Sweetheart Tag

This picture was taken soon after we got engaged and found the cheap, huge, plastic pretend engagement ring. See how big?
Our announcement picture. We are outside his parent's house.

My favorite picture of Andy and I by the Portland LDS Temple on our wedding day.

I mentioned to my cousin's wife, Kari that after the High School tag a few days ago that I needed one to answer questions about how Andy and I met, and she wrote one for me. Sweet girl!

Oh, and side note-One of my friends wrote to a boy online while we were in high school and every time he wrote sweetheart, he'd actually write sweatheart. Every time I hear that I still think of that and laugh. It was so funny to me.

Here are 10 questions to answer about you and your sweetheart:

1. Where did you first meet your sweetheart?
I met Andy at the Institute building in Pasco. I started going there right after I graduated and I think I started noticing him in August or September 2000 (after my brother, Joe, went off to college.) I asked my cousin who the guy was who was joking and laughing with his friends in the back of the room after the lesson and she told me that it was "weird Andy". After that, I was intrigued and asked what was weird about him. I don't think she even said much, just that he was funny. After that, I found ways to get him to take me places (That's right. I invited myself.)

2. What do you remember about him/her the most?
He was so fun and made everyone laugh.

3. Who asked who out first?
I'm pretty sure I invited myself. I was in his group for our Halloween "Can or Treat" and afterwards I went with him to take all the cans to the food bank.
We divided into groups for caroling December 1st too and after that, some people wanted to go and watch some silly movie (Monty Python and the Holy Grail and then they wanted to watch Toy Story 2 after that, so we were there a long time. It was funny because there were only five of us and there was one girl and one boy kind of making out throughout the movie, one girl in between, and us and we were making fun of the couple making out by pretending to make out), so I asked Andy to drive me there with him. (I had an old car and didn't want to drive it to Richland and then back home to Burbank.) This apparently worked out. The only day in December I didn't see or talk to Andy was on the 2nd of December (It was a Saturday).

4. What did you do on your first date?
Our first real date other than Firesides, FHE, Institute, Institute Choir, Game Night, Movie Night, etc. was The Nutcracker Ballet. Andy's sister was in it and we went with his parents to see it on the 8th of December. This is when my mom and dad met Andy. (I know, I have pictures. Thanks mom.) We met Andy's parents at the Nutcracker to watch his sister, Torrie, and went out to eat at Red Robin in Richland (before it closed down) with his parents and Torrie.

5. What was your favorite thing to do together when you were dating?
Movies and games and all the Singles Branch stuff. See above list. We saw each other almost everyday in December. We only missed the 2nd and the 15th. The 15th I had to go with another guy (my mom and his mom were friends or something) to his work party at the Moore Mansion. It was so strange.

6. When was your first kiss with your sweetheart?
Monday, December 4, 2000. I know. It didn't take long, did it. We were watching Dune (the TV mini-series, it wasn't that great, too much wookah and not enough fighting) at his parent's house with a group of friends and kissed on the couch, not long before his mom came down and turned on the lights to see who was at her house and made us all introduce ourselves. She payed close attention to who I was since I was holding hands with Andy.

7. When did you first realize you loved him/her?
The middle of December when I was getting more and more ready to go off to Rexburg for a semester. I discovered that he was the one for me.

8 Who said it (I love you) first?
I think I did. We were standing out in my driveway on December 27th talking about what would happen when I left for school and what we would do and we both kind of hinted at marriage. We decided that would be the next step and that I would still go to school and we could get married in the summer. (Meanwhile, my youngest brother was jumping on the back bumper of Andy's car bugging us).

9. How did s/he propose?
That last one was sort of our proposal and the day after that, we went to K-Mart and bought a cheap, super-big, plastic fake diamond ring for me to wear to school, so people would know that NaDell was not only attached, but attached to a rich guy, (until you looked a little closer at the ring). I came home for President's Day and he proposed for real on February, 19, 2001 after we got back from Ellensburg where he worked for the day on hay presses. I was sitting in the basement of his parent's house and he told me to close my eyes and then he came over and got down on his knee and then asked me to marry him. Yea!

10. What are two things you remember most about your wedding?
*We got married in the Portland, Oregon Temple and we were ready early so we got to go to the balcony above the Celestial room and sit there for a while before the ceremony. Then we went down the elevator to the Sealing Room and got there just before all of our guests so we shook hands/hugged all of them as they went in to sit down.
*It was my 19th birthday (Andy was 28) and after pictures, we went to Olive Garden to eat and one of the waiters sang Happy Birthday to me in an opera voice. It was great.

Now Tag at least four people:
Kori
Wendy
Kim
Torrie

Vincent Crawling

Here's a new video of Vincent crawling. He's getting too fast!

High School Flashback Tag

My cousin's wife did this on her blog and tagged me, so here's my answers.

