Thursday, December 18, 2008
Does anyone else do this?
I have been doing this all of my life. As long as I have realized there was music I have been running a soundtrack in my head. Little things set it off, they mention someone's birthday and in my head starts You say it's your birthday, na na na na na na (it's by the Beatles). What really sets it off is reading stories. Every time I have ever read a story it has played in my mind as a movie and what is a movie without a soundtrack? Every time I am listening to the radio or sampling songs on itunes I am thinking "oh this song would be perfect for that part of the story" or "this is perfect for that time in college when I..." I realized that I am not the only one who does this as I read Stephanie Meyer's website about the Twilight Series and saw that she had posted for each book a playlist of songs that she heard in her head as she wrote the story. So the question is I guess, does anyone else do this? Come on I told you I'm crazy and hear music that isn't there, you can comment anonymously, I don't judge. LOL
Friday, December 12, 2008
Kids can be so mean!
Isn't it true? I am so tired of mean kids. My son Ethan has Asperger's Syndrome which is a mild high functioning form of autism in which their social interactions are what suffer. For a better description check out this previous post here. My son is one of the sweetest most trusting kids I know. He loves anything to do with technology and because he doesn't know when he is getting annoying he can go on and on about the same thing for way too long. Well the other day at school Ethan had been going on and on about computers and telling these two boys (who he says are his best friends in his class) that to find his favorite files you go to c:/computer/mydocuments/myfavorites. These two "friends" started laughing and told him "uh c:/ you're a dork!" and ran away laughing! I asked Ethan what he plays with these two when they play and he said "well I try to talk to them but they always just ignore me when I talk." And these are the kids he thinks are his best friends. In fact when he said they called him a dork Greg and I asked if he told the teacher and he said "no they are my best friends, it would be mean to get them in trouble." We told him that he needs to tell the teacher because that is bullying and if they don't get told to stop they will bully more kids and his answer was, "no they aren't bullies, they only make fun of me so it is ok, I don't want to get them in trouble." It breaks my heart that these are the only kids he thinks are his friends and they are so mean to him and he protects them for it! I wish I could find some nice boys who will play with him and understand him. Any advice?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Thanksgiving
Yeah so I know Thanksgiving was a while ago but I got some great pictures that weekend that I have been wanting to share. Unfortunately my camera had died and I lost the charger. But I have a new charger and now I am ready to update this neglected blog of mine.
My brother Jesse and his wife robin and daughter Shelby came for Thanksgiving this year and that is always so fun and shelby is too stinkin cute. We were all sitting around Thursday morning chatting and letting the kids play. My brother Brian wasn't able to come because he is in the Bishopric in Tucson and he had to be at a youth temple trip he had organized. So I text him to say Happy Thanksgiving and his answers were just a little off. Now he has been known to surprise us and the first thing I thought was I bet they are on their way here and they are surprising us all. Well a couple hours later there they were and it made a great Thanksgiving even better. There is nothing I love like having my brothers and I all together. It had rained pretty well which out in Ames Acres makes for some excellent mud! When we were little my dad had a few 3-wheelers that we would ride all the time in the big empty lot next door. And if it was muddy it was even better! Well given the excellent mud and my dad's two quads the oppourtunity for fun was way too irresistable even though none of us had changes of clothes for us or our kids. Here are some pics of all the fun!
My brother Jesse and his wife robin and daughter Shelby came for Thanksgiving this year and that is always so fun and shelby is too stinkin cute. We were all sitting around Thursday morning chatting and letting the kids play. My brother Brian wasn't able to come because he is in the Bishopric in Tucson and he had to be at a youth temple trip he had organized. So I text him to say Happy Thanksgiving and his answers were just a little off. Now he has been known to surprise us and the first thing I thought was I bet they are on their way here and they are surprising us all. Well a couple hours later there they were and it made a great Thanksgiving even better. There is nothing I love like having my brothers and I all together. It had rained pretty well which out in Ames Acres makes for some excellent mud! When we were little my dad had a few 3-wheelers that we would ride all the time in the big empty lot next door. And if it was muddy it was even better! Well given the excellent mud and my dad's two quads the oppourtunity for fun was way too irresistable even though none of us had changes of clothes for us or our kids. Here are some pics of all the fun!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
For the Moms
Ok so you all know me and have met my very busy children. I am always looking for ideas that make my life easier or even just something that encourages me and makes me feel like I can do this. I found a website called www.executivehomemaker.com that has some great ideas and tools. But I really loved this article I found and I thought you all would enjoy it too. It is written for stay at home moms but I think it works for everyone! :)
Managing Your Household:
11 Ways To Do Less And Feel Great About It
by Carol Bryant
"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." --Phyllis Diller
You made the decision to become an at-home mother. Somewhere along the way, however, the duties of full-time housekeeper, errand boy, secretary, chef and hostess have all been added to your repertoire. You go to bed at night envisioning a sunny picnic in the park with your kids and by mid-morning you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending list of chores. Sometimes it feels as if you are digging a hole in sand, with new chores constantly filling in the spaces of completed ones. Your children are spending more and more time in front of the television while you placate them with, "I’ll be there in a minute. I just have to…."
You can take comfort in knowing that you’re not the first to fall into this trap. Many of us who have chosen to stay at home to raise our children have at one time slipped into the same mindset that we have to do everything ourselves. The difference between feeling overwhelmed and finding satisfaction as an at-home mother comes from recognizing what is important and letting go of the rest.
If you hope to ever find the time to do the important things, like activities with your children or pursuing other interests, it is essential to find ways to do less while discovering more efficient ways to do what is absolutely necessary. Most of us feel better with a certain amount of structure in our lives. Once your household becomes organized, your days feel less like a never ending list of chores. Getting household chores "under control" also gives you a feeling of accomplishment. But how can you accomplish this?
"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." --William James
1. Identify your priorities
These are the years when you must decide just how much housework is really necessary. Do you have to clean the house from top to bottom every week or it is more important to spend time with your children? You can vacuum every day or you can take the kids to the park. Which would make your child feel more loved? You’ll have plenty of time after the kids have grown to keep your house in perfect order, if it still seems that important. For now, give yourself permission to do less and then be OK about it.
It’s also important to prioritize your children’s time. Ballet lessons, soccer practice and art lessons at the museum on the other side of town may sound like wonderful opportunities for your multi-talented children, but do you really want to spend your life carpooling? It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of signing your children up for every activity offered. We don’t want our children to be left behind by Susie who has been taking tennis lessons since she was three. But children need some downtime too. Wouldn’t a free afternoon spent discussing the mysteries of life over milk and cookies enrich your kids in equally important ways?
2. Set Goals
Working toward short-term and long-term goals increases your sense of accomplishment. It allows you to focus on what you have done rather than on what is still left to be done. Your long-term goal may be to have all of your Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving. Or it may simply be to have the summer clothes packed away by then. Short-term goals may be to make appointments for everyone with the dentist or to pick up the dry cleaning on your way to the post office after you drop the kids off at preschool. Be sure to make a list of your goals each day so that you can experience the sublime pleasure of checking each one off.
3. Schedule
Write up a schedule for household activities. Following a schedule increases efficiency and decreases the time required. Planning which job is to be tackled when, is more efficient than frantically going from room to room, trying to get it all done at once. If you know that you have set aside time to vacuum on Tuesday, you will not waste time on Monday agonizing over not getting it done. Remember to be flexible and leave room in your schedule for the unexpected. Two-year-olds can be masters at knowing just when to spill the grape juice.
4. Delegate
You aren’t showing love for your children by fostering dependence. Remember that your long-term goal is to mold independent adults. Assign, or have children choose, chores that are appropriate to their age level. Toddlers can help by putting their toys into their toy box each night. Preschoolers love to dust. Older children can become quite good at vacuuming, washing the car and even planning and fixing meals. Rotate chores periodically, perhaps on a biweekly or monthly basis. Allow and insist that all family members do as much as they can for themselves. Don’t forget to include your husband/partner. It sets a good example for your children to see Dad help and makes you feel less like the family maid.
5. Have a laundry basket available for each member of the family
Each person is responsible for putting dirty clothes in it and taking it to the laundry room on wash day. Clothes that don’t make it to the basket don’t get washed. Eventually, that favorite shirt behind the door will be missed and will find its way into the basket. When the laundry is done, fold the clothes, place them in their assigned laundry basket and return them to their proper owner. Don’t despair if the clothes never make it out of the basket and into the closet. At least they are clean, neatly folded and out of the family room.
6. Plan Meals
List a month’s worth of meals and recycle the menus each month. Plan a weekly menu and shop for all of the ingredients at once. That should enable you to limit grocery shopping to once a week. When you eliminate those time-wasting extra trips for one or two things you also save money on those extras that always seem to catch your eye. Make a list of grocery items purchased on a regular basis in the order of your grocery store aisles. Make copies of that list and post it where you can easily circle needed items as the need arises. With good planning, you can coordinate other shopping with weekly grocery shopping to save trips.
7. Hire a baby-sitter while you run errands to save time and
frustration
The money spent on a sitter will be far less than money wasted on hurried purchases and extra treats promised to appease your impatient brood. When my children were little, one of life’s greatest luxuries was going to the grocery store alone. For that one hour I would casually stroll down the aisles, read labels, check coupons and even browse through magazines. If you don’t want to hire a sitter, trade time with another mom friend. Your time spent watching her children will pale in significance to the luxury of running solo errands. Think of how many stops you can make when you’re not dealing with car seats and strollers.
8. Plan the night before for the following day
Make a list of things to do. This will help you to organize your day and keep you from lying awake all night trying to remember what you promised yourself you wouldn’t forget. Have your children get their clothes and backpacks ready for school. Math homework is less likely to get left behind if it is put in the backpack the night before.
9. Clean and pick up as you go
Any time a mess accumulates or is left undone, it becomes harder and more time consuming to clean up. It takes far less energy, both physically and mentally, to put away one load of laundry than to face a week’s worth. It takes no time at all to clean up after a snack, but the thought of facing a sink full of dirty dishes can be overwhelming. If your children learn to put away a toy when they are finished playing with it, they will never again have to spend an entire morning cleaning their rooms.
