Just Jonesin'

My Morbid Mind

2011-11-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I will be going to my 4th funeral in less than a year. The first was a bittersweet goodbye to a woman who had been fighting Cancer for the past several years. All while trying to help her husband with Parkinson's Disease and raise 4 daughters under the age of 19. While I mourned for her family and their loss, I felt such a relief knowing that her pain was finally over. It was also amazing to watch her family and to see their strength with their knowledge and understanding of the Plan of Salvation! The next was for Ty's Grandma. While I was sad for the loss of her in our lives, she had been missing her wonderful husband for over 10 years. I still smile and get a little teary-eyed when I think of their reunion in Heaven! The third was for a young friend of my son's. 13 years old. It was completely unexpected. She died in a tragic boating accident. The one I'm going tomorrow is one I am still trying to digest. He was an old friend from my high school days. We went to different schools, but through a mutual friend, I met this great guy and we hung out as a group a lot, doing everything from hitting semi-local dance clubs to his introducing me to the Highlander movie to watching the 4th of July fireworks in a hotel room full of other kids. We lost touch after his mission, but I still thought about him from time to time. I loved hearing through mutual friends about all his travels. His death is senseless to me and I just don't understand. I hurt for him and what he must have been going through. I hurt for his family who is left behind to pick up the pieces. However, my testimony of Heavenly Father's Plan has grown through each of these good-byes. I know that everything will be taken care of according to His will and that we have nothing to fear. I know that the questions I have now, the whys and why nows will be answered when I return to my Heavenly Home. So, for that, I am truly thankful.
All of these good-byes have also got me thinking about other things. Weird things. Things I wonder if other people think about. It's also got me thinking about my funeral. I know, weird, right? But, I think Ty has gotten used to sentences that start with, "When I die..." Now, before anybody gets panicky, I don't plan on dying for a VERY long time, so this is not a cry for help. It's just the way my morbid mind works. So, here's my list:
1st~ my brother, who is in Germany serving in the USAF can't make it to our friend's funeral tomorrow for obvious reasons. So, he asked me to order some flowers to show the family that he is in their thoughts. I began searching for the perfect arrangement and found something out. Flowers are WICKED EXPENSIVE!!! I always knew that I didn't want a lot of flowers at my funeral, but now I'm sure of it. I don't want people to spend their hard-earned money on something that will be pretty for a few days and then end up in a compost heap. I always thought that potted plants would be a nice alternative for people who really feel that flowers are what you're supposed to give at a funeral, but after watching my mother in law and her sisters trying to find homes for the plethora of plants sent to Grandma Tolman, my mind has changed on that part. (Plus, I have never been able to keep a plant alive in my life. Wouldn't it be kind of silly to expect be to be able to after?) So, I hope that if people wish to "honor my memory" or let my family know they are thinking about us or anything like that, I hope that they will make a donation to their favorite charity. Whether it's St Jude's Children's hospital, or Save the Whales, or the Humane Society, or whatever, as long as it's something they care about, then that's the PERFECT way to show respect!
2nd~ Anybody who knows me knows I don't do well sitting still. I don't want some somber wake with people milling around looking sad. I want the music pumping. And I'm not talking about "appropriate" organ music from the hymnal or "funeral director's handbook" or whatever it is they use. In fact, just bring my iPod and a dock and I'll be happy!
3rd~ This one is related to the 2nd. Don't be mopey! Laugh, dang it! Tell happy stories. Remember the good times. Laugh Laugh Laugh!!!
4th~ I guess this could have gone with #1, but for decorations, instead of tons of flowers everywhere, 2-3 pretty arrangements will be great. Then, display things I love. Photo albums of my kids growing up. My Mama Leach's quilt. The yo-yo quilt my mom made for My wedding to Ty. Beautiful artwork. Some of my favorite books. Stuff like that.
5th~ I LOVE the Mexican tradition of "Día de Muertos", but Ty has already put the nix on that one, so I guess I lose there.
However, 4 out of 5 ain't bad!
So, there you have it: the ingredients to Jennifer's Perfect Funeral! It's not that I don't think that traditional funerals are bad in any way. They're just not me. I've always marched to a different drummer and I plan on marching that way all the way into my Father's arms! So, in 50 or 60 years when you're at my Perfect Funeral, know that it's exactly the way I wanted it. Oh, and have some yummy funeral potatoes for me!!!

SNC Concert

2010-11-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Ty took me on one of the best dates ever! We got all dressed up (Samantha chose my outfit) and went out to dinner.
We went to The Cellar for a nice dinner without the kids. We went all out on the dinner, too: appetizer, entree, AND dessert! The bruschetta was unlike any we'd had before. Instead of diced tomatoes, basil, and a little olive oil, it was caramelized onions, roasted garlic, and blue cheese! We had to let go of our pre-conceived notions of bruschetta, but it was sooo good! Ty's salmon was served with a grain we had never seen before. Quinoa. (Pronounced keen wah) It was so pretty and tasted pretty good too. I'm gonna have to find some ways to incorporate it into our meal plans!
Then it was time for the main event! We headed downtown to the Colonial Theater for the Straight No Chaser concert. I was positively giddy with excitement! Ty kept threatening to take me home if I didn't calm down. (Yeah, right! Like he could have dragged me away!) We perused the souvenir table, but I already have both their Christmas albums. I fell in love with a pink t-shirt, but they only had small and medium, and they ran really small. I have been tempted every day since to order it from their website, but with Christmas coming, I don't think that's a very good idea. *sigh*
We had great seats; only 8 from the front!
The boys finally came out and the fun began. They were so funny and you could tell that they really enjoy what they do. (I am going to try to upload some video, but it's my first time doing that and I'm not sure what I'm doing!) It was cool, because after their first song, Jerome Collins came out and made an announcement. He said that as we may know, they were discovered because of a Youtube video clip. So he encouraged us to take pictures and videos and to feel free to post them on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else we saw fit. So I recorded several! They sang several of their "classics" from Youtube and others I've never heard them do before. I especially liked the Lady Gaga medley, the Billie Jean/That Girl is Poison mash-up, Chicken Fried, and Fix You. I really hope they come back to Idaho Falls again. I'll be first in line for tickets!!! The crowd loved them, too, and they did two encores.
Afterward, the guys came out to the lobby for an autograph line. I was mildly annoyed with the woman in line in front of me. She was obviously drunk and thought she was the center of the group's world. She proposed to Michael, kissed several of the guys, and spoke very loudly. The guys would politely talk to her and then try to turn their attention to the next person in line (me.) Well, she was having none of that. She'd just lean in front of me and talk over me. so, I didn't get a chance to talk to most of them. I could have been a brat about it, but I just let it slide. Here I am talking to Ryan. Our blurry hands are preparing to high-5 in this picture.
It was a great night. I was so wired when we got home, it took over 3 hours for me to calm down enough to sleep! I have an awesome husband! I am crossing my fingers for next year!
Here is the video I uploaded. I think. I can't tell if it will play or not. I'm sorry for the poor quality. It was dark in the theater, and my phone won't let me zoom in on video. I was going to post more, but it takes FOR-E-VER to upload! This one is the Lady Gaga medley. Watch the dancing. It's hilarious!

Our New Toy

2010-10-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

After all the fun we had at Banks Lake, Ty's been itching to get a boat of his own. He watched eBay, scoured internet sites, and even checked out local dealers. One day, he found a deal he just couldn't pass up. So, a few Saturdays ago, Ty took a day trip up to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to pick up his dream boat.
It was FAR from a dream trip, however. He left at about 5am so he could get up there around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. He met with Adam Olinger from Olinger Marine. Soon enough, the deal was done and Ty was on his way home. He should have been home around 10 or 11, but about 50 minutes outside of Butte, MT, one of the tires on the trailer blew out. That would have been okay, since Ty had a spare, but the weight of the boat forced the air out of the other tire on that side when the first tire died. Ty was able to limp off at the next exit at Gold Creek. Gotta love USAA's roadside assistance. They sent somebody out, but the closest tow truck with a flatbed big enough for the boat and trailer was 2 hours away. Ty took out his flashlight and puttered around the boat, tidied up his truck, and looked at the stars. At the time, the Chilean miners were still trapped 2,300 feet below the Earth's surface. He decided that he was blessed to be "trapped" in a place where he could still see the sky and would soon be home. By the time they got the boat and trailer to Helena where the tires could be repaired, it was almost 2am! The tire guy offered to mount the new tires then and there, but Ty said, "No I'm tired and you all deserve some sleep. Let's just take care of it in the morning." He checked into his hotel at 2:15. Poor guy. Luckily, the hotel had some phone chargers in lost and found, so he was able to recharge his phone. Ty was on his way down to breakfast at 7am when the most awesome Frank Kolar from Kolar Tire & Auto called to say the tires were mounted and he was all set! Then, Frank only charged $30 a tire and didn't charge labor!!!
Finally, at about 2:30 Sunday afternoon, Ty and the new boat rolled into our driveway. The following pictures capture the joy that ensued...
Samantha's the King of the World! (Or Queen, as the case may be.)
Zachary is very excited.
This is Tristan and Zachary's favorite place to sit.
You can see the sides where the wake bar goes up, but it is down in all these pictures for the trip. Then, we removed at all together for winter storage, so I guess you'll have to wait til next year to see that.
I like the detailed stitching that matches the artwork on the sides of the boat.
So, we got the dream boat in October. Ty and I dropped it in Blacktail on Columbus Day, just so we could say we did. It was cold and raining, but we went boating, dangit! Then we went out again the following Friday afternoon so we could take the kids. We were all wearing coats and hats and shivering, but we plugged in my iPod and tore around the lake with the music blaring! Now, the boat has been winterized and it is waiting peacefully for next Spring when it will have the chance to play again!

Banks Lake 2010 (Long post, but worth it!)

2010-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Ty's sister, Keirra and her husband, Duff invited us to go to Banks Lake with them this Summer for their annual family free-for-all. To be honest, I was a little nervous because we don't know a soul in Duff's family (We met his parents at their wedding and again at their first child's blessing, but that's it!) and I thought it would be awkward. I shouldn't have worried. Duff's family is an amazing group of people with a way of making everybody feel like family!Duff's family have been going to Banks Lake, Washington for something like 25 years. They bring their boats, water skiing stuff, tents, food, and lots of energy. Then they find an awesome beach, set up their stuff, and let the fun begin. This year, there were about 25-30 people there.
One of the traditions is to go cliff diving. Being terrified of heights as I am, this prospect did NOT appeal to me, however, several of the others were more than ready to go. Tristan, of course, was one of the first in line. There is a cliff that is about 10 feet high, but that wasn't good enough for Tristan. He had to go for the 30 foot cliff.
As you can see, he is fearless. Since he didn't tuck his arms in, he was also a little red and sore on the underside of his arms!
Like I said, Duff has been going to Banks Lake for years and is pretty dang good at anything to do with a boat and the water. Here he is showing us how to wake board. Check out the air he's getting! (Besides being impressed with Duff's skills, I had to include this picture cuz it demonstrates what a GREAT sports photographer I am! LOL)
Tristan and Ty both tried next and did great. Tristan got up on his first pull and Ty got up on his second. They were naturals. I, however, was not. I tried again and again and each time, I ended up down before I was up. I swear I drank half the lake! Tristan insists I crashed at least 20 times, but I think it was closer to 12 or 15. Either way, I did NOT get up on the first day! I got up 2 days later, but of course, I didn't bring the camera along. So, no pictures. Keirra took one with Duff's Blackberry, but I don't know how to get it off my phone yet. (When I figure out that little feat, I'll post them!)
On the second day, we went to a place Keirra calls "Clay Beach". The shore is full of clay deposits. We had tons of fun molding it into shapes and smearing it all over our bodies. Our very own spa mud treatment.
Ty decided his head wasn't nearly big enough, so he crafted himself a new one. He was joking that if his hair started to grow back, he was gonna patent the stuff!
Here is our group with our war paint. (Don't we look ferocious?)

Zachary tried his hand at knee boarding. He did great getting up, but then he would get nervous and yell for us to stop. You can see the distress on his face in this picture. We couldn't figure out why he was freaking out because he seemed to be doing so well. We found out on the last day that he didn't understand how the life vest worked. He thought that if he crashed, he would drown! Poor kid. Ty took some time with him, demonstrating how it would make him pop to the surface, but that was on the last day we were there, so he didn't get a chance to go again with his new found knowledge.
Duff's dad (Dan) borrowed a party barge from a friend of his and he took us all over in it. Over to the cliffs for cliff diving, to clay beach for mud bathes and clay fights. And he used the sound system to play music for us. He's the DJ for youth dances where they live, so he had a great selection of music. All the littleies climbed on top of the barge for some dancing while he "spun" some tunes. For a while, the kids booed anything that wasn't Michael Jackson, but eventually they just danced. Lucy and Greta go to the dances Dan DJs, so they were teaching the kids some of the line dances they do.
Samantha loved going knee boarding. She thought she was pretty hot stuff. She even got good enough to splash the other person she was boarding with and to go over the wake and back. She wanted to go any time she got the chance.
Tristan liked knee boarding, too. He became pretty good friends with one of Keirra's nephews, Hunter. They went out quite a bit, too. Hunter has been doing this for years, so he was really good at it. Going back and forth across the wake and splashing Tristan every chance he got. You could tell that it was irritating Tristan that he couldn't figure out how to splash him back. Finally he got the hang of it though, then it was all bets off. See him leaning to spray Hunter?
Ty has always wanted to try slalom and he decided this was the time. Duff warned him that it's the hardest form of water skiing to learn, especially for a 200 lb man, but Ty was undeterred. Look at that cheesy grin!
He attempted several times, but this was as close as he got. He just couldn't get his position right. He had to push through so much water, it was constantly in his face. I love how his cheek looks like it got punched in this shot. That's how hard the water was hitting him! On his 4th or 5th attempt, he felt something pop in his rib cage. Then, on his next try, that spot hurt like a mother bear, so he had to call it quits. I was concerned that he might have separated a rib or broke one or something. We watched really close, but no bruising ever appeared. It's a month later though, and he still has twinges of pain. I guess he won't be slaloming any time soon!
This is my niece, Lily. She is quite the little sportswoman! She will try anything and is usually great at whatever she does. I love her "game face" in this picture. She's so into it!
Zachary liked to use the inner-tube as a relaxing spot. He could chill out as long as he wanted and then, jump right back into the water.
Just had to show off my niece, Bella. Unlike my kids, she'd flash a brilliant smile every time I pointed the camera at her!
Everybody but our family was going home on the last day. (They only had a 4 hour drive, as opposed to our 9 hour one!) Nobody wanted to sit in the car that long covered in lake water, sunscreen, sand, and sweat, so the lake became the bathtub. Everybody lathered up and cleaned off. Of course, there had to be a water fight. What fun would it be without one? Here are Samantha, Carter, Lucy, and Emma covered in suds. They were having the time of their lives.
Thursday was our day to come home. But we had to stop for the obligatory pictures at Grand Coulee Dam. We were gonna go on the dam tour (the kids loved saying that!) but Ty's ribs were really bothering him, so we decided to forgo that little excursion until a later trip.
We had so much fun for those 4 days. I hope we behaved well enough to be invited back again in the future!

My Baby Girl

2010-08-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, so yesterday, I poured through old photo albums finding the perfect pictures, only to find that my scanner isn't working. So, I gave up on that and tried to go online just to tell you all about my baby and the Internet was down due to a fire up on the hill! So, I gave up. Now I have Internet, but this tribute is a day late. Sorry Baby Girl!
Eleven years ago, my baby girl was born. She was 6 weeks early, so she was very tiny, only 5 pounds, 6 ounces. She was so weak that she couldn't suck, so she quickly lost weight until she was a mere 4 pounds 15 ounces. But still, she was huge compared to the other babies in the NICU. That's why the nurses all called her, "The Queen of the NICU." We named her "Samantha Elizabeth Jones" and the joke was that her name was bigger than she was! Samantha was breathing on her own, but needed an oxygen tent for the first couple days and then a cannula for days after that. (I have a picture to show this, but like I said, the scanner is ganked up.) Even connected to a million tubes and wires, she was a beautiful baby. Everybody told me how beautiful she was. Of course, I hadn't seen or held her yet. She couldn't come out of the NICU and nobody thought to take me to her. Finally, when she was over 24 hours old, a nurse found me sobbing in my room and asked what was wrong. I blubbered that I hadn't even held my baby yet and she immediately got me scrubbed and gowned so I could meet my Samantha. When the nurse placed my sweet baby in my arms, it was like an electric shot went through me. There was an instant connection. She turned her head, opened her eyes, and I swear she knew exactly who I was. I couldn't get enough!The next days were bittersweet, as I could spend my days with my new angel, but then I had to leave her there when I went home. I had a great ward family, though, and they stepped in to help. Two young women would come over and play with Tristan (who was only 2 1/2) so I could go spend time with my baby. Other sisters brought in meals since I was always at the hospital until dinner time. My mom would bring Tristan in for short visits. He loved his baby sister, but want' impressed with all the scrubbing that had to go on before he could see her. He wasn't too sure about the cap and gown either. But he loved to hold her and give her kisses. I will always remember the first time he saw her. She was still in the little warmer bed, so she had no clothes on, just a diaper. I said, "There's your baby sister. Isn't she pretty?" He looked at her in awe and solemnly nodded. Then he pointed at her umbilical stump, crinkled his nose, and said, "Ew, gwoss!" I laughed out loud and promised that it wouldn't be there forever.We were warned that Samantha would probably have to stay in the hospital until her due date, but she was strong enough to go home after only 9 days. It was scary to bring her home. So many rules. I had to set the alarm so I could wake her every 2 hours to eat because she was still too little to wake herself. I kept a bottle of Germ-X antibac sanitizer right by the door and everybody who came through the door was required to use it. But it was so worth it to have her home with us. Samantha has been a true blessing in my life. She is thoughtful, kind, smart, and I could go on and on. Repeatedly, I have been told by her teachers that she is the most thoughtful child in her class. If she sees a child being left alone or who is sad, she is the first to go to them and draw them into her circle. She loves making new friends. She has always loved music. When she was a baby, she used to hum herself to sleep. When she grew older, she'd demand song after song as lullabies. "Sing Bird" (Hush Little Baby) "Sing Jesus" (I am a Child of God) until we'd finally say no more. She's always singing something. She is my biggest helper, always ready to lend a hand around the house. And she (almost) never complains. I love her so much and I am so thankful that she was sent to our family. I don't know what I'd do without her. She is my angel!
Happy Birthday Baby!!!