1. Did you date someone from your school? Yep. A couple of guys, but not many after I was 16. Then I apparently had to date ones that lived far away and fly to take me to my dances.
2. What kind of car did you drive? Blue Hatchback Ford Escort 1985 and a Red Van too.
3. Did you pass your drivers test on your first try? The written one took two tries, but the actual driving one was done the first time.
4. Were you a party animal? I don't think I fit with them. I was very social though.
5. Were you considered a flirt? I guess so.
7. Were you a nerd? I guess so. Our class wasn't that big. There weren't enough people to divide into the HS Drama movie genres.
8. Were you on any varsity teams? 4 years Varsity Tennis (my first year, there were only three girls on the team though.)
9. Did you ever get suspended/expelled? Uh uh. No.
10. Can you still sing the fight song? Probably, if I think really hard. Wait no. Didn't have to think hard at all. :)
11. Who were your favorite teachers? Mrs. Harville. She taught me my Freshman year for Fabric Arts and Design, Sophomore year for Yearbook, Junior year for Yearbook, and Senior year for Yearbook and Foods class. I spent all my extra time there.
12. Where did you sit for lunch? Freshman year-in Harville's room with friends, Sophomore year-in the back of the commons at a table by the door with my friend, her boyfriend, and his buddies (JR.), Junior and Senior years-drove home to eat.
13. What is your schools full name? Columbia High School. Sometimes they add in Columbia-Burbank High School though.
14. What is your school’s mascot and colors? Coyote (and you don't say E at the end. That's so annoying to me.) Purple and Gold.
15. Did you go to homecoming and with who? Freshman year-with my at-the-time boyfriend (who I never kissed) Dusty. I think my mom drove us. I don't remember going to eat. Sophomore year-my friend's big brother who didn't have a date. Our mom's went to dinner with us. Junior year- finally 16, didn't get asked. Hmmm. Senior year-Buddy from Pasco took me to mine and his. He also got together with someone else who went to both dances in the week between them. It was SO much fun!! He He.
16. If you could go back and do it again would you? I loved hanging out with all my friends, but there is too much drama. I wouldn't be able to do it anymore. I'd just tell them to all shut up and stop being so selfish and that the world does not revolve around them.
18. Where did you go for senior skip day? Our grade was jipped out of everything. The other grades got to go to Seattle or on a campout. My year, they decided that we couldn't do that, so we went to Go Bowl in Pasco, Cable Bridge Mini Golf in Kennewick, and back to Burbank for a BBQ and swimming at the house of a kid in our class. Ohh, Fun. Totally sucked.
19. Were you in any clubs? Yep. Let's see if I remember them all. Honor Society, Science Club, FHA Club, Knowledge Bowl, Yearbook (I was the co-editor one year and real editor the next) + Newspaper,....I think that's all?
20. Have you gained some weight since then? Oh, yeah. Only like 80 pounds. That's nothing, right? (I was teeny then.)
21. Who was your prom date? Curt for Junior,flew from Utah to take me and Mike, an RM who served in our town and flew up from Utah to take me to prom Senior year.
22. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? Yes, if we even have one.
23. Did you have a job in high school? Babysitting, getting good enough grades, chores.

I TAG: Melinda, Emily H. and S., and Janae.

Vincent Video

Here's a short video that shows Vincent's two little teeth. He is so giggly! (Sorry about the movie in the background. If you guess the movie, I'll send you something.)



I made another one, but it was too long, even for you tube.
I'll make a new crawling one later.

Our Thanksgiving Dinners

Yes. Plural. Two. We love to be busy and because we have two families who live close together. One year, we even had three Thanksgivings. This works because my family likes to eat Thanksgiving Dinner at noon and Andy's family eats Thanksgiving Dinner at dinnertime.
We went to Walla Walla for the meal with my family. All my siblings, except for one, were there. (My brother in Cuba is supposed to be home for a visit in December sometime though.) My dad also invited several families from their ward to join us at the church. I did the veggie tray and the cranberry sauce. I recieved an awesome veggie-holding tray as a wedding present, so I love to use it!

All the food was delicious. My sister-in-law made a paper turkey and we all wrote on the feathers things that we are thankful for. They are going to visit our grandpa and grandma tomorrow to give it to them. We played some games after eating and had pictures too.

This cousin picture has all the cousins except for Ben who lives in Ohio. (zoom in, some of them have funny looks on their faces, but this is the best we can do when we're trying to get them all to look at the camera at the same time.)



Then we were off to Kennewick for dinner with Andy's family. Two of his local sisters were there for dinner and then one sister and Andy's grandma and new grandpa came for dessert. I brought a veggie tray and cranberry sauce here too, but also brought a yummy banana cream pie. (Andy's sister made one last year with chocolate chips melted in the bottom of a regular pie crust, but that made it kind of hard to cut and eat, so I made one in an Oreo crust, and it is SO good. I've made four of them in the last week!) The kids colored and played with cousins there too. They love to run in the hallway and up and down the stairs. (Too bad the smaller cousins are slow on the stairs and get to the bottom just when the older kids run to the top. Sorry Archer and Sami!) Vincent got to be held by uncles and aunts galore and even was able to "help" Uncle David play with his video game. Uncle Doug fed him some rolls and all the aunts and grandmas and grandpas picked him up anytime we put him down, even though he didn't have pants on. What a lucky kid!


