The Cochran Clan

Where to start.... the Beginning

2011-01-28T13:43:00.008-05:00

Let's start with the birth! Here is the story:

On Saturday August 14, I went to a zumba class in the morning and then I was re-organizing the boys drawers...yes, more nesting! As I was waddling around opening drawers..up and down...I felt Leaky! Now this is not a new feeling completely, but It continued throughout the day. I called my mom who was visiting family in Utah and she said I should call the doctor. Which I did. The doctor said I needed to come in to check if it was amniotic fluid. Now in my mind I said, "uh oh". See I wanted BADLY a natural delivery. I had been induced with my first and it was horrible, but my second was natural and beautifully easy! I had even picked an O.B. that was more naturally inclined, their c-section rates where only 12% vs. the hospitals 30%!! So back to the phone call. The doctor said come on in, and I said, "How about we wait and I go into labor naturally and then come in, PLEASE?"

...it didn't work...she said I had to be checked now because there was a risk of infection...boo

So I canceled our evening plans, called the evening plans sitter and asked if she could come early, and told Seth to get home NOW from his weekly Walmart saturday trip ;)

An hour later we were headed to the hospital, all my bags packed and ready to go because I was going to be prepared for anything. We got checked in and she "scoped" me and 3 minutes later we were a positive for "ruptured membranes" which is a fancy way of saying..my water broke.

She was ready to start the induction, but I asked if I please could have the most time possible to try to go into labor on my own. SO I stayed at the hospital overnight. BUT being 2 weeks early....my body said NO! So at 7 a.m. they wheeled in the IV pole and the potocin started dripping....BOO!!!

ICK...I loathe potocin.... about 2 hours later I started to feel it but was breathing through ok. Then they came in and checked me. I was still a 3. A measly 3!!!! This was going to take too long and I wasn't about to go through all that potocin pain all day! So I threw my arms up and my will and called for the "drugs" the EPIDURAL!!! I felt defeated and broken, and a little scared. I think anytime there is a 5 inch needle entering any part of your body one should be scared.

The anetheolgist came in, a salt and pepper cutie pie man. Anyway, he did his thing and the weirdest thing happened.....I was "high"!! I started to giggle a lot and flirt with the doctor and say the most ridiculous things about how he had so much power over his wife because when she was mad at him all he had to do was give her some epidural and she would be happy and giggly and feel great... Seth was laughing at me. Thought it was great his wife was so silly and "high". My next feeling was exhaustion!!! I couldn't keep my eyes open. I conked out hard!! They would wake me to flip me every 30 minutes(Hear the thighs slapping together haha), but other than that from about noon till four I slept like a baby. Ahhhh I kinda was liking this baby laboring...so restful! ahhhhh. At around 4:30 I woke up and felt a little something down there. Then there was a pop and a gush and I could feel her head between my LEGS!!!!

"CALL THE DOCTOR, SHE'S FALLING OUT!!!" I yelled.

The doctor arrived, and said, "she's right there, go ahead and push." I was so afraid of tearing this time that I made the sound that I was pushing so the doctor would think I was, but really I was just"flexing" and she said,"great push! Do that again and she will be out!"

So I grunted my best grunt, flexed and POP, out she came. A little head this time! She already knew how to make her mommy happy by not breaking my who who!

I had a wonderful stay at the hospital and baby was perfect! I am in girl heaven!!

I don't know if it was the left over drugs or hormones, but I was just in bliss for her first three days!! She was soo precious and yummy!

Grandma and Grandpa Adams

The BIG Brothers meet their new sister for the first time....

Daddy holding his new princess girl.

Leaving the Hospital....off to a new wonderful pink life!! We are so blessed!!

Chloe Belle Cochran

August 15,2010

5:58 p.m.

6 lb. 14 oz.

19 in. long

38 weeks 1 day

2010-08-13T18:46:00.004-04:00

Sooooo, WOW!! Here I am at the end! I can not believe it. There is no other time in my life when I have more splitting emotions:

I do want her to come out because.... I can not wait to see what she looks like, cuddle her warm soft body against mine, feeling the immense love I know I will feel for her. Watch her grow through all the stages...into a beautiful woman

BUT...

I don't want her to come out becasue there is side that is scared, scared and anxious, and excited to deliver her. How will it happen? When will it happen? And then there is that other side that is sad to have her leave my body knowing this will be the last time I will feel the sweet movements of another with in me. This has been my hardest pregnancy by far, but the miracle and amazing feeling of it all will be missed!

I was talking with a friend the other day about how surreal having a child is. We both joked how when they lay that little alien thing on your belly, we are both feeling this shocked feeling and then it hits us, "THAT'S WHAT IVE BEEN DOING THESE LAST NINE MONTHS, OK CRY TIME TO CRY"

So here is my official statistical update: (this is the ooey gooey details)

-2 cm dilated

-90% effaced (she called it a pushing cervix)

-been nauseous for the past 4 days

- been spotting all day today after she checked me

- just normal braxton hicks, a few are crampy every now and then(mostly at night)

-lost 2 lbs. since last visit! whhoo hooo

I told the doctor I went into this pregnancy being very against induction, but after watching my sister's nearly puuuuuuurrrrfect, nearly painless induction PLUS how uncomfortable and sleepy I am.....Let's just say I almost let her strip my membranes today. WOW! And for those of you that know me, that's pretty desperate, because they stripped my membranes with Ryan and that led to my horrible induction....

She was actually the one that decided against it, saying I might regret it later, and the far far dusty pre-pregnancy part of my brain had to agree with her. She said she would induce me at 40 weeks, BUT she really didn't think I would make it that long......I'm worried she may have jinxed me.

Well to be continued.....

Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery

2010-08-11T12:22:00.006-04:00

I am really really good at copying other people's genious. The glory be MINE?? No not usually, the glory usually belongs to my sister, or pottery barn, or Martha Stewert, or ETSY!!

I love,loVe, lOve,lovE ETSY!!!

I have gotten the idea for my hospital gown, (this is my boo-tiful sis Amy modeling, made by the spectacilar hands of me mummy)

...baby blessing dress,

and car seat canopy all from etsy. So thankyou and bless those people out there for your non-money making inspiration!

My latest idea stealing hunt is for...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

a white paper bird mobile of some sort to hang over my baby crib. I just haven't done the rest of the room traditional, so WHY START NOW???

So how about this one...

....Or this one.....

...but this one wins the award for originality..I think I'm in LOVE, but HOW DID SHE DO IT!

I have white cardstock, a craft knife, and a sewing machine....do I have the right tools for the job?

Ideas anyone??

Waiting to Exhale.....

2010-08-08T17:38:00.003-04:00

...and inhale....and be able to walk again....and be able to eat normal again.....and sleeeeepppp...oh wait x out the sleep part.

I remember the moment Ryan was born and that wonderful feeling of filling my lungs with all that fresh oxygen down into the under utilized sections of my lungs. Ahhhh

This is my story at 37weeks 4 days:

Now I wait. I have nested and nested and nested some more! I got done nesting and packing my hospital bags at MIDNIGHT last night and already I'm bored! Bored out of my mind! I'm wondering what I did with my life before it was full of running hither and thither to pick up paint, ribbon, onsies,tissue paper,and diapers! What did I do before I spent my days and nights rearranging and cleaning the cabinets, closets, and under beds??

My nails are painted, my toes are painted, my legs and pits are shaved. I'm ready. SO let's go already!!

So I should enjoy this time, right? I can sit back and relax, knowing I'm ready, I'm prepared almost 3 weeks in advance which is unusual for me. But the truth is...I've needed all these activities to distract myself from....

.... this little annoying thing called FULL TERM HELL! This is when your body decides that it no longer appreciates being stretched and torn and sleep deprived! Let me vent a moment, just in case any of you forgot:

- sleep about 4-5 hour stretch (even with Tylenol PM)

- can't breath

- my left hip throbs all (short)night long

- indigestion so I have to sleep half sitting up which gives me a....

- back ache

- walking like a duck, a wounded shot hurt duck

- bottom end "issues" lets say....

- being jammed in the hips and ribs multiple times....