10. Do two things at once
Fold laundry, iron, or clean out the kitchen junk drawer while watching TV. Make those phone calls that are guaranteed to involve being placed on hold while you work in the kitchen. You can clean up after breakfast, unload the dishwasher and put away groceries in the time it takes for "a customer service representative to be with you shortly." A portable phone is a good investment, allowing you to do even more. You can water the garden while you leave fourteen messages about the soccer party. You could even relax in the hammock while you patiently listen to your mother’s account of her latest root canal.
Last year I discovered the advantages of having my own carpool backpack. I put my Christmas cards and address book in a backpack as I headed out the door to pick the kids up from tennis lessons. During the fifteen minutes that I waited for practice to finish, I wrote five cards. That may not sound like a lot but between soccer practice, dentist appointments and an oil change, my Christmas cards were finally sent out on time. Sometimes my backpack has thank you notes. Other times it has that novel that I never find time to read. I have even organized my photo albums during basketball season.
11. Learn to say NO!
Your husband promised to stay home with the kids so that you could get your hair cut but now his brother has an extra ticket for the game. Couldn’t you reschedule your appointment? Your church bake sale is tomorrow and the cookie chairman forgot to make her calls. Could you bake eight dozen cookies tonight? There won’t be a Girl Scout troop this year unless someone volunteers to be leader… It’s Patty’s turn for playgroup but something else has come up…again.
It’s great to be flexible and wonderful to be helpful, but sometimes you just can’t do it all. Just when you’ve set your priorities and organized your day, you can almost count on some unexpected crisis to demand your time and attention. Trying to be all things for all people can distract you from what you really want to accomplish. When you become burdened with things you don’t want to do, you no longer have the time or energy for the things that are most important. Once you’ve identified what’s most important to you, stand firm. Practice saying "no" if you need to. You don’t need to offer excuses. A simple "No, that won’t work for me today. Maybe another time," is all that is required. You can’t take on everyone’s problems without cheating yourself. You matter too.
Remember, when you choose to be an at-home mother, the emphasis is on "mother" not "home." Don’t lose sight of why you stayed at home in the first place. It may be a cliché, but it always catches us by surprise when we see how quickly our children grow up. The housework will be there long after the children are gone. You have the opportunity to make these years special. Enjoy them.
Managing Your Household:
11 Ways To Do Less And Feel Great About It
by Carol Bryant
"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." --Phyllis Diller
You made the decision to become an at-home mother. Somewhere along the way, however, the duties of full-time housekeeper, errand boy, secretary, chef and hostess have all been added to your repertoire. You go to bed at night envisioning a sunny picnic in the park with your kids and by mid-morning you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending list of chores. Sometimes it feels as if you are digging a hole in sand, with new chores constantly filling in the spaces of completed ones. Your children are spending more and more time in front of the television while you placate them with, "I’ll be there in a minute. I just have to…."
You can take comfort in knowing that you’re not the first to fall into this trap. Many of us who have chosen to stay at home to raise our children have at one time slipped into the same mindset that we have to do everything ourselves. The difference between feeling overwhelmed and finding satisfaction as an at-home mother comes from recognizing what is important and letting go of the rest.
If you hope to ever find the time to do the important things, like activities with your children or pursuing other interests, it is essential to find ways to do less while discovering more efficient ways to do what is absolutely necessary. Most of us feel better with a certain amount of structure in our lives. Once your household becomes organized, your days feel less like a never ending list of chores. Getting household chores "under control" also gives you a feeling of accomplishment. But how can you accomplish this?
"The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook." --William James
1. Identify your priorities
These are the years when you must decide just how much housework is really necessary. Do you have to clean the house from top to bottom every week or it is more important to spend time with your children? You can vacuum every day or you can take the kids to the park. Which would make your child feel more loved? You’ll have plenty of time after the kids have grown to keep your house in perfect order, if it still seems that important. For now, give yourself permission to do less and then be OK about it.
It’s also important to prioritize your children’s time. Ballet lessons, soccer practice and art lessons at the museum on the other side of town may sound like wonderful opportunities for your multi-talented children, but do you really want to spend your life carpooling? It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of signing your children up for every activity offered. We don’t want our children to be left behind by Susie who has been taking tennis lessons since she was three. But children need some downtime too. Wouldn’t a free afternoon spent discussing the mysteries of life over milk and cookies enrich your kids in equally important ways?
2. Set Goals
Working toward short-term and long-term goals increases your sense of accomplishment. It allows you to focus on what you have done rather than on what is still left to be done. Your long-term goal may be to have all of your Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving. Or it may simply be to have the summer clothes packed away by then. Short-term goals may be to make appointments for everyone with the dentist or to pick up the dry cleaning on your way to the post office after you drop the kids off at preschool. Be sure to make a list of your goals each day so that you can experience the sublime pleasure of checking each one off.
3. Schedule
Write up a schedule for household activities. Following a schedule increases efficiency and decreases the time required. Planning which job is to be tackled when, is more efficient than frantically going from room to room, trying to get it all done at once. If you know that you have set aside time to vacuum on Tuesday, you will not waste time on Monday agonizing over not getting it done. Remember to be flexible and leave room in your schedule for the unexpected. Two-year-olds can be masters at knowing just when to spill the grape juice.
4. Delegate
You aren’t showing love for your children by fostering dependence. Remember that your long-term goal is to mold independent adults. Assign, or have children choose, chores that are appropriate to their age level. Toddlers can help by putting their toys into their toy box each night. Preschoolers love to dust. Older children can become quite good at vacuuming, washing the car and even planning and fixing meals. Rotate chores periodically, perhaps on a biweekly or monthly basis. Allow and insist that all family members do as much as they can for themselves. Don’t forget to include your husband/partner. It sets a good example for your children to see Dad help and makes you feel less like the family maid.
5. Have a laundry basket available for each member of the family
Each person is responsible for putting dirty clothes in it and taking it to the laundry room on wash day. Clothes that don’t make it to the basket don’t get washed. Eventually, that favorite shirt behind the door will be missed and will find its way into the basket. When the laundry is done, fold the clothes, place them in their assigned laundry basket and return them to their proper owner. Don’t despair if the clothes never make it out of the basket and into the closet. At least they are clean, neatly folded and out of the family room.
6. Plan Meals
List a month’s worth of meals and recycle the menus each month. Plan a weekly menu and shop for all of the ingredients at once. That should enable you to limit grocery shopping to once a week. When you eliminate those time-wasting extra trips for one or two things you also save money on those extras that always seem to catch your eye. Make a list of grocery items purchased on a regular basis in the order of your grocery store aisles. Make copies of that list and post it where you can easily circle needed items as the need arises. With good planning, you can coordinate other shopping with weekly grocery shopping to save trips.
7. Hire a baby-sitter while you run errands to save time and
frustration
The money spent on a sitter will be far less than money wasted on hurried purchases and extra treats promised to appease your impatient brood. When my children were little, one of life’s greatest luxuries was going to the grocery store alone. For that one hour I would casually stroll down the aisles, read labels, check coupons and even browse through magazines. If you don’t want to hire a sitter, trade time with another mom friend. Your time spent watching her children will pale in significance to the luxury of running solo errands. Think of how many stops you can make when you’re not dealing with car seats and strollers.
8. Plan the night before for the following day
Make a list of things to do. This will help you to organize your day and keep you from lying awake all night trying to remember what you promised yourself you wouldn’t forget. Have your children get their clothes and backpacks ready for school. Math homework is less likely to get left behind if it is put in the backpack the night before.
9. Clean and pick up as you go
Any time a mess accumulates or is left undone, it becomes harder and more time consuming to clean up. It takes far less energy, both physically and mentally, to put away one load of laundry than to face a week’s worth. It takes no time at all to clean up after a snack, but the thought of facing a sink full of dirty dishes can be overwhelming. If your children learn to put away a toy when they are finished playing with it, they will never again have to spend an entire morning cleaning their rooms.
10. Do two things at once
Fold laundry, iron, or clean out the kitchen junk drawer while watching TV. Make those phone calls that are guaranteed to involve being placed on hold while you work in the kitchen. You can clean up after breakfast, unload the dishwasher and put away groceries in the time it takes for "a customer service representative to be with you shortly." A portable phone is a good investment, allowing you to do even more. You can water the garden while you leave fourteen messages about the soccer party. You could even relax in the hammock while you patiently listen to your mother’s account of her latest root canal.
Last year I discovered the advantages of having my own carpool backpack. I put my Christmas cards and address book in a backpack as I headed out the door to pick the kids up from tennis lessons. During the fifteen minutes that I waited for practice to finish, I wrote five cards. That may not sound like a lot but between soccer practice, dentist appointments and an oil change, my Christmas cards were finally sent out on time. Sometimes my backpack has thank you notes. Other times it has that novel that I never find time to read. I have even organized my photo albums during basketball season.
11. Learn to say NO!
Your husband promised to stay home with the kids so that you could get your hair cut but now his brother has an extra ticket for the game. Couldn’t you reschedule your appointment? Your church bake sale is tomorrow and the cookie chairman forgot to make her calls. Could you bake eight dozen cookies tonight? There won’t be a Girl Scout troop this year unless someone volunteers to be leader… It’s Patty’s turn for playgroup but something else has come up…again.
It’s great to be flexible and wonderful to be helpful, but sometimes you just can’t do it all. Just when you’ve set your priorities and organized your day, you can almost count on some unexpected crisis to demand your time and attention. Trying to be all things for all people can distract you from what you really want to accomplish. When you become burdened with things you don’t want to do, you no longer have the time or energy for the things that are most important. Once you’ve identified what’s most important to you, stand firm. Practice saying "no" if you need to. You don’t need to offer excuses. A simple "No, that won’t work for me today. Maybe another time," is all that is required. You can’t take on everyone’s problems without cheating yourself. You matter too.