Our New Neighbor

2010-06-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, when Ty was mowing the yard, he noticed a nest in the bush outside our back door.A couple of days later, there were four little eggs inside. We think this may be a first attempt for the mama bird. Do you see the way the nest is lying? It's attached to the tree quite well, but it looks like it's about to fall out of the tree. Quite precarious! Mama Bird has been very faithful about keeping her nest warm. She ignores Mayzee completely, but if one of us steps onto the back porch, she flies to the tree across the yard to flap her wings and scold us for being too close.Here is another shot of the precious cargo.This afternoon, when I peeked out to check how things were going, I saw a new neighbor. And I mean BRAND new. He/she still has bits of egg shell stuck to his body! (See that little white speck on his back? That's shell.) I think I may be as excited as the mother bird is! I can't wait to see if the others will soon follow suit and join us in our back yard!

Around the Campfire

2010-06-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

Because my brother is preparing to go on a 1 year remote tour to Korea, his wife has decided to move to my parents' home with her two darling little boys. Memorial Day weekend, they brought the final load of "stuff" up to my folks'. Their little boy requested a campfire, and my little boy requested s'mores. My dad was happy to oblige.Samantha adores her little cousins and they think she's pretty cool, too. This is Declan getting some lap time.Jeremy brought his friend, Matt. Matt brought his friend, Crockett. While my family fell in love with Matt, my kids fell in love with Crockett. He's the cutest little (huge) chocolate lab puppy. At 10 months old, he had acquired most of his size and lost none of his puppy playfulness. The kids loved running around the yard with him and he loved tripping them up. I tried to get some pictures of Crockett and Zachary wrestling, but they all came out blurry.My sister in law is so pretty. Isn't that rude?Here's the future inhabitant of Korea. We will miss him while he's gone. But, we're also glad that we are going to get to spend so much time with Sandi and the boys.My cutie-patootie nephew, Declan. He is 2 years old now. I was playing around with the special settings on my camera. That's why this picture is a tad blurry. But it still shows that sweet little smile!This is Andrew. He's 4. He is the sweetest little boy and will give you a hug at the least provocation.
This is me enjoying a yummylicious s'more. It was worth the wait. Some of the boys decided they wanted hot dogs, too, so we had marshmallows and hot dogs cooking at the same time. Nobody was complaining.
All in all it was a great night. We sat around the fire talking, laughing, and telling stories on each other. I wish we could have more evenings like this one!

Take a Hike!

2010-05-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

This year, for the annual Achievement Days Daddy/Daughter date, we decided to do something else. In the past they've always done one of two activities: a dressy dinner and dance, or go bowling. IMHO, that's old and tired and we wanted to mix it up a bit. We took a Saturday in May and went on a hike. There is a beautiful little trail up near Heise that is easy to get to and pretty easy to hike. I've been praying for nice weather ever since we scheduled the hike back in January. We were blessed with a beautiful, mild day. It was about 70 degrees with a light breeze and light, fluffy clouds in the sky.

The trail follows Cress Creek which is a thermal water source. It's not warm like a hot spring is, but the water is not glacial either. It's warm enough to run year round and not freeze.

It was wonderful to see the girls and their daddies spending (somewhat) quiet time together. I loved watching Samantha and her daddy bond as they hiked up the trail.

Ty stopped to gather some wild water cress for his sandwich. He picked enough that all the girls could try it out. Some liked it, but most spit it out and declared it "yucky".

Here is Samantha enjoying her lunch. She wasn't sure she wanted her picture taken. Too bad!

A couple dads had to Google Earth our location so they could see where the water from the river was being pumped. (There's a farm somewhere on top of the mountain.)

The girls had a really great time and so did the dads. I was thanked for doing something different and it was suggested that we do it again.

Judging by the looks on the girls' faces, we might just have to do that!

"Twinkle Toes"

2010-04-24T11:13:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a good friend (nod to Jenny), Samantha and I had a great time doing our toenails today. I think it's actually called "sparkle toes", but Samantha and I like "twinkle toes" better. First, you paint your toenails a fun color.

Then you sprinkle glitter of the same color on your still-wet toes. (We did it over sheets of paper so we could roll them up and pour the excess glitter back into the bottles.)

Allow to dry.

Add a clear top coat to seal the sparkles in.

And, voila! You have fun, sparkly, twinkly nails. Perfect for a summer pedicure! We'll have to do it again sometime, when Samantha has some friends over.

Grandma Tolman Turns 90!

2009-12-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

On December 24th this year, Ty's maternal grandmother, Grandma Tolman, will turn 90 years old. Her children decided that this was a momentous occasion and deserved to be commemorated with a surprise birthday party. All 6 of her children came in to Lewisville for the event. Uncle Tom came with the excuse that he needed to use his sky miles and the others came quietly and stayed at local hotels. As many of the grandchildren that could, also came secretly. We all met at the church in Lewisville to await her arrival.
Tom and Annette claimed that Grandma's house was too small for all the local family to have dinner as a rouse to get her over to the church. Grandma was having none of it. She doesn't like to go out in the cold and ice and she was insisting that 26 people could fit in her home. Annette and Tom had to bully her to get her into her coat, all the while, Grandma was telling them how cruel they are to her. She even shed some tears about their cruelty. We were all waiting in the cultural hall as quietly as 40 some-odd people can. When she came around the corner into the room, we all shouted, "Surprise!" As Grandma took us all in, she was overcome with emotion and joy to see so many of her family together. She accepted hugs from many of us before she was led to the couch to sit down.

Everybody had brought different soups to share, so we had lots of yummy, warming food to enjoy. After dinner, each family stood to tell a memory about Grandma. From oldest to youngest, her children, then their children related their feelings about Grandma. The Spirit in her home, her testimony, and of course, rummy were mentioned, among many other thoughts and memories. there was much laughter and tears as well. The grand-kids who couldn't come even sent e-mails so as not to be left out of the celebration.
After the memories, the Great-grandchildren stood to sing a couple Primary songs to her. Then, the grandchildren sang a revised version of Jingle Bells, talking about how Grandma didn't want to come to the church, but now she was glad she did. Finally, her children sang "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks". Grandma was touched.
Finally, the cake was brought out. Everybody sang "Happy Birthday" and then she blew out the candles shaped like a 9 and a 0. We all clapped. But another surprise awaited. While the first cake was being cut for everybody to share, a second cake was brought out, this one with 90 candles all aflame! We all laughed and grandma was so tickled. We were just glad we didn't set the smoke detectors off!
It was a great birthday for Grandma and a great celebration for all her posterity. Happy Birthday Grandma Tolman. Here's to another 10!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend, cont.

2009-12-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

Silly Blogger wouldn't let me type after the pictures of the lights on Temple Square, so I decided to continue in another post. Take that Blogger!
On Saturday, we got up and drove up the street to McDonald's for breakfast. Then we decided that we were gonna go to Boondocks and have a little fun. We knew that it was further up the same street we were on, so we decided to just keep driving until we found it. Ty's parents were going to meet up with us later, after they had done a little car shopping. So, we drove and drove and drove not finding Boondocks. We were keeping our eyes open for a craft store as well, but we couldn't find one of those either! Finally, after I-don't-know-how-long, we saw a sign for a Michael's and we pulled over. Of course, we couldn't find the Michael's, but we did find a JoAnn's, so that did the trick. I just needed an embroidery hoop, for Heaven's sake! With my new hoop safe in my hand, we continued driving down the street. Then, it just dead ended. There was a huge apartment complex right where the road should be and it was gated, so we couldn't even try to drive through it. By then, we'd had it. While Ty was putting gas in the van, I called Ty's parents to let them know we weren't going after all. They suggested that since we were so close, we should drop a quick visit to Ty's cousin, whom he hadn't seen in several years. We had a nice little visit and we were pleased and surprised to find out that Ty's aunt and uncle were also visiting from North Carolina. While we were there, we mentioned that we couldn't find Boondocks. Well, her husband is an executive for Pepsi and Pepsi just happens to be a sponsor of Boondocks, so he had some passes that he gave us and told us where we could find it. The kids were so happy.
We had a 2 o' clock reservation at P.F. Changs (Yeah!!!!) so we headed back into Salt Lake. Ty's parents had never eaten there before, so it was fun to introduce them to lettuce wraps. Everybody enjoyed their meal, even Zach, who hates everything. After dinner, we ran back to the hotel to grab the camera and then it was back to Draper to play at Boondocks. First, they wanted to ride the go carts. Zachary and Samantha were too short to drive, so they were "riders" with Ty and Tristan as the drivers. They had a ton of fun and it was "cool"!
Then it was time to play some laser tag. I am proud to say that I dominated! I had the highest score on our team. 2,348. Zachary, however had the lowest. -1,023. We would have won, if it weren't for that negative. But, that didn't matter, cuz we had so much fun. And I learned that my make up glows under black lights. Good to know.
Then , we watched a 4D movie. It was like being on a roller coaster, complete with the bumpy, jerky corners and the wind in our faces. That was really interesting. We laughed a lot at Zachary and Samantha as they screamed whenever our "car" jumped the "track".
After the go carts, laser tag, and 4D movie, we still had some credit on our passes, so we changed that in for coins and turned the kids loose in the arcade. There were lots of fun games. Tristan and Zachary really enjoyed air hockey. I'm not even sure who won! They just had a good time. Samantha and I found a dance game to play. I thought that I would be really good at it, since I danced when I was younger. Boy was I wrong! Samantha did great, and by the end, I was even scoring some decent points. The kids (including Ty) played a lot more games and then it was time to go back to the hotel. We were so thankful for those passes that the Vanslooten's gave us because without them, we couldn't have done half the stuff we did!
We stopped at a market and picked up some donuts and orange juice for the next morning, and then went back to the hotel for some more swimming. This time, Ty and I stayed out of the pool and instead played cards with Pam at one of the tables poolside.
On Sunday morning, we got up nice and early, so we could make it back to Temple Square to watch a broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. Children have to be at least 8 to attend the show, so Pam stayed out with Zach while Richard, Ty, Tristan, Samantha, and I went into the Tabernacle to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the orchestra perform. They went though the entire program once as a dress rehearsal and then it was time for the broadcast. It was amazing! Ty and I were both in tears as those beautiful voices sang those carols and especially during "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from the "Messiah". As those powerful voices sang, "Wonderful! Counselor!" from the song, we couldn't stop the tears from flowing freely. It was so moving. Even remembering it now, I feel tears pricking my eyes. We were there for the 4,185th network broadcast. I would love to go again. After the broadcast, we went to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to have Sacrament meeting. It was a very stirring day for us and we truly felt moved by the Spirit that day.
When Sacrament meeting was over, we hopped in our cars for the 3 hour drive home. It was made shorter by listening to an audio book. Mayzee was so happy to see us when we picked her up. She kept doing these short little howls all the way home and jumping from lap to lap in her excitement to see us. We had a very nice weekend, but it was nice to get home. I'd like to do it again some time.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-12-06T13:38:00.000-08:00

This year, Thanksgiving was at our house. So after a day filled with baking and smoking (the turkey), a day with 18 people in my house eating and playing cards, we needed a break. So, the day after Thanksgiving, we left Mayzee with a "pet resort", and went down to Salt Lake City where we met up with Ty's parents. We stayed at the Little America in downtown SLC. We had rooms just across the hall from Pam and Richard. It was a lot of fun, being able to spend some time together just having fun!
After getting settled in our room, we headed down to Temple Square so we could be there when they lit up the Christmas lights for the first time this season. While we were waiting for the sun to set, we did a little sight seeing. The my family had never been on the roof of the Conference Center, so we did that first. It was amazing up there. They have planted a huge garden and there are fountains and reflecting pools. It's beautiful. I would love to see it in the Summer, when the gardens are in bloom!

After walking around on the roof of the Conference Center, we went over to Temple Square proper. It was quite cold, so we decided to wait in the Visitor's Center. They have some really cool displays there. One of my favorites is a model of Jerusalem in the year 33 AD. There are buttons with short explanations about the life of Christ. When you push the button, a spotlight focuses on the part of the city where that event took place. Zachary and Samantha were entranced. Of course, we HAD to go up the ramp to the upper level to see the beautiful Christus. I love that statue of our Christ with His arms open to us, showing us where He has "engraved us on the palms of His hands."
By then, it was getting to be dusk outside, so we headed out to wait for the lights to come on. There were so many people! While we were waiting, stamping our feet and moving side to side to keep warm, I noticed a little girl holding a P.F. Changs bag and got so excited. The family luckily had their number programed in their phone from when they had to call for directions, so they gave me that number so we could make plans to eat there later. Soon, it was full dark and they turned on the lights. Because the economy is still down, there weren't as many lights as there have been in the past, but it was still breathtaking. I love the way the temple looks at night when it's all lit up, so I included a picture of that as well. When we had seen all that we wanted to see, we found a Cheesecake Factory and had dinner, followed by a slice of yummy Red Velvet Cheesecake. Then it was back to the hotel for some swimming in the indoor/outdoor pool. Then, back to the hotel room for some much needed rest.

The Hardest Morning Ever

2009-07-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

This morning was the hardest morning I have ever had to endure. Today is the first day of summer camp. District 93 has a camp up near Victor, ID called Pine Basin. This spring, Tristan begged to go. It's the last year he's eligible, so we decided he could go and today was the day.
We arrived at Rocky Mountain Middle School a little before 8am, so we had some time to mill around for a few minutes before they got started. Then the boys had to put their baggage on one side of the walkway and the girls put theirs on the other. Then the camp director had us go over to the little covered area for a quick parents' meeting. His name was Darrin. The told us a little about the cam and some of the things the kids will be doing up there. He also took some time to allay our fears. There is bear sign, but no bears have been spotted. 4 moose have been up to the cabin and looked through the windows, but they haven't been aggressive or threatening in any way. The water levels have gone down so the river isn't as bad, but the kids won't be anywhere near it anyway. The most dangerous things up there are the ground squirrels. A few kids have tried to catch them and were consequently bitten, but the bites were minor. All of the staff has been extensively checked out, including FBI background checks. So, there really is nothing to worry about. While we were talking, the staffers got the kids organized into a circle and started playing games. After the little meeting, it was time to say good-bye. I walked over to Tristan and he stood up. I really wanted to give him a great big hug, but I was content with his leaning into me and letting me do an awkward shoulder squeeze. "Bye, Mom." was all I got. Then a look that clearly said, "Time for you to go, Mom." I turned and started walking toward the van. About half way there, I started choking up. So, I had to hurry up. By the time I got to the van, a tear or two had escaped. I held it together until I got out of the parking lot, but then that was it. I sobbed. I considered pulling over, it was that bad. I calmed myself down just as my phone rang. It was Ty. The minute he heard my voice, he said, "I take it you've dropped him off?" "Y-e-e-s-s-s" I cried. He just laughed at me. Then tried to comfort me. I was fine by the time we hung up, but soon I was crying again. It was so hard to leave my baby with those people. He's gonna be gone for the whole week! I won't see him again until parents' night, but he's not gonna let me hug him or anything in front of his friends. He doesn't come home til Friday. He'll be home for the weekend but then he leaves for Scout camp on next Friday! How will I stand it? I can't believe how much I miss him. I hope I can stand it for the next 5 days!
When I got home from dropping him off, Zachary ran up to me and gave me a HUGE hug. "I missed you, Mommy!" He said. It was just what I needed. Then Samantha came in and gave me a big hug as well. It helped me so much to have my other two babies around me and loving on me. Maybe I will just need lots of cuddles from them to get me through this week. Wish me luck!
PS I would have had pictures from dropping Tristan off at the school, but I knew taking pictures would embarrass him, so I didn't even take the camera. *sigh* Actually, there is a picture on my camera, but I don't know how to get it off. Sorry about that.