- I'm moody as all heck, poor Seth can do no right, the kids say I've been using my "big voice"

- every time I move or sit up my stomach tightens up into a knot and I can't move

- I'M HOT

- I can't tie shoes, I can't buckle my favorite sandals, I have to sit down to put my pants on

- ONE upside...my tummy sticks out so much that I can't see the number on the scale to weigh myself???

- charlie horses leaving me screaming

- not being able to laugh,sneeze,or cough without, well, you know...and lately I think I need to upgrade from a liner to a diaper

- once again running to the bathroom just to "dribble"

Ok maybe I don't even have it that bad compared to many and I know I'm being a big fat Laman and Lemuel right now.

Because there is this other more angelic side of myself that says that I should be so grateful to be blessed with this pregnancy, this little girl spirit that I thought may never come. I am so excited to cuddle her and I KNOW it will be worth it, BUT mommy me no feel good.......

UNCLE!!! I'm crying UNCLE!!

Called to serve

2010-08-07T07:41:00.008-04:00

Church Smile is plastered on my face as the bishop's counselor speaks, "and the new calling we have in mind for you...and we've given this a lot of thought, and we are very excited about is.....

CUB SCOUTS!....."

My church smile fades into dear in the headlights grin as my realization of what he just said....

visions of young rowdy boys,knots,and ugly brown shirts are dancing in my head.

Least to say this was the last calling I thought would "fit" me! My last calling was my perfect fit. You could call it my lid to my pot, my sail to my boat, my cup to my tea

Primary Music Leader...Loved it!! Every Sunday I sang and danced, yes danced occasionally for these beautiful children. I loved their little spirits, still love their spirits and I try to sub as often as I can...

..back to reality....so my optimist brain switches to "how bad can it be" mode. This is my about to have a baby posh job, right? Then I ring my girlfriend Jennifer who was the cub master at the time, but on her way out because she was ABOUT TO HAVE A BABY? She proceeds to tell me it was the most time consuming calling she has ever had!!!!???? And she goes, "they KNOW your pregnant, RIGHT?"

Wow, this is looking better and better by the minute. But I was not raised to be a downer about a calling. And I was raised to smile and nod and rise to the occasion! I'm not cut from the R.S. prez cloth like my mom....that is FOR SURE! But I realize where my strengths are and I think....

I think that's WHY they called me to this calling....

For example, first day cub scout camp. We gather round the cub scout flagpole preparing to do the flag ceremony. To open camp we announce that it's time for the packs to do their cheers. One by one each group of 8-10 boys about whisper their chants. What come again? How boring and quite! I don't like boring and quite!

The next day, I kinda took over. I told them it was a contest to see who had the most spirit. Ok I didn't just tell them, I yelled it at them! Then I told them if they didn't do it loud enough they would have to do it again and again! Well, that lit a fire under their butts and you should have seen their little red, strained faces shouting out these little cheers! Mamma Cubby was sooo proud!

Growing older into my 30's this is what my self-acceptance has been all about. Realizing that I am not EVER going to be the "oh, she is so on the ball" or "she is the best blank leader we have ever had" type. My strengths lie in the details. You plan it and I'll be there to accessorize and make it a great time! Are my pictures colored and laminated? Let's be honest...do they even EXIST! NO!! But what I lack in color and copy skills, I make up for in spirit and enthusiasm.

The Leaders: Jennifer Hunt (organizer, planner supremo) Donna (shopper,implementer of plans) Lisa (knot tier/spirit leader)

Come to find out though...I'm a whimper snapper at KNOTS! This is my new bumper sticker, do you like it?

How to make a Pomander

2010-07-20T23:54:00.003-04:00

A WHAT? ...a pomander....what's that?

It's a super cute, easy to make, and the most time consuming craft I have ever EVER MADE!

For my super amazingly cute and fun baby shower that my wonderful sista did for me, she made tissue paper flowers and hung them over her table display: IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!

I have seen them before, but they seemed way out of my crafty talent range to attempt! But Amy inspired me to look into it, becasue I had thought about including them in my baby room design. Then while searching for ways to make the tissue paper flowers, I came across pomanders....WHAT?? POMANDERS!! They seemed a little more long lasting or something to me to hang permentaly in my baby room...so I thought I would try one...and I did TRY ONE! THREE HOURS LATER I HAVE A LOP SIDED POM POM POMANDER!! So am I inspired to EVER make one again or make multiple ones for Chloe's room.....um NO WAY MAN (as that lil Simpson kid would say)

But just in case you have uber amounts of time on your hands and want to make one for a shower or party or something...this is the lady who taught me how to do it on you tube!

Tomorrow I think I'll make a bunch of tissue paper flowers so I still have time to do my other daily activities such as conquering the universe and other mundane task as such.

I think I need to start blogging again....

2010-07-18T21:48:00.009-04:00

No one I know that I used to follow blogs as much as they used to either...so I guess I don't feel that guilty. But I think the person, the only person that is mad that I stopped is me! This is my only journal you see.

Sure iPhone is a super high-tech do it all gadget that I lovingly refer to as "iCrack" becasue It is that addicting and replaced a need for me to get on my laptop, which in turn took me away from my lolli-gagging internet sucking time with blogging.

And facebook entered my world in a big way, and I could now just catch up and see pictures of you there on facebook, from my iPhone...done deal right!!! No need to blogger.com...RIGHT???
Well, that's fine for yall. My no interest blogger, I can totally understand was of little interest to most people BUT...I'm cheating myself and I HATE living with regret!

So I am equipped with a new sporty camera, plus the old one, plus my "iCRACK" photo's so this should be fun. I will start to chronicle my life once again and who will be happy??? ME (throw head back evil laugh)
Because there is a LOT going on in my life that I need to chronicle...I have too, or I will be super mad at myself!
What is sooo important you may ask? Well, only the pregnancy of my third and most likely last child....

whom I was sure would be a boy and I was going to love him and name HIM Cody.....well Cody was missing some accessories and turned out to be Chloe. Seth picked the name which is cute, because he never NEVER has been into pregnancies or the naming of our posterity until Cody became Chloe and I guess he is getting daddies little girl or something.

Maybe we are more settled and he has an easier time getting excited about this baby??? Who knows...either way it's super cute that he is into it. Anyway, Chloe is a spoiled BRAT already! Why?

Is it the closet full off garage sale and consignment store cloths? (YES, we have stock piled diapers up to the ceiling too...if BabysRus is out, you know where to look)...Or could it be her baby nursery I have spent hours of time designing and decorating? Here is that story....

Because I never had any moolah to spend and we were always moving or in transition so I never have really got to "decorate" a nursery. Oh, don't get me wrong, there were pictures drawn up and dreams laid out for the boys, but they were never realized other than the uber cute green toille baby bedding that my mom made for me with matching basket covers...sooo cute!!

This time around I was armed with
a) living in the same house for a record breaking 2.5 years and not moving in the foreseeable future
b) having some cash from the craigslist sell of our guest room furniture
c) TIME to scour the Internet and design and draw to my hearts content!

My first step was to scour the Internet for pictures of my favorite nursery's. I looked at a gallizion. The ones I loved got put in a special computer folder. Then I looked at the pictures over and over again and picked my favorite. The winner was.....The COCO DOT themed nursery from PotteryBarn Kids...

I know I know SELL OUT!! But it really caught my eye with the vibrant wall color and muted ivory tones with pops of pink.
Next step was too draw up the plans...which I havent looked at for about 3 months and WOW I actually made a plan and STUCK to it for once....and since I'm the only one who will read this probably...I'm going to pat myself on the back for sticking to a plan! Three cheers for plans!... and start to shop! First stop....craigslist!! I checked it everyday, sometimes two times a day! It was hard to find anyone who was selling a matching crib AND changing table...CRIB here...changer there... and white?? Finally after about a month...seriously a month, an ad popped up and I was lucky enough to catch it in the first few hours, call, and reserve it! I went and looked at it and the same day we went to look at a vintage dresser.
A few hours later we had 4 people, a full crib, changer, and long vintage dresser in our clown car mini-van!
Crib and Changer $125
Vintage dresser $100
Can of matching paint$ 17
New hardware for the dresser $38

Seth painted the dresser likity split and It turned out way nicer than I thought it would! Love, reuse, and recycle!! Then for my side tables I found this little ditty at the PB outlet on clearance....And the only problem with my super awesome new changer is that the pad takes up all the space so I needed somewhere to put wipes and stuff, so back to craigslist I went. I wish I had a before picture of this little guy because he was a beaut! PHYCH! Bright fire engine red he was painted badly needing a touchup! Scratched,dirty, and falling apart really...but for $20 bucks...and it was the perfect height and width.....I got to work right away armed with a lot of soap and paint...here is how he turned out...