Remember, when you choose to be an at-home mother, the emphasis is on "mother" not "home." Don’t lose sight of why you stayed at home in the first place. It may be a cliché, but it always catches us by surprise when we see how quickly our children grow up. The housework will be there long after the children are gone. You have the opportunity to make these years special. Enjoy them.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Giveaway!!!
So Ashby is having a giveaway on her bow blog, and let me just tell you the girl is amazing. I promised I would spread the word even though I am doing it begrudgingly, I want to win! :P Go here and leave a comment with your email addy and good luck to you! :)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Man In My Life
I was tagged by my friend Lynsie and I thought it was cute!
1. What is your husband's name? Gregory Denton
2. Where did you meet your husband? At Josh and Paul's apartment in Flag. My roommate and I were good friends with Josh and Paul and they told us "you have to come over and meet our new roommate, he is soo old!" They told Greg that we were coming over and it would be really funny to tell us that he didn't invite us and this was his house too now and that he wanted us to leave. He did and I thought he was the biggest jerk!! I went home and called my mom and told her what a jerk he was and that I never wanted to talk to him again. After we hung up she went in and told my dad "I think Corie is going to be getting married soon"
3. How long did you date before you got married?
Met January of 1998
started dating October 4 1998
Engaged January 15 1999
Married May of 1999
4. How long have you been married? going on ten years
5. What does he do that surprises you? He surprises me when he knows exactly how to make a fun day for the kiddos, or he thinks to finish up the laundry for me when I am at YW. He surprises me how dedicated he is to his calling.
6. What is your favorite feature of his? I love his eyes!
7. What is your favorite quality about him? His sense of humor, Greg and I laugh ALL the time..
8. Does he have a nickname for you? no real nickname
9. What is his favorite sport? he loves all sports, baseball football basketball softball. I'm earning to deal with it. :)
10. When and where did you first kiss? At my apartment in Flagstaff. I had had a crush on him for awhile and he showed no interest. I was talking about greg again that night before the institute dance and my roommate told me to "get over it Greg doesn't like you." She had already gone to bed while the rest of us watched movies after the dance and so when he kissed my goodnight that night I had to wake her up and rub it in! LOL
11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? we really do enjoy watching all of our favorite TV shows we've tivo'd after the kiddos go to bed. We also love to go watch shows (we had one amazing time at the bottleneck in Lawrence Kansas) or even just play around sampling music on itunes.
12. Do you have children? Four of them!
13. Does he have any hidden talents? Greg can do one amazing Robot Dance! LOL
14. How old is he? OLD!! He is seven years older than I am.
15. Who said "I love you" first? I really don't remember :)
16. What is his favorite music? He loves real 80's punk and johnny cash, weird huh.
17. What do you admire most about him? He is so forgiving. And he is so smart. And he is soo hard working. He hates going to work but he can do anything for his family.
18. What is his favorite color? He likes reds sometimes and others it is blues and greens but if he could decorate his house it would be white walls white furniture white floors.
19. Does he do laundry? Oh he does it all! He rocks!!!
20. Will he read this? I doubt it. :)
I tag Jenn, Ashby, Corri, and anyone else who wants to do it! :)
1. What is your husband's name? Gregory Denton
2. Where did you meet your husband? At Josh and Paul's apartment in Flag. My roommate and I were good friends with Josh and Paul and they told us "you have to come over and meet our new roommate, he is soo old!" They told Greg that we were coming over and it would be really funny to tell us that he didn't invite us and this was his house too now and that he wanted us to leave. He did and I thought he was the biggest jerk!! I went home and called my mom and told her what a jerk he was and that I never wanted to talk to him again. After we hung up she went in and told my dad "I think Corie is going to be getting married soon"
3. How long did you date before you got married?
Met January of 1998
started dating October 4 1998
Engaged January 15 1999
Married May of 1999
4. How long have you been married? going on ten years
5. What does he do that surprises you? He surprises me when he knows exactly how to make a fun day for the kiddos, or he thinks to finish up the laundry for me when I am at YW. He surprises me how dedicated he is to his calling.
6. What is your favorite feature of his? I love his eyes!
7. What is your favorite quality about him? His sense of humor, Greg and I laugh ALL the time..
8. Does he have a nickname for you? no real nickname
9. What is his favorite sport? he loves all sports, baseball football basketball softball. I'm earning to deal with it. :)
10. When and where did you first kiss? At my apartment in Flagstaff. I had had a crush on him for awhile and he showed no interest. I was talking about greg again that night before the institute dance and my roommate told me to "get over it Greg doesn't like you." She had already gone to bed while the rest of us watched movies after the dance and so when he kissed my goodnight that night I had to wake her up and rub it in! LOL
11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? we really do enjoy watching all of our favorite TV shows we've tivo'd after the kiddos go to bed. We also love to go watch shows (we had one amazing time at the bottleneck in Lawrence Kansas) or even just play around sampling music on itunes.
12. Do you have children? Four of them!
13. Does he have any hidden talents? Greg can do one amazing Robot Dance! LOL
14. How old is he? OLD!! He is seven years older than I am.
15. Who said "I love you" first? I really don't remember :)
16. What is his favorite music? He loves real 80's punk and johnny cash, weird huh.
17. What do you admire most about him? He is so forgiving. And he is so smart. And he is soo hard working. He hates going to work but he can do anything for his family.
18. What is his favorite color? He likes reds sometimes and others it is blues and greens but if he could decorate his house it would be white walls white furniture white floors.
19. Does he do laundry? Oh he does it all! He rocks!!!
20. Will he read this? I doubt it. :)
I tag Jenn, Ashby, Corri, and anyone else who wants to do it! :)
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
High School Tag
So LeAnn tagged me. I guess that's what I get for making her do this tag in the first place. :)
1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes I did. I had my first boyfriend ever starting in my Freshman year he was a jock and a senior and everyone liked him, except my parents. For some reason they didn't like their 15 year old daughter dating an 18 year old who had a kid. weird right? :) The end of my Freshman year I started dating Chris and that was a giant mess he was also a senior and a skater and so cute and so a bad boy, (I think that was kind of my thing lol) I dated Chris until the end of my junior/ start of my senior year when I realized that I wanted a temple marriage and that would never happen with my anti mormon boyfriend and I was just so sick of fighting with my parents ALL the time. Then I dated a few other guys, Ike, Norm, and then was right back into the boyfriend thing with Josh. Really nice guy, a year younger than me and kind of immature. Then I met Greg and he was really the first LDS guy I ever REALLY dated. I kinda always knew that I wasn't going to marry a guy from Winslow (nothing wrong with them but it'd be like marrying my brother) so all those boyfriends were just time fillers! LOL
2. What kind of car did you drive? My first car was a 1979 honda accord hatchback. It was 5 different colors of primer, the stereo hung from the dash by a wire there was a hole in the floor on the passenger side and the best part, you had to hit the fuel pump with a rock to start it. Seriously :) And I loved that car!!! Except that it was tiny and the guys loved to pick it up and turn it sideways in the parking space so I couldn't leave until the lot emptied or stick it in the grass by the picnic tables. jerks! After that my grandma gave me her 91 ford probe so sporty and fun and I didn't need a rock to start it which was super awesome! :)
3. What was your most embarrassing moment? Oh I had a lot, my Freshman year I was on my way back to school from the rootbeer stand at lunch with my 32 oz 7-up. I was walking up the stairs to go to my popular, cool senior boyfriend's locker on the senior floor with all of his popular, cool senior friends standing there and as I got to the top step I tripped and fell flat on my face and threw 7-up everywhere. Yeah, I was cool that day! :) Then Junior year I was on the drama team and we were doing our two person acting performance for the finals of the tournament and in our piece I was supposed to change out of an evening gown into pajamas and since you can't have props I had to wear the shorts and tank top under the dress and take off the dress and tada I was changed. Well the dress was a straight skirt and the shorts were a little big and as I pulled down the dress I also took off the shorts!!! I didn't realize it and was merely wondering why I couldn't take a step and why the kids from the phoenix day school for the deaf were grunting and laughing at me, until I looked down and realized what I had done :-0 But I pulled them right up and didn't miss a beat and we got first place that tournament! :)
4.Were you a party animal? No, but I was friends with the party animals lol
5. Were you considered a flirt? I would like to say no but that would be lying.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? I was in Orchestra until High School and in High School I was in choir and show choir.
7. Were you a nerd? What do you mean, i am still a nerd
8. Were you on any varsity teams? Track four years and Cheer one year
9. Did you get suspended or expelled? No but I remember a LOT of detentions
. 10. Can you still sing the fight song? Yeah baby! We are the Bulldogs we are the best! We are the Bulldogs, pride of the west! Working striving for our fame, come on you Bulldogs win this game! We never boast and we never brag. We're out to win and never to lag! while our royal varsity goes onward to victory!! I told you I am still a nerd :)
11. Who were your favorite teachers? I loved Mr. Howell, I will always have fond memories of Aaron Hopper asking him if he believes there was a second shooter on the grassy knoll. What a way to get out of any work for about three weeks:) Mr. Watson was great too.
12. Where did you sit during lunch? Usually I was at work at the rootbeer stand so no sitting for me! :)
13. What was your school mascot? Bulldogs!! yeah way less gay than a trojan guys! LOL
14. Did you go to Homecoming? yep I did! My Sophomore year the homecoming game/ dance was also my sweet sixteen. They called me out to the 50 yard line and the whole stands sang happy birthday to me and my mom had balloons and flowers delivered to me there. All day I had thought everyone had forgotten my b-day! yay!
15. If you could go back would you? Sure, don't get me wrong I don't sit here dreaming about how life was so great in high school but if I had to it wouldn't be terrible, I had a lot of fun. plus I have seen how it ends so far and I like where my life led me.