Even More

2009-04-27T08:06:00.001-07:00

Now the flooding has spread to the family room. UGH!!! I am not happy. In fact, I am VERY grumpy! I wonder if the previous owners knew about this problem...

We're All Wet

2009-04-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I went back into the craft room to return a paint brush that was played with without permission. (grrr. It was one of my good ones too!) Anyway, I stepped next to a box and felt a very damp spot. I thought, "Crap! The dog peed on the floor." So I got down on the floor to smell it and make sure. (Ah, the joys of pet ownership.) However, I got a surprise when I smelled something else entirely. I couldn't place the smell, so I called Ty in to check it out. He couldn't identify the smell either. Then, he noticed that the box next to the wet spot was soaked half-way up. Uh-oh. Something broke and leaked all over. So we opened up the box and found a whole bunch of candles, but they were all solid and nothing was leaking. Ty got up and walked across the floor and discovered that it was ALL wet! Apparently, a pipe outside the house was leaking. A lot! We had to vacuum out the window well and down into a hole. We removed all of the boxes out of the room and had to open a few to check to see if anything was damaged. Luckily, nothing was ruined. Then, we began vacuuming up the water from the carpet. Of course, the hose on Ty's shop-vac broke, so Ty had to go borrow my dad's. While he was gone, I went over it with the carpet cleaner. I had to dump it twice because it filled the reservoir up to the top. Finally, Ty realized that it was futile as long as the pad was soaked. So, we ripped up the carpet and had to chunk out the pad. It was literally dripping and there were puddles standing on the concrete. Then, we had to re-vacuum up the carpet. What a mess! I think the carpet can be saved and the wall is okay as well. Thank goodness for insurance. Of course, all this happened two days before I go in for surgery! (More about that later.) I guess I should have taken pictures of all the carnage, but I was so absorbed in the clean up that I didn't think about it until the carpet was laying back down and the fan was at work. Sorry, I guess I'm out of "blogger" mode.
About the surgery. On Tuesday, I am going in for a partial hysterectomy. I have a very difficult time once a month. Heavy flow, pain that debilitates me, I turn into a total hag. Since we're done having kids, I don't really need all that plumbing, so Dr. Leavitt is taking out my Uterus. He's leaving the ovaries, so I won't have to start hormone replacement. He's doing it laprascopically, so the recovery time is a lot shorter; 7 days as opposed to 4-6 weeks. I may not even have to stay the night! So, if it's no trouble, maybe you could keep me in your prayers. ;0)

Getting there

2009-04-11T11:17:00.001-07:00

The bathroom is done! Well, almost. Ty still has to put the toilet back together, but that's a 5 minute job. I'll post pictures when I make it back to the house with the camera. I'm afraid to take it over there right now cuz then I'll forget it and I won't have it for Easter morning and that just wouldn't do! (I apologize to all my English teachers for that run-on sentence!)
Now, we only have a few minor things to do. I discovered a drawer in Samantha's bathroom that the previous owners had glued something in and then tore out, so we need to sand out all the goopy, dried-on glue. Ty found a spot in the hall that didn't get touch-up painted, so we need to do a quick dab there. The fence in the backyard has these old window panes, complete with glass, nailed to it. Some of the glass has broken out, so there's a danger of getting cut. We've cleaned up the glass from the ground but we still need to take the silly things down. And the front and back yards need to be raked. There's still a lot of dog poop in the back yard, so I'll be sending the kids out with latex gloves and WalMart bags to clean that up. (Then out comes the sanitizer!!!) But that's it! Of course, the boxes still need to be unpacked and places need to be found for all our junk, but we can do that while we're living there. Actually, the raking doesn't really need to be done before we move in either.
So now we're all ready. Now if only the refrigerator would arrive...

It Never Ends

2009-04-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

It seems that all I am posting about lately is the house and all of the things we are doing to it. Well, I wouldn't want to break that streak, so here's another one!
Ty's big project today was the kitchen cabinets.
Several of the cabinets needed to be re-caulked. There were huge gaps between the walls and the base and shelves.
Ty didn't want me to take his picture, so you know I HAD to.
The shelves also needed to be sanded down and repainted. There are a lot of cupboards and Ty had a big job ahead of him. He got them done and they look great. He went back to the house after dinner and now he's tidied up the garage and then he's going to caulk the gaps in the walls in Zach's room. The man's a maniac.
My project was removing the wallpaper in the bathroom. First, I peeled the first layer off. That took two garbage bags.

Next, I used my favorite new product, DIF. I don't care if the label says it's been proven to cause cancer in California. I'm in Idaho, so I should be safe, right?
First, I sprayed it on the walls. I started by spraying sections on the lower half of the walls. You can only do so much at a time or it sits too long. After it's been sprayed, it has to sit for 15-20 minutes. I tried to space it out so there wasn't a lot of standing around, but sometimes there was a little down time, so I'd go out into the kitchen and "supervise" Ty in his work.
Then I used a putty tool to scrape the wallpaper off. I can't believe how easy it is. When you spray on the DIF, you can see spots start bubbling up right away.
By the time you've waited for the 15 minutes, the paper just peels right off the wall. In some sections, all I had to do was start the peel with the putty thingy and then I could gently pull the paper off the wall. I got the entire bottom half of the bathroom done and two sections are done all the way up to the ceiling. Tomorrow I will finish the bathroom. I had to stop so I could get the kids home and make dinner. I also have piles of laundry to work on. It's been a little neglected these past few days. I didn't go back with Ty so I could get the kids bathed and ready for bed.
I'd better get off the computer so we can get family prayer and off to bed. Have a great night!

Worn Out

2009-04-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

After a long day of working at the house and doing post-visitor clean up, we were all pretty tired. Tristan wanted to watch a movie to unwind, so he put in Secondhand Lions. We turned off all the lights and just relaxed. Samantha, Zachary, and I didn't make it through the whole movie. We were just so dang tired!
Samantha curled up on the couch. Doesn't she look so sweet?
Zachary wanted to cuddle and I had absolutely no problem with that. We kicked out the leg rest on the couch and snuggled in. He fell asleep almost instantly and when he goes to sleep, he turns into a little heater. I couldn't help but get drowsy myself. Soon, my head was resting on his and we were both in dream land. I love the little moments like this!

More Work Done

2009-03-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Since Ty doesn't work on Fridays, we (read "he") got a lot more work done on the house yesterday. He headed over at about 8:30 and got to work on the gas line. The house is heated by gas, but we also wanted the clothes dryer to run on gas, so he had to put in a gas line from the furnace to the dryer. He had to tear up the entire wall in the laundry room. He had to take the laundry folding counter off and take the cupboards underneath it apart. I dropped by at about 9:45 so I could pick him up to run a few errands. We dropped Samantha off at the Paramount Theater for a party and then went shopping for kitchen chairs. We also took Tristan to the comic book store so he could show them his report card and get his gift from Topps Trading Cards. I think we found the perfect chairs. Now we just have to decide if we'll get them. We also went to Ace Hardware so Ty could pick up a part he needed for the gas line. Then I dropped him back off at the house and then I went to pick up Samantha. We went to lunch and took Tristan for a haircut. Usually, my sister-in-law does it, but it was a bit of an emergency. The boy looked like a sheepdog. Once his hair was a little less shaggy, we went back to the house so we could get it all cleaned up for Jeremy's wife, Sandi, to come for a visit this weekend. Jeremy is in Iraq (keep him in your prayers, please) so she's doing the single parent thing. I got a Migraine and had to lay down for a bit while the kids worked on the downstairs bathroom and family room. At a little before 4, we took Tristan over to his Scoutmaster's house for a camping trip. Then Samantha, Zachary, and I headed back over to the house. Ty had gotten the gas line completely run and checked for leaks. He got the wall repaired, the cupboards put together, and the counter put back on. He repainted the walls and cupboards. The room looks like he never touched it! You would never know that it had been completely disassembled. He amazes me. He also did all the touch up in Zach's room and the spare bedroom. When we showed up, I puttied a few spots, removed some screws and nails I missed before and puttied those as well. Ty continued to touch up and I scored the wallpaper in the master bathroom in preparation for removal. Ty removed a swatch of paint from Samantha's room and the living room so we can take them to Home Depot and get the analyzed. Those are the only two rooms the previous owner didn't leave paint for. So you see, we got a ton done yesterday! Maybe we will get it done by next weekend.

Don't Judge Me

2009-03-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, Samantha came to our door with a stomach ache. It was so bad that she was sobbing (which doesn't really help matters, but...) Anyway, I have a confession to make: I'm kinda happy she was sick. Now before you judge me too harshly, let me explain. It gave me the chance to be "Mommy" instead of just "Mom." I don't get to be "Mommy" to Samantha anymore. She's getting to be such a young lady. But last night, after getting her to lay on her stomach on the floor, I got to lay down beside her. I got to rub her back and whisper encouraging words in her ear. I ran my fingers through her hair. I pressed my forehead against her forehead and told her she was gonna be fine and No, we couldn't sue Little Caesars. I stayed with her until she fell asleep and then I tucked her blanket snugly around her before going back to my own bed. I really enjoyed being "Mommy." So you see, I'm not some freak with Munchausen Syndrome, I'm just a mother who occasionally misses that little girl who used to live here.

The Work Begins

2009-03-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

This week, we started work on the house this week. And there's so much to be done! Ty wanted to begin by re-vamping the closet in the master bedroom. The previous owners had it full of organizers and it just didn't work. I don't know how they ever had it full of two people's clothes! Actually, when we visited the house when we were still looking, the wife had already moved out, so it was just his clothes and they filled the closet. Anyway, Ty completely disassembled it, removed the drawers, adjusted the length and depth of the hangers, and added shelves to the bottom for our shoes. The end result was twice the closet he started with. He did an amazing job.
When Ty was looking for all the pieces of his table saw so he could work on the closet, he brought several boxes from the storage unit to the house. A few of the boxes were full of books and games, and since we aren't making any changes to the shelves in the living room, I started unpacking a little.

We had to go through all the rooms and remove about a million screws and nails. I don't know how they could possibly had that much stuff hung on their walls! Then Samantha and I went through the rooms with this Sheetrock putty stuff and filled the holes so they can later be touched up with a little paint.
Those white ones are buggers! They are wall anchors and they leave HUGE holes in the walls. I hope the putty keeps.
Do you see all the paint stuck to those nails and screws? That is the epitome of laziness right there. They couldn't be bothered with removing them before they painted, they just painted right over them. There were several layers on those things!
I have been amazed by the things the previous owners have left behind. The cupboards and drawers in the kitchen had all kinds of things left in them.
Besides all the garbage found in the corners, I also found all this. Most of it was crap, but the dish clothes, dish towels, and pitcher are pretty nice.
The backyard is loaded with dog poop. I don't think they ever used a pooper scooper. There was also a plethora of balls, chew toys, and feeding bowls lying around the back porch and yard. But the Pièce de résistance was the cat. Yes, I said "cat"! We couldn't figure out why this black and white cat kept hanging out by the back door. That is until we looked under the blue bucket. do you see the hole cut into the side of the bucket? The bucket was upside-down and there was a pillow under the bucket. It was the cat's little home! Can you believe they LEFT THEIR CAT??? Un-be-liev-able! When we took the bucket out of the backyard, the cat moved on. I hope he's okay, wherever he is.
The cupboards were lined with this contact paper that I think has been there since the house was built in 1982! It was the butt-ugliest pattern ever created and it was peeling up all over the place.
Can you believe all the paper I pulled? It took almost an hour to get it all out. That stuff can really stick to wood, you know? The paper filled that blue bucket from earlier. It was amazing.

There is still a lot to be done. Ty has to run the gas line to the dryer so we can have a gas instead of electric dryer. There is a hole in the guest bedroom that the previous owners cut in the wall in order to get to the water line. That has to be repaired. The master bathroom's wallpaper is peeling off and needs to be removed so we can paint the walls. The plumbing under the kitchen sink is leaky, so Ty needs to get that taken care of. Tristan's room will need to be repainted because there were so many nails and nail holes in the walls that once they were puttied, the walls looked like they were polka-dotted. But you know what? It's all ours! There's a lot of work to be done, but it will all be worth it because it's all for our home. I can't wait to move in!!!

We're Closed!

2009-03-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we noticed this little addition to the "For Sale" sign in the front yard of the house we're buying. So we had to stop and take a picture. A few people drove by as we were getting the picture done and they got big smiles on their faces when they saw what we were doing. I think they were happy for us, too.
This morning, Ty and I met with our Realtor, Kim and the title lady, Theresa at AmeriTitle. Ty wrote a check for the down payment and then it was on to the paperwork.
It took us an hour to get all the paperwork signed. There were so many disclosures and contract agreements to sign. Several were simply repeats of the same thing, over and over again. Ty's hand was very tired by the time we were finished.
Then, outside the front doors, Kim handed Ty the keys to our home. OUR HOME!
(Commercial break: Kimberly Hurley is an amazing Realtor. She bent over backward for us. She was there for us every step of the way. When the seller's Realtor kept screwing things up, Kim was the one who cleaned up the mess. And quickly, too! If anybody is looking to buy a home in the Idaho Falls area, I would strongly recommend Kimberly Hurley-208-313-4148) After Kim gave us the keys she gave us a huge gift basket from Great Harvest Bread. (I think my diet will be suspended until all the goodies are gone.)
On the way home, we had to stop by the house. We tried all the keys and played with the garage door opener. When the kids get home from school, I'm gonna pile them all in the car and take them over so they can run around in the empty house. Ty's already there. He is starting the renovation to the master closet today. I'm so excited that the house is finally ours. Now I can't wait to get everything ready so we can move in. It's gonna be great!

Pathetic Puppy

2009-03-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Mayzee does NOT like to get a bath. If I'm not careful about getting the supplies ready for her bath and she sees the bath paraphernalia, she will hide behind the couch and it's next to impossible to get her out.
She's very good during the bath. She stands very still and lets me scrub her really good, but she looks at you with the most pathetic little face. And that face stays until she's completely dry. She is very good at "The Guilt Trip."

I Can Do It All By Myself

2009-03-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

Zachary is so proud of himself. I decided that it was about time for me to teach him how to tie his shoelaces. I've been a little intimidated about teaching him. I haven't taught anyone to tie his shoelaces since Tristan was 5 years old. (A neighbor taught Samantha, I didn't think she was old enough. -I was wrong!) Anyway, I bit back my unease and began showing Zach how to tie his shoes.
At first it took him a long time to get them tied and his knots were really loose, but soon he got the hang of it. Now he's a shoe tie-ing fool. And he's VERY proud of himself.

Beach Combin'

2009-02-24T19:38:00.000-08:00

I had a lot of fun playing photographer when we went to the beach. I thought I would share some of my "artistic" photos here.
This pelican was fearless. He was wandering up and down the boardwalk, weaving in and out of the people. Even begging for food from the people fishing.
Pretty seaweed that washed up on shore.
More pretty seaweed. (This is the wallpaper on Ty's laptop.)
The waves crashing on my mom and dad's feet. (This is the wallpaper on their laptop.)
My tootsies in the warm sand.

Taking pictures is so much fun. I want to take some classes.

5th Street Trailer Trash

2009-02-19T20:40:00.000-08:00

I was so lucky to have a chance to fly down to Texas to see my Grandmother last week. I felt I really needed to see her because she has Alzheimer's and it is slowly claiming her mind. I needed to see her before she forgets me. We had lots of Sky Miles, so I used them to get to Corpus Christi.

My parents are Winter Texans, so I had a place to stay. The day I got there, we didn't do much. We hit a really good Mexican restaurant on the way home from the airport and then just headed to the trailer. Mom and Daddy run with a really great bunch of people down there. They are all so nice and boy are they funny! They refer to themselves as "5th Street Trailer Trash." After meeting them, it was easy to see why my parents enjoy going South so much.

The next day, Friday, was very foggy, but it was nice and warm. We decided to take advantage of the warm weather and went to Padre Island to play at the beach. We wandered up and down the beach and picked up lots of pretty shells for the kiddos. The surf was kinda high for Padre. Almost 4 feet in some areas. We took off our sandals and had fun walking in the sand and splashing in the waves.
When we were done playing on the beach, we went to the best bar-b-q joint ever. My family discovered Rudy's when we were stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. The food is amazing. When we were going to Rudy's, there were only two of them and they were both in San Antonio. Now they have expanded and luckily, there is one in Corpus Christi. My hubby and kids were very jealous of my trip to Rudy's! Mmmm... ribs!
After Rudy's, we went to see Grandmother at her retirement community. I was so excited to see her and it was awesome when she opened her door and she remembered me! I couldn't stop grinning! I love my grandmother so much and I have missed her. It's hard to have family living so far away. We had a nice visit with Grandmother and then we went back to the trailer again.
On Saturday, we went into Fulton and went to the oyster docks. We also got a chance to see Fulton Mansion which is a beautiful home. After that, we went to my cousin, Richard's, basketball game. After the game, we went back to Aunt Leslie's house. It was nice to visit with Grandmother, Aunt Leslie, and my cousins Shannon and Rebecca. I also got to meet Shannon's husband, Jason, who is an awesome guy. any guy who can stand toe to toe with my Uncle Chuck is a winner to me!