And oh yes, I went there...I found this wipe warmer at a garage sale for $3.00 TOTALLY WORKS and then I blinged it out with a little walmart ribbon...oh yah baby go for it! You KNOW you WANT TO!!

Walmart ribbon and a little whimsy =

Painting and crafting has been a constant companion lately.

This little lamp shade below was 49 cents! And I just added the ribbon to match.....

Walmart photo frames and a little paint and a little patience =

Sorry MOM but her room is already messy and I'm the one who did it! Do you think God was this messy when he created the earth?

Meet BIG BROWN...this was my splurge! After two babies with no chair...I kinda wanted one...so Seth spoiled me and after (2) 20% off coupons later....I got BIG BROWN...I LOVE HIM ALREADY!!
BIG BROWN IS WHERE I'M GOING TO SNUGGLE THIS....ALL THE ABOVE IS FOR THIS....

Coming soon to a home somewhere in Austin, TX...meet CHLOE.....

GRASSHOPPERS DON'T SAY CHEESE!!!

2009-11-01T09:38:00.002-05:00

Today when we were coming out of church Ryan exclaims, " There is a giant bug that jumped on my SHOE!!"I looked around, saw nothing and started walking again. "NO MAWM!" "LOOK!!"

I looked and saw!!! OH MY that is the biggest grasshopper I have ever seen! It is like the grasshopper worthy of a national geographic shot! I was only armed with the photo capabilities of thee iPHONE.

Ryan and Ethan say, "TAKE A PICTURE OF IT!" ok I will OBEY!! I whip out the iPhone and get squash down to take the shot, getting as close as I dare!

Ethan yells out in the little green guy's direction, " SAY CHEESE!!"

Ryan screws up his face and says, " GRASSHOPPERS DON"T SAY CHEESE!!"

Teehee, I love the darn things these lil monsters say!

Cheese is almost like my favorite food

2009-10-04T21:29:00.002-04:00

Ryan is my son! He loves cheese! Ethan is my son! He can eat a bag of Dove chocolates in one sitting.(you don't want to know how I know that).... Tonight Ryan comes downstairs from bed and says he is hungry. I throw a box of crackers at him WHY? BECAUSE!!!(teenager roll eyes and huff) b/c I'm off duty you see. Then he asks for cheese. CHEESE! I'm kinda like "ughhh"
but then he does this without prompting....we'll least to say he got his cheese.....and kisses :) And if you want to see the comic genius behind this watch "Wallace and Gromit"

Well nothing is ever done DONE, but.....

2009-09-29T13:40:00.013-04:00

To be honest, it's been a transformation, a very gradual transformation. So doing this and looking at the before pictures for myself was shocking. Especially my first room I'm going to feature...the KITCHEN....

Here is the before, complete with white countertops and greenish blue tile: Here is Ethan walking on that blue green tile:

I like the island in this kitchen and the extra tall cabinets with crown molding and then I did the unthinkable to them.....I painted the oak an antique white color and then antiqued them with a glaze. We replaced the green tile with this porcelain tile I found at Home Depot for $1 a sq. ft.!! I did a matching backsplash with accent tiles. Instead of purchasing a new stove I found a replacement part warehouse in Austin that had black knobs for my make and model for $3 each! We replaced the countertops and appliances and new hardware completed this kitchen remodel!

Moving upstairs to our Master Bedroom. Finally in 9 years of marriage we bought bedroom furniture. Our old room was kinda catch all for any random items in the house that didn't have a home with a great big bed in the middle of it all. Here is the before..I was watching the movie Bedroom Story with Adam Sandler and I loved how the hotel was decorated and that was my inspiration.

I found this wall art collage at Big Lots :)

These black and white damask chairs from Pier 1 were my favorite find.

I found this Manhattan chair on craigslist for $200!!

This Leather sofa again on craigslist for $500!! It was barely used too!

In the opening are painted shells on string I found at the Pottery Barn outlet for 70%off!!

Here is the boy's bathroom. In here we stripped pastel pink and blue wallpaper, painted green and added crown molding around the mirrors. Also new faucets and hardware.In our MasterBath there was new paint and deco.

Love this patent leather black cube I found at Marshalls!

This is the office that used to be the living room. We had it walled in and added french doors. Then painted in a silver blue color and used my red photo albums as decoration :) So without further ado...here is Seth's old office:

And the new one:

My mom sewed these panels to match the space. Thanks MOM!

Image a room lined with little tykes toys and cheap toy bins was the old toy room. We sold many of our toys in a garage sale and put the rest on shelves in the closet which made room for this new redo. All from IKEA! These shelves were $19 each and the bins were about $20 for all! The pictures on wall above are actually cork board covered with matching fabric from the window treatment then I super glued the ribbon.

One good thing when we bought the house was that she had not really painted hardly anything, so we could start from scratch. The great room was a white never ending space:
In this space we tore out the carpet, replaced with faux hand scrapped hardwood. Then I took some subway tiles the same tile of the kitchen and re-tiled the fireplace surround. Then I designed and had a carpenter help me nail new "legs" to the fireplace mantle.

I gave Ryan crayons that matched the room and told him to draw me some pictures. He did and I loved them so I framed them!

Then there is the guest room. It is painted a pearly white silver color. The window treatments are all target! :) The bedding I got at Linen and Things when they were having their going out of business sale :) The bedroom furniture we got on craigslist for $500! It was in their guest room too so It has hardly ever been touched. Love it!I had this huge wall to cover. I found these chargers at Target on clearance and decided to use them as wall art in a pattern.
The boys room furniture is the best and only we had for a long time thanks to great in-laws who gave it to us once they found out I was having my 2cd boy. I just hung some inexpensive wall art :)
Here is the old dining room :

We added a chair rail and paint ofcourse.

That's it! Putting together this documentary took about as long as the remodel! Geesh!

Busy Busy Bees

2009-09-22T13:52:00.003-04:00

HEY!!!

Just wanted to give a shout out to my hardest, funnest, most gratifying day in a while! Why was it this way?

Well because of Busy Bee of course! What is busy bee you ask?

Well, let me introduce you to the Busy Bee Cast:

First, Busy Bee Wyatt

Second, Busy Bee Evan

Third, Busy Bee Ethan

And Finally, Busy Bee Ben!

We are four little Busy Bees that get together twice a week to sing, learn colors, numbers, stories about being good helpers, sharers, and friends.

It was so fun! Great job boys! If you want more info. this pre-school program click here.

First First Day of School Ever! Well for one of us...

2009-09-02T10:48:00.007-04:00

Meet Kid One: Ethan Alexander Cochran aka Boo-KAH!

He has been asking everyday for 2 weeks if he can go to school today. The school SON not to be confused with SUN...SONSHINE SCHOOL, do I live in the Bible belt or what? Ya this is the same school that had Ryan coming home and saying, "RISE ME UP! RISE ME UP!" But they pray and sing gospel songs and teach them to be good people so what's not to love!

Yesterday we did many things to get ready for school! We made a super-size batch of Play-dough! HAVE ANY OF YOU HEARD OF ALUM? WHAT THE FREAK IS ALUM!!!! This is what the manager at Harry E. Butts Grocer said anyway....(HEB) Eventually was found and 1 gallon of play dough was delivered this morning.

Ethan also had an immunization, blah! Poor things! They are always so happy to go to the doctor and they don't know what is about to happen to them. So I am pinning Ethan to the table. All the while he thinks he is getting a great hug from mom and , "Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!" Then he sits up and exclaims to the nurse, " DThank you, YOU SHOTSZZZZ ME!!!" LOL!