16. What do you remember most about graduation? The marbles, and Ryan's laser pointer making amber so mad! LOL
17. Where did you go for your Senior Trip? My brother's graduation from the Air Force Academy, hot guys in military uniforms, way better than stupid sun splash! LOL
18. Were you in any clubs? yeah a lot actually Honor Society, OutDoor Ski Club, W club, etc. etc. We have already established I'm a nerd didn't we? :)
19. Have you gained weight since High School? stupid stupid question
20. Who was your Prom date? Sophomore year Jeremy Wilson, Junior Isaac Larsen, Senior Josh Steward
21. Did you go to your 10 year class reunion? No we didn't have one. I would have though :)
22. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Don't always have a boyfriend. Mr. Howell is Not really preparing you for what college professors want, tell mom the truth and you get to do a lot more stuff, and lots of girls aren't cheerleaders their senior year so don't be sad but you do get to be the football photographer so while the cheerleaders are cheering on the track you are on the sidelines with the cute boys so who's the real winner anyway? LOL
So I guess I get to tag people. I tag Crystal, Sheri, Traci, Brooke and Ashby and Ash tag Ryan for me ok? I am sure he won't remember but let him try and if he needs help I will be here! LOL
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
and now for the rest of my life. . .
So the election is over. Barack Obama is our president. And as Greg just said, "i am not nearly as disappointed as I thought I would be" I really hoped that he wouldn't but I can't change it now. President Hinckley always used to say that "eventually everything works out." Don't get me wrong I am not really pro McCain but I am definitely anti Obama. Well actually anti Obama's plans. We had to explain to Ethan that Obama is not an evil man and we don't hate him we just disagree with his plans. :) I am happy to realize that our president is not an all powerful leader. We have checks and balances for a reason. Barack Obama will not be able to run through our country doing whatever he wants. Just like I believe we can't blame or praise our current president for any one thing that has happened during his presidency. So here we go, I guess we will see how it plays out and hopefully he can't do any permanent damage. :) 
I am proud of our country for electing a black man to the office of president. Although I wouldn't have minded seeing Palin make a little history herself! So good job America, I hope we can all work together to make the best of these next four years and that we all can learn from each other. :) Oh yeah and good job AZ for passing Prop 102!!
Blockages and Blokus (I know ewwww!)
So I have been out of the blogging world for a week. Many of you know that my mom has been in the hospital and because of that so have I. Two Saturdays ago Emma and I went on a mommy/ daughter date. We got her a High School Musical shirt and jewelry and loaded up on candy and went to watch High School Musical 3 with Susie and Crystal and their girls. It was a FABULOUS time, the movie was even pretty great! Most of all Emma and I had a great time together being silly. We hit Target right before we left Flagstaff and my poor Emma leaned on me and asked, "Momma, do we have to stay up all night?" So cute that my little go getter was out for the count at 9:30! She is her Papa's girl! :) Well Susie was sweet enough to run the girls back into the store to go potty since they all decided that they needed to go about 2 seconds after we all got in the car. ( GIRLS!! LOL ) While she was in there I checked my messages and saw that my dad had called about 5 minutes earlier. My dad is never up past nine so I knew something was up so I called right back and he told me that he and my mom were at the emergency room in Winslow.
Needless to say I hurried home dropped off all the girls including my own and headed to the hospital. I sat with my mom that night and watched her in more pain than I have ever seen my poor mom in! And that is saying a lot with her kidney troubles. Well they finally decided that she had an obstruction in her small intestine and so they admitted her to watch and see how things go and to decide if she will need surgery. She had to have a tube up her nose to pump out her stomach and IV fluids and oxygen and she was just a mess of tubes and pain. They thought Monday night that she was looking like she wouldn't need surgery which was great news! Well Tuesday morning it was obvious that surgery was necessary. :( But luckily she had Dr. Greenwood in on the Surgery and my great friend Susie was in the OR with her too. It made all of the difference in the world to me to have them be with my mom for that. She took a few more days in the hospital and was able to go home Friday afternoon, not quite good as new but definitely on her way there! I have to mention how much we appreciated the Winslow Hospital. It gets a bad rap but my mom was so well cared for while we were there, they treated her so well and treated me and my dad fantatstic! It was so nice to be here where I could visit my mom every free minute (and thanks to Greg and Charn and Crystal for making sure there were lots of free minutes and to Jenn and Crystal for watching my girls for me and for all of the others who offered too!) Everyone would call my dad and ask "so how long are you going to be up there?" My dad would chuckle and say well we are here in Winslow and EVERYONE responded "Really?!?" LOL But a great big thank you to the staff at Little Colorado Medical Center, you guys were great, we are lucky to have you in our community!!
My little brother Jesse and his wife Robin and their little girl Shelby (blog shout out for you guys! :) came up on Friday and stayed until Sunday. Saturday night after the Stake Adult meeting Steve and Kim came over with us and we all played Blokus. I love that game now!! It is so addictive and so simple and I can't wait to get my hands on it to play again, come on over Kim and bring your game! :) So that is how we got from Blockages to Blokus I hope you enjoyed the trip! :) lol
Monday, November 3, 2008
For Greg and For Shauna
Apparently Greg isn't the only one freaked out by mice so until I get a chance to put up a new post this will have to do. I am removing the picture of the mouse so that all of my friends can look at my blog without covering their screens. :) Hope that helps Shauna!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
MICE!!!
So this is a story that many if not most of you have heard but since this blog is also the closest thing I have to actually keeping a journal I am going to record it here. :) My husband Greg is a tough guy. But he is deathly afraid of mice. Now I don't like them either but with Greg we are talking absolute and utter fear. When we lived in our old house I had been gone one Wednesday night at Young Womens and so when I came home we were sitting in the family room watching tv together when, for just a tiny second, I thought I saw something jump out from behind the entertainment center and then back behind it again. I of course say, "oh crap Greg I think we have a mouse!!!" and he responds, "Shut up!" I say, "no really I think I saw it just run behind the tv!" and he again replies, "Shut up! I saw it earlier and I was just going to pretend that I didn't, but now that you saw it too, I can't!!" :) We both agree that there is no way we can go to sleep knowing that this vile creature is running loose in our home! So Greg goes in search of weaponry. He comes back with racquetball racket and the hunt is now on. We lift the 2 ton entertainment center and slide it gently away from the wall, which of course sends the mouse running for safety, which causes Greg to throw his end of the entertainment center a good 3 feet in the air! So we follow the little bugger to the pantry, where we slowly start pulling out camping equipment and the other crap that is all over the floor, to find the filthy little beast. And find him we did! Of course, once again, he takes off running back to the family room, prompting Greg to throw the racket at the fleeing pest. The entire time Greg has been utterly silent, jaw clenched and eyes steeled in intense concentration. The mouse is now cowering like the vermin he is under the couch in the family room. So we devise a plan of attack, I stand on the front edge of the seat and grab the top of the back of the couch, leaning backwards slowly so as to tip the couch forwards and expose the hiding mouse. When I do this Greg has a view of him finally and suddenly, at 11:00 p.m., with my children in bed asleep, he raises his weapon and begins to attack while screaming a war cry like I have never heard! He hits the mouse with the racket at least 15 times, so hard that he bent the racket. The entire time he is attacking he is screaming, never once pausing for breath. At this point I am not sure which of them I am more afraid of. He finally stops and I peek over the couch to survey the carnage and I see a tiny little brown mouse that looks almost like he is sleeping. I told Greg to go get a shovel so we can scoop the mouse up and toss him outside. He leaves, silent once more, and returns carrying a very large pipe wrench that he has already begun adjusting. As I watch him I am thinking to myself, "now that is stupid, if he has to pinch the mouse in that pipe wrench he will have to get way closer to it than if he used a shovel like I suggested." As I am just finishing this thought the war cry begins again as my husband, the sweet loving man who cradles my babies so snug and secure begins to pound the dead mouse once again this time with the pipe wrench. He only takes about five hits this time to satisfy his desire to eradicate the threat. He then proceeds to very calmly get the shovel, scoop the mouse up, and chuck him out the front door to the middle of the street, where he is given a proper burial the next day when the city chip sealed over him. After Greg calmed down, knowing the mouse no longer posed a threat to him or his family, I asked him what he was thinking, screaming like that with the kids asleep and why did he need to hit the poor thing so many times? He looked at me puzzled and said, "I screamed? and I only hit it like twice didn't I?" I guess fear and adrenaline can really blind us sometimes and luckily for the rest of us it will provide for a hilarious story that cracks your spouse up for years to come! :)
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I Bake Bread!
If you smelled that yummy homemade goodness yesterday it was coming from my house! Crystal came over yesterday and helped me make my first ever batch of bread. They turned out awesome and her recipe is really easy! I think I need to make it everyday though. My kids tore through the first loaf in about 20 minutes!! My mom offered to give me a jar of her homemade raspberry jam in exchange for a loaf of bread. Unfortunately by the time I got over there with her loaf we had eaten ours so I didn't have anything to put the yummy jam on!! I guess that means I will have to make more! ;) Darn it right?
Check out this blog!!
So the North Park Ward has made a recipe blog and the food they list sounds AB-SO-LUTE-LY delicious!!! Click on the link on my side bar and check it out. I was just saying to a friend of mine that I want to get the girls together for a recipe exchange! I love to cook and I have an enormous kitchen but I get so sick of cooking the same thing over and over and over that it gets to be eat-out-night every night and that isn't helping my waistline or my wallet! So YAY for new recipes! I can't wait to try them all!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
I Got Tagged
I was tagged by Crystal Murdock
Rules:Link the person who tagged you. Mention the rules on your blog. Tell 6 unspectacular quirky things about you or your family. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they have been tagged.
1. I love gadgets. Any kind. I love new kitchen tools, and power tools and ANY kind of electronics. If it is new and improved I so want it.
2. I love to drive Greg to court. Several times a week we will load up the girls and cruise on over to Holbrook so that we can be with Greg a couple more hours during the day. We wait in the parking lot, go vacuum out the car, hit McDonald's playland, or just shop at Alco while he battles it out for his clients.