The only bad things that happened today was that NaDell irrepairably ripped out the rear of her favorite jeans (I was squating to pick up Vincent as we left and they totally gave out. They are fairly new too and fit me great. They didn't cost too much though, so I'll just have to go and get a new pair, but not tomorrow. That's crazy day at the store!) And Vincent blew out his diaper and spent second Thanksgiving with no pants (diaper, but no pants. He only had shorts in the car.)
It was still a lot of fun and we love to visit with all of our family. We are so lucky to have so much family that we love to hang out with all the time. (I think they like us too.)

I know that this isn't the best picture of my kids. They made faces or tried to get off in all the other ones even worse than this one.

Elizabeth said that she is grateful for our house and for Vincent and that she loves to go to school and was then counting the days until she could go back.

Olivia is grateful for milk and Aunt Torrie and Grandma Ellen. (We just saw them, so that's probably why those popped into her head when I asked.)
The girls told me that Vincent is grateful for milk and people playing with him.

Vincent (10 months, almost) is now a full-fledged crawler. Forward, backward, and rolling. He is really getting fast. He can also sit himself back up on his bottom from laying down now. Soon he'll be pulling himself up. Crazy!

Happy Thanksgiving All!

We are getting all excited for Thanksgiving and all the holidays to come in the next month over here.
Today the kids and I went to Michaels to buy a Christmas tree. We picked one out right away, bought it, drove around back to pick it up, and it wouldn't fit in the car (probably wouldn't work in the living room either), so then we had to drive back to the front of the store, go back inside, pick out a different tree, and then go and exchange it, then drive back to the back of the building and fit it into the car with three kids. Fun. We made it though. Now we have a nice white light pre-lit tree.
I am excited for the holidays. Yesterday I spent some time online and found just the right things for the kids on one website and without any shipping. It was great. I'm trying to not go overboard this year. Just one big thing that they asked for from Santa and one thing from us. Plus little ones to each other. Elizabeth wants a Littlest Pet Shop house and Olivia wants a Barbie car from Santa. Vincent is going to get a ride on train. So, I picked out things that go with their Santa presents' themes. I'm so excited for them to love just what I found for them. I still have to figure out Andy though. He is hard to buy for sometimes. He likes a lot of different things though and I'll figure out something. I bought the things for our sibling couples exchange too. We just have parents and cousins left. YEA! I love being this close to done already!
Amazon.com is awesome! They have actually already shipped most of the stuff I picked out.

Thankful!
I am very thankful.
I'm thankful for my family.
I'm thankful for my ancestors.
I'm thankful for the Gospel.
I'm thankful for friends.
I'm thankful for place I live.
I'm thankful for so many things.
I don't know what else to say.
So many.
We are so lucky here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Elizabeth Look-alike Meter

Olivia Look-alike Meter

Vincent Look-alike Meter

Cute Kid in Bathtub

Here's my cute little boy in the sink for his bath. I decided to put the teething toys (that he hates) in his bath with him. He really liked that. He was having a ball.

Best Wake-up Ever

So this morning I woke up to a loud noise outside my window and it was one of my visiting teachers and her family using their new leaf collector to pick up all of our leaves! How awesome is that! I cleaned some up and tossed them in the garbage a week and a half ago or so, but didn't do it this week. (I've been busy cross-stitching and reading.) I was super excited and they are so nice!

Awesome Chick Flick movie

Tonight I went with a huge group of women (and one son-in-law of a lady in our ward) to see the movie Twilight. It was a very exciting movie and fit pretty well. The best part of the movie was going with a fun group, all the teenagers plus a few of my friends ohhing and awwing and making all of the rest of us giggle at their reactions. They made little noises everytime the main characters touched, kissed, showed up on the screen unexpectedly, etc. It was a lot of fun to laugh at them! I really only heard one lady from our group (she's a Jacob fan, so when he first came on, she kinda freaked out a little.)
It was a lot of fun to go all together. Here's a couple of pictures to show you most of our group. We had a few show up after we took a group shot and I'm not in it either.
Side note: I only have 5 chapters left of the third book and had to put it down to eat dinner before going to the movie.

Here are the two ladies who arranged our group. They are so fun!

Me and my friend, Becky. She only read the first book until the meadow where Edward was glittering and that was too much for her. She liked the movie, though, I think.

We got to the theater about an hour before the movie and there were still probably 60 people ahead of us. We all had to sit in different sections because of that, so we were just in small groups mostly.
19 in group picture + me =20 + latecomers (9) = 28 total women + one man! 29. Wow!