Another thing we did was buy new shoes!!! We went to Stride-right. Yes, they are sooooooooooo expensive, but seriously parents they are the only shoes that are not beggin for mercy after a month of kicking,sand,and general BOY usage! Ethan tried on a few and then I knew when he liked these because he started jumpin and saying, " I DIKE DEASE!" Because mommy was feeling gracious (and maybe when I was a kid there were no random fair rides taken) we also did this:

Good-bye my love, babby love. Mommy will miss you today and I will save you one Dove Chocolate to eat after school! :)

Meet Kid 2: My older and wiser Ryan John Cochran

(OK I got a little carried away with the hair spikage) BUT he did say that he got a lot of compliments of his mohawk-oops I wasn't going for the mohawk oh well! Ryan too was so excited for his first day of first grade! He was counting down the days all summer!

In his classroom he sits next to Savannah! I love this darling girl and think Ryan does too, because her mamma told me last year Ryan asked Savannah for a kiss on the playground! WHAT?????!!!!! Little Romeo. This is why in Summer school he got a award for being a Ladies Man! Oh, I hope that calms down for say TWENTY YEARS!!!

Here we go! Walking in for the first time!

But anyway, he was so excited because this year he has 1)his own desk and 2)own pencil box with his 3)own supplies that as he says, "I can organize!" He comes home every day and says he loves first grade!

Good-bye my sweet- Big Boy!

Now I am HOME ALONE! (hands on checks) "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

O-Hi-O

2009-07-18T23:33:00.002-04:00

Every year growing up we would jump in our less than large automotive and drive for three days to Zion. Though I did not have it as tough as the pioneers of old.... I had a ornery big sis and a bratty lil sis to contest with...."MOM!! The sun is in my eyes, again! Why am I always on the sunny side?" "MOM!! sos and so is touching me!" Mom had had enough and pulled over and splurged. The place=KMart, The thing=3 generic walk-mans and cassette tapes. We were elated!! Our very own walk-mans!!!! This did the trick. One dirty dancing soundtrack later...I was in 12 year old bliss coasting down the dessert highway.

Well, times has passed. I won;t mention how much. Let's just say it's more than 10, less than 20. And the next generation has began another tradition of long tracks to the origination of family. We pack in our less then SMALL car for another 2-3 day long trek to the green, cooler,be-loved O-H-I-O.

I have been so blessed! I have amazing parents, and the best sisters, and spectacular friends. How can one person be on a 5 week vacay and not be bored for one single moment! Every day is a party with great company and I must say great food and great moves (Zumba!!!!)

I have a great life back home. I do, but I do love my home in Ohio. Home is not where you hang your hat. Home is where your heart is and a pieces of my heart will ALWAYS be here with these lovely people I love so much.

So thank you everyone in go bucks for welcoming me and putting up with my messiness an loving me and my boys. Ya'll ARE THE BEST!!!

PS Side note: I have no pictures to post because out of all the craziness my new love, my iDiddly iPhone decided to jump out of my back pocket and into a fresh warm bath of...yellow leakage....ewwww.....no worries.....I told the truth and a miracle occurred.....I got a new one, but alas I have no pictures to post :(

Last...

2009-06-04T14:41:00.003-04:00

Lasts. They really are just the beginning of something else.

Something even better! SUMMER. OK well, this school year really did ROCK for Ryan. His elementary school is amazing and he loved every minute of it! I am so proud to be Ryan's mamma. Anyone who knows him, knows how special he is. He is such a HUGE blessing in my life. Let's see how he started this year:

Ryan at his new desk! First day of school! 8-24-08

Then 9 months later, a seasoned expert...who learned everything he needs to know!

All I Really Need To KnowI Learned In Kindergarten

by Robert Fulghum-
All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten.

Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat. Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think someand draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Be aware of wonder.

Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.

The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

6-4-09

Super Boo-kah to the rescue

2009-06-01T14:09:00.003-04:00

This is my little partner in crime...please meet him....Sooouper Boo-Kah!! I didn not create this character...he is 100% natural Boo-KAH!!

***PLease don't try this at home

Watching over us...

2009-04-30T22:38:00.004-04:00

Ok pictures or no picture I'm back....I have a story tooo funny to pass..

My bright eyed bushy tailed Ryan, age 6...very precocious child has pink eye. He was naturally a miss from the halls of the short people and we spent the day together alone. You see my other little boy had school today. That left me and Ryan staring at each other all day....AND THIS has not happened since that OTHER little boy (Ethan) was born!

We played in the morning, making homemade clay, reading, watching cartoons. Then I decided I should get something accomplished. Our home office has not been organized for over a year! So naturally is looks like pigs in a trailer park. I started to tackle this....found some coins...Ryan LOVES coins! "hey Ryan here is some coins to look at" OH COOL!!! He then precedes to tell me how much he LOVES money, and now he is rich. "Well, no, these are daddies, we have to give them back." Later I find him filling up his new wallet to the brink. The wallet zipper looked like a chubby girl on prom night(me!) "Um Ryan, what did I say?? Take it out, put back in the zip lock and put it back in the office." Later I pass the his room and the money is STILL there. "Ryan you have to give that money back!!" He says, "well, I really want it, BAD! This time I don't think I'm going to choose the right!" "Ah hah" I say calmly. "sometimes it is REALLY hard to choose the right, but the harder the challenge, the greater the blessing and you will be REALLY REALLY happy!" "Plus Jesus is always watching!!!" Ryan then says, "Well Jesus is not ALWAYS watching..." "Yes HE IS! He is always watching everything you do, and Heavenly Father!" Then he proclaims, "Well, I'll take the money while he is watching me like you!" OK so now I'm totally confused and want to blurt out again, NO he is always watching, but then I said,"Ryan what do you mean?" He shrugged and said, "you know like how YOU watch me." OK, this is one of those moments when you feel dumber than a kindergartner, which happens to me quite often since he is practically a genius, anyway.....I started to think....

...and then I asked, "Ryan do you mean, like mommy watches you sometimes and other time I walk away and do something else?" "YES!" "Just like that, so Jesus is not always watching me either!"
DUH DUH DUH DUH ok now this was hilarious and I wanted to laugh so bad but I couldn't stop myself from having the conversation with him where I get to explain that Jesus and Heavenly Father have this really cool super power where they can watch, with out interruption,everyone on earth.....

SO Seth's piggy bank was saved by yet another....DUH DUH DUHDUH!!!! SUPER MOM, here to save the day,clean up poop,load the dishwasher,chauffeur the kids,bake the cookies, and go visiting teaching....AND fill our children with as much SUPER GOSPEL TALK as possible.

Oh one other quick funny. The kids has pink eye, oozing grossy stuff and a slight fever, but no he barges into the pigs-sti office and says, "I need exercise!" "Where is the turbo jam dvd?" (OK side note, have not done turbo jam in 2 years, 2,TWO, tutu years! But alas, it is his soul mate ofan excersise. "It's in the car dvd case" I yell out. He is back in 30 sec. and I hear the entry music roll, "It's time to party...come on and move you body!!" He is in a full karate squat with a look on his face like he's about to take on al kiuda. I'm thinking there is no way! But he does the entire 20 min. workout!! His little arms flaling all over my living room, his large sweat bombs tundering down his little legs onto my living room carpet! Rambo was prepaing for war here people. He needed his exercise!!!" As I sat and watched him with my imaginary popcorn and coke, I smiled and giggled quitly. Now this is why we have kids my people!"

Ethan, yah! No more terrible Two's!!

2009-03-30T22:56:00.014-04:00

My Ethan is 3!! I can NOT believe it, is the catch phrase, but sooo true! As I was gathering pictures for this post I have realized that I have a LOT of silly pictures of my lil Angel! I never knew how silly he really was.

Let's take a trip through Shapoopie land, starting with this weekend and a new haircut....

His favorite...papa's Moat-mill!!

He's my sunshine!

He's always so happy!

...and silly!

...and he loves, LOVES putting on mommies make-up!! Just mad when I stop the party

Loves all things bouncy

Has a love for designer handbags

And cars, fast fast cars!

Happy Happy Third B-day!!!!

His Zach Effron hottie boy hair-cut!!

We love our ears!

Fall time 08

He loves doing everything big bro does

He loves bath time and squeals like a pig!!

Best grandma in the whole world!!!

He made sure he put his make-up on before taking of on his bike!