On Sunday, we went to another restaurant I miss, Whataburger. Whataburger has, by far, the BEST hamburgers on the planet. I don't know what it is they do to them, but they sure are tasty!
Then we went into Goose Island park. It is home to "The Big Tree" (original, right?). The tree is a ginormous live oak. It's estimated to be over 1,000 years old. If you look closely, you can see iron supports holding up some of the tree's "branches". I wanted to see how far my arms would go around the tree, but there is a fence protecting it from dorks like me.
That night, Daddy built a fire in his chiminea and the entire "trailer trash" crew came over to enjoy the fire and to chat and just have a good time. As I mentioned earlier, they are a pretty cool bunch and it was fun to listen to them tease each other and play around.

Monday, all of Mom and Daddy's friends came by to hug me and say good bye. I felt like a rock star with all that attention. We went to Whataburger for lunch again and then went by Grandmother's to say good bye. She showed my some of the Alzheimer's by repeating almost every story she had told me last time I saw her, but it was nice to see her, nonetheless. She gave me one of Momma Leach's quilts. I am so excited!

Then, Mom and Daddy dropped me off at the airport. I breezed through security and then waited patiently for my plane to board and leave. The flight was uneventful, and that is nice. In Houston, I had to go from one concourse to another. It was quite a ways away. I was thankful for the shuttle that took me most of the way. I only had 45 minutes to get to the next gate, so I was really booking it. Turns out, it wasn't necessary. The plane hadn't even arrived yet. In fact, there was going to be at least an hour delay. My fellow passengers and I were a little miffed, but it couldn't be helped. As I was rushing into the gate area, I had noticed a very tall black man walking ahead of me. I thought to myself, "Hmm, he's so tall, I wonder if he's a basketball player." We talked a little bit and then I turned to my book and he began fiddling with his cell phone. Before long, he was swarmed by boys asking for his autograph. He was Glen Davis from the Boston Celtics! He was a really nice guy and was very nice to all these boys, and a few men, who were hassling him for his time.

Due to the delay in Houston, I missed my connection in Salt Lake and, of course, it was the last flight of the day into Idaho Falls. So, Delta put me up in a hotel for the night. You'd think I would welcome a quiet night in a hotel with a king sized bed, but the truth was, I missed my kids. I missed my husband. I just wanted to be home with my family and in my own bed. Oh well. Tuesday morning, I woke up to a nice little snow storm. A very chatty shuttle driver drove me to the airport where I got to sit in the terminal for 2 hours waiting for my flight. Then, to top it all off, I was so engrossed in my book (Dang you Jodi Picoult *shaking my fist*) that I almost missed my flight! What a mess that would have been!!! The storm made the flight home very bumpy and with the crashes the past few weeks, I didn't deal well with the pitch and roll of the plane. I was very glad when we landed in IF. I was so happy to see my husband at the airport and then to see the kids after school. They missed me, too, so it was a very happy reunion.

I am glad that I had the chance to go to Texas and I am glad to be home again.

It's 6's to Me

2009-02-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I just got tagged and since it's an easy one, I'll do it now!
Here's the rules:

1. Go to my documents/pictures.

2. Go to my 6th file folder.
3. Go to my 6th picture.
4. Blog about it.
5. Tag 6 people to do the same.
This picture was taken at Zach's Kindergarten Halloween party. The witch is another mom, Katie Dennett (for those of you who know, she's Amy Knapp's little sister!) Strawberry Shortcake is Zachary's teacher, Sherrie Grigg. She's got her mouth full of sugar cookie, so it's not a great picture, but she is an amazing woman. She has overcome some real trials and come out a strong, caring person. She's the perfect Kindergarten teacher!

Okay, I tag...
1. Tylynn
2. Rebecca
3. Jamie
4. Rochelle
5. Keirra
6. Kirsty
Have fun ladies!

Show Me the Money!

2009-02-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

I was browsing in a cute little souvenir shop on Port Aransas when I got a phone call from my hunny. I thought he was just calling cuz he missed me, but I was mistaken. He had news for me. WE GOT THE LOAN FOR THE HOUSE!!! I squealed and gushed to my mom and dad, "We got the house!" The girl and cute guy at the counter turned and smiled at me. I am so excited. Now I want to run up to the front door of the house and ask Steve (the current owner) if I can come in and look at "my" house!!!
I will blog more about this trip to Texas at a later time. I got some great pictures at the beach that I can't wait to share!

Anticipation

2009-02-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

Every weekday, right around 3 o' clock, Mayzee jumps up into the front window. She sits patiently and watches up the street.
When they first come around that far corner, a small yip always escapes. Then her ears drop back, flat against her head. Her tail starts wagging. It wags so hard that her whole backside is in motion. By the time the kids make it to the street in front of our house, her whole body is shaking like she's having some sort of seizure and there is a constant stream of growls, yips, and whimpers.
Mayzee greets the kids at the front door, jumping and wiggling all over the place. She won't leave the kids alone until each one of them has said hello. No one can ever dispute that she loves "her" kids!

The First Field Trip

2009-02-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

Last week, Zachary had his first field trip. He was so excited about it that he asked daily for the week before, "Is today the field trip?" I was lucky enough to be able to volunteer to go along.
I think he was more excited about the bus ride!
Zach and his buddy, Maison were inseparable.
The exhibit was about old modes of transportation. This was Zachary's favorite motorcycle. It's a Harley Davidson, but I can't remember the year.
They had an "Old West" section where the kids could play and check things out. Zachary really liked the model horse.
The Army truck was a big hit with all the boys. They wanted to climb up in the cab "try it out" but alas, that was against the rules.
All in all, it was a great field trip. I must admit, it was a bit frazzling to have to try to get 6 kids to stay together with all the excitement going on, but I am glad I was able to go along for the ride. Now Zach is ready for the next field trip. Am I?

It's Torture, I Tell Ya!

2009-02-03T16:02:00.001-08:00

I think I have somehow offended the music teacher at the kids' school. How do I know this? Because she has sent a torture device to my home and required that my daughter uses it regularly. This new form of torture is called: The Recorder. It is evil. I think Satan himself has created this little woodwind instrument. Mrs. Arave has checked one out to each of the fourth graders and asks that they practice every night. It starts in the car on the way home from school and continues until bedtime. I swear, if I hear "Hot Cross Buns" or "Merrily We Roll Along" one more time, I may very well put an ice pick through my ear drums. Oh, I forgot my favorite, "The Trill." Samantha loves the sound the recorder makes when you put your finger on the hole and then take it off over and over again rapidly. It reminds her of the happy scenes in the old Disney movies. It just makes my spine stiffen up.
Right now, I have some peace. Thank heaven for Activity Days! I wonder if I can talk Samantha's Activity Days leader to have an activity every night until this unit in music is over...

Am I a Bad Mother?

2009-01-28T14:51:00.001-08:00

It's funny. The entire time the kids are off at school, I miss them. I long for them to be with me. Then they get home. Then I wish school lasted for a few more hours! It's chaos the moment they walk through the door. They are all bickering with each other. "Tristan pushed me in a snow bank!" "Well, she pulled my hair!" Meanwhile, Zach looks like the Abominable Snowman and is tracking snow all over the house. Then it's "The Great Snack Debate." There is never what the kids want in the house. (Mostly because when I do buy treats and snacks, they will sneak into it at all hours and it will be gone within a day or two. -That's why I locked the pantry in Las Vegas!) So they push and shove around Mom's small kitchen until everybody is cross and nobody is satisfied. Then it's time for homework who nobody needs help with... that is, unless there is something I am trying to do, then they need me every 2 minutes! Ack! Calgon, take me away!!!

I'm Getting Dizzy

2009-01-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

The house is ours again. I'm not nearly as excited this time as I was last time. Don't get me wrong, I am still thrilled to be getting the house. It's still a great house. I guess the excitement has just deflated a bit. This time, the other side's Realtor made sure he talked to BOTH of the parties who are selling the house. That should make the sale a little more permanent. *fingers crossed* Thanks to everybody who was praying and thinking good thoughts for us. You're the best!

Sellers Stink

2009-01-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

So we got a call from our Realtor yesterday. Apparently, the sellers are going through a divorce and one agreed to our offer and the other (after the offer had been accepted) said no! So they're going back on their acceptance. The ex-wife wants more. You know, it really steams me. If we go back on our agreement, the seller gets to keep our earnest money. What do we get when they go back? Nada. I was so irritated, I couldn't sleep last night. We re-offered, so now it's a waiting game. Again. I hate buying houses. I hate people who drag us into their ugly divorce. Okay, hate is a strong word. I don't let my kids use it and I shouldn't use it either. But I am frustrated with the whole thing. I'll keep you posted.
*sigh*

I Joined

2009-01-24T16:30:00.000-08:00

I'm on Facebook. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm having fun! So, if you too are on Facebook, look me up!

It's Ours!

2009-01-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

We got a call from our Realtor this morning. The house is ours! We are so excited. We close at the end of March. We wanted to wait that long so that we would have plenty of time to get our affairs in order. Not to mention, we are watching Mom and Dad's house and it would be uncool for us to just bail on them. Also, the closing is "early" enough that we have lots of time to move in at our leisure. What a switch for us, no rush-rush to get everything in and unpacked. We drove by the house today to see where it is in relation to the INL's bus route. It's a little farther than Ty has to walk right now, but it's not too far. It's also pretty close to the Ammon City pool. I used to go there when I was a kid. How fun that we live so close. I was going to post some more of the pictures here, but then Ty reminded me that there is also a video of the house. It shows most of the house in that. Oh! And in answer to Rebecca's question, there is plenty of room for company, so come on over for a nice, long visit!

More On the House

2009-01-23T16:10:00.001-08:00

Well, the guy didn't care for our offer, so he made a counter offer. We didn't like the counter offer, so we just made a counter-counter offer today. I hope he takes it cuz it's our final offer. I really hope he takes the offer. I have already pictured myself in the house. I don't want to have to mourn this one and start looking again! So, I guess we'll know by tomorrow night if we're getting the house.
I promise. If we get the house, I will take pictures and post them all here. The pictures the owner put in the MLS are less than stellar. In face, I wasn't even all that interested in the house because the pictures didn't do it justice. Seeing it in person changed my mind. Man, I hope we get this house!!! The house is over in Ammon. It's on Cabellero for those of you who know the area. (I personally didn't know the name of that street untill we looked at the house!) If you're going into town from the intersection of Ammon-Lincoln and 17th, it's the first street on the left. Does that clear it up? LOL I am terrible with directions!
So everyone, please think happy thoughts for us!!!
I hope we get the house.
I hope we get the house.
I hope we get the house.

We Made an Offer

2009-01-21T18:31:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we started looking at houses. After the major disappointment with the other one, I tried to curb my enthusiasm. It's amazing how different people make their houses look in the pictures than the way they look in person. Let's just say, you can hide a lot with a camera. Anyway, after several homes, we had it narrowed down to two that we liked. We just had one more to go look at before we called it a day. That's when we found it. THE house.It's an older home. Older than we had planned on buying, but it just felt like home. It was weird, the minute we walked through the front door, we knew it was the one.You can't tell from the picture, but the kitchen and dining area are nice and big. They are perfect for entertaining. The cabinets need updating, but that hutch is built in. The rooms are all nice and big. We'll have plenty of room to spread out.I love the pergola in the back yard. The whole back yard is great. Because it's an older home, the trees in the yard are nice and mature. It's beautiful.
The only complaint I have is that the master bathroom has no bathtub. Only a shower. Ty thinks it would be easy to put in a tub at some point in the future, and since he did his grandma's shower, I think he could do it.
We put in an offer today. Now it's just a waiting game. We gave them until Friday at 6pm to either accept, decline, or counter. So, please send good vibes our way!

Church Ain't Just For Prayin'

2009-01-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

It's for playin', too!
Richard has the keys to the Menan Stake Center, so he got permission and one night, we all headed over to the church for a night of craziness. The kids brought a bike, a scooter, a skateboard, football, giant bowling set, and a bouncy ball. The adults brought food, CD's, and DVD's. We had a ton of fun just going crazy in the gym.
We played Horse, touch football, and kickball. The kids raced around the gym on the bike and scooter, which was so nice cuz with all the snow outside, the wheeled toys haven't been getting much use.
Ty rocketed the kids across the gym on the skateboard.
Notice Samantha's hair safely tucked into her ski hat?
We set up tables in the Relief Society room and had a tasty dinner of chili, leftover turkey, and lots of homemade salsa. (My BIL makes the BEST salsa!!!) Then, Richard got the projector out of the library and the men set it up so the kids could watch their DVD's projected on the wall just like at the movies. Then, the grown ups played Rummy and Yahtzee Turbo in the Relief Society room. It was a very fun night. We did a very similar thing last year. I think this just might have to be a tradition!!!

Yahtzee!

2009-01-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

One of the most popular gifts this Christmas was a game my parents gave us. Yahtzee Turbo. The first game was played Christmas afternoon and there was a game going almost constantly after that. The game says 2-4 players, but we had as many as 7 playing at one time. Each player gets 5 cards with different dice combinations on them; full house, small and large straights, and 3 or 4 of a kind. The object of the game is to roll the exact combination shown on your top card before the "Big Die" times out. The first person to get rid of all their cards wins. It's a little tricky though, cuz if you don't get your combination in time, the "Big Die" can tell you to simply pass the dice to the next player, or draw 2 more cards, and many other options. The "Big Die" got yelled at quite a bit over the first week in it's life with the Jones family. We played it so much, the color is already wearing off the corners of the dice! It is a very fun game and it's great, cuz even the little kids could play. Much family fun!!!

Christmas Morning

2009-01-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

I know, Christmas was two weeks ago. I actually got chastised by my mother today for not doing this sooner. Sorry, Mom!
We told the kids that they were not to get up until 7am. We did not want to hear their voices until 7am. However, Richard started "Ho! Ho! Ho!"-ing at 6:30, so that's when we got up. Our family got a Wii system with me getting Wii Fit and each of the kids getting a game from Santa. We were all very excited about that. We started with everybody taking turns opening their presents so that we could all ooh and aah over their gifts. However, by the time we were about half-way through, it was more of a free-for-all.
The kids were all pleased with their gifts. Tristan's favorite was the boots and bindings for his snowboard. Samantha's was her Littlest Pet Shop Tail Waggin Fitness Center. Zach was really excited about his GeoTrax Fly By Bridge, that is, until he found out that the plane wasn't included. (Mommy should really read the fine print!) There was alot of squealing and hugging. Samantha usually being the most enthusiastic. Mayzee was pretty excited about her rope toy. As you can see from that picture. Everybody go ta good laugh from watching her writhe in pleasure.
After gift giving time was over, we all enjoyed a tasty egg casserole dish that Pam had made for breakfast. Then I snuck upstairs for a nice little Christmas Nap. All in all, it was a great Christmas.

More of a Nightmare

2009-01-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

Ty and I have been looking at houses online for the past several months. The plan was to keep our eye on the market and then get serious around March/April. However, the home I have always dreamed of came on the market. The outside is literally the home I see when I close my eyes and dream. We just had to check it out.
So, on Saturday, we got together with the Realtor to take a gander at my dream house. However, that dream quickly turned into a nightmare. The siding had several cracks, but those can be easily fixed (according to Ty.) The lady who owns the house really has a thing for wallpaper and wallpaper boarders. she also had two little Downs Syndrome boys who really like to peel said wallpaper and boarders. The hardwood floor in the kitchen had been mopped in places so much that the finish had come off. All of the walls had holes in them. And all the rooms were teeny tiny. Much smaller than the pictures made them seem.
So, I guess it's back to the drawing board.Maybe another "dream home" will come on the market and this time, my dreams will come true.

My Wish List

2009-01-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

Here is my selfish wish list.
1. I wish that my kids could understand just how much I love them.
2. I wish that I could see myself the way Ty sees me.
3. I wish I enjoyed cleaning.
4. I wish that Tristan didn't struggle so much with his ADD.
5. I wish I didn't have to take so many pills.
6. I hope that my kids have more self-confidence than I do.
7. I wish I could hear the thoughts that go through my dog's head.
8. I wish I could remember my Heavenly Parents.
9. I wish I had a housekeeper. (then I wouldn't have to wish for #3!)
10. I wish I were in my own home.
11. I wish I had all my own stuff.
12. I wish my hair were naturally curly.
13. I wish my nails didn't break off so easily.
14. I hope my husband continues to love his job.
15. I hope to make friendships that last forever.
16. I hope my kids can be happy and healthy and free.
17. I wish my house in Las Vegas would spontaneously sell itself.
18. I hope all your wishes come true.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

2009-01-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Grandma Tolman had her 89th birthday on Christmas Eve. The whole family went over to her house to wish her a happy birthday. She was so tickled to have so much of her family close for her special day.
There were so many people in her house, there was no place to sit. She just smiled and smiled. She said several times that there is nothing better than family. She got misty a few times when she thought about Grandpa Tolman and her family that couldn't be there, but then she would just start beaming again.
She blew out all the candles on her cake, so I guess she gets her wish.
I hope her 90th year is as great as her 89th. We love you Grandma Tolman!