Oh, and here's the picture Andy liked the most; the one with the "poor sucker" guy who got to come with his wife and MIL who brought along a little magazine that appears to say "GUNS" just to prove he's a man's man. (If you click on the picture, it will zoom it in and then you can read it better.) Funny. Also, another lady in our ward and one of her friends.

My buddy, Amye, and her mom, sister and sister's friend.
Another group from our ward, Bethany, Sarah (one of our best babysitters) and Laurie.
Allison, Becky (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!), Christy, Christy's mom, and further down Brenda and her two daughters.
Michelle and Reisha from our ward. Michelle is married to Andy's new step uncle.
See what I mean about not many of us sitting together? Reisha is one of Elizabeth's teachers in Primary.

Another Tag

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Babysitter
2. Print Shop Digital Assistant
3. Assistant Tennis Coach for one season
4. Mom

Four movies I've watched more than once
1. Bed of Roses
2. Wedding Singer
3. No Reservations
4. You've Got Mail

Four places I have lived:
1. Mesa, WA
2. Umatilla, OR
3. Burbank, WA
4. Richland, WA

Four places I have been:
1. Yellowstone (but I was so little I don't remember)
2. LA and San Diego for Honeymoon
3. Las Vegas
4. Kansas City

Four people who email me regularly:
1. Mom
2. Sara (SIL)
3. Janessa (Sister)
4. Kim Welling

Four of my Favorite foods:
1. Chicken Pot Pie
2. Lasagna
3. Cookies (any kind)
4. Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Asleep
2. Hanging out at Mom's House
3. Japan with Satoko
4. Movies

Things I am looking forward to in the next year:
1. Andy and Torrie dancing in Nutcracker
2. Vincent's 1st birthday
3. 8th Wedding Anniversary
4. Not being pregnant for one whole year (that's the plan until next November anyway)

Four TV Shows That I Watch:
1. ER
2. American Idol
3. all Law and Orders
4. Supernanny

All over the place....

Vincent is getting into everything these days. Check out some of these places his little body found it's way into. He only crawls backward (so far) and rolls so he gets into these kinds of places all the time. He also likes to squish into the foot of space we have between the couch and the fireplace edge we have in the living room. He even fell asleep there before.

This one is today when he crawled halfway into the coffee table in the living room and then fell asleep. He slept like that for a little more than an hour. His legs are up in the coffee table. See?



He got under the chair at Grandma's house on Sunday.


Soon after this one, he discovered Grandma's shoes and tried to eat them.

My View on Pro Choice

I’ve heard so much lately about “Pro-Choice”. It’s always about how some stupid woman decides to abort the baby inside her. I say stupid because it’s true. She made bad decisions. It’s actually pretty easy to avoid abortions. Don’t have sex until you are married. If you are not ready for a baby, use protection. Really, it’s not that tough. At least, I don’t think so. I must be over-estimating their level of comprehension, though, because they seem to think that the time to consider what to do about a baby is the baby is already growing inside your body.

I’m Pro-Choice too. I’m for making a CHOICE to not have sex out of wedlock and to not make babies you can’t/won’t provide for. I’m for CHOOSING adoption if you do find yourself in that circumstance somehow (of course by no fault of your own. I wouldn’t want you to be responsible for anything you decide to do). I’m for CHOOSING to take care of and love a baby because it’s a Child of God. I’m for Choosing to do things before the action. Just as you decide what to eat for breakfast, unless you are disturbed (ie: Bulimic), you eat it and let it take its course through you. You don’t suddenly decide that you didn’t want that for breakfast and throw it up, so you don’t have to deal with it anymore. Or do you? You still have to deal with the taste of gross breakfast in your mouth, a hungry stomach, and an aching for a better breakfast.

I chose to have a good breakfast and I have not regretted that one bit. I chose to marry before I had sex. I chose a man who could/would/does take care of me. I chose to be at home to raise my children. I didn’t choose the way my kids are, but I wouldn’t change them. I have three smart, silly, adorable, and well-behaved (most of the time) children. They are helping me to be a better mom, wife, and person. I am so glad I know how to really make good choices.
Are you Pro-Choice?

Also, I see bumper stickers sometimes that say “Pro-Choice” right next to ones that say “Spay or Neuter Your Pets”.
Irony or hypocrisy?
Andy bought me a bumper sticker that says "Pro Choice is No Choice for Someone".

Christmas Questions Tag

1. Wrapp​ing paper​ or gift bags?​
I like to wrap Christmas presents, just because it's more festive, cheap, and the kids can't open them to peek/dump them out.

2. Real tree or artif​icial​?​
I like artificial. The last two years though, we had an old tree I got for free online that took forever to put together ... simply put, the tree was crap, I tossed it! I have to buy one this year now. (That was the idea. Now I have to.)

3. When do you put up the tree?​

I try to wait until December, but usually get it up sooner, right after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?​
A couple of days after Christmas. (Sometimes the day after.)