Every man needs reading material when on the pot...

Just like brother...

Baby Vadar...

Good Morning sunshines!

First trip to Sea World, now he calls anything moving in the water...SHAMU...even pool cleaners

Oop this is his One yr. pixs

Eating his 2cd b-day cake!

He loves to ride his bike around and around in the buck!

This is Ethan, bank-key and thumb!! THis is how I will remember his childhood!

Silly bedtime kisses- I luv this boy!

Very serious race car driving!!!

He was always and still is always into everything!!! His specialty...CANDY!! See the knifes behind him...yah this was the day I started putting them in our highest cabinet in the kitchen!!

He has developed a love of vacuuming like his daddy! He still pulls it out once a day and does a few swipes...more than me!!

Sweet cuddly wuddly cheeks at a little over a yr.

Me and Big-broder

I like cake, yes, I do, gimme me more MORE MORE!!

9 months old and standing!!

Little itty bitty delight

Blessing Day with G'pa Adams, best daddy ever!

First day on Earth!

Still in the abyss....this was 6 days before he was born...

I am so blessed to have little Ethan, he is so obedient. He is full of life!He has to take his shoes of and put them away. He has to shut the door on the min-van by himself. He has to put stuff away! I love you Ethan!!! Happy Third!

Ethan is my organized, polite,energetic,sweet child! He loves to sing and say,"please and thank you". A LOT of people compliment on how good and sweet and polite he is. I can not take credit for this as mothering at all! He just came from Heaven that way and I am just trying to teach him to stay out of the dishwasher and my make-up!

My three yr. old vs. of Ethan loves to go "bye-bye"! He knows every store we go to and screams out the name when we arrive! His favorites are Target(I know he is related to AMY!) HEB (grocery short for Harry E Butts).

Translations:
Obe-Der: Over There
Pamp-pakes: Pancakes
Bane-key: Blanket
Moat-mill: Oatmeal

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, can't wait for more!

A lil Faux Paux can go a LONG way....

2009-03-13T20:20:00.005-04:00

Some people say "never paint oak!" Well I kinda did a faux paux and oops, they are painted! How did I do it?

Supplies: Mix of glaze and desired paint color 2:1 ratio, water bowl, dry rag,wet rag,rub rag

Step 2: Open cabinet doors ( no you can't have my Mr. Incredibles cup)

Step Three: Take pre-moistened rag and drizzle glaze, about this much...

Step Four: Rub, pop tylenol, rub till desired shade!

Step Five: Once you the outer and inner area evenly coated, take paint brush and apply glaze on edging as shown

Step 6: Wrap dry rag around finger as shown and crook finger and start at top or bottom and Step 7: rub and straight line all the way down the side of the cabinet

Step 7: rub in a straight line all the way down the side of the cabinet

Step 8: You basically want the dark to stick to any recessed areas: wipe and clean up everywear else :) till looks something like this...

So when we bought this house I had a vision...I could picture this kitchen in my head! Well a couple gallons of paint, a bottle of tylenol, and the "Dirty Dancing,Mamma Mia,Taylor Swift" sing a long music LATER....we had this.....

I love these boys!

2009-03-08T00:01:00.003-05:00

Are you serious! Life could not be more full of JOY!!! when you have these two boys around!!!

We started out the day with Ryan's first EVER soccor GAME!! Woohoo! I told Ryan a couple days ago that he needed to ask his daddy how to play soccor, since he has never done it! Then Ryan said, "HEY, don't worry my cousin Bekah can teach me!" Just call her and she will tell me! I wish it were that simple! (But I'm sure sweet Bekah would attempt to teach him over the phone! )

So then we get to the game and the coach is out of town and we have 4 players there. I volunteer Seth because HELLO he is a SOCCOR STUD!!! He like played all throughout middle and HS and he even refereed, so he was all too excited to get out there and strut his 6 year old coaching mad soccor skills!!Then we headed to this little known place we love called Chick-fil-A!! Woohoo! Ryan scored some ice-dream and Ethan scored some germs on the playground! YES!!

Then we got an email from our tax guy and found out what our return was going to be...so Seth had a hole burning in his pocket and he was itching to go spend some money...so we headed to his favorite shop, another little known shack called Wal-MART. We did stock up for the millennium though so it was good!

So while we were meandering though those fabulous isles, I stop to check out some healthy protein bars...ok fine.....CANDY and I am ignoring my children and the oldest and wisest says,

"HEY LISA!!! LOOK AT ME!!!"
OK I nearly peed my pants, fell over laughing...."attention, attention....clean needed in isle 10!!!"

Then sweet little Ethan had to get it on the fun! He's the smart one in the family!

Thank goodness for good camera days. Thank you Heavenly Father!!

Oh what do you do in the SPING-ING TIME???

2009-03-04T13:10:00.005-05:00

Give your yard a Hair-CUT!!! It did not get one last year, so It was a little over-grown! There were 50, count them FIFTY bags of de-bree!!!!

Before:
After:

As of last week our turtle sand box was collecting leaves: but here is the new improved sandy version! Yah he is soooo excited, I feel a little guilty!

And I bought a couple house plants too....what a difference they make! Lovin my new green spaces!! GO GREEN!!!

I used to eat blog slackers for dinner!

2009-02-27T15:15:00.005-05:00

So I guess I'm full and I'm ready to blog again! The truth is that working ate up all my time!!!! So about 2 months ago I decided I wanted to stay home with my kiddos as a "SAHM" and rock the day away with the usual....blogging, facebooking, cartoons, poopy diapers, laundry, lunches, play dates and more facebooking..... yesterday was my last day! SMILE!

Rewind to Ohio by car for Christmas. Whew- my kids I have to brag are amazing travelers thanks goodness. As usual someone puked, we all cried, and we came home a little heavier than we went!!!

I came home and hit the office, well not "the office" just some orthodontic office. I began the life of a working mom, shuffling kids to and from school and home. This took some adjusting and just when I was getting used to it, we decided it was not "worth it" for me to work. By the time I paid for child care and taxes and such I made about $300/month working 4 days a week. This was not that exciting to figure out to say the least!

Let's see, my biggest accomplishment house wise during this time was we finally got the garage cleaned out and organized and we have two cars in our garage!!! WOOHOO!!! Hail storms are kinda popular in Texas and I was scared every time it rained we were going to end up with a car that resembled a pitted golf ball.

So I have not taken that many pictures either during this time! This is why I have a new testimony of blogging! It makes you stay on top of life events! How many pictures did I take during my fabulous cruise? FIVE! What, I'm a looser! I stole some from Mammy, thanks girlie for being on the ball with the ol CAME-RAH RAH RAH!!!

The case of the missing posts....

2008-12-09T01:45:00.006-05:00

Want to hear something funny...My broken camera... Shapoopie was playing with it the other day, opened the door to the battery....I noticed it was not pushed in! So it was never broken, so now I have 2 camera's...cool beans. I will always keep one in my purs

Anyway, My beautiful, wonderful, thoughtful sista Amy thankfully was in town during this time and she captured these really great moments that I am eternally grateful for so.... clear

Amy and Lilli/ My parents ....a trip to the

During this time we had two trips to the ER, Lilli had pink eye and Ryan fell of the play scape and busted his eye open!! Humpty Dumpty is all put back together and is doing great now

We had a great Halloween. The boys were Star Wars, Seth was a punk rocker and I was myself...j/k as Seth would say, "a naughty kitty"

We also celebrated Seth's Birthday...he is going Rocker!

Lego Lover!!

2008-12-01T19:56:00.002-05:00

Ryan loves LEGOS LEGOS LEGOS!!! Today he got a package in the mail from his Auntie Amy for his birfthday....when is his birfthday? J/K

So here is the reaction...I love kid reactions....they ARE THE BEST!!!

He had it together before you can say Super-cali-frag-is-listic-expeiali-doseous

Tis the Season...to be Thankful!!!

2008-11-29T19:56:00.003-05:00

We had a lovely Turkey dinner at my house! Good friends were near and we ate till the cows came home! In audience was our good friends the Smedleys and the Bakles and co. We had this really good PRE-COOKED SMOKED TURKEY! OK no offense mom, but this is all I will make anymore. It was the most tender, tastiest turkey I ever ate!Then we had all the fixins of course and then a COSTCO pumpkin pie. I had sampled it many times and deiced it was better than I could have made so that was that. Then we hung out and played Apples to Apples and laughed ourselves silly. I Won...of course!