3. I had a great time in High School. I know a lot of people who talk about how they are so glad to be done with it and that you could never pay them enough to go back to it. Not me, don't get me wrong it isn't like it was the best time of my life and I miss it everyday (or ever for that fact) but I had a great time. I wasn't one of the popular kids but I was friends with a lot of them and I really enjoyed myself. Plus I learned some life lessons in High School that I would never give back.
4. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I have had so many possibilities from the time I was little and I still haven't settled on a single one, Doctor, Nurse, Teacher, Lawyer, Writer, Photographer. What do you guys suggest?
5. I loved turning 30! I really did, it helps that my husband is seven years older than me so I always have him to make me feel young, but it feels so exciting and new. Like I am finally moving on to REAL adulthood.
6. I am so excited for the twins to start school August of 2011! Yeah I know I will miss them terribly but I will be able to do the things that I haven't been able to do for the last 7+ years, like run into Circle K and get a soda. Or drop in on a friend without dragging in four little kids. But for now I am more than happy to have them with me all the time.
:)I hope you enjoyed this brief look into my quirky life! Now it is your turn, I tag Jennie, Monique, Lynsie, Shauna, Heather, Ashby & Anyone else who wants to do it!!! Go do it!! :
I was tagged by Crystal Murdock
Rules:Link the person who tagged you. Mention the rules on your blog. Tell 6 unspectacular quirky things about you or your family. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they have been tagged.
1. I love gadgets. Any kind. I love new kitchen tools, and power tools and ANY kind of electronics. If it is new and improved I so want it.
2. I love to drive Greg to court. Several times a week we will load up the girls and cruise on over to Holbrook so that we can be with Greg a couple more hours during the day. We wait in the parking lot, go vacuum out the car, hit McDonald's playland, or just shop at Alco while he battles it out for his clients.
3. I had a great time in High School. I know a lot of people who talk about how they are so glad to be done with it and that you could never pay them enough to go back to it. Not me, don't get me wrong it isn't like it was the best time of my life and I miss it everyday (or ever for that fact) but I had a great time. I wasn't one of the popular kids but I was friends with a lot of them and I really enjoyed myself. Plus I learned some life lessons in High School that I would never give back.
4. I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I have had so many possibilities from the time I was little and I still haven't settled on a single one, Doctor, Nurse, Teacher, Lawyer, Writer, Photographer. What do you guys suggest?
5. I loved turning 30! I really did, it helps that my husband is seven years older than me so I always have him to make me feel young, but it feels so exciting and new. Like I am finally moving on to REAL adulthood.
6. I am so excited for the twins to start school August of 2011! Yeah I know I will miss them terribly but I will be able to do the things that I haven't been able to do for the last 7+ years, like run into Circle K and get a soda. Or drop in on a friend without dragging in four little kids. But for now I am more than happy to have them with me all the time.
:)I hope you enjoyed this brief look into my quirky life! Now it is your turn, I tag Jennie, Monique, Lynsie, Shauna, Heather, Ashby & Anyone else who wants to do it!!! Go do it!! :
Friday, October 10, 2008
I did it!! :)
Just a quick follow up, I DID IT. Ethan was at practice yesterday even before coach got there. Apparently we can be on time!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Always Late?!?!?
So the Ponytail Challenge this week is to be on time for SOMETHING this week. I used to always be early for everything. I was kind of compulsive about it. Maybe it is the four kids in four years thing but I have really struggled with it lately. It really hit me this past Tuesday. A group in our ward is making these AMAZING quiet books for church. They are beautiful and and really well made and something I am so proud of. (I will have to start blogging our progress they really are cool) Well I walked in, late of course, and one of them said, "well Corie's here it must be 6:45." We start at 6:30. :S It was obviously all in good fun and I so don't get my feelings hurt over stuff like that but I thought, "wow, is that what I am reliable for, being late?" So I have decided to do better, push harder to be on time, all the time. The soccer coaches might freak out if my kids are there before they are halfway through practice. :) But next week Teresa I am beating you to the church!! Oh and I will have done my prep work too this time. :) LOL
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Yay I picked the right color!! :)
I found this on Steph's blog and like I have said before I am kind of an online quiz junkie! :)
I hope you don't think I am cold calculating or an elitist! :)
Your Hair Should Be Brown |
 You are an intelligent, well respected person. You are very confident. You take yourself seriously, and other people take you seriously too. You are a good leader, and you can be trusted with someone's life. You motivate people well, and you command respect easily. You are competent, successful, and organized. You can't stand chaos. Some people mistake you for being cold, calculating, or elitist. |
I hope you don't think I am cold calculating or an elitist! :)
Monday, September 29, 2008
I'm a mac!
So after years of wishing and wanting, coveting and hinting, my sweet husband bought me a Mac! I had to eat my words a bit but it was worth it.
You see when we were first married and living in Topeka we had a computer. It was Greg's that he had bought when he had started undergrad and it was a mac. It was way too old and it only had 8 mb of memory so we couldn't even buy software for it that would run so we needed a new computer. I stubbornly told Greg all about how Macs were a stupid plan and he needed to get a compaq laptop for us. Because he is the sweet man that he is and he always tries to find a way to get me anything I really want we bought a compaq laptop. It was terrible!! We then bought the HP desktop and then the Dell laptop. And then I realized just how much I liked Macs and how they did the things I wanted my computers to do and most importantly and terribly, that Greg was right and I was wrong.
Well this weekend we were down in Tucson to see the dentist and we went to the Apple store and Greg said let's just get it. Can I just say man I felt out of place in the mall there! I am a small town girl. I always have been, I like nice things as much as the next girl but I am so not a brand name high end retail kind of girl. I like restaurants that are chains so that I already know what to order. I like clothes that I don't worry about what the kids get on them. I am NOT a Louis Vuitton, Tiffany's (well maybe I COULD be a Tiffany's kind of girl), Prada kind of girl, I am kind of surprised they let me in that mall. LOL :)
Back the the Mac, I LOVE it. I will not ever go back to PC. I am still learning how it works but I love it's speed and how organized it is and just how flexible it is! So now I need my Mac friends out there to give me all of your hints, tricks, and advice so that I can get the most out of this new toy! :) And I think I should make Greg some Brownies! ;)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
What color career would YOU like?
So I took this online color personality test and here are my results. I think I would love every job they suggested. :)
The Dewey Color System® is the world's first and only validated, color-based personality career testing instrument. Based on our experience and your interests, your best suited occupations are listed below.
*
Best Occupational Category
You're a CREATOR
Key Words:
Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional
These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas.
CREATOR OCCUPATIONS
Suggested careers are Advertising Executive, Architect, Web Designer, Creative Director, Public Relations, Fine or Commercial Artist, Interior Decorator, Lawyer, Librarian, Musician, Reporter, Art Teacher, Broadcaster, Technical Writer, English Teacher, Architect, Photographer, Medical Illustrator, Corporate Trainer, Author, Editor, Landscape Architect, Exhibit Builder, and Package Designer.
CREATOR WORKPLACES
Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature.
Suggested Creator workplaces are advertising, public relations, and interior decorating firms; artistic studios, theaters and concert halls; institutions that teach crafts, universities, music, and dance schools. Other workplaces to consider are art institutes, museums, libraries, and galleries.
*
2nd Best Occupational Category
You're a PERSUADER
Key Words:
Witty, Competitive, Sociable, Talkative, Ambitious, Argumentative, and Aggressive
These enterprising types sell, persuade, and lead others. Positions of leadership, power, and status are usually their ultimate goal. Persuasive people like to take financial and interpersonal risks and to participate in competitive activities. They enjoy working with others inside organizations to accomplish goals and achieve economic success.
The Dewey Color System® is the world's first and only validated, color-based personality career testing instrument. Based on our experience and your interests, your best suited occupations are listed below.
*
Best Occupational Category
You're a CREATOR
Key Words:
Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional
These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas.
CREATOR OCCUPATIONS
Suggested careers are Advertising Executive, Architect, Web Designer, Creative Director, Public Relations, Fine or Commercial Artist, Interior Decorator, Lawyer, Librarian, Musician, Reporter, Art Teacher, Broadcaster, Technical Writer, English Teacher, Architect, Photographer, Medical Illustrator, Corporate Trainer, Author, Editor, Landscape Architect, Exhibit Builder, and Package Designer.
CREATOR WORKPLACES
Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature.
Suggested Creator workplaces are advertising, public relations, and interior decorating firms; artistic studios, theaters and concert halls; institutions that teach crafts, universities, music, and dance schools. Other workplaces to consider are art institutes, museums, libraries, and galleries.
*
2nd Best Occupational Category
You're a PERSUADER
Key Words:
Witty, Competitive, Sociable, Talkative, Ambitious, Argumentative, and Aggressive
These enterprising types sell, persuade, and lead others. Positions of leadership, power, and status are usually their ultimate goal. Persuasive people like to take financial and interpersonal risks and to participate in competitive activities. They enjoy working with others inside organizations to accomplish goals and achieve economic success.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Funny Girl!!
So my Emma Jo is always coming up with these crazy thoughts that just crack me up so I thought I would share three from yesterday:
Emma (crying in the backseat): Ow my owie hurts so bad.
Mom: I'm sorry sweetie, when we get home I will get you a band-aid.
Emma: It looks really bad, I think it's swollen. I sure don't know what swollen means but I think it looks a lot bigger!
Later that drive we were on our way home from Holbrook and we stopped at Loves in Joe City to let Emma go potty. As we are walking in two elderly women are walking out the door and Emma stops and stares up at them exclaiming, "woah mom those are some REALLY REALLY OLD people!!" as I shushed her and tried to drag her into the store she shouts, "but mom this place is weird, they have so many OLD people!" I wanted to climb under a rock!
And then this one was good! In the back of the car, same trip, I hear Emma yell, "idiot!" this is not a word I like so I whip around and the following conversation ensues,
Mom: Emma we DO NOT say idiot! Don't call your sisters idiots!
Emma (wide eyed and honest): But mom, I was calling myself an idiot.
Mom: Emma that isn't good either, you are not an idiot, you are very smart!