5. Do you like egg nog?
I don't think I've even ever tried it. It looks gross and I do like eggs. (Not a drinker, so doesn't appeal, I guess.)

6. Favor​ite gift recei​ved as a child​?​
Hmm. So many to choose from. My mom really spoiled me with awesome presents.......
My mom would give me Nutcrackers every year after I went to see the ballet in Richland (same one Andy's sister is in and that he is doing again this year.) when I was in fifth grade. I think I looked forward to those the most.
Andy and I got engaged right after Christmas. Does that count as a present? The real ring didn't come until February.

7. Do you have a nativ​ity scene​?​
I have a lot of smaller nativity scenes. I would like one big nice one sometime. Lots of time to collect stuff like that though.

8. Harde​st perso​n to buy for?

Nephew who already seems to have every toy because he's an only grandchild (for a little while longer) and one of few great-grandchildren. We just never know what to get him because it will be blown away by his spoiling (in a good way) family.

9. Easie​st perso​n to buy for?
Little girls. Like mother, like daughter. My mom always said she had trouble evening out our presents to open. She actually forgot my older brother one year. He got awful presents, like shampoo and socks (whatever was extra in the closet or something.) Poor mom, she felt so bad. He got better ones soon after Christmas.

10. Worst​ Chris​tmas gift ever recei​ved?​
A nutcracker from a boyfriend that he took from his sister to give to me. Like that's how I want to get a present. And then he told me it was her's. Nice. I guess I should have seen what a creep he was then.
The worst present I ever gave (I've been told this is the worst) was for our sibling exchange when I was in middle school. I had my little brother and since he was into sports, I gave him a football shaped soap on a rope. He didn't like that at all. I meant well, but it came across as, "you stink, (Andy added- and you might end up in prison)." Oops.

11. Mail or email​ Chris​tmas card?​
I don't email Christmas cards. How silly. Not everyone has email. Then, how do you talk to them? You don't have to send to every single person you know, but especially if you are already talking to them by email, then you are already updated on their lives. MAIL YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS. I love getting mail. I hate when I don't get cards every day in December. I totally look forward to it. (So do the kids.)

12. Favor​ite Chris​tmas Movie​?​
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

13. When do you start​ shopp​ing for Chris​tmas?​
December. I would sooner, but Andy likes to wait and wait.
(Andy says: It's not like I wait until after December, even though my friend who's Jehovah's Witness says you get good deals after Christmas is over)

14. Have you ever recyc​led a Chris​tmas prese​nt?​
Not a real present. I have recycled White Elephant presents for sure!

15. Favor​ite thing​ to eat at Chris​tmas?​

Everything yummy. Especially those cordial cherries. My dad would get a box every Christmas and then pass it around the room. I love them!

16. Clear​ light​s or color​ed on the tree?​
Doesn't matter. I just love to look at the tree all lit up at night.

17. Favor​ite Chris​tmas song?​
Jingle Bell Rock, but that's mostly because I can picture the video of my two older brothers doing Sunshine Generation to it. They were all dressed up in their white pants, yellow shirts, orange vests, and suspenders (I think) dancing around and forgetting the words to the song. Hilarious!
Favorite Religious Song is Away in a Manger. That one is so moving. Really, I love them all.

18. Trave​l at Chris​tmas or stay home?​
I have always stayed at home. With kids, we do our own Christmas morning and then go to grandparents' houses. We do things with family all through the holiday. Anytime there is something going on.
(Andy says: When I was a kid, we had Christmas at home every year but one. I think I was in 8th grade, we went to stay with Grandma Mac. The Yuletide cheer got interrupted when Suzie tried to smother Cindy with a pillow while yelling, "I'm gonna kill you!!" Then for the rest of the time, whenever my mom and dad went somewhere Cindy said, "don't leave me here with Suzie, she's going to kill me." My folks went out anyway, and while they were gone, Cindy ate a whole, gallon tub, of red licorice.)

19. Can you name Santa'​s reindeer?​
Dashe​r,​ Dance​r,​ Pranc​er,​ Vixen​,​ Comet​,​ Cupid​,​ Donne​r,​ Blitz​en,​ Rudolph, Bruce, Marvin, LeRoy. Sara, my sister-in-law already typed that in, so I'm just gonna leave it there. I know them too though.

20. Do you have an Angel​ on top or a star?​
Angel from my mom's excess Christmas Around the World stash.

21. Open the presents Chris​tmas Eve or morning?​
One Christmas Eve sometimes, most in the morning.

22. Most annoy​ing thing​ about​ this time of year?​
When the music starts in stores the day after Halloween. Really? We need to make up some more popular Thanksgiving songs. Seriously!

Merry Christmas!!!​​​​ (way too early)

I did it.