Then yesterday I shopped all by my SELF!! And this is near and dear to my heart! It makes me wonder how many times I shopped without toddlers and how I NEVER appreciated this time!

This is the first time since 2005 that we have put a tree up and decorated! So I choose to do a tree theme that matched my new LR furniture. Red and gold don't really match anymore. ;) SO some new blue, green, and brown balls did the trick! Then I found some evergreen that Seth had trimmed of our bushes and that looks smashing on the mantle!

I loved decorating the outside this year. Of course I pulled out all the wreaths and candle sticks and jimmy rigged them to the window somehow....then I bought a bunch of lawn ornaments from Garden Ridge....so fun! Seth doesn't DO lights so I feel like I have to make up for it with other stuff. Seth said with a look on his face like he was eating lima beans, "The outside looks good.....it looks like Santa's winterland." Hmmm are you serious? Yes, he said. Well, that was nice of you to say.

It has been nice to have these three days to ugh, work work work! (cook, clean, cook, clean, decorate, work, clean, cook....)The house is a MESS with storage bins and everything everywhere! Good thing I have tomorrow...the day of rest....ok I can DREAM!!!

Smart little Indian...Proud Indian mamma

2008-11-21T19:09:00.003-05:00

So Ryan came home from school on monday and I was on my computer while he was eating a snack and drawing/coloring.

He come over to me and get my attention, "Look Lisa, these are Indian symbols!" and shows me about 20 symbols he had remembered from HEART from school earlier...I was so impressed and I told him that he should organize them into a story...well he did, and I loved it, so I told him to put it in his backpack and show his teacher....

I didn't hear anything till my phone rings, thurs. evening. It was his teacher, Mrs. O'Keefe...and she told me how impressed she was with his story she sent him to tell the principle, and she was so impressed that he had done this all from memory that she invited him to read it aloud in front of the whole school at the Thanksgiving assemble!!! YAH, GO RYAN!!!

Here's how it went....my little Indian!

This is his favorite new hobby right now.....I know I know, he has some pretty sweet moves...it runs in the family! LOL

Apparently....I had children for the Love Of

2008-11-13T18:55:00.004-05:00

German Engineering of course!!!

At one time in my life, like many others around me, I SWORE I would never buy a mini-van! I would rather poke my eyes out than buy one. WHO needs one?

For some reason this has become like a rite of passage, coming to terms with this is the best car for my family and owning up to the fact that I am not a young chic anymore and never will be again!

Here is my story:

Key remote in hand, the salesmen pushed one button and the doors opened. He pushed another and the trunk opened. Now I was drooling. There is a compartment to put backpacks, juiceboxs, legos, purses, diapers, 20 thousand cup holders, c.d.s, iPods, and hooks for my grocery bags. Without lifting a finger, both of my boys got really excited and jumped in and said, "wow there is so much room!" As if I were buying a minivan for them, well ok I kinda am...not for German Engineering! Well the Practical part of me kicked in and could no longer disregard the fact that this is the one car on the market with one objective....to make my life and my kids life easier. So I had to swallow my pride and make the JUMP!

What! When did these things become so desirable to me? Nonetheless I just couldn't fight it anymore....I WANTED A MINIVAN!!!

SO now I drive to the grocery store, get out, stranger next to me, "Haha, you had kids for the love of German engineering...." Yup hehe you got me. I drive Ethan to school, another dad dropping of his son..."Do you like it? haha, did you have your kids for the Love of German Engineering?" I'm at a jewelry party and all my new Texas girlfriends are busting me out for "crossing over to the dark side....hhaha nah you just bought it for the love of German Engineering."

What ever you want to call it...I do really LIKE my new mini-van. Though I'm not sure where the mini part come in. I'm still feeling like I'm driving a bus! It's my fun, groovy BUS!

Clarification

2008-11-07T21:11:00.003-05:00

It seems I need to clarify a few things to make my purpose of posting on Autism clear....

My heart goes out to all those families, whose lives are touched with someone whom has a disability. I have always had a special place in my heart for people with these special needs.

Anyway....... the "guy" in my ward that is a Autism specialist. He was board certified as a E.R. doc in 1999, but once his son was diagnosed with Autism in 2001, he found the Pediatricians had very limited knowledge of the disease. He was frustrated by this and decided to research, study, and evaluate cases of his own. He started working at a Autism clinic in Utah in 2002. In 2006 he moved to another Autism clinic in Austin,TX.

During this time he has studied and treated a thousand patients, written a book about all the different research and latest treatments for Autism, and become known by the Autism and medical community alike as a "specialist". Actually according to some, "one of the leading Autism specialist in the country". He is the biological father of one and adoptive father of two Autistic children.

If you watch one of his interviews on t.v., when asked if he believes if there is a connection between vaccinations and the rise in Autism, he will reply, " No one knows." or "We don't know for sure." This is true.

In a private conversation , he said he did believe there was a connection, that he has seen too many cases that lead him to believe that SOME forms of Autism may be "Triggered" from vaccinations. My favorite quote, "How many 40 yr. olds do you see walking around with Autism."

For me, coming from a man with this much knowledge, background, and experience. This is enough of a reason for me to walk on the side of caution and decide for myself personally if I am blessed with a third child, I will ask for his advice on which vaccinations he thinks are critical and on what schedule he thinks I should get them taken. This is for myself personally. But the reason I posted my comment about Autism in "Gut Feelings" was because I was trying to pass on some "insider information" from a extremely reliable source on the subject that I feel is critical knowledge for all mothers and in this circumstance my friends and family so they can take my information and research it for themselves and make the best possible decision for their family.

There are very smart people who have Autistic children, who look at all the research, study all the books and come to the conclusion that there is NO connection between vaccinations and Autism. (ex.mom of five)

There are very smart people who have Autistic children, who look at that same research, study the same books, and come to the conclusion that there IS A CONNECTION between vaccinations and Autism. (ex.Jenni McCarthy, The doctor I know)

Is one better than the other? Is one smarter than the other? Or are we all human being with our own path and own experiances.

Everyday mothers choose to do things for their children to be "on the safe side." Well, having a M.D. Autism specialist that I know personally and has all the experience and expertise to back it up that says there "could be a connection" is enough for me to be "on the safe side" and choose to vaccinate my children on a different schedule than the medical community dictates.

I am not here to debate whether or not Autism is caused or triggered by vaccinations. I care very much for my friends and family and I was merely trying to pass on some information I found very enlightening and knowledge is power. Everyone has a choice of how they interpret it. For all those women still in thier child bearing years I hope you will take this information and continue to educate yourselves and make a decision you feel is best for you and your children. God Bless!

Gut Feelings...

2008-11-04T23:47:00.003-05:00

Just curious, what was your gut feeling when you first heard that Barack Obama has been elected our 44th president?

I was pretty much undecided the entire election, leaning towards McCain. I found out my true feeling tonight as the T.V. announcer spoke, "We have just leaned the Barack Obama will be our 44th president." Then this feeling of worry and Oh, NO!.....do you know why? All along I have said that I think that when government tries to change things for the better....the issue seems worse of. Because government is a system. I will rub your back if you rub mine. I will vote this way, because this will get me elected next term. John McCain does not admit to it, but many good men have said that he at one time was considering defecting to the democratic party!!!...why he didn't do this? It would crush his chances of running in this election. BUT Some how in all this chaos, we operate.

I also have been thinking about cause and effect relationships.....we ship our factories and outsource our workers abroad....our goods become cheaper.....overseas economies thrive....driving up our cost of food, gas prices and price of goods. We want everyone in America to own a home=We sell homes to people who can't afford them, housing bubble, economy crashes. (I believe this would have never happened if GOVERNMENT would not have pushed for banks to lend in this way)

We start vaccinating our children, this is revolutionary and exciting medicine. But as the rate of infectious disease goes down, the rate of muscular and auto immunity disorders increase to make up for it! (Parkinson's, Lou Gehigs, Autism, Cancer)

I don't know the keys to the universe, but there seems to be a system of balances. As you increase or decrease one thing, the system or the opposite cycles.