Emma (thinks for a minute then with a huge smile): Yeah? Do you really think so mom?
Mom (hugs her and smiles): Yes Emma I KNOW you are really really smart!
Emma (shrugs): Huh, I thought I was an idiot.
I love that girl! She is so much like me she can be infuriating and frustrating but I wouldn't change her one bit! :)
Friday, September 5, 2008
Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday to Me!
So no it's isn't my birthday yet (I turn 30 on the 30th isn't that cool?) but I did get my present yesterday. I have really been wanting to get into photography for like, well pretty much my whole life. My dad had this great minolta 35mm slr while I was growing up and I always loved his pictures. He and I many times sat out on the porch and took pictures of the amazing lightning we would get during the monsoons.
When I was pretty young my parents bought me my first 35mm camera and I was so excited I used up about 5 rolls of film the first day. My film was rationed a little more after my dad took my film to get developed and realized he had paid for 5 rolls of film, with doubles, of my dog Tyler. LOL
When I was a junior in High School I ran over to cheer tryouts from track practice and didn't warm up. I ended up displacing my hip during the tryout and was unable to finish. I didn't think it would be a big deal since I had been on the squad the last two years but apparently there was a rule that if you didn't complete the tryout for any reason you could not be considered for the squad. I was devastated until my amazing friend Michelle who was the Head Student Manager of the Varsity Football team and the Editor of the yearbook offered me a spot doing the photography with the schools fancy camera of all of the Varsity games that year!! I loved it, I was still right there on the sidelines but I could be warm in jeans and a coat! So the obsession continued!
My husband who is kind enough to support me in all of my crazy plans just furthered the sickness. He bought me my first Digital SLR Wednesday and I got it in the mail yesterday! I am sure he will read this and exclaim FIRST?!?!?! LOL He bought me a beautiful Canon EOS Rebel Xti and and 18-55mm lens. I can't wait to learn all about it and start getting some good shots. Maybe next monsoon storm that rolls through me and Ethan can sit outside and get some good lightning shots! :)
Isn't it beautiful? :D
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Tagged!!
I have been tagged by Crystal. I have to list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current goals, 3 current obsessions, and 3 random facts about myself. Then I tag 5 more people. This sounds fun, so here I go! ;)
3 JOYS
1. Family and Friends
2. Date Night
3. My Calling
3 FEARS
1. Lizards, Snakes, Crickets, Grasshoppers
2. Something happening to my kids
3. Losing family
3 CURRENT GOALS
1. Getting Bailey potty trained and ditching diapers for good!!
2. Getting out of debt
3. Patience!!!!
3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS
1. Date Night!!
2. My new camera
3. working on the yard.
3 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT MYSELF
1. I have had labor with an epidural, labor with NO drugs at all, and a c-section
2. I learned to hit the ball in co-ed softball this year (I am almost thirty)
3. Sometimes when I see something kind of funny I like make up this little movie in my head of how it would be even funnier if this or that happened and I laugh out loud and nobody but my little brother Jesse is ever thinking the same thing and he always laughs with me.
The people I tag are Ashby, Brooke, Jenn B., Monique, Lynsie, Amanda, and Jennie L. (I know that's more than 5 but I want to hear what they all would say). Have Fun!
3 JOYS
1. Family and Friends
2. Date Night
3. My Calling
3 FEARS
1. Lizards, Snakes, Crickets, Grasshoppers
2. Something happening to my kids
3. Losing family
3 CURRENT GOALS
1. Getting Bailey potty trained and ditching diapers for good!!
2. Getting out of debt
3. Patience!!!!
3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS
1. Date Night!!
2. My new camera
3. working on the yard.
3 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT MYSELF
1. I have had labor with an epidural, labor with NO drugs at all, and a c-section
2. I learned to hit the ball in co-ed softball this year (I am almost thirty)
3. Sometimes when I see something kind of funny I like make up this little movie in my head of how it would be even funnier if this or that happened and I laugh out loud and nobody but my little brother Jesse is ever thinking the same thing and he always laughs with me.
The people I tag are Ashby, Brooke, Jenn B., Monique, Lynsie, Amanda, and Jennie L. (I know that's more than 5 but I want to hear what they all would say). Have Fun!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
These are the days!
I love this quote:
“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”
-Anna Quindlen
Awhile back I posted this on a myspace blog I had, (these are so much better) and I read it again today and I realized how much more I mean it now that it has been over nine years.
So I just went to Shauna's myspace page and I heard her song and I got to thinking. Her song is "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. It talks about how fast life passes and that if you blink you will miss a lot.
Now with all four kids quietly sleeping in their beds the song makes me all choked up. It is so true, they change so quickly, life changes so quickly. It has been eight years that I have been married to Greg. I have finished college, watched Greg go through Law School, moved to Kansas and back, seen Greg as a prosecutor, and as a defender, bought a law firm, bought a house, sold a house, built a house, and most importantly been pregnant three times with four beautiful children. I have seen the first day of kindergarten, been called into the principal's office because my kid was in trouble, learned how to deal with ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome, attended Parent Teacher Conferences that have left me so depressed and down I couldn't stop crying and ones that have left me so proud and happy that I couldn't stop hugging that poor kid. I have taken kids for stitches, been to countless soccer and tee ball games, sat through tumbling class and Kung-fu classes so that when they ask "mom did you see me?" I can say yes and mean it. I have carried babies so small through the store that people have stopped me to tell me that they "thought that was a real baby." I have potty trained two kids and am working on two more. I have been a substitute teacher which has made me contemplate being an actual teacher. I have given up on my dream of Med. School thousands of times only to pick it up again a thousand more. I have kissed more owies, rocked more sick babies to sleep all night long, cleaned up more play-doh, broken up more fights and been thrown up on more times than I can count. So yeah, a lot has happened in those eight years and sometimes when I have three toddlers screaming at me all day it is hard to remember that these are the times that when I am old I will look back on and say "those were the days, I miss those times."
I go back to having the four kids all sleeping quietly in their beds and if I don't look around at the mess that is my house I can feel that these are the days.
So my point is that I am making a resolution to try harder to remember that these are the days when my kids are awake and rowdy and messy so that when they are grown they will look back and think, "those were the days, I miss those days" and they will come home to me, because as Emma told me today "even when I am a grown up you will still be my mommy and daddy and I will be your baby girl."
“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”
-Anna Quindlen
Awhile back I posted this on a myspace blog I had, (these are so much better) and I read it again today and I realized how much more I mean it now that it has been over nine years.
So I just went to Shauna's myspace page and I heard her song and I got to thinking. Her song is "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. It talks about how fast life passes and that if you blink you will miss a lot.
Now with all four kids quietly sleeping in their beds the song makes me all choked up. It is so true, they change so quickly, life changes so quickly. It has been eight years that I have been married to Greg. I have finished college, watched Greg go through Law School, moved to Kansas and back, seen Greg as a prosecutor, and as a defender, bought a law firm, bought a house, sold a house, built a house, and most importantly been pregnant three times with four beautiful children. I have seen the first day of kindergarten, been called into the principal's office because my kid was in trouble, learned how to deal with ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome, attended Parent Teacher Conferences that have left me so depressed and down I couldn't stop crying and ones that have left me so proud and happy that I couldn't stop hugging that poor kid. I have taken kids for stitches, been to countless soccer and tee ball games, sat through tumbling class and Kung-fu classes so that when they ask "mom did you see me?" I can say yes and mean it. I have carried babies so small through the store that people have stopped me to tell me that they "thought that was a real baby." I have potty trained two kids and am working on two more. I have been a substitute teacher which has made me contemplate being an actual teacher. I have given up on my dream of Med. School thousands of times only to pick it up again a thousand more. I have kissed more owies, rocked more sick babies to sleep all night long, cleaned up more play-doh, broken up more fights and been thrown up on more times than I can count. So yeah, a lot has happened in those eight years and sometimes when I have three toddlers screaming at me all day it is hard to remember that these are the times that when I am old I will look back on and say "those were the days, I miss those times."
I go back to having the four kids all sleeping quietly in their beds and if I don't look around at the mess that is my house I can feel that these are the days.
So my point is that I am making a resolution to try harder to remember that these are the days when my kids are awake and rowdy and messy so that when they are grown they will look back and think, "those were the days, I miss those days" and they will come home to me, because as Emma told me today "even when I am a grown up you will still be my mommy and daddy and I will be your baby girl."
YARD SALE!!!! (Part 2)
OUCH!!! So yay we had our yard sale and did we ever sell some junk! We sold 2 couches, 1 chair, 1 loveseat, and dining set, a queen sized bed, 2 cribs (ya gotta love the twinners), a tv, lamps, ugly brass candlesticks, a washer and dryer set, tons of little toys, a camera and a few more small things I can't remember. We took the few little things that didn't sell to Alice's Attic, a thrift store here in town whose proceeds go to support Alice's Place which is a center for women and children who are victims of domestic abuse. I figured I had already decided that I didn't need any of those things so why bring them back in my house right? We made some good money too! :D Ethan has had a couch in his bedroom since we moved in and he loved it! I think he felt really grown up having "furniture" in his room. We have an old desktop computer that we have been telling Ethan he could have when we get him a desk to put it on. Well we made a deal that if he would sell his couch we would buy a desk. He was more than willing to see it go after that deal! :D So now Ethan got his desk, the girls bought new Polly Pockets and mom is getting a digital SLR! Greg just doesn't have to worry about paying for any of it! LOL Now to the OUCH comment. 6:15 AM before the Yard Sale I bent down to help move the couch outside for the yard sale. Mind you this is the couch I have moved to vacuum under every two weeks for a year! But this time my back was not having it!!! Before I could even start to lift I heard a nasty *snap* and I couldn't stand up or go down to the floor. So we had to call my poor dad at 6:30 AM to come help Greg move all of our crap, I mean priceless items, out for the yard sale. But I am doing a little better now, I can at least walk around somewhat normally and I am getting a camera baby so that makes it all feel a lot better!