I did it. I finally read "The Book". The one everyone's talking about. The movie out Friday. I read it. And, I liked it. It was very interesting and not what I expected. I read it on Friday and Saturday and then had to go and borrow the second book from a different friend Saturday afternoon. I finished that one Monday night and returned it to borrow the third from yet another friend. (I have a lot of friends who really like the books.) Maybe I'll even find a fourth friend to borrow the fourth book from just to be silly. I'm going to the movie with friends Friday night, so I decided that I wanted to read it first so I know what's going on and can assess whether the movie is as good as the book with them. I'll be glad when I'm done, because then I can move on and begin The Hobbit (our next book group book). Oh and, I decided to read them after my mother-in-law told me that she read the first one and that she borrowed it from Andy's 80 year old grandma. (They read it in their church book group.)

Olivia went to ballet today. She didn't go in at all though. I decided that even if she didn't want to do it, she had to put on her tap shoes/ballet shoes and sit outside the door. She couldn't go play or look at the kids dancing. She had to just sit by the door. She did it for most of the time and still wouldn't go in. We stayed for the whole time though. I don't understand her sometimes. She is stubborn too, I guess.

Vincent is teething again. Runny nose, crabby (for him). He is just chugging bottles like crazy though. He is always ready for one of those. He likes to wake up from an evening nap just when I want to go to bed too. That's a lot of fun too.

Elizabeth is loving school. I went in to help in her class yesterday and she had to do one of those hearing screenings (where you listen to the headphone while the nurse pushes the buttons and then you raise your hand when you hear it) and after her turn she had to sit quietly. She was making faces at me though. She's so cute. She does really well at school listening to the teacher. I was surprised that the class of 24 kids could all be quiet the whole time (all but two anyway). They had four people with the tests though and it went pretty fast (like 5 minutes). After that was done, I went to the tables the teacher wanted me to help and one of the girls told me, pointing, that Alex (at the table in a different group) was "Spanish". I was like, What? Then she said it again. I just said, Okay. Do your work. -Spanish-As if there aren't other kinds of kids in the class. He's not the only one. There are several Hispanic kids, a couple black kids, the other PM class has an Indian kid....... It's just funny what kids say to me.
Oh, and Elizabeth is in a "playground club". That's what they call it. They are an all girls club and the boys have a club too. The boy club chases the girl club. The password to their club is "ransom pansom". I wonder who came up with that? Hmm. We were telling her that she needs to make sure she's nice to anyone who wants to join their group because if they tell people they can't be in the group, it's a mean group, and she can't be in one of those. She said she would ask a couple girls today to be in the group. The drama is starting already. Oh, no!

Andy is busy working like crazy. He is super busy right now. Yesterday he went up to Othello (one hour north) and then when he was done there went to Hermiston (one hour south of us). He still got home at the normal (lately) 6pm. He recently had his ten-year anniversary of working at this company though and really likes his job. We went out to eat with his boss and his bosses' wife. They are fun to talk to and always come up with funny things for Andy and I to discuss later.

YOU ROCK!

Tonight NaDell's parents dropped by after a visit to the Temple. We visited with them and NaDell's Aunt and Uncle from Warden for a little while and then made my mom join Andy and Elizabeth with the new Guitar Hero (it was suprising how little egging-on it took for Mary to do it) . Elizabeth likes to sing. She does pretty good on beginner (like 86 percent, but on beginner level you just have to make noise) and loves to pretend to sing. She can't read the words, but she does figure out the main chorus. My mom played the guitar and so did Andy (the thing on Andy's arm looks like a band-aid but it must be a speck on NaDell's camera lens) . They all ROCKED! Obviously, from the picture, they didn't ROCK enough for my tired dad or wiped out Olivia (in a heap on the couch). Vincent was busy backing himself into Andy's computer room. I rescued him right after I took the picture.
After that, we went with them to Quizno's and then they continued the rounds to my brother's house.
Check out my mom's blog for her pictures.
Then, later, a surprise visit from Andy's parents. They dropped by to show us the pictures of how their cabin in Goldendale is progressing. They are pouring the foundation and will frame in the house next spring.

I LOVE HAVING GRANDPARENTS CLOSE!

Making Thank Yous

After school today I finally had time to set the kids up with card making stuff to make cards for Uncle Jeff. (Don't tell him. It's a surprise, but I do need to make sure I have the right address.)
Here's the picture with all the stuff out and them chugging away making their thank you cards to Uncle Jeff serving in Cuba as a prison guard at Guantanamo Bay for the Army.
We appreciate all he's doing to serve our country and to help keep us safe. We miss him and love him. Elizabeth wants to see him again so bad and Olivia hasn't seen him since she turned one (two years ago). He is having a tough time, I think, adjusting to the prison there and trying to stay up on his marriage and son in Ohio. They weren't married long (2 months) before he left for Cuba. He came back to Ohio for his son's birth in March and will return in January to Kansas. I hope he makes it through these emotionally tough days. I know his danger is not the same as the troops overseas, but it is still hard to be away from family for so long and with the scum of the earth. It worries me a lot.