SO as I said previously, this election I was worried about one word that came out of Obama's mouth....Change........

About a month ago I watched a 20/20 episode about what the government has "changed" over the past 50 years and in these cases how it had negative effects. Things somehow always ended up worse of!

Yes, I'm worried a little about the issues....gay marriage, abortion.....but I'm even more worried about the "balance" of our already very delicate government.

I THINK Obama is a good man with good intentions. I believe that he cares about the issues facing Americans. I would love to see and hope to see change.

What worries me is the cost.

ALSO, for those of you all having babies! I have a doctor in my ward that is a Autism specialist. He said that he has seen too many normal functioning children that digress to Autism after receiving 18 months of vaccinations to not believe that their COULD be a connection.There is enough evidence out there to claim that vaccinating our children in the way we do can lead to Autism. They have never studies the effects of giving a baby 4 shots in one day! How can we expect every child out there to be able to handle this many dissabled viruses entering their system and crossing the blood barrier of the brain! If you are not promiscuous and you do not do drugs you are not at risk for Hep B and YOUR BABY IS NOT EITHER!! This is a shot they get the day their born, not needed! If you are not at risk, neither is your child. He suggested that we give our babies shots, but space them out, one per day. Only get the ones that are critical.

It's my turn....my day has come.....

2008-11-01T16:27:00.003-04:00

For my digital camera to bite the dust...."duh duh duh, another bites the dust"

It happened at Sea World while my family was visiting of all places. One cement fall too many. Not too many tears over this one folks because in the camera world, mine was archaic. So too bad so sad I poured over Internet sites to find the best camera for the money....and then I went to Best BUY and THEY said, that camera does not exist....( a camera with HD video quality and 10 mega pixels and is a Kodak) I told him, "LOOK IT UP!" Which he did, and became humbled. Then he told me he could not get it, so I had to order one online. This meant missing all the family events, the ward trunk or treat, Halloween, Sea World, and RYAN BUSTING HIS EYE OPEN ON THE PLAYGROUND AND TRIP TO HOSPITAL!!!

All is well, but I lament over the loss of pictures! My fam took many and have promised to send, so I wait some more!

I have so much to blog about! So I apologize, if you check and once again, hear the same song over and over again and the same old post.....So you may wait for all the details ...as I wait for this little baby to arrive....

MINI..............

2008-10-20T09:29:00.004-04:00

Mini ....fingers feeding hungry goats that climb trees (yes, really they did!!!)

It's a bird, a plane, a new bimmer convertible???
....oh just another mini......VAN!!!!!
Mini....work uniforms
Mini ..... natural disasters( yes, this is what you don't want this to be, BUT IS!!!)

Mini....people painting mini pumpkins

Many Mini Monsters on Manly Show of Muscles

Happy Fall from Texas!!!!

Ryan's first writing

2008-10-10T09:31:00.003-04:00

I came downstairs this morning at 7:30 a.m. and found Ryan typing...yes, my almost 6 year old typing....and it was not jibberish! He was so excited, "Lisa! I finished my story, wanna hear?"

He read it too me and I was soooo happy and asked him if I could blog it!

He had opened up his own word document (no one showed him how to do that) and just starting sounding out words. He said he didn't know where the "dots" went! HA!

Ryan's Story: (copy and pasted from word)

Ryan and ethan ar brothrs and ryan is the smatst ethan is not smatst becase he is a toodlr and ryan is bigist becase he is 5 yers old ethan is not becase he is 2 yers old and we love ar mom and dad and tha’s the sory of all abot 2 boys ryan and ethan the end

No spellcheck needed please!

A Habit of Meow-ing

2008-10-09T21:37:00.005-04:00

The other morning, Seth woke up and heard a LOT of meow-ing. Over and over again, like this....MEOW, MEOW, MEOW, MEOW...one right after another.

He thought it must be the tv, so he didn't really rush downstairs. Then he heard Ryan talking to the MEOW.

RYAN: "Stop meowing!, You're going to wake everyone up, nice kitty!"

So Seth calmly comes down the stairs and sees..........

A FAT CAT in our front hallway, going...."MEOW, MEOW, MEOW, MEOW" One right after another MEOW MEOW MEOW...

Seeing Seth, Ryan gets a very scared, I'm in trouble look on his face and freezes.

Seth: Ryan? How did that kitty get in our house?

Ryan: Weeeeeelllllllll, it was just outside, just I let it in....it was LONELY......

Seth: It's probably the neighbors cat and we are going to have to let it go home

Ryan: WEeeeeeelllllLL, it's lonely it can't find it's home!

......they let it out, Ryan goes to school......LATER THAT NIGHT WE ARE OUT TO DINNER AND I AM TRYING TO SPARK SOME CONVO WITH MY BOY.......

Me: Ryan? How did that cat get in our house?

Ryan: WWwwweeelllll, I heard it Meowing outside by our car, so I just went outside and picked it up and brought it in the house.

Lisa: Oh, so you picked it up?

Ryan: Yes, (tilts head) but then it would not stop MEOWING........IT WAS LIKE A HABIT, (shrugging shoulders).....A HABIT OF MEOWING

That's my boy, he has a habit of being ultra cute!

Shell Bones

2008-10-06T00:20:00.002-04:00

My zesty, adventurous big (yet smaller than I) sis, was nick-named Shelly. She was thin, very thin as a child so either my mom or dad started calling her Shell bones. She's still is thin due to her vigor for life-thin-ing activities, such as this......
Anyway, this is my plug for her BLOG!!!! Peer-pressure at it's finest and she has succumbed!

I don't know why this became more about her being thin than her blog, because it's supposed to be about her cool new blog that I'm bragging about because I'm proud of my adventure chasing big (smaller) sista!

BUT

Because I felt the need to be "witty" and use a cool nick name I felt the need to explain IT!

I love Michele because:

-She is the one of the most caring people I've ever known, she is a great friend
- she' very generous, too generous, even to her own dismise
-money does not matter to her, as long as she can eat and cook a yummy meal
- she is highly adventurous, always has some ultra cool hobby like rock-climbing, living in N.Y.C. on her own!, kayaking,
-she can move to totally new city with no money in her pocket and make it like gang busters
- she is well read, very intelligent, and believes that one person can make a difference in the community, city, and beyond
- she keeps stretching herself, not settling for that job at the desk, that pays the bills and is good enough....
- she finishes what she starts
- she can stand up for herself
- she has a great laugh and has a way of making you feel funnier than you really are b/c she will laugh with you so easily
- she has great no none-sense advice
- she's naturally beautiful, never wears make-up, but if you saw her, you would say, wow...she's really pretty
- she's a good, no great listener and has helped me understand myself
- she's thoughtful

.....and I think she deserves the best life has to bring her! And I have failed her, because I forgot to send her a birthday card!!!!!...it was on my mind, I never did it, then a week passed and I thought I need to get her a really big present now to make up for it....then another and another and then it got so big that no present or apology could make up for my FAILURE as a sister and human being. I have had nightmares about crying and apologizing to her about this! I have even been too chicken to call her, b/c I don't know what to say....even though I have been dying to talk to her and see how she is doing....so my darling sister who I love so much....can you ever forgive me! I AM SO SORRY! Because she has never missed my birthday...I don't think....anyway.....can you forgive your ultra self-absorbed lamo sister?

xoxoxox(hehe) Lisa

...so there it is I have purged my biggest disgrace to the entire blog world....flog me!

I'm in A PICKEL!!!

2008-10-03T14:33:00.002-04:00

So this is kinda a big thing in my life, I have not mentioned to yall.....

I STARTED WORKING!!!! What I was thinking I don't know? Do I need this, NO! I thought it would be fun because I love what I do and it would be fun to get out of the house a couple days a week....right?