Friday, August 29, 2008
YARD SALE!!!!
So I am hot, sweaty, and exhausted. I have been working for an entire day in this house and it is a disaster area!!! and I couldn't be more excited! :) Ever since my Grandma Nita died I have had this need to purge. I have cleaned out cupboards and drawers and still feel like I have too much crap. My kids have too many toys to play with and leave out. We have too many things that are still in the boxes we moved them here from Topeka in (6 years and 2 houses ago). So tomorrow we are having a yard sale! I can't wait to get rid of our useless items and get a little cash in exchange. I think I have all of my bases covered, I got change already, I checked the weather (clear but not too hot), I even got a babysitter to hang out with my four kids while Greg and I sell, sell, sell! I really feel like it is my Grandma inspiring me to organize and simplify my life. She was famous for her stuff. If there was a cute shirt she got me one in every color, her collection of Justin Ropers was a testament to that. She had millions of books and an amazing collection of bells. She could shop and accumulate with the best of them and she had some very good taste! But lately I feel her letting me know that she feels like I have too much stuff. Instead of getting frustrated because the toys are all over the house pare it down to only the toys they actually use and to a manageable amount. Only keep what we are willing to take care of. And that goes for the whole house. ( do I really need three sets of dishes?) Anyway wish us luck tomorrow hopefully we make some good money! :) Where is Niecy when you need her??
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
What a good wife Greg has!
So my good friend Brooke had this on her blog and I have to admit I am kind of addicted to online quizes. I think it all started with seventeen and cosmo. Drat those quizzes they can tell you everything about yourself. :) Back to online quizzes, I love to take them but I have never wanted to "share my results with friends." I figure nobody cares which "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" character I am or what "my favorite color says about me". Anyway, this one was cute and I thought I would share. I was so surprised by the results, here I thought I was a very modern forward-thinking woman, but apparently I would be a very superior wife in the 1930's. :D If you try it out I want to hear how you did! Oh and there is a test for the husbands too so maybe I can try and get Greg hooked too!
 | 80 As a 1930s wife, I am |
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Here It Is!
I have grown up here on Route 66 and so I have always taken it for granted but there is one thing I have always wanted to do but I don't remember ever doing. Just off of I-40 there is a bump in the road called Jackrabbit, Arizona and it is famous for it's giant jackrabbit.
People have come from all over the world to have their picture taken with the rabbit. Now I have driven by Jackrabbit more times than I could guess and many times I have thought to myself, "self we really should go take pictures there sometime." But we are always busy and on our way somewhere whenever we have passed Jackrabbit. Well today the planets and stars aligned and we actually had a reason to go specifically to Jackrabbit!!!
I made sure my camera was charged and the girls had their hair done and we were off. You see last week Greg got out of court only to find that he had a flat tire. He didn't have a lug wrench in the car but he was lucky enough to find a good Samaritan who was willing to help him out. Unfortunately the good Samaritan had set down a stack of files on Greg's car while they changed the tire and he drove off without them. So today he calls Greg and asks if there is any way we could meet him in Jackrabbit so that he could get his files. So anyway we got there and the kids thought the rabbit was amazing and they loved getting their pictures taken too! It was a very bright sunny day so they had a hard time looking at the camera but I think they are still adorable!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Happy Birthday Ethan!
Ethan is s seven! I can't believe we have had him for seven years now but I also can't really remember life before him! He is an amazing little boy! He is so smart and so sweet. He is very loving and he really enjoys helping me. He loves to do service with his dad (especially cleaning the church). He loves to read, play marble blast ultra and hang out with his best friend Austin. He has a great sense of humor and loves to take care of his little sisters. His room is always a mess but he really does try. I love watching Ethan grow up. He really is my favorite son! ;)
He got to have his first friend party this year and he loved it. Ethan loves to be the host. Thanks to Auntie 'Chelle he had a great party with balloons, tons of cake, ice cream and soda, and noise makers!! That morning my Grandma Nita died and so I wasn't much for the party planning, Michelle took it all over and did it much better than I ever could have! Thanks Auntie 'Chelle you really made his day amazing! :)
Grandma Nita
I have started to write this post a hundred times and I am not a good enough writer to put how I feel into words on a page. so this is as good as it gets. My Grandma Nita was a great woman. I am like her in more ways than I like probably. She is why I am so stubborn, (well part of why), she is why I always say what I think, and she is why I worry about taking care of other people so much. She was so loving. She was my friend. She died July 9th, 2008. I miss my Grandma. But like my four-year-old Emma said, I know she is with Heavenly Father and I bet she is having so much fun!
Girl's Camp!
I was counting it up and this summer I go to go to Girl's Camp for my 10th or 11th time! I love it every time. It is so nice spending a week focusing on my testimony and my relationship with the Lord. I got to be our ward leader for the fourth year (15 year-olds) girls.
They get to go on a seperate overnight hike where they get some great lessons and they get to go rapelling.
It is a great time! One of the nights we were there we did a night hike. The girls went out in small groups on a hike in the dark where they came to several stations and heard little five minute talks. I got asked to give the talk on friends. I really loved getting to give that talk, I have been blessed in my life with good friends. From the time I started kindergarten my dad gave me a blessing every year before school and he always blessed me that I would have good friends and I always have. My friends have been good examples to me, they have helped me make better choices and they have held me to the standards that I want to uphold. They have been with me when things were hard and when things were wonderful. I am lucky today to still have such friends. That being said it is terrifying to be given an assignment at 2:00 pm to speak at 8:00! :)
On Sunday we got to have a full block of meetings out in the woods. Our Stake Presidency spoke to us and they gave some amazing talks. I know that I was one of the leaders and the talks were for the girls but I learned so much and felt my testimony grow.
All in all it was a fantastic week. I always appreciate my chance to go to Girl's Camp and look forward to lots more fun! :)
They get to go on a seperate overnight hike where they get some great lessons and they get to go rapelling.
It is a great time! One of the nights we were there we did a night hike. The girls went out in small groups on a hike in the dark where they came to several stations and heard little five minute talks. I got asked to give the talk on friends. I really loved getting to give that talk, I have been blessed in my life with good friends. From the time I started kindergarten my dad gave me a blessing every year before school and he always blessed me that I would have good friends and I always have. My friends have been good examples to me, they have helped me make better choices and they have held me to the standards that I want to uphold. They have been with me when things were hard and when things were wonderful. I am lucky today to still have such friends. That being said it is terrifying to be given an assignment at 2:00 pm to speak at 8:00! :)
On Sunday we got to have a full block of meetings out in the woods. Our Stake Presidency spoke to us and they gave some amazing talks. I know that I was one of the leaders and the talks were for the girls but I learned so much and felt my testimony grow.
All in all it was a fantastic week. I always appreciate my chance to go to Girl's Camp and look forward to lots more fun! :)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Mormon Cocaine
Ashby asked me to post the recipe for the sweet chex mix on my blog.We were talking about how that stuff is so addictive and she called it "Mormon Cocaine" so here is the recipe I learned from Crystal and Susie:
Ingredients:
6 cups Rice Chex® cereal
6 cups Corn Chex® cereal
6 cups Chocolate Chex® cereal
1 small pkg. sliced almonds or pecans (greg loves pecans)
1/4 to 1/2 package of shredded coconut (really as much as YOU like)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups candy-coated chocolate candies
Preparation Directions:
1. Heat oven to 250°F. Spray large roasting pan with cooking spray. (It will not fit in a 13 x 9 pan.) Measure cereals, coconut, and nuts into pan.
2. In 3-quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. (It helps to put the butter in by itself until it is mostly melted and then add the sugar and corn syrup.) Cook and stir 8 to 9 minutes over medium-high heat until mixture heats to boiling. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda. (I like to use a whisk to mix in the baking soda so the caramel gets really fluffy.) Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
3. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10 - 15 minutes, until coating is set. Dump warm Chex® mix onto press and seal or wax paper set on your counter or table. Crystal and Susie like to add M&M's® to their Chex® mix but I like to skip them.
So that is it. One batch will will make enough to fill 2 and 1/2 one gallon Ziploc® bags. Now get in there and make some, everyone at your house will love you for it! :)
I caught the bug!
So my young women have been going on and on about this series of books called "Twilight". It sounded good and I saw it at Wal-Mart Saturday so I bought it. Monday morning I cracked the book and read the entire thing! On my way home from Flagstaff Monday evening I went to Wal-Mart and bought book two "New Moon". I read a chapter last night and then finished the book this morning. Maybe it isn't the most significant piece of literature you will come across but it is a great story and worth reading. If you'd rather watch the movie you can in :
Happy reading!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Friends I love!
So we are back in town! We spent about 5 days down in Coolidge visiting Greg's family while Greg attended a CLE. We had a great time, it is always fun to hang with his family. That being said it is always nice to get back home and into our routine again.
Friday night we got together with some friends at Jenn and Burr's house for games and stories. It was such a great time, I love the friends we have here and I have to agree with Corri, it is great to have friends who believe what we believe and have a commitment to the gospel that makes doing the right things easy. It also helps that they are incredibly funny and always up for a good time! We played a great game that Ryan and Ashby taught us called "Celebrity", I can't wait for us girls to rematch the guys!
And then because Jenn is super host we had girl's night at her house last night. What a fun group of girls! Ashby made us beautiful thanks to Mary Kay (pics coming soon!) and then we "watched" Fool's Gold. It was basically a night of great friends, great fun, great conversation, and even better food! Thanks girls you are the best!
Friday night we got together with some friends at Jenn and Burr's house for games and stories. It was such a great time, I love the friends we have here and I have to agree with Corri, it is great to have friends who believe what we believe and have a commitment to the gospel that makes doing the right things easy. It also helps that they are incredibly funny and always up for a good time! We played a great game that Ryan and Ashby taught us called "Celebrity", I can't wait for us girls to rematch the guys!