Such good kids, at least until Daddy comes home....

*Vincent woke up crying at 7:30 or so this morning and I got him a bottle and Olivia a milk cup (since she was already up and taken care of in the family room) and went back to bed. I didn't wake up until like 9:30. The kids played nicely until then. Nice. (Remember, I stay up way too late.) I am lazy though, I know.
*So, this morning I had to go to the Dentist at 10:30 for a follow-up appointment and the lady that I like to watch my kids because her daughter is in Elizabeth's class talked to me last night about her husband's strep, her daughters' fevers, one other daughter's cold, and so we decided that wouldn't be very smart to leave the kids there. By then, I just decided to take them with me. They did great! I figured that they would. (Plus, I bribed them with McD's.) They just played and watched a movie in the waiting room around the corner from where I was while Vincent sat in his stroller watching me.
*So, since they were good, we went to McD's and they got toys there.
*Then, it was time to drop Elizabeth off at school. She ran on over to the line while the rest of us went to the hair salon to wax my brows and Olivia got a trim. Her bangs have been in her eyes lately. Vincent slept through the whole thing.
*Then, we went to Big Lots next door and found a replacement stroller for Olivia's broken one. She doesn't ride it, her dolly does.
*Off to Elizabeth's school again to help in her class. (Again, the family I trade with were all sick, so the kids came with me). Vincent continued sleeping and Olivia did the same work as the group I had. They were cutting out little pictures and gluing them on the square next to the one that rhymed with it. She did just fine. The other kids were all surprised that she wasn't a baby like they treat her. They were patting her on the head and acting like she was so little. Funny.
We helped in the class and then they had a Veterans' Day Assembly that would end right before school let out, so we stayed for that too. Olivia and Elizabeth held hands in the back of the line and walked down the hall to the gym for the assembly. Olivia was so happy to be included and Elizabeth was excited to show her everything. Olivia even sat with the class for 10 or so minutes before coming over to my lap. The assembly was great. They made a PowerPoint of all the Veteran's that are related to those in the school who sent pictures in. I sent in my Grandpa Crowther, Andy's Grandpa McClellan, and my brother Jeff. They displayed it on the screen with Elizabeth and then the three pictures underneath her. It was nice. There were a lot of pictures. Even one from the Civil War.

My Grandpa-Gordon Young Crowther: Army June 1943-March 1946 served in Normandy and was in the Battle of the Bulge among other places.


Andy's Grandpa- Loel McClellan: Navy 1942-1946 served in the US. This was not his uniform.


Jeff Crowther Army 2005-present. Right now he's a counselor at Club-Gitmo. (a guard at the prison for scumbag terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba)


*We came home and I started dinner a little until I realized that I had an appointment at the car place for them to fix something minor. We jumped in the car and ran on over to Pasco for that. I feed Vincent some bananas, the girls got huge balloons and drank a bunch of water from the water cooler, and soon we were done. I love it there because they wash and vacuum the car. I even took out the girl's seats so it could be vacuumed under this time. I hate doing it. Plus, this was covered by the warranty, so it was free.
*When we got home again, Vincent and Olivia were both asleep. Vincent transferred to his bed. Olivia did not. I made some meatballs (Olivia's constant request) and tried out my mom's recipe for sub rolls. I made meatball sandwiches. We put marinara over the top and then put the top of the roll back on. Olivia ate her whole one, Elizabeth had one and a half and they were definitely a hit with us too! Yea! I love to make things everyone likes.
*Before dinner though, while Andy was in the bathroom, Elizabeth decided "that she had to go right now and couldn't hold it another minute". She peed on the kitchen floor (better than the carpet, but still, she's way too big!) I made her strip down and mop the floor. While Andy made the girls take a shower (I didn't want to do a bath tonight for Olivia too), I mopped the floor the rest of the way, but I wasn't naked, and finished dinner prep.
*We had FHE about sharing after Olivia threw a book at Elizabeth and hit her in the mouth making her bleed. Nice. Probably first of many such instances.
*Now they are going to bed and I feel like relaxing. I think it's been a pretty busy day. At least there's no school tomorrow. Ballet though.

Happy Veterans' Day! If you love your freedom, hug a Vet!!

Why you should stay in school. (adventures in the hay industry)

They were having trouble at a certain hay barn, so I paid them a visit this morning. (Hay is a big deal in Eastern Washington. They smash it up to about 1/2 its normal size, load it into containers and send it to Japan. There's a bunch of hungry cows over there and no room to grow hay.) The machine was sort of jammed up so a couple of the guys had to crawl inside and try to chip out the hay. It's a lousy job, and I've decided if one of my kids ever says they don't want to make a decent career for themselves, you know: college, welding school, the Marines, carnival, etc., I'm bringing them to a hay barn and making them work there for a day (the regular work, not my work). Anyway, the guys unclogged the machine, so we fired it up and pushed a little hay into it, then someone said, "hey, where's Juan?" This made me a little nervous because, even though I yelled at everyone before I restarted the machine, and I turned on one motor at a time, and they make a fairly distinctive noise when they start up, I'd been the one pushing the buttons... Needless to say, I was quite relieved when a nice clean hay bale ejected from the press.