Well theoretically....YES! In theory I had this ideal scenario in my head of dropping of Little Ethan at this great school where they love him like their own (this part same true!!!) and I go to my job where I get to have real adult responsibilities and gratification and talk to adults...e.t.c .e.t.c

So 3 weeks ago I started working part-time for an orthodontist near my home. I had interviewed and accepted the job two days later... the day I accepted my friend drops by (you have to know that her husband is a pedo dentist that partnered with an orthodontist) and she is "great! who are you working for?" I reply "Dr. so and so" and she get this horrid,scrunched up, scared look on her face! "OH NO!!" She proceeds to tell me that this lady had worked for her husband's partner and she (my new boss) was basically horrible and ugly to work with and had done really horrible mean things to his partner. GREAT!!!

But she had been so nice and her office was so nice so I decided to put this thought to the side and go for it, because I had found this great little school for Ethan and everything was in place.

So the first week I noticed that she was "particular" ok CONTROLLING,O.C.D., anal, exact, perfectionist.....but so far she was being somewhat pleasant in her "corrections" Due to her perfectionist status, No one can do anything great, or even good, there is something wrong with EVERYTHING and she has to make us very aware of it....so basically all day long she was ridding us.

Actually I was ok with that, b/c she was somewhat pleasant about it all and I was learning a TON.

Week two I had a small issue with the other clinician in the office, but then she went to a work training meeting about office politics and she came back all pleasant and nice, now suprsingly we have been buddies (in week three we had to stick together)

Week three: The witch has landed... the criticism is fine, I have no problem, I am open and wanting to hear how I can learn and be better....

BUT

there is a big difference between constructive criticism and accusatory, demeaning, and insulting criticism. She just started saying little disses here and there. And I took it, because that's what I do...I take people's crap. Then she pulls me in her office and insults me and it's complicated and technical, but basically saying I "wasn't thinking" is what it came down to. I defended myself thoroughly and told her I disagreed and I did what I did b/c of previous training....and I CRIED! The thing was, you would have thought I crashed her computer systems or something...

I can't sleep, eat, and I am working my butt of for this Nazi that doesn't even treat people nicely.

She has had 5 people quit on her in a year. And they didn't like give a 2 weeks notice and quit on friendly terms, they walked out the door and never came back quit. Her entire staff is less than 3 months old. (Except one girl in the front)

All of these are RED FLAGS I know! SO what do I do????? I usually am NOT a quitter unless things are really really abusive, but I things are different this time. This is not fiances. I wanted a "fun" job. I really do love working in orthodontics.

So I'm in a pickle. I have got some great advice and would love your two cents....because I don't feel like I'm thinking straight. :)

Undecided in 2008

2008-09-29T23:28:00.002-04:00

I have many of you out there ARE decided and I would like you to watch this video and tell me your thoughts.

Most of my friends are Obama supporters and I am especially interested in what YOU have to say about this video?

I AM UNDECIDED, I ping pong back and forth. BUT this video did not show of a very good side of OBAMA.

In the meantime I'm going to go stuff my money in my mattress....

QuirKs and QuizZes

2008-09-28T10:28:00.006-04:00

I was reading my friend Katie's blog and came acorss this post called Quirks. I then followed over to her brother's post where they listed their quirks...an I was like hmmm they have some interesting quirks. I wish I had more quirks. I am one of these people who likes everything and have wished I had more quirks throughout my life. WHY? Becasue they make us unique and they make people who love us go, " OH, so and so doens't like that, please don't do that or bring that....e.t.c." But there is really nothing I don't like, or do....anyway....that's what I thought, until I started CONCENTRATING......

I came up with a few measly few:

- I tend to hold my breathe while I am plucking my eyebrows. I pluck pluck and then I take breaks to breath. GASP:::::

- I have to sleep with a pillow between my legs...not a body pillow becasue body pillows don't flip with me as I change sides very good...

- I have to have a piece of chocolate after lunch and dinner, but never breakfast

SO that is that... that's what I came up with....

This morning I quizzed Ryan with some questions I got of a friends blog,Hillary:

1. What is something that mom always says to you? I Love You
2. What makes mom happy? doing things for you-like chores
3. What makes mom sad? not doing what Lisa wants.
4. How does your mom make you laugh? doing funny things, like jokes
5. What was your mom like as a child? pretty good
6. How old is your mom? 29 - (dang he knew)
7. How tall is your mom? I do not know- I think tall
8. What is her favorite thing to do? Inviting Friends
9. What does your mom do when your not around? working upstairs
10. If your mom becomes famous what will it be for? for ugh I dunno
11. What is your mom really good at? (his face scunching up like in pain) ugh exercising
12. What is your mom not very good at? I do not know(good answer!)
13. What does your mom do for her job? doing dentist (I'm an ortho assistant)
14. What is your moms favorite food? meatloaf- well that's what I tell him to get him to eat it!
15. What makes you proud of your mom? doing things you told me to do
16. If your mom was a cartoon character who would she be? Dora- because you're a girl and you wear pink
17. What do you and your mom do together? playing together
18. How are you and your mom the same? we have the same eyes
19. How are you and your mom different? you have blond hair and I have brown
20. How do you know your mom loves you? doing amazing things!
21. What does your mom like most about your dad? when he blogs
22. Where is your moms favorite place to go? Sea World

This is a video from our FHE activity: TWISTER....

Yesterday morning, Seth was fixing my burned out memory card and Ryan and I were playing Lego Indiana Jones and Ethan was.... Ethan? Oh, Ethan!!!!....SOOO mid way through shooting some Lego characters too pieces I hear Ryan exclaim, " Ohhh, Ethan looks like Spiderman!" Me- oh gotta get to the next level, what Ethan looks like???? Oh shoot that must mean.... Just then I pause up the game and run over to where Ethan is. I fear what I might see as I turn him around. Ethan sqeeks, "pitty, me pitty!" (pretty) I turn him around and see this:

UPDATE ON NEW LAMP: Oh, and I ran over to Old World Market store and picked up a new paper latern. I like it a little more....Seth likes is a LOT more and the Living room is well lit once more!

In this world of elections, bank failures, natural disasters...to me this is what matters... My family and my faith. The stuff : the cars, the furniture is but a figment of our imaginations. I would give it up tomorrow as long as I can still beleive what I want to and listen to the laughter of my children and husband and people I love. AMEN.

Opinion's Please

2008-09-22T11:26:00.004-04:00

OK, SO I have a totally traditional space in my living room, but I fell in love with this lamp and I'm trying to make it work.

I know it is too modern for the space and maybe the latern is too large. I'm trying to get some ideas that will make it work...
What I love about it is....

-conversation piece, it's just so darn cool

-different

-makes the space pop

-it goes with the organic, natural decor

- great for reading!

So I really want to see if I can make it work...so my plea to all ya'll decorator's out there is....

Some ideas I've had alread are:

Paint the shade, buy a smaller paper latern, look for a more traditional shape latern, paint the arm brown and brush on some gold leaf

So any ideas?????????

As Promised....

2008-09-20T16:26:00.001-04:00

My babies first tee-ball game!!!!

2008-09-20T14:51:00.005-04:00

We want a picture, not a belly itcher!!! Or a nose picker, wedgie picker, or anything you may finding any normal 5 year old boy playing tee-ball to do....unless they are your own adorable child running around out there, then they are the cutest thing ever to hit a ball on two legs!!!!

I must have a thing for men in uniform because when Ryan got all suited up for the first time this morning, I just about fainted, he was soooooo darn cute, CUTE, CUTE!! Baseball pants have a way of hugging the hiney :) I KNOW THIS IS MY SON-CAN IT!

Ryan LOVES base-ball so far and he really really tries so hard! Even when he is not supposed to...today's game went something like this...

Ryan was playing the second base man- you know the guy who stands on second base, ready to catch the ball and tag another team out, something like that...

Ryan felt the need to escort the opposing team to the next base so...

He was running back and forth between 2cd and 3rd for the whole inning. It was so cute. Some kids were like "don't run with me" other put their arm around him and felt the need for a little game snuggle.

For NEVER playing a game in his life, I of course, non-biased, thought he did amazing :)

BTW, check out these uniforms, they have their own team name and their own number!! Seth said he didn't get a numbered Jersey till he was in H.S. Even his stitched hat has his numbered stitched into the side!!! WHAT!! That's where all my $195 went!

Warming up...

...Lining Up with Coach Mike...nice guy...totally volunteer!

...Did you say we can go to Chick-fil-A after this?

Swing batter batter, warming