And then because Jenn is super host we had girl's night at her house last night. What a fun group of girls! Ashby made us beautiful thanks to Mary Kay (pics coming soon!) and then we "watched" Fool's Gold. It was basically a night of great friends, great fun, great conversation, and even better food! Thanks girls you are the best!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Rivals! (pt. 2)
Yeah so we did lose but it was lots of fun! We loved playing against our friends even if they did pretty much cream us! The final score was 17 to 10 and I think I pulled a muscle :S but it was a great time. Our starting pitcher had never pitched before and he struggled some, I am not entirely sure anyone told him that he is supposed to hit the plate and so I think he was trying to hit the baseball strike zone, which he was doing pretty well! ;) I am going to have to start bringing my camera so we can post some game pics. I did actually get a hit and score a run and given my track record that is all I needed to do for a personal best! :) So good job RT Rentals and good game! But you better watch it next time we play! ;)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Rivals!
Tonight we have our second softball game and it should be great. All of our friends not on our team are on the RT Rentals team and we play them tonight. They have been playing together since we were the Shell team and they are pretty good so it will be a tough one for us but it should be a lot of fun! Wish us luck!! :)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Softball Baby!!
So this year we put together a softball team for Patton & Green. I am so excited we have a whole bunch of REALLY great friends that we love just hanging out with on our team so it should be a super fun season. I don't know if we will win any games but we will sure enjoy our losing! Greg has been so funny buying equipment and getting shirts designed and ordered. Our first game is tomorrow night, wish us luck! :)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Daddy Daughter Dates
Emma loves her daddy daughter dates. It all started when I didn't want to go to the grocery store so Greg decided that he would go for us and take Emma with him. He told Emma it would be a daddy daughter date! She had a blast and asks for daddy daughter dates all the time. When Greg asks her what she wants to do on their daddy daughter date she always says "Shopping!" Now Emma takes these dates very seriously, she needs to "have cute hair, cute shoes, and pretty makeup" for her date with dad. The other night I had a list of things I needed Greg to get at the store for me and Emma jumped up and ran out of the room. She came out and said she was ready for their daddy daughter date and this time she had done her own "pretty makeup"! I think it looks amazing! She is so funny sometimes!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Some pics of the Kids
So Jenn pointed out that I am terrible about posting pictures of my kids so I thought I would make a quick slideshow just to make a start. I hope you enjoy it!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Bad Mom!!
So I was blog surfing/stalking today and I read a great story on Corri's blog and thought I needed to share one of my own. I have had so many since this but this is probably my first bad mom moment and the point at which I fully realized how not prepared I was for this whole mom thing. We had come to Arizona to visit when Ethan was about 2 months old. Ethan was a tiny little thing, (at two months old we were so excited that he was back up to 6 lbs.) and so it was a common practice for me to change his diapers with him lying on my lap. We were driving down to see Greg's parents in Thatcher and we had stopped in Globe to feed and change Ethan. He was so cute and tiny lying on my lap as I changed his poopy diaper. Just as I started wiping him up and cleaning him he did what most little boys do and started to pee, right in his own eye! I panicked because my baby was getting pee on his face and my first instinct was to wipe it off, with the poopy wipey I had just been wiping his butt with!!! So now here is the scene, me crying/laughing with pee in my lap, Ethan crying, poopy on both ends now and wet all over, and Greg merrily getting food inside Jack-in-the-box! So I just thought I would share the beginning of my Bad Mom moments! I hope you enjoyed it!!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Me Run?
So as most of you know I have never been a runner. In fact I think my exact words were, "running is a survival instinct when something big and scary is chasing you." Well I may have changed my mind. When I watched my friends LeAnn and Susie run the half marathon last January I was really impressed with their accomplishment. And now they and my two other friends Jenn and Crystal are all training for the San Diego Marathon and I am feeling envious. So I have decided to break from my past beliefs and learn to run. I have heard that if you make a goal public you are much more likely to reach it so here it is, I want to run the half marathon in Phoenix next January. I have a good 8 months to prepare and I think I can do it. I am really excited about this and I hope I can make it. So there you go, I said it out loud so wish me luck!!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Asperger's Syndrome? (Insert joke about name here)
So many of you know that we have had some real issues with our son Ethan. Let me start by saying that Ethan is an amazing kid. He is incredibly loving and is very determined to do the things he knows are right. He is the one that is constantly telling us, "they said shut up on that show, do you think it is appropriate in our dedicated home?" (Seriously) He is a genius. Yeah I know EVERYONE'S kid is a genius and my girls ARE incredibly smart too but Ethan actually is a genius. He taught himself (I wish I could take the credit but I can't) to read at around 2 and a half years old. We were out at Clear Creek one day and our two-year-old asks, "Dad what does 'potable' mean (he pronounced it pottable but hey he was two)?" We finally saw the sign he was pointing at that said, "Notice water is not potable". His first grade teacher taught all of the kids to count to 30 in Cantonese. We were in the car again and I heard what sounded like Ethan Chanting in the back seat and so I asked what he was saying. He replied, "I figured out that there is a pattern and so I can count to 99 in Cantonese but I am stuck because I don't know the word for 100, can I look it up online when we get home?" I could go on and on with all of his good points but he has his struggles too.
Ethan has ADHD. We have tried diet changes, environment changes, coping technique counseling, and 4 different medications. Everything has helped. . . a little. Unfortunately most of the meds had side effects that were worse than the ADHD (hitting, crying, anger, aggression. . . ). We are back to the first med we tried that has so far been the most helpful. Ethan will tell you that it isn't just about the meds, that he has to make good choices or all the meds in the world won't help so he doesn't use it as a crutch. Throughout this process we have had 2 teachers and 2 principals suggest that Ethan might have Asperger's Syndrome. It is a very high functioning form of Autism characterized by high intelligence, poor social skills, and bad handwriting (click here for more information). Obviously it is more in depth than that but you get the point. At first I was against even pursuing the idea, I didn't want any stigma associated with the word autism applied to my son. He doesn't need help being the weird one. :) I have realized that one, I was just being judgemental and shallow concerning the word autism and that it can only help to find out if it does apply, then at least I would have and idea how best to help my sweet son. Long story short in about a week Ethan is going to meet with a doctor in flagstaff who specializes in ADHD and hopefully then we will have some better answers to help Ethan.
So I guess the point of this blog is that I would love to hear any advice anyone has on either ADHD or Asperger's Syndrome. Thanks for the support! :)
Ethan has ADHD. We have tried diet changes, environment changes, coping technique counseling, and 4 different medications. Everything has helped. . . a little. Unfortunately most of the meds had side effects that were worse than the ADHD (hitting, crying, anger, aggression. . . ). We are back to the first med we tried that has so far been the most helpful. Ethan will tell you that it isn't just about the meds, that he has to make good choices or all the meds in the world won't help so he doesn't use it as a crutch. Throughout this process we have had 2 teachers and 2 principals suggest that Ethan might have Asperger's Syndrome. It is a very high functioning form of Autism characterized by high intelligence, poor social skills, and bad handwriting (click here for more information). Obviously it is more in depth than that but you get the point. At first I was against even pursuing the idea, I didn't want any stigma associated with the word autism applied to my son. He doesn't need help being the weird one. :) I have realized that one, I was just being judgemental and shallow concerning the word autism and that it can only help to find out if it does apply, then at least I would have and idea how best to help my sweet son. Long story short in about a week Ethan is going to meet with a doctor in flagstaff who specializes in ADHD and hopefully then we will have some better answers to help Ethan.
So I guess the point of this blog is that I would love to hear any advice anyone has on either ADHD or Asperger's Syndrome. Thanks for the support! :)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Temple Blessings
So this is a little late I know but we have had an eventful week! Last weekend we were able to go down to Mesa and be with Josh and Susie as they went through the temple and had their family sealed. It was an absolutely amazing day. I told Greg that it was exciting to be a part of the most important day in their lives, I explained that yeah their wedding day was nice but temporary, and when their kids were born it was amazing but there was always the nagging fact that they would eventually have to give them up. But on the day they were sealed Heavenly Father told them that they could keep them forever. And now as long as they are faithful there isn't anyone who can separate them now or ever. What an amazing blessing our Heavenly Father has given to us. They came out of the temple and they just glowed. Their family was beautiful and I was blessed to watch their experience.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Rock Band!!
So my brothers have been telling us we HAVE to get RockBand! Well last Friday we had an Elder's Quorum party and Cris and LeAnn Moss were nice enough to loan out theirs. It was so much fun. My favorite was the singing and pretty soon we were rocking as hard as any band you've seen! It was a really great party I just wish we would have brought a video camera! Greg wants to have activities every month so for our next party one we will have to remember the camera! Maybe our band will need to challenge you other wards! I smell a tournament coming on!!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Kids say the funniest things
So I knew there would be a point where my kids would be too cool for me but I thought I still had some time! Yesterday I decided to drive Ethan to school rather than have him ride the bus. I had spent most of the morning saying, "hurry Ethan, you're going to be late to school," much to his frustration. When we got to the school I stopped him as he got out of the car and said, "hey I love you son and I hope you have a really great day." Ethan looked at me and said, "I am probably going to be late because you had to say that, can I go?" A little disappointed I said, "sure have a great day." Then he made my day by smiling huge and yelling "oh yeah, I love you too mom! Have a great day with the girls!"
This morning we astounded Emma. She was telling us about how she is the twins' big sister and I said Uncle Jesse has a big sister (me) and Emma, mouth wide in amazement, asked, "you mean Uncle Jesse was a little kid?" I laughed and said "yes Uncle Jesse was a little kid" Emma just stared up at me and said "wow!" I figured with Uncle Jesse still being so much of a kid it wouldn't be so hard for her to imagine. LOL
This morning we astounded Emma. She was telling us about how she is the twins' big sister and I said Uncle Jesse has a big sister (me) and Emma, mouth wide in amazement, asked, "you mean Uncle Jesse was a little kid?" I laughed and said "yes Uncle Jesse was a little kid" Emma just stared up at me and said "wow!" I figured with Uncle Jesse still being so much of a kid it wouldn't be so hard for her to imagine. LOL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)