Fun With Static

2009-01-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

Tristan insisted on wearing this Santa hat every time we were over to Ty's parents' house. The kids all got a kick out of what happened whenever it came off.
Science is fun!

Minor Surgery

2009-01-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

Just 3 days before Christmas, Tristan went into hospital for some minor surgery. He had a hernia that the doctor believes he may have had for several years. Maybe since he was 5. He thinks the hernia was aggrivated by football this summer.
Poor kid couldn't have anything to eat after midnight and his surgery wasn't until after noon. He was starving by the time we checked in. His pre-op nurse cracked us up. She kept talking to Tristan like he was 2. She used a baby voice and kept saying things like, "Remember, we always need to wash our hands, don't we?" and "Wow! You're almost 85 pounds, you big, big boy." You should have seen the look on Tristan's face.
After he had changed into his gown and right before he was taken into surgery, one of the surgical nurses came in to check things out. It was so weird, cuz it was a guy I went to school with, Nathan Seedall. It was strange to turn my son over to a guy who had been such a goofball in high school. The surgery lasted about an hour. When he came out of surgery, the first thing he said was, "Bacon." I guess he's not one of those people who gets nauseous from anesthesia. The surgery was a success and he was ready to start playing the next day. We had to remind him to slow down several times and there were a few times when he was walking like an old man and asking for Ibuprofen. I suppose that's better than laying around, whining and complaining for a week! He's such a strong kid.

So Disappointing

2008-12-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

On Friday, we took a little road trip to Salt Lake with Ty's parents. Ty's cousin Ben whom Ty hadn't seen in nearly 14 years get married. We left the house with time to spare. It was a fun trip with the parental units and us talking and laughing and singing along with the Christmas music on the radio. Then we hit the Utah border. We also hit the biggest snowstorm ever.
Ty had to slow down significantly to navigate the icy roads and crazy Utah traffic. We pulled off the freeway to the Salt Lake Temple at noon. When was the wedding? Noon. We raced into the temple doors and tried to convince the man at the front desk to let us in. These things never start on time, so it should be okay, right? Wrong. The Nazi at the desk wouldn't let us go in.
We were disappointed to miss the wedding, but we would see Ben and his lovely bride at the ring ceremony and luncheon to follow. The most disappointing part was missing the man who preformed the sealing. It was the Prophet. Yes, President Thomas S. Monson did the sealing! Can you imagine? Sitting in a room with the Prophet? Listening to him speak on such a personal level? Wow! I guess he was quite a cut-up and had the small assembly laughing several times. He had several stories about Aunt Ann and times when she used to be his secretary so many years ago. *sigh* Such a disappointment. Aunt Janet was furious when she heard how close we were and that the man wouldn't let us in. She said we would have been in plenty of time. Oh well.
I feel bad for the couple, too. Their wedding pictures are gonna be a mess. The snow was dumping and the wind was howling. Not exactly the best setting for pictures. Honestly though, they were so giddy in love with each other, they probably didn't notice. The guests, however, were freezing!
We had some time to kill between the wedding and the ring ceremony, so we walked over to the Conference Center. A nice man inside offered to give us an abbreviated tour, since we only had 40 minutes before we had to be at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for the luncheon and stuff. That place is beautiful. And HUGE! It can seat 21,000 people. The stage/pulpit area was all decorated for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas program. It was so pretty. The artwork in that building is amazing as well. Gee, I wish I could create beauty like that.
The ring ceremony and luncheon were so nice. It was fun to get to talk with Ty's family that he hadn't seen in years. I loved seeing the way Ben and Donna looked at each other. It brought back so many memories from when Ty and I got married. All of this took place on the tenth floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The view, when we could see it, was amazing. The problem was, it was snowing so hard, at times we couldn't see the buildings next door! At one point, I was sure we would have to get a hotel room and wait out the night.
We decided to risk it and try to get home. We figured, we could always stop along the way if we had to. The trip home however, was fine. The worst thing we had to deal with was SLC's rush hour traffic. The snow was light, the roads were clear, it was a beautiful trip home. If we'd had that weather on the way down, we sooo would have made it to the wedding. *sigh*

My Dog's So Smart

2008-12-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

It's really cold here. Really cold. And Mayzee has no undercoat, so she gets cold when she goes outside. So, we got her a coat to wear when she goes out.
The other day, Mayzee rang the bell on the back door, letting us know she needed to go out. When I opened the door, a blast of cold air hit me and I looked at the thermostat: 3 degrees. So I said to Mayzee, "You want your coat?" She stopped on the porch and looked at me, cocking her head to the right. "You want your coat?" She tilted her head to the left. So I grabbed her coat off the counter and repeated the phrase. She started like she was gonna run to me, so I leaned over and repeated the phrase one more time. She raced up the porch and into the house, stopping right below my hands so I could put the coat on her. As soon as the coat was secure around her waist, she went trotting outside to do her business.
She is so proud of her coat.
Another smart thing she does, and has done since we first got her at 12 weeks, is: if she has found something to chew on and is chomping away, or holding it in her mouth, preparing to chomp and we say, "Drop it!" she will spit it out immediately and trot off to find something else to do. She's done that since the first time I said it to her.
She amazes me. She's such a smart puppy.

Gingerbread Dreams

2008-12-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

Sometime before Thanksgiving, Ty went out to pick up a few things from the store and came back with a Wilton gingerbread house. I stored it in the back room until there was a little more room in the house (a.k.a. my parents went to Texas) and then promptly forgot about it. Then, all my friends started posting on their blogs about the cute gingerbread houses they made, so I got it out for the kids and I to decorate. (Of course, my friends are much more creative and actually made their gingerbread, but I'm just not that good!)
I was kinda grumpy when the activity started, but after a few minutes of playing with my kids, I was having just as much fun as the kids. It was so fun to see what ideas the kids had and how creative they are. We were very limited on candy pieces, but the kids came up with wonderful designs with what they had. I'm pretty proud of icicles hanging from the eaves!

The Killer Dog

2008-12-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

My dog is simply ferocious! She is terrified of the vacuum cleaner. From the first time we got it out, she has gone ballistic at the simple sight of it. She even knows that it belongs in the hall closet and if you act like you are going to open the closet's door, she will start barking like crazy.
When the vacuum comes out, she begins growling and nipping at the wheels. She makes the strangest sound and completely freaks out. Maybe we're bad "parents" but we can't help but laugh hysterically at her. She seems to have an instinctive fear of all cleaning implements. The first time we brought out the shopvac to clean the stove, it hadn't even been turned on yet and she went nuts. Then, yesterday, I got out the mop and broom to do a little cleaning up and she started lunging and biting at the broom. I think she hates cleaning even more than I do!

Zach is 6 (can you believe it?)

2008-12-20T13:13:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that my baby is already 6 years old. He is such an amazing kid. He is very funny, he always has us in stitches. He loves to make faces and silly little voices. He is still my little cuddle-bug. We often spend time in the morning just snuggling on the couch. He is so warm and I love wrapping my arms around his little body. He is also very sensitive to others and their needs. He looks out for everybody's feelings. He is also very creative and enjoys drawing and creating projects for us to admire.He is an incredibly grateful kid. He is so excited about everything that he is given. As you can see, he was very happy about the train from Grandma Marsha and Papa.
He does love his GeoTrax.

Saturday after his birthday, we had a little party at Leo's Place with a few of his friends and his cousin.

I guess he gets his wish! I know I got mine when he was sent into my life.

Happy birthday, baby. I love you!

The Christmas Program

2008-12-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

On December 10th (Zach's bday), the kids' school had their Christmas program. They did it in a different way than I have ever seen done before. They sent home a program beforehand so that the parents knew when their kids were going to preform. That way, you didn't have to sit through 6 grades of singing to see your child's class do their thing. As it was, I still had three to watch, but it was worth it.

I'm always so proud when the kids do anything. I turn into such a blubberbutt because I am just so proud of the kids doing their best and having fun. (I have even been known to cry when kids I don't know perform! - hello America's Got Talent)

Zachary's class was the first to go after lunch. Zach was so funny cuz he insisted on wearing his "Christmas Sweater" for the program. I had to extract a promise from his teacher htat he would not be allowed to wear it to do anything else. I could just see it covered in green paint!

The kindergarteners were so cute when they filed in. They were so excited an dproud of themselves. They were all grinning ear-to-ear. Zachary kept looking at me and mouthing, "Take my picture!"Zachary even smiled as he sang.The kids all had little actions they did to the songs. "He sees you when he's sleeping..."This was the only good picture I got of Samantha because, when they stoop up, the girl in front of her practically blocked Samantha from view. *sigh*

Tristan was too cool to smile for the camera. This was as close to a smile as I got. I was so proud, yes, I cried a few times.

Okay, disclaimer, I know there are more pictures of Zach here than the others. I couldn't help it, those Kindie-gardners are so dang cute!

Spirit of the Season

2008-12-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year. I love the music, the weather, the lights, the Spirit. If you were to ask me to name one person who exemplifies the Spirit of the season, I would have to say...
The bell ringer at WalMart. Surprise you? She is the most awesome lady. She is there every day. And if I'm right, I think she's there all day! She sits out there in her brown, insulated coveralls, ringing her bells, and singing at the tops of her lungs. I swear, she knows every Christmas song. She is not a great singer. Heck, she's not even a good singer, but that doesn't stop her. She smiles her huge smile and calls out "Merry Christmas" to everybody who passes her. I am there waaaay to often, but every time I see and hear her, I feel warm inside and can't help but smile. It's my hope that I can keep that feeling with me throughout the year. That I will remember that sweet lady and the love she obviously has for her Savior and her courage to show the world. I hope that I can be more like her!

Zachary's New Sweater

2008-12-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

My Grandma Jensen makes beautiful sweaters for all the great-grands. She gave Zachary one for his 6th birthday. Honestly, when I saw that it was a sweater in his gift, I thought Zachary would be disappointed. You know, he's only six, he expects toys and "fun" stuff. Just take a look at the pictures to see his reaction...
He LOVES it! He calls it his "Christmas Sweater" and insisted on wearing it for his school Christmas program.

He's So Clever

2008-12-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

My hubby cracks me up. He signed up to bring the yams to his work Christmas party, so he was making them the night before. He decided that they needed to be whipped, not just mashed. However, my parents don't have a hand mixer. Ty needed to whip those yams, so he improvised.
Yes, that is a cordless power drill with a mixer stuck in it!
He's so proud of his ingenuity.

The Lucky Ones

2008-11-30T18:32:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Ty and Tristan went to see a new ski movie. Ty was really into Warren Miller movies when we were first married. On a side note, I liked to watch them to see Glenn Plake's hairstyles, but I digress. (If you want to check out some of his hairstyles, check out www.glennplake.net and enjoy.) Anyway, a friend of Ty's at work couldn't make it, so he sold Ty his tickets. Tristan wasn't sure he wanted to go, but he tagged along to check it out.
I guess the movie was quite an event. They had a raffle and a silent auction. Ty made a couple bids, but he was outbid as soon as the movie started. So, Daddy and I were watching a show on TV when the front door opened and Tristan walked in with a huge snowboard! Ty may have been outbid in the auction, but that didn't stop him from winning the raffle.
Tristan commented, "This is pretty much the best day of my life!" The boy doesn't even know how to snowboard. I guess he'll be learning this winter.
Now they're just being silly.

It Doesn't Take Much

2008-11-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

It's funny what kids will play with. Sometimes, you can't entertain them with all the toys in the world. Then, sometimes all it takes is a fabric grocery bag.
The INL had a health fair and Ty came home with a lot of free goodies. My favorite was information from The Sleep Institute. He found out that because it had been so long since my last sleep study, I was eligible for a new sleep study and a new C-Pap machine. (The new ones have technology that will let you know if the pressure is off or if there is a leak at some point in the system.) The kids' favorite goody was the two cloth shopping bags.
First, Ty stuffed Samantha into a bag. I remember when I was that small! But I digress... Let me tell you, those straps are STRONG!!! Ty carried Samantha from the living room into the kitchen where I was making dinner. She was giggling like a madwoman.
Then, Samantha had Zachary squish into the bag so that she could carry him around the living room as well. It just goes to show, you can spend hundreds of dollars on toys and games for your kids and all it takes to entertain them is a freebie grocery sack from a health fair!

Best of Friends

2008-11-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

You would never guess it, but Mayzee and my mom's cat, Gabby, are the best of friends. They got off to a rough start when we first moved here. There was much hissing and spitting as Mayzee tried to play with the only other critter her size.
Before long, we realized that the hissing and spitting cat didn't seem to want to get away form the playful, energetic puppy. They often chase each other around the table and chairs in the dining room. It's so funny, watching them run and chase. Watching Gabby bat at Mayzee's head while Mayzee goes in for little kisses on Gabby's nose.
Sometimes, the hissing and spitting gets so loud that we can't hear the TV over their noise. They run up onto the couch and go nuts. We spend a lot of time laughing at those two characters.

Twilight Frenzy

2008-11-22T15:21:00.000-08:00

Well, last night was the long-awaited Twilight date. We figured that since we already had tickets, we didn't need to go and stand in line for an hour. We got to the theater 30 minutes early. Hey, with all the commercials that precede the movie these days, plus, it was showing on 10 screens, that should be plenty of time, right? Wrong. We ended up sitting far closer to the front than I would have preferred. You know how they have the first four or five rows waaay up front and then there's a walkway and then the stadium seating begins? Our theater has a row of seats at the back of the walkway and that's where we were. On the plus side, there was a wall to our back and not some inconsiderate butthead kicking our seats!

As I said before, I was a little nervous that the movie would be disappointing after reading the books and being so excited about the movie for so long. I was not disappointed. I think the setting was amazing. My SIL has been to Forks, so I will have to ask her how accurate it was. I disagreed with a few of the choices of actors. While he had his moments, Edward was all wrong. Not nearly hot enough. Same for Rosalie, although Ty really liked her in her baseball pants. lol Bella, Charlie, Jacob, Billy, Mike, Carlisle, Alice, Emmit, and Jasper were perfect, IMHO. I also thought that Edward's skin in the sun was all wrong, although I have NO idea how they could make it look the way it did in my imagination! I LOVED the baseball game and the ballet studio fight. I really enjoyed the inside jokes that were rampant throughout the script. I think that made it real fun for those of us who read the books. I also thought it was fun to see Stephanie Meyer make a cameo appearance, she's so cute. All in all, I really enjoyed the movie. And I hope they make a cubic boatload of money off of this one so the next (Please let them make the rest of the books into movies) will be even better. Better special effects and all that.

I asked Ty if he liked it as we were leaving the theater. He commented, "I can see why there are so many groups of girls here. But there was just enough hunting and fighting to make it good for guys, too." I guess that's a good review. What do you think?

Now I think I want to read the books again. Just as soon as we get all our stuff out of storage. *sigh*

I Got Tickets!!!

2008-11-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

I am so excited. Ty got us tickets to see Twilight on Friday. All but one of the shows that day are sold out and ALL the Saturday showings are sold out. I'm lucky I have a friend who's manager of the theater who warned me that the tickets were going fast. (Thanks Debi!) Ty's not nearly as excited as I am. Actually, I think he couldn't care less, but he knows I want to see it badly, so he's ready to see it, too. Now, I just hope it isn't a dud. You know how you work things up in your mind and then, when it happens, it's disappointing? I really hope it isn't like that.

My Baby's 12!

2008-11-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

Today, my oldest turned 12 years old! I can't believe it. I just looked at my watch and exactly 12 years ago, to the minute, I was pushing and trying to bring my first baby into this world. That's just crazy to me. It seems like it was just yesterday that I first held him in my arms.
A few of Tristan's friends came over and we took them over to Leo's Place for pizza and playing.
The kids had one table and the adults had another. That way, we could at least pretend to be sane.
The boys played in the fun equipment, played a game of laser tag, and in general, acted silly. They had such a good time.
The football cake was a big hit. The players' jerseys were even the right color, green and white. Notice the expression on my dad's face? The singing was less than stellar.

It is so strange that my baby is twelve years old. Tomorrow, he will be ordained to the Priesthood! Then, the following week, he will be passing the sacrament!!! How is that even possible? I look at him and see that baby I held so close, not a young man. Today has been a little bittersweet as I am not quite ready to let my baby grow up. I love him so much and I am so proud of the sweet young man he has become. He is very helpful to his little brother and sister. Zachary absolutely worships him and tries to copy his every move. It's so cute.
Happy birthday Tristan! I love you so much!!!