This is Andy's experience today. Just so you know that it wasn't me.

Just 'cause

I just feel like bloggin' today.
It's raining and a little chilly. I also feel like having a big bowl of soup in a bread bowl. Yum. I won't, but it sounds so yummy. I will do something for dinner though. Hmm, what else sounds good?

Check out my fun music. I moved the player to the top so that it's easier to turn off if there's other sounds you'd rather listen to. Our family song is Cake- "I Want to Love you Madly". It's a fun one. I just a bunch of songs on there that I love to belt out. I could listen to them all day long. Actually I have been. (Anytime I'm home anyway.)

Follow my blog. I'm following yours. It's fun. Go to your dashboard and make a reading list. That way if you lose all the blogs you list on your site, you don't really lose them and you can put them all on the dashboard and then shift all the ones you want people to see to your blog from there without retyping or losing any. I hate losing blogs and then going back to figure out which of the huge number I'm missing only to find out weeks later that I'm not up to date with so-and-so.

I went visiting teaching this morning and my partner is great. She always says the best things. She is a grandma who had nine kids. She is so young though. She knows just what I need to hear and the ladies we visit too. She read from three of the General Conference talks. One about laughing. One about faith, hope, and charity and that you need all three to make a stool stand. And one about Elder Uchdorf's mom losing her four kids on a train when she went to get food for them and how she had courage and faith. At the second lady we VT, I asked her about some candle stuff she sells because I would like a new smell. She went into her spare room and came out with a scent of the month that is yummy. It's Cinnamon Cider. I can't hardly wait until the scent I have in now will melt so I can switch it over. She gave it to me too. Bonus!

I've been reminded a lot lately about being cheerful and grateful. I understand that a lot of women struggle with this. I don't much. I work hard at being happy because if there's nothing you can do about a problem, there's no reason to be upset all the time about it. You decide how you react to a problem. You can decide to be happy you have children OR to be sad that you can't have more. You can decide to be sad about your husband not having much work OR you can be glad that he is able to spend more time with you and that you are able to learn how to budget better and make it work with less. I guess I'm a little unusual. I have four brothers. Blame it on that. I'm fairly rational and don't worry much about things. But remember "You Decide 2008", right? Right. Find the good. Make your house a place the Savior would want to be. (Not that mine always is....) Enjoy the small things.

We are having our Autumn Event for Ransom.Made-design on Saturday, so I'd better get back to my crafty stuff. Gotta finish up. If you would like to know more about our stuff or would like to purchase something, go to our site. Not everything we do is up there. If you have any more ideas, let me know. I can pass it on to whoever does that particular crafty stuff.

Elizabeth just came in to our "family song" playing and said, "Hey, this is our family song!"
I love that. She likes to sing to it too and Olivia dances. Vincent even headbobs lately.

I think it's time to curl up with a good chick flick and cross-stitch like crazy.

Wow, that turned out way longer than it was going to.

Oh, and Andy wrote most of that last political one. I wrote, "Arg. Not my fault." Then he changed it all up. He likes to do that sometimes.

Arg.

Not our fault, our vote doesn't count for much because we're red-staters trapped in a blue state. How soon until we get all the free crap Obama promised us?

At least our local guys won. I was never too crazy for McCain, but I voted for him because he's not a commie. My first choice for president was Duncan Hunter, but he never got anywhere. NaDell says, "I don't even know who Duncan Hunter is", see what I mean. Oh well, it took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan.

Super Fun Halloween Party

We had our second Adult Halloween Costume Party tonight. We had a lot of people come. I made some pumpkin shaped sugar cookies and orange frosting and set out pretzels, goldfish, Doritos, carrots, and made some yummy punch with Rainbow Sherbet and Raspberry pop. Everyone liked the punch! A couple of friends brought little snacks too.

We played some group games (Apples to Apples, Trivial Pursuit mostly) in the living room while others played Guitar Hero, Smash Brothers, and Mario Kart in the family room.

We also had a costume contest. Here are some of the best (according to the polls).

1st Place-Popeye and Olive Oil

2nd Place-Sarah Palin and John McCain

3rd Place-Poodle Skirt girl with Greaser Guy

Other Honorable Mentions-French Fries and Ketchup

White Trash

We also had three hippies, one mailbox, two lumberjacks, a Mary (who left her little lamb at home), Michael Phelps, a couple with crazy hair, a Renaissance costume, a grim reaper, a ballerina, a cowboy, and of course, Luigi and Daisy. Also, Andy's parent's stopped by without costumes to see us. We had a great time with our buddies.