dreaded quest that comes along with it:  trying to find cute, modest swimming suits for myself and three not so little girls.  Since Madi and Charly are getting bigger, I decided it might be fun to take them along this year.  Now, anyone who has had the privilege of shopping with two tween girls is probably laughing already,  FUN is the understatement of the year.  Keep in mind that we also had the still nursing 6 month old in tow.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been having our sweet PICKLE there as well.  Luckily, we left Pickle and Reed home to play with Aunt Karen and the Wilde boys...
So we headed to the local Wal-mart with definite ideas about what swimsuits the girls wanted to get.  Charlotte wanted a blue and green tankini, Madison wanted a turquoise and purple tye-dyed tankini.  Reed said he wanted a green swimsuit and flip-flops with fishes on them.  Emma,  Dora flip-flops if you please, Mom.  I'm thinking, this is a pretty tall list, I hope I (and Wal-mart) can deliver....I just want something that covers everything, and hopefully, doesn't make me look as wide as a BARN!!!!  If it's cute that's an added BONUS!!!!
Three hours and MANY, MANY, MANY swimsuits later we have discovered that. Charlotte can't fit in a tankini (the bottoms keep falling off), but she is happy with the lime green, purple and turquoise tye-dyed one piece we found for her.  We found a great deal on Reed's suit, came with flip-flops and a cute t-shirt that he won't care about, it is GREEN, but no fishes on the flip-flops.  Emma got pink flip-flops with no Dora, but a cute new suit made up for no Dora on the shoes.  Mom found a tankini with board shorts over the top for a decent price, and I don't look like I need a WIDE LOAD sign to wear it, it's even CUTE!! 
Madi is another story, she has tried on every tankini in the store, and has her heart set on a very cute one with butterflies all over it...only problem is the bare back.  I tell her that it is her decision, but I don't think the bare back is OK...she decides to get it and we take them home to show Dad...well, Dad is definitely NOT OK with a bare back on his 11 year old, and tells her that it needs to go back...I was so proud of my girl, she didn't cry or throw a fit, she just listened to her Dad, and followed his advice.  Yesterday, I took her suit back and traded it for a turquoise tankini, still cute as can be, but this time with a covered back.
We learned an important lesson,  you are never too young to be modest, and swimsuit shopping with your girlies is lots of fun!!!  ( just make sure that your tankini has a back!!)

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

One week into summer, and we are spending all our time at the ball field!!  My four oldest are all playing and between practices and games we are at the Rec-Plex every night except Monday.  It has been so much fun watching them play, and has given me the opportunity to prove my dorkiness YET AGAIN!!  Let me explain...

Last week at Reed's game, I was taking pictures of him at bat.  He hit the ball and made it to first base.  I watched him run and cheered him on, then went over to snap another pic of him on first base.  I walk over to first base and yell to him to smile so I can get his picture.  He looks at me with a very confused look on his face, like he doesn't understand what I want him to do.  At this point, the first base coach asks me who I am trying to get a picture of, and I told him REED of course.  Coach says to me REED is on SECOND BASE!!  Yep, I am a total dork...in my defense, those kids really do look identical in those big helmets and purple shirts.  Next time, I'll pay more attention to which kid is which!!  (I probably should have remembered that Reed was in shorts, not jeans.) 
We have been loving fun summer games, but I have to admit, that I am looking forward to summer being just a little less busy!!  Until then, buy me some peanuts and cracker-jacks, and we'll ROOT ROOT ROOT for the kid's teams!