Clean Up

2008-11-15T14:50:00.000-08:00

With five extra people living in my parents' home, conditions get a little crowded. One of the biggest problems is that we went from three bathrooms down to one. The bathroom counter was so covered, you couldn't even see it. One day, Ty couldn't take it anymore and he had an epiphany. He came home from work with an over-the-door shoe hanger and went after the bathroom with much gusto. I wish I had taken a "before" picture, but at least I got the "afters".
This is the counter after his clean-fest. Doesn't it look nice?

Look at the shoe hanger. Can you believe all that stuff was on the counter? I have the best husband ever!

The Toothless Wonder

2008-11-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

It's funny how things all happen at once. One day, Zachary had all his teeth (except the one the dentist had to remove) and then, within a matter of two weeks, he lost 4!
He's so funny cuz it freaked him out each time that the tooth got loose enough to come out. It would be hanging by a thread and he wouldn't let us pull it. Ty tied a bit of floss around it so that Zach could gradually pull it and even that made him nervous. Finally, Ty attached a vitamin bottle that Zach could drop when he was ready. Ty "accidentally" bumped him, he dropped the bottle, and the tooth popped right out. Zachary was pretty excited after that.
He looks so cute with all his missing teeth. We had a mishap with the school pictures. Tristan and Samantha's came out great, but Zachary's never even showed up, so we had to sign him up for retakes. His teeth all fell out between the two picture sittings, so his school pictures will show him with all his missing teeth. I can't wait to see them.

Halloween Fun

2008-11-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween. It marks the beginning of the holiday season for me. And it's awesome to be home in Idaho to celebrate this year. There's a slight bite in the air. The leaves are falling out of the trees. My parents have two huge maple trees in their front yard and the kids are having so much fun jumping in the huge piles of leaves.
Since school was closed on Halloween, the school had their parties and parade on Thursday. I worked in Zach's classroom for his party and it was so much fun.

I was in charge of the pumpkin bowling. The kids had so much fun rolling the pumpkin down the "alley" to knock over the Lil Jugs

The parade started in the kindergarten and as the kids went through each of the classrooms, the next class would add on to the end of the parade. Every time Zach went past a group of parents or teachers, he would put up his hands to show off his skeleton fingers. He made me smile.

The only picture I got of Tristan in his costume was in the parade. He was way too cool and too busy to pose for any other pictures.

Zachary was an adorable little skeleton. He had so much fun at the trunk or treat. He loved going from trunk to trunk. It was fun to watch him.

Samantha was a Gothic sorceress. She was very pretty. I don't think we'll get many more pictures of her either. Why do the kids have to grow up so fast?
The trunk or treat was very popular. It was unlike any other we have done. It wasn't as organized as others we've been to, and nobody decorated their trunks, but the kids had a blast. One of the trunks was full to overflowing with stuffed animals! I think they must have owned one of those crane games that you see in the doorways of shopping centers. It was the most popular trunk there.
Afterward, we went out to Ty's parents to show off their costumes. All in all, it was a great night.

Pumpkin Carvin'

2008-10-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Today was pumpkin carving day. We had planned to carve them on Saturday, but life happens and we ran out of time. While Ty and the kids were at church (I stayed home sick), my mom was kind enough to clean the pumpkins out. So, when they got home from church, the pumpkins were all ready to be carved.
Zachary kept his nice and traditional. The small tools made it very easy for Zachary's small hands.
Samantha's was like a carved Picasso. Very abstract.
Tristan went artistic with his pumpkin. It took him the longest to carve his. I think he did awesome.
The pumpkins turned out great and the kids had so much fun carving them. I don't think they even bickered once! Now that's really saying something.

Wii're Fit

2008-10-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

My mom was looking for a was to get in shape and have fun doing it. She decided that Wii Fit was the way to do that. It was funny to watch her waiting to get it after she ordered it online. She was checking her tracking number every day. Sometimes, a few times a day.It's so much fun to do. The kids even like to get involved. Zachary even has favorite Yoga poses. His favorite is Warrior Pose.

I think this pose is Sun Salutation. Now the kids and I are asking for a Wii for Christmas and I want Wii Fit! It's like having your own personal trainer, without the embarrassment of weigh ins! Actually, the Wii Fit board "character" has quite a devilish sense of humor. The worst is when it tells me to step on and then actually says, "Oh!" when I do. I wonder if it will still be so sarcastic when I've lost some of my weight?

The Snowman

2008-10-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

Back on the 13th, I posted about the first snow. Well, the kids (mostly Tristan) went out on that Sunday morning and built the first snowman of the year. Ty took these pictures while I was sleeping. (Hey, it was Sunday, I had to sleep in.) I didn't even know the pictures had been taken until we carved pumpkins, so that's why it took so long to get them posted here.

Mayzee helped a little.

The kids named him Goofy.

Tristan found another use for all those plums! That's what made up the snowman's face. It warmed right up the next day, so Goofy only lived for one day. Oh well, I'm sure he'll be back soon.

Easing Up

2008-10-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

Things are looking up a bit. A friend of ours in Las Vegas was kind enough to stick a note on our renter's door and we got a phone call on Saturday afternoon. Yeah!! (Thanks Amanda.) He says that his payroll checks have been bouncing. That is problematic. His boss owns several companies and due to the economy, he has to close down one. a few people will be losing their jobs, but our renter is not. This is good. Ty was understanding, but firm. "Yes, I know times are hard, but we have bills as well." He supposedly sent a money order to us today. I hope to see that cash in a day or so. At any rate, I actually slept for the past two nights!!! That's all I ask for. I was not looking forward to the whole eviction thing. Hopefully we've nipped this problem in the bud.

Stressin'

2008-10-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

I am not coping well at the moment. Our renter's rent check bounced. Again! It was late on the 5th, now it's just ridiculous. The late fees accrued are through the roof. You'd think that they would want to remedy the situation, wouldn't you? Nope. They won't answer their phone. In all fairness, they only have one phone. A cell phone. One they let their teenage daughter carry all the time. That's something else I don't understand, but that's just me. Ty left a message with her on the 6th that the check had bounced and please have your mom call me, but that hasn't borne any fruit. We call several times a day, every day, but nobody answers, the mailbox is full, and it is frequently turned off. This is so hard to deal with from so many miles away. It sucks. We sent a letter earlier this week letting them know that if we don't hear from them, we will begin eviction proceedings. That presents it's own set of problems.
1. First of all, how do we even know that they are in Las Vegas? The woman's mother has been very sick and they could be visiting her on the Reservation in Arizona. So, how do we even know that they received the letter?
2. How do we evict people from over 900 miles away? How do we make sure they get out? How do we keep them from trashing the house? (Not that I think they would, the woman is a neat-freak and making a mess just isn't in her nature.) Is Ty going to have to take time off from work to make sure everything happens?
3. We have our own bills to pay and we count on the money from their rent. We would like to be able to move out of my parents' home some time in the near future, how on earth can we afford 2 mortgages!?
I am so stressed out that I can hardly stand it. I am not sleeping at night. I take Ambien, and even with that, it takes an hour of two to fall asleep. Then, when I do, I toss and turn and often, my dreams are about the mortgage and finding another place to live. My skin is a mess. I am short and irritable. I cry at everything! You know, I understand that her mom is sick and that is very sad. I feel for them. But that doesn't mean all of her obligations cease to exist! I am still glad that we are here. I think we made the right decision. But when we started this adventure, I was very relaxed because we had a two year, signed lease. I just didn't think we would have this kind of trouble. The couple and their kids seemed so put together and nice.
How do people not pay their rent? That's a set bill. It's there every month. It never goes away. How do people forget to pay their rent or mortgage? Don't they notice that, for some reason, there is a lot of extra money in their account? And okay, these guys did pay their rent, technically, but the check bounced. How do they not know that?
My back aches. My tummy is upset. I am a mess. Why can't things just work the way they are supposed to? Why can't people take care of their responsibilities? AAAACCCKKKK!!!!!!
Thanks for letting me vent.

The First Snow

2008-10-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we had our first snow. It was so beautiful. The boys had so much fun out playing in the new snow. I'm not sure how "War" fits in with the snow, but that's what they were inspired to play.

Looking at Mayzee, you can see how big the fluffy flakes were. That night, as I was waiting outside for Mayzee to do her business, I was reminded of how much I love snow. It was so peaceful and silent. I turned my face up to the sky and let the snow gently fall on my face. I'm sure that in February, I will need to be reminded that I missed snow for the past few years in Vegas, but for now, I LOVE the snow!

Plum Freezer Jam

2008-10-13T15:50:00.000-07:00

Ty's parents have a small plum tree in their back yard. This year, however, it has decided it's a BIG plum tree. It is putting on so many plums that Pam and Richard don't know what to do with them all! That turned out to be a good thing for us. Last Friday, we went out to Lewisville to make use of some of them.

First, the boys, Ty, and I went out and picked a paper bag full of little, round plums.

The tree was so full of plums that we didn't even have to use a ladder to get to the top of the tree. When we had all the plums we could use, the tree didn't even look like it had been touched! That's how many plums were on the tree!
Zachary and his grandma bent over the sink, washing and pitting plums. It was messy business.
Tristan stirred the sugar and pectin.Finally, after the plums had been munched up in the blender, Zachary and I mixed the plums, sugar, and pectin together. Ty then poured the plum jam into containers for us to put in the freezer when we got home.

We made 10 containers of freezer jam and we didn't use half the plums we picked. Richard sent us home with a 5 gallon bucket full of plums to do with what we would. We've made fruit leather and we're looking for other recipes so we can find ways to use all the plums.

Punkin' Pickin'

2008-10-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

On the 6th of October, Daddy decided it was time to pick the pumpkins in the garden. There were quite a few to pick. I decided that it was the perfect time to take some pictures of my beautiful kids.

As you can see, we got quite a haul. We had a very good time. It's always fun to do things like this as a family. (I have no idea why it's underlining. Sorry about that!)

How Can You Say "No" to That?

2008-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Last night, after the kids had gotten into jammies, brushed their teeth, and been hugged soundly, we sent them all down to bed. Ty, Mom, and I settled in to watch a rousing episode of Criminal Minds. Soon, however, a little blond head poked around the bar in the dining room and then sheepishly crept into the room. My sweetest Zachary walked up to Ty, looking up through his long, blond eyelashes and said, "Daddy, when I tuck myself in, it just doesn't feel good, but when you do it, it feels good, so will you please do it for me?" Mom and I nudged each other and hid our smiles as Ty looked at his beautiful son in shock. Then, Ty looked at us with a wry smile on his face. How could anybody say "no" to logic like that. I felt such a rush of love as I watched my husband, with our small son's hand tucked into his, walking to the stairs to take Zachary back to bed.
It's the little things that help to remind us how wonderful it is to be a parent! I love all my babies so much and hope that none of them ever grow too old to want to be tucked in every once in a while.

It Ends

2008-10-09T11:39:00.000-07:00

Well, we finished up the season last night. It was the first game of the playoffs and, to be honest, I don't think our boys even showed up. It was sad, really. Sandcreek kicked our butts 21-6. Ouch! The coaches were awesome though, they made sure everybody played in this, their final game. Then, at our post-game meeting, as a few of the boys (including mine) shed disappointed tears, they pointed out that 25 other teams didn't even make it to the playoffs. The coaches told the boys how proud they are and that they were already looking forward to next season. I felt really bad for the boys. They were so down-hearted about the loss and that the season is over. I even found out that I am sad to see it end. I thought I would be happy to be done with practices every day of the week, and I guess I am, a little bit, but I really am gonna miss watching Tristan's face when he was very proud of himself and his teammates. I'm gonna miss standing on the sidelines cheering our boys on.
I'm also gonna miss telling my son things like, "Go out there and hit somebody!", or "I wanna see you make someone cry!" Yes, I actually said that. Turns out that I'm a nasty woman. But, I'm okay with that. I've come to the conclusion that football is a violent sport and pain is part of the game. The boys expect to be hurt and plan to just suck it up, use it to fire them up. So, it turns out, I am a different person that the one that started at the beginning of the season. I have gone from the mom who was worried about rushing out to the field to comfort her embarrassed son who just got tackled to the Mom on the sidelines screaming for him to rub some dirt on it and get back up and hit them back!
Plus, I have learned a lot about the game that I didn't know before and that ought to make Thanksgiving, and New Year's Days much more enjoyable!

Camping... Sorta

2008-10-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we went down to a friend of the family's farm in Preston. They have a ton of room and they let us come take up some of it. Mom and Dad took their 5th wheel and we set up a tent in the huge yard. It was very relaxing and a lot of fun. It was also a great chance for me to play around with my new camera. Oh, and Ty took some pictures, too.

There was this great, old barn out back of the house. The kind that makes you wanna explore. You know, if it weren't for the mice and bats and rusty nails. Nope, come to think of it, I'd still love to explore!

Isn't this a great picture of the sunset with the mist coming up off the lake? Okay, actually, upon further inspection, that wasn't mist, it was dust being kicked up by some guys on four-wheelers. And, oh yeah, it's a reservoir and it's empty right now. Still, it made for a great picture!
Jeremy came up from Hill AFB and brought my adorable nephews. Quite possibly the cutest in the whole land! Declan sure loves his grandma!
Andrew's angel face is impossible to not love. (Uh-oh, notify the Grammar Police!)
If fun can be measured by filth, He earned a 10!
Tristan is a country boy at heart.

I can't believe the detail this camera is capable of!
Ty took the older kids on a hike up the mountain. It was so pretty there with all the trees beginning to put on their fall regalia. So many reds and yellows and browns.
This last picture really should be put in front of the one with Tristan and Samantha in the trees, but it just makes such a great closing shot.

Playoff Bound

2008-10-05T21:01:00.000-07:00

The boys had their last game of the regular season last Wednesday. It was up in Driggs (an hour and 15 minute drive) and boy was it cold! However, we were a bit spoiled there. It was held at Teton High School, so we had bleachers, bright lights, and a score board! We didn't have to yell "Time!" at the refs every so often. What a luxury.
The boys all had this look of joy on their faces. It made me even happier, just to see the huge smiles.

I love these pictures. I apologize for the messy layout, I can't figure out how to fix it. Oh well. The one on the bottom left makes me laugh, cuz you can totally see the way Tristan is trying to contain himself. And the bottom right just screams, "VICTORY!"
So, now we prepare for the first playoff game this Wednesday.

Betcha Didn't Know...

2008-09-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged for the first time ever! Thanks, Jenny.
So, without further ado, 5 things you may not know about me...

1. When I was young (like 10 years old) I wanted to be a Rockette when I grew up. Forget that I was 6 inches too short, don't stomp on my dreams, it could happen!

2. I am madly in love with my husband. Okay, maybe that's not a big secret,
but it's still a big part of who I am. We knew after the first week that we
were meant to be together!
(Quick info on the picture: This was taken at our Ward party last year.
Ty got the Arab garb when he was deployed in 2006. I chose this picture for two reasons.
First, it really shows his sense of humor. And second, this is Ty's laptop and
this is the only picture of him on it, except for the one from the football post.)

3. I am terrified of thunder. Okay, I know this isn't a picture of
thunder, but you can't take a picture of thunder, so this is the next
best thing!

4. My first car was a bright yellow 1972 VW flat-back sedan.
All my real pictures of the bus are in storage, so I'm using pictures from a
car show. My car's model is the 2nd from the front and the color is that last one
in the back. I loved that car!

5. I still sleep with a teddy bear. His name is Terry and I have
had him since I was 10. My Grandpa Jones gave him to me.

So there you have it. Now you know everything there is to know about me.
Now I am tagging: Keirra, Rebecca, Aurie, Rochelle, and Tylynn.
I can't wait to see what you have to tell us!

The Streak Ends

2008-09-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

Ty was ready for our fifth game last night. We were all very hyped, as this game decided who gets to remain undefeated.

Tristan was hustling it to make sure he gave his all during the game.

See the excitement on his face?

The boys worked hard during their pre-game scrimmage to ensure that they would be ready to face the un-defeated Taylorview 2 team. Tristan just pushed this kid out of his way and ran right through the line. Tristan got a lot of play time, so that made it so much fun to watch.

We lost the game, but in the boys' defense, the refs made some really bad calls. When even I can tell the calls were off, you know it was a bad call. The boys played their butts off. And even when it was obvious we were going to lose, they kept their spirits up. I was impressed with how the coaches reacted. They played all the boys. Then, in the after game meeting, instead of freaking out because they lost the game (I honestly thought they would, after the way they harped on the importance of this game) they told the boys that they were so proud of them. The coaches pointed out that all the plays our boys made were solid, well executed plays. They pointed out the yardage we gained, that there were no fumbles, and every pass was caught with ease. I was proud of the boys and I was proud of the coaches.

I'm So Excited!

2008-09-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

Ty is the best husband ever! Remember a few posts ago, I started complaining about how my camera had crapped out? Well, on Saturday, after the kids' last game, Ty said out of the blue, "Hey, let's go look at cameras." Ummm... okay. He decided that we should go to Farr's, a high-end jewelry/electronics/collectibles store, to check out their cameras. We had Zach with us, so it was a little nerve-wracking for me. You know, expensive merchandise, active 5 year old, not a good mix. Anyway, Ty was talking to the guy behind the counter and I was half-listening as I also kept an eye on Zach who was hanging out on a bean bag in the television department. Behind the camera bar was two shelves with several cameras. The bottom shelf had lots of the small, point-and-shoot, credit card sized cameras with two or three of the nicer cameras. The top shelf was filled with high-end, fancy big lens cameras. To my surprise, Ty asked Mike (my new friend from Farr's) to give him the run-down on the prices on the top shelf. I absently thought it was kinda rude to get the guy's hopes up for a big sale when all Ty would really want to buy was one of the small cameras, while I run over to tell Zachary to quit jumping on the bean bag. When I came back, Ty had one of the really nice cameras in his hands and is checking out the features. Before I knew it, Ty said, "We'll take it!" Wha? Then, he decided to take the extra lens because if we bought them at the same time, we got it for half-price. Mike also threw in a 2 gig SD card and gave us a discount on a bag to hold all my nice, new stuff. I couldn't believe it! My recently tight husband just bought me a very expensive camera. The great thing about it is, it's idiot proof. Sure, there are a lot of awesome features, but they are easy to use and give great results. Here, let me give you some examples:

Indoor portrait:

Action shots:
My cute dog:
Outdoor portraits:
Can you believe how great this camera is? I LOVE it!!!

Giving My Time

2008-09-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have such a great opportunity this year. For the first time, I am able to volunteer in my kids' classrooms! It is so much fun. I don't have to find sitters for younger children, so I am available the entire time Zach is in Kindergarten.

The first class I started helping out in was Zach's Kinder class. I am there all afternoon. There are 22 little cuties in his class. Usually, I do letter recognition with the kids to get them ready for reading. It's so fun to watch their little minds work. I am surprised different their levels are. It ranges from a little boy who "counts" the cards I show him to a little girl who gives the letter name, sound, and an example, "Bee, buh, bird." It's so cute. I also assess and record the skills set booklets, run copies, and filing. I love Zach's teacher, so it's fun to be in the class.

Then I started reading groups in Tristan's class. I work there for the last hour of school. It's fun to see all the personalities of all the different kids. At that age, they start to get their more "grown up" attitudes and ideas.

I haven't had a chance to volunteer in Samantha's class yet. The first week I showed up and her teacher was out sick. The substitute didn't know what to do with me, so I left. Then this week, Samantha had a bad cold and had to go to the doctor. Strike two. Hopefully, I will get a chance to help next week.

I love being in the classroom. It's nice to have an idea of what is going on in the classes and seeing my kids with their peers. I feel so blessed to be able to volunteer this year. I hope it continues to be this much fun!

Where's That Jones Kid?

2008-09-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Time: 12 Noon
Place: Lincoln Field
Event: Tristan's team's 4th football game. We played Rexburg Grey this afternoon.
We were a little nervous as we were getting ready for the game. It had been raining off and on since about 2AM and thunder was starting to make its presence known. Would the game be canceled? We actually got really lucky. The sky cleared for the 2 hours of our game and it began raining again on the drive home. Thank you Tlaloc (He's the Aztec god of rain.)
Tristan had had a really good practice yesterday. He was chosen to lead the end of practice cheer (kinda like the MVP of practice) and was told he was being moved to first string. So it was exciting to see him trot on to the field the first time the defense was up. Tristan was amazing! He was NOT letting any of those red jerseys past him. He was a tackling fool. I didn't know he could hit like that! I spent much of the game screaming my head off because it really was a good game. (I forgot how much I used to love football games when I was in high school.) The boys were having so much fun. Tristan was going for the other team's knees like his life depended on it. In the last quarter, Tristan was called off the field. I think he thought he was being pulled for some instruction. When it became apparent that he wasn't going right back in, he went to the coach (I was observing this from my seat) and said, "Are you sending me back in, Coach? Are you sending me back in?" and I overheard the coach say, "No son, it's time to let some of the other boys play." YEAH COACH! I was so glad to see that they weren't pulling any of their old tricks.
After we won the game, (20-0) the team gathered for their mini team meeting. The coach had forgotten the trophies, so the coaches were just telling who they liked for the game today. Best defensive lineman, best offensive lineman, that sort of stuff. Soon, coach says, "What about the best tackles?" and another guy (one of the dads, I don't know what his name is, Lee's dad) jumped right in, "Where's that Jones kid! He was awesome!" I was proud to begin with, but it's nice to have someone else notice your kid's efforts, ya know? So, it's between Tristan and this other kids who made a major hit. One that we could hear an audible "Uuunnhhh" from the boy being tackled.
I'm so proud of all those boys for their team spirit, excellent sportsmanship, and 100% they put into every game. We have a good group of kids and a good group of parents. Plus, we're 4 and 0 and that ain't bad either!

Playing Rexburg

2008-09-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the boys played against Rexburg Red in Rexburg. It was a good game. All the boys got to play, and that's what's important to me. It was kind of a weird day. We expected it to be a little cool, but it was actually quite warm. Ty and I both got sunburns and we were very thirsty by the time the game was over. Ty's parents came to watch the game and Tristan was very excited to have Grandma and Grandpa there. We won the game 34-0. It was a really good game with the boys making some very good plays. It was a lot of fun to watch the boys having such a good time. I felt bad for the other team, though. The boys were trying so hard. You could tell such a difference between our "fans" and theirs. Even before our team started scoring. First of all, there were twice as many parents and such on our side, which surprised me because it was their "home" game. Then, every time our kids did a play, whether they did well or not, we were cheering them on, either with, "Good Job!" or "Great play!" or "Go Panthers!" on the good plays or "Good effort!" or "Good try!" or "Good job!" on the others, you know? There were no cheers coming from the other side at all. How are they supposed to stay fired up if their own parents seem so disinterested? We were maniacs on our side and they seemed kinda bored. I kinda wanted to go have a little parents' meeting with the moms and dads on that side. "Hello? These are your boys and they are playing their best. Show them some love, would ya?" Oh well, there's not much I can do about them, and our boys had SO MUCH fun! All in all, it was a good game and a good day.

Raising the Bar

2008-09-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

Today was the first day back to practice for the Panthers. Tristan lit it up! He was on fire. He watched the ball like crazy and knocked down anybody who tried to get by him. His coach even commented, "Tristan, you're a monster out there today!" In your face, coaches! Hopefully Tristan can keep this fire burning and the coaches will see how much the boy wants to play.

At What Cost?

2008-09-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

It's taken me a while to get to this post because of the strong feelings I have regarding the topic. I wanted to be able to be objective while also conveying my feelings on the matter. I hope that it comes across in the post and I don't just sound like a raving harpie. Well, now that you are all atwitter with curiosity, I'll get right to the point...

Tristan had his second game last Wednesday. The boys had been very fired up about the game because it was against the team that eliminated them in the playoffs last year. The coach had been ranting about this team and how we had to kick their butts and grab back the bragging rights. Some of the boys on the team were actually having a hard time because coach had made it into such an important game that they were afraid of making a mistake and "letting the team down." Tristan was not one of those boys. He was just pumped to get in there and kick some Eagle Rock butt. The energy level in the car on the way to the game was through the roof. We were taking Dylan to the game as well (Kim was going to be a little late so I had the boy.) The boys were chanting, cheering, and pumping their fists in the air all the way to Tautphus Park. Mom and I smiled a lot. They were just so much fun to listen to.

The boys are supposed to get to the game an hour early so they can warm up real good and get some plays worked on before the game. That extra hour just fired the boys up more.

Tristan plays defense, so he wasn't on for the first part of the game. When we got our first touchdown and subsequent field goal, we turned the ball over to Eagle Rock. Tristan still wasn't called to the field, but that's okay, there are 28 boys and everybody needs a chance to play. Ty showed up after the first quarter and joined us in cheering the team on. The second half began and still no Tristan on the field. We (Mom, Ty, Kim, and I) commented that it was strange that Tristan hadn't played yet, but we still weren't too worried.

Third quarter ended with still no play time for Tristan. Had he been overlooked? When forth quarter was about half over, Ty was more miffed than I and went over to the coaches to ask why the problem. He came back steaming. The coach he spoke to told him that we just had to win this game and that it wasn't just Tristan, 10 boys hadn't played yet! Ty's response, "You need to play those boys!" and he stalked back to us. Oh, BTW, the score was now us 14 them 12. The game continued and ended with no change to the players on the field.

I was irritated when I thought Tristan had been overlooked, but finding out that he had been intentionally left out along with 9 other kids had me steaming! We had won the all important game, so (most of) the boys were very excited as we joined together for the brief after-game meeting. Ty had left before the meeting commenting, "I'm gonna go now before I say something very stupid to one of those men." The coaches were all smiles and kept congratulating the boys on their victory. As I looked at the boys, most were happy, but there were some very disappointed boys sitting in that circle. Including my baby, who was trying very hard to keep it together and not cry in front of his teammates. After the trophies had been awarded and the team cheer had been yelled, we headed back to the car. Away from his teammates and out of the bright lights, Tristan finally broke down. I was SOO pissed off. Even now, my teeth are clenching as I write about it. I put my arm around my baby and with my own voice cracking, I tried to tell him that it was okay. He cried most of the was home. He commented, "I didn't even need to be there tonight," and, "I wanted to win, but not like this." I was STEAMING mad. I spent the entire night thinking up things to say and do to the coach, but very little sleeping happened.

How can a coach consider it a victory when he has broken the hearts of over a THIRD of his team? Didn't he say during our first practice that he didn't care if a kid was the greatest player on the team, if he played with heart, he would always get a chance to play? There were 10 little boys that night with great big hearts that had them stomped all over by a heartless, greedy coach. I wish I could talk to those men and make them see. But, honestly, what good would it do. First of all, it's done and nothing can change what's been done. Second, if I try to discuss this, I will get angry again and when I feel any emotion strongly, I cry. Joy, fear, anger, sadness? They all result with me in tears. How effective would that be? I would be brushed off as an emotional, over sensitive girl and wouldn't be taken seriously.

My father pointed out that we paid to have our son play on this team. "If you pay, you play!" was his admonition. I guess that's true, but I really don't care about the money. I care about the feelings of those little boys who wanted to play for love of the game. Who wanted to "show off" to their families and friends who had taken time out of their lives to support them. Who worked their butts off for the week before, only to be ignored on game night. GRRRRRR!!!!! As you can see, I still get worked up about this.

For days after, every time I thought about it, my stomach would tighten and my jaw would tighten. The coaches promised that every boy who didn't play last Wednesday would get their chance to play in our next game. That's good, I guess. The snotty girl in me says, "Yeah, since these games don't matter!" But what happens if we make the play-offs and we meet up with this team again? Will ten little boys be left out again for the sake of victory? Sure, we won the game, but at what cost?

It Was Birdicide

2008-08-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

So, I am on my way to football practice to pick up the boys. Just drivin', singin' along to the radio, mindin' my own beeswax. I notice sitting on the right side of the road, a beautiful, huge hawk. I thought, "Wow, isn't he pretty." and a random thought about how I haven't seen one in, like, forever. When all of a sudden, he spreads his great wings and takes to flight. Right into the middle of the road. I thought, "He'd better hurry, I'm gonna hit him," then, "NO! NO! NO!" It was like he was hovering right in front of my grill. Then we made contact. BAM! He bounced up onto the hood, right up against the front window on the passenger side. I'm gripping the steering wheel like it's trying to escape, my shoulders crunched up to my ears, and squinting my eyes. Like any of that is going to change the fact that a truly majestic bird is now sliding up my windshield, one wing straight up in the air. He reached the top and fell off onto the side of the road. If I hadn't been late picking up the boys, I would have stopped, though what I could do at this point is beyond me. When I got to the practice field, I checked the front end of the van to see if he'd dented it or left feathers or something. I mean, the bird was HUGE, so it was a distinct possibility. No damage could be seen, so I guess that's good. This whole time, I keep thinking, "I killed a hawk. I'm a bird killer. I'm gonna go to Hell for murder!" Okay, I didn't really think that last one, but I was feeling very guilty. As it turned out, practice ran over by about 10 minutes, so I wasn't late after all. By the time I got the boys loaded up in the van and started heading back, I decided, I wanted to drive by the scene of the heinous accident and see if maybe, if by some miracle, the bird was just stunned and had flown off. Nope. Still lying motionless on the side of the road. I slowed waaay down and was considering stopping when a car coming from the other direction pulled over in front of him and stopped. Well, I didn't want to admit to anybody that I was the one who destroyed such a beautiful part of nature, so I sped back up and moved on. I don't know if somebody moved him off the road or if animal control came and got him, but he wasn't there when I took Tristan to practice the next day.
So, I am trying to console myself, saying that he committed suicide because of the way he hovered in front of the car like that. I mean, hawks are smart, right? He must have wanted me to hit him, right? Right? Right?

It's a Little Bit Funny... This Feeling Inside

2008-08-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Am I weird? Am I the only one who feels this way? I walk Zachary to school every day and wait with him until the teachers come to pick the kids up. When I watch him go through those big double doors, I feel just a twinge of sadness. Or maybe it's melancholy. Whatever it is, it only lasts for a minute. It's kinda hard to turn and walk away, but by the time I reach the crosswalk, I'm fine again. Is that strange? Am I just a big baby? Or is it normal to want to hold on to your baby a little bit longer? *sigh* Maybe I just need to take the advise of Tristan's football coach and suck it up. *double sigh*

The First Game

2008-08-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the Panthers' first game. It was AWESOME! I forgot how much I enjoyed going to sporting events. It was very exciting. Tristan is a maniac! He is on the defensive line which surprised me because he is so small. You should have seen some of the kids Tristan was up against. The first line up that Tristan was on the field, Mom, Dad, and I all said, "Oh my gosh, that kid is huge! Tristan is supposed to block him?" Then the play started and Tristan took the kid out!!! We didn't worry anymore after that.
The game was great. We scored the first touchdown and then the field goal. We kept the Rigby team back for most of the game, following up with another touchdown. We WON 13-0! The kids were amped. The coaches have a nice little tradition for after the games. They award 5 trophies for the MVP's. The kids keep them for the week and return them the day before the next game so they can be awarded again after the next game.
I didn't bother to bring my camera because it is so unreliable, but Kim was clicking away like crazy. (She handed the still camera to me for a while so she could video and I snapped a few shots myself. I WANT HER CAMERA!) Anyway, the point is, I have no pictures now, but she'll get them to me later.
Oh! And the kids made it onto the local news! Panthers Rule!!!

A Day of Firsts

2008-08-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Tristan and Samantha were all smiles as they prepared to go to their first day at a new school in a new town. Yesterday was back to school night where the kids had a chance to meet their teachers and find their classrooms. All the kids liked their teachers, which is a good thing. One of the reasons they are so happy looking in this picture is because they get to walk to school... all by themselves! It's been a couple years since we lived in a place where I felt comfortable letting them go alone.

Samantha was so nervous the night before. Her stomach was upset and she couldn't sleep.

Tristan is too cool to be nervous, but I was still yelling for him to go to sleep at 10 pm!

Zachary had such a hard time. He was so amped about going to school. He has been asking when school was going to start for the past 2 weeks. When he found out about back to school night, that was all I heard about for days.

He was part of the reason Tristan didn't go to sleep earlier. Zach just wouldn't shut up!

Today was rough because he is in afternoon Kindergarten. The older kids got to leave first thing in the morning and Zachary had to stay behind. He was soooo excited, he got dressed 3 times this morning.

I am not exaggerating when I say that he asked if it was time to go to school yet every 20-30 minutes for the next 3 hours. When it was finally time to go, I fairly had to run to keep up with him on the way to school.

I snapped this picture as a surprise as his little class was getting led into the building.

It was a bittersweet day for me. My baby is going to school! Last night, it hit me and I cried. A lot. Ty actually got mad and told me to get a grip. (That might have something to do with the fact that it was after 11 and he has to get up at a quarter to 5 in the morning to catch the bus for work!) I finally had to go out and cuddle my sleeping baby for a few minutes so I could sleep. I wasn't the only mom shedding a tear or two outside the doors to the school!

As a side note... I had another weird moment this afternoon. Do you have any idea how strange it is to have your kids going to the same elementary school you went to? It's a little Twilight Zone for me.

Happy Birthday Dear Sami...

2008-08-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Samantha was a little spoiled this year. She got to celebrate her birthday 3 times!
The Saturday before, she got to get together with a few of her friends and go to Leo's Place for pizza and fun. Leo's has a HUGE indoor play area for the kids to climb and play in. The girls had so much fun running and screaming and the boys had fun chasing and teasing.

Samantha wanted to have her hair all curly for her birthday, but all of our curlers are packed neatly in a box in a storage unit! But I had a brilliant idea: Rags! I remembered reading that in the "old days," ladies put their hair up in rags to achieve curls. They turned out pretty good, don't you think?

On Sunday, the entire family came over for cake and ice cream. Samantha had plenty of help opening her presents. It was nice having everybody together in one place. Well, everybody who lives close by, that is.
Even Grandma Tolman made an appearance.
Then, Samantha went home with Grandma Pam for her birthday sleepover and a day of shopping and other "girl" stuff on Monday.

All in all, Samantha had a great birthday!

Poor Puppy

2008-08-16T18:42:00.001-07:00

This week, Mayzee had a VERY bad day. She went to the vet and came home a few ounces lighter. No puppies at our house! She felt so crummy. She couldn't even manage to hold her ears up!

She was very shocky. All she wanted to do was sleep, but she couldn't stop shaking. Once she got settled, we covered her with a towel to keep her warm.

Fourth of July in Idaho

2008-08-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

My family has always been very patriotic. We always stand, remove our hats, and shed tears when the National Anthem is played. I was so happy to be home this year for the Fourth. And, yes, I cried when the Flag passed us by.

We had great seats on the parade route. Daddy has friends who live right on it and they have a big breakfast before the parade even begins. Even Mayzee got in on the celebration!

Movin'

2008-08-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know we have been here for over a month, but I just barely got around to dumping the pictures off Ty's camera. I apologize for the quality, I don't get along with Ty's camera very well. Also, I can't seem to get the pictures to move and I put them in the window in the wrong order. Oh well.
Tristan was very proud of all the help he gave. He worked his butt off!

Here is the unit when we first started. I can't believe we got all our stuff in that little room. Now I just pray there is no fire, cuz just about everything we own is in that box!

Hit 'Em... HARD!!!

2008-08-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

Tristan and the other boys began real football practice this week. They got their pads and helmets on Friday, so this week has been all about full contact football.

They are having so much fun. I thought it would be difficult watching my baby slam into other kids and having other kids slam into him, but surprisingly, it's quite exciting! They have a funny little cheer that they do where one kid yells, "Hit 'em..." and the rest of the team respond, "HARD!" I found myself chanting it with them in my head. Yesterday was a scrimmage with the other Rocky Mountain 6th grade team. Tristan was squared off against his opponent (I'd tell you the position, if I knew what it was called!) and when "Hut!" was yelled, the other kid tried to get away from Tristan so he could be open and Tristan just NAILED him! I mean, took the kid out! I let out a whoop and jumped and clapped my hands before I realized what I was doing. I wondered, belatedly, if the mom standing next to me could be that kid's mom, and I almost felt guilty. Almost.

Now, my next order of business is to learn the positions so I can tell people what Tristan plays. That is, when they finally settle the boys into positions. I would also like to understand more about what is going on out on that field. I wonder if they make a "Football For Dummies" book I could read?
I do know that the boys need a lot of work and that coach is determined to make these boys the best they can be. He does not accept second best. One of his sayings is, "I don't care if you are the best or the worst kid on the field, as long as you are playing with heart. If you have heart the size of Texas and you give me your best, that's good enough for me." Now, that's not to say that he isn't out there yelling, "SUCK IT UP!" when there is a kid out there bawling cuz he got a cleat to the shin or whining about his helmet being too tight. "Get a haircut!" is his response to that one! It's so much fun watching these kids grow.
This purple jersey is not what the team will be wearing. This is the jersey from last year and we're just using them for work outs. The real thing will be Bonneville green and white. We have no idea when we might get those.
I have to give a holler to Kim Bily for these great pictures! Her son is also on the team and we have a lot of fun chatting during practice and laughing at the boys as they learn their plays and how to "tighten it up." Thanks Kim!

RSVP?

2008-08-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, time for a complaining blog...
Why don't people ever RSVP? Especially if it says, "RSVP" right on the invitation?
I am very frustrated right now because Samantha invited 4 little girls to her party in two days and I haven't heard so much as "Boo!" from any of them. How am I supposed to know if they're coming? How do I know I won't have a crying child in 2 days? So, now I'm stuck trying to call these people to see if they're coming. There is a problem here though. We are new to the Ward and I don't know these girls' parents very well yet, and I have nobody's phone number! Luckily, I DO have the phone number of the Activities Days leader, so I have a call in to her to get the girls' number. But will she return my call? ACK!!!
So here is my plea to all of you out there, Please always, always respond to an RSVP. You will be saving the host such a HUGE headache!

Go Panthers!

2008-08-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

Well, Tristan has had his first couple of football practices with Grid Kid and needless to say, the kid is hooked. They spent most of the time doing conditioning training yesterday and today, they started drills. There are about 30 kids on the team ranging from 60.5 pounds all the way up to 153 pounds. It's amazing to look at the difference. Tristan is a great runner (usually in the top 4 when they run sprints and distance run) and pretty good at blocking as well. It's a lot of fun watching those kids work. I must say however, I am a wee bit nervous about next week. The boys don't get their pads and helmets until Friday, so there isn't a lot of hitting and NO tackling. What am I gonna do when the first kid plows into my baby? I might just storm onto the field and kick the kid's @$*! More likely, I'll burst into tears and run onto the field to help him up. That probably won't get very good results either. During the parents' meeting yesterday, Coach opened by saying, "I will scream at your kids. The helmets make it hard for the boys to hear us, so we have to be loud, but mostly, we just like to yell." He also said that this is a hard hitting team. The entire goal is to get out there and ram into anything that moves. Nobody gets past his line. Yipe! I am gonna have to make some serious adjustments to my thought patterns if this is going to work! And I really want this to work. Tristan is just so jazzed. I love the energy and excitement he shows when he talks about football or works with his teammates. So, all I have to say for now is... "GO PANTHERS!!!"

The End of the Tooth Topic... I Hope.

2008-08-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Today was Zachary's big dentist appointment. We had to be at the Hospital at 6:15 so he could be ready for his 7:45 "surgery."
Let me pause here for a brief commercial break. If you need ANYTHING medical done in Bonneville County or the surrounding area, go to Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls. They are amazing! The staff was quick and courteous and the service was exceptional. We were VERY impressed with the service we received there today.
Okay, back to the show.
After being checked in, a very nice man escorted us back to the waiting room that was stocked with toys and books for the shorties to play with and keep occupied. We hadn't waited long when a nurse called us back. She was very sweet and treated Zachary like he was the most interesting and exciting person on the planet, but she did it in such a way that was not silly or patronizing. Zach took to her right away. We got Zach stripped down and in a gown and then had some time to kill, so the nurse brought us a Radio Flyer wagon so that Zach could have rides around the pre/post-op area. He had so much fun and elicited more than a few smiles from the staff and other patients. They also gave him a coloring book and crayons to keep him occupied. The nurse apologized that they had no teddy bears to give him. Apparently every child who comes in to get surgery or whatever, usually gets a special friend to keep him company and then take home after. However, they were back-ordered so no new friends this time.
At 7:45 on the dot, the anesthesiologist came out to answer any questions and then take Zach back. They had planned on giving him a little something-something to help him relax because kids freak out in situations like that, but Zach was just excited about the grand adventure he was on that the doctor decided to forgo the extra drugs. Zachary was wheeled through those double swinging doors with a big ol' smile on his face.
We waited in the cozy waiting room for about an hour before Bryce, sorry, Doctor Burtenshaw came out to tell us how it went. Everything was great. In fact, one of the teeth wasn't as bad as expected, so he didn't have to put a crown on that one. Then we got to go back to see our baby. The first nurse had warned us that small children have a really hard time when the come out of anesthesia. It's very disorienting for them and they tend to cry for about half and hour. They aren't in pain and they can't tell you what's wrong. They won't make eye contact. They are just freaked out and so they cry. So, as we were being led back, I was straining to hear my baby's distinctive cry, but when we got to the room, he was still passed out on the bed. He woke up a little when the nurse rubbed his back and he wanted hugs from both Ty and me and then he wanted the slushy that had been offered. He took one spoonful of that and promptly fell back asleep. Ty had a doctor's appointment just down the street, so he took off to go to that. Zach woke up enough to ask where Daddy went and was out again. The boy was TIRED! When Ty got back, we decided it was time for Zach to wake up, so we started talking to him and waking him up. He sat right up and looked brightly about the room. He didn't even squeeze out one tear. He said hi to Ty and me and then asked for more of his slushy (which was now just an orange drink, but he didn't care.)
Oh! I forgot to tell you, at one point, when Zach was still asleep, he shifted his position and the pulse-ox reader came off his toe. The machine began to beep its warning and in the time it took Ty to stand up, a nurse appeared to find out what was wrong. She was so FAST! That means alot to me, cuz when I was in hospital to deliver Samantha, the woman in the room next to me began to crash. Her baby's alarms had been going off like crazy, but the nurses in the nurses' station just kept turning them off remotely, never bothering to check on her or the baby. The baby was born with SEVERE brain damage and later died from injuries sustained due to those nurses' lack of professionalism. I was very happy to see her come to help so quickly.
We were checked out very quickly and after another short ride in the wagon to the front doors were on the road in a matter of minutes. Zach was STARVING and requested Sonic for lunch. He devoured his hamburger and french fries and spent the rest of the day running and playing with his friends and siblings, so I think he's just fine!
Zachary does have to go back to see Bryce in about a week to get a spacer put in where his molar was extracted when we were back in Vegas, but other than that, I believe the Dentist situation is over. YEAH!!!

You CAN Go Home Again... It's Just Weird

2008-07-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

So, we've been home for almost a month now. Home being Idaho Falls and actually living IN my childhood home. It's been a real adjustment, to say the least. My parents have a home that was just fine for us growing up: Enough room, more than enough love, all that. But now, it's not just me and my little brother, it's me, my husband, and my three kids. Oh, and let's not forget Mayzee. It's a little crowded. We're making it work. The kids go back and forth between trying real hard to be good and trying real hard to make me go out of my mind! I think the hardest thing is that we don't have our own stuff and what we do have doesn't belong anywhere in this house. So it's very hard to keep things neat and tidy. And I feel we MUST keep it neat and tidy since we are the invaders in this little play. We are so grateful to Mom and Daddy for letting us stay here while we take care of a few bills and then find a new home. It's such a blessing that we have a soft place to fall during this transition. My parents ROCK!
Then, there's the issue of church. I am going back to the same Ward I was baptized in, the same Ward I grew up in. It's so strange. For one thing, the boundaries were re-drawn while we were gone, so it's not the 6th Ward anymore, it's the 7th. Then, there's the people. Of course, all my friends are grown up and have moved away, but their parents are still there. Only now, in a way, they're my peers instead of leaders and teachers. So WEIRD!!! There's also a girl in the Ward that I went to school with at Bonneville. She was a cheerleader. Now she's a mom with kids and everything!
Speaking of friends from high school, I took Zach to the dentist yesterday to get the ball rolling on fixing all the problems going on in his little mouth. The dentist? Bryce Burtenshaw, another kid from my class! Muy Bazarro! Notice the terms I keep using? "Girl" "Kid" It's because I don't think of them as adults. Why is it that I know I've grown up. I have started a family and all that. Why then, can't I see my friends from school as grown-ups too? Why does my mind have a hard time wrapping around the image of them as grown-ups with their own families and REAL jobs?! I wonder if I'm the only person who thinks like that, or maybe it's normal? So many adjustments to make!
As a side bar, Dr. Bryce (as the people in his office call him) is my hero. After examining Zach's teeth, he settled in to explain all the problems in Z's mouth. The Mommy Guilt hit almost as hard as before, but Bryce explained things better than the dentist in Vegas had. He started drawing on a sheet of paper. He drew a top view of a molar and said, "I want to explain this to you so you understand and don't feel like you're a terrible mom or anything." (Was it that obvious?) He showed me how the grooves in the molars work to help us tear and grind food, yadda yadda yadda. Then, he drew a side view of the same tooth and explained how on most teeth, the grooves are only so deep. Occasionally, the grooves are really deep. So deep in fact that the toothbrush can't get in to get all the food debris out. Those super deep grooves aren't Zach's fault, it's just simple genetics. (Which makes it again my fault, just less directly. lol) I asked him how we're supposed to clean that nasty stuff out and he said "You can't." However, when he finishes Zach's "baby root canals", the crowns he puts on will be less deep and will prevent him from having junk left in his mouth. He went on to tell me that he can tell that Zach is doing a great job with brushing his teeth because the teeth in the front that don't have those silly grooves are healthy and beautiful. Yeah Bryce! You truly are my hero!

Moving stinks!

2008-06-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

I hate moving. It is no fun. I stress about EVERYTHING until it's over. Luckily, it's almost over. Only today and tomorrow and then we pull out. If I can just remain sane until then. It's so sad to see your life reduced to a bunch of boxes.

The Tooth Drama

2008-06-17T08:05:00.001-07:00

So the front view doesn't make it look that bad. I guess that helps the mommy guilt a little. Poor baby, if you even got close to his mouth, he'd flinch like you were gonna hit him.

The side view really shows how wide-spread the infection was. The big purplish bruise looking thing is all the infection build-up in the gums and cheek. He was so miserable. I just wanted to cry.

On Wednesday, Ty took him to the specialist to do the pulpotomy and I stayed home at the kids because I was sure I would ring somebody's neck and then be worried about Zach the whole time. (The office had called earlier in the day to tell me that because they hadn't run our insurance sooner, the office had closed and they couldn't verify whether we had insurance coverage or not, so the would have to re-schedule for the next day or so. Do you SEE my baby's face? That didn't fly with me! Anyway...) After they had been gone a little over an hour, Ty calls to tell me they are on the way home. This isn't good because it takes 45 minutes just to get to the office across town! Well, the specialist took one look at poor Zach's mouth and was instantly angry with the dentist who had attempted to "repair" it the first time. She said, for the first thing, he shouldn't have even tried to numb the area because all that infection in like Pac-Man and just gobbles up the anesthetic before it could do any work. That's why he couldn't get numb. Second, when a tooth is that infected at Zach's age, the best course is to just extract the tooth. It was the one covering his 6 year old molar anyway, so it's not like he'll be toothless long. Then she continued that the other 3 didn't need the pulpotomy and probably not the extraction. Their infection was largely related to the first tooth's infection and will probably go away now that he's had a full run of antibiotics and once the offending tooth was removed. So she rescheduled to Saturday when he was done with the antibiotics. We went in on Saturday and with very little trouble, we had the tooth extracted. Since then, the swelling is completely gone, and he only complains about tenderness when he's really tired! Per the specialist's order, we are waiting till we get to Idaho to get the others taken care of, if there is anything to take care of. She thought several of the "cavities" were actually only "hot spots" that could be potentially healed with brushing and a good fluoride rinse. *Fingers crossed!*

Worst Mommy Ever

2008-06-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's me, the Worst Mommy EVER! It all started when we moved here two years ago. Ty's job offered no dental insurance, but since the kids and I had recently been (like 2 weeks before we left) we weren't too worried about it. A year passed and Ty got another job. This one offered dental, but it was pretty crappy coverage. So, being the great mother I am, I just kept putting off appointments for the kids. Then, two weeks ago, I got a clue and made appointments for all the kids for last Saturday. I was terrified of the horrors that awaited in my children's mouths. Tristan was 1st. No cavities, needs a couple sealings. Big whoop. Yeah Tristan, your teeth are great! *high five* Then Samantha went in. No cavities, needs one sealing, doctor recommends 2 extractions so her grown-up teeth can move in. (I am still debating whether I want him to do those, cuz won't they come out on their own?) Yeah Samantha, your teeth are great! *high five* Now, I know Zach was going to be a problem because I can see a hot spot myself, and he began complaining the day before the appointment that his tooth hurt. I was bracing myself for four cavities. Then the dentist comes out and says, "Come here, Mom, I want to talk to you about this. Zach is NOT brushing his teeth well. YOU need to be brushing his teeth every morning and night. He has 9 cavities." My mouth got tingly and my stomach got sick. "Four of these cavities are so bad they need a pulpotomy, which is basically a baby root canal." My angel baby needs four root canals? What kind of a mother allows her baby's teeth to get that bad?
We went in today to have his first one done. Zach was all excited cuz he got to go without his siblings and the dentist has movies you can watch with special glasses when he works! Wooheee! It's gonna be a party. The poor boy can't get numb! They gave him the max dose they can give and Zach was still feeling everything! We spent two hours there, just trying to prep him for the root canal. Finally, the dentist gave up. He said that if he attempted to do this, it was going to hurt and therefore cause problems with future dental visits. So he referred us to a pedodontist (that's the spelling the lady gave me, it doesn't seem right, but...) Zach will go to this other doctor who specializes in this. He will most likely be knocked out so they can just do all four at once. I HATE the idea of my baby being sedated like that. He's just too little. My heart is breaking. His first "real" dental experience (not just the "smile" appointments they give small children) and this is what he gets. You should see his face. We couldn't keep him from chewing on his cheek, so he looks like he has a huge jaw breaker stuffed in there. If it's still like that in the morning, I'll get a picture and post it here.
So there it is. My bid for The Worst Mommy Ever award. I think I have a pretty good shot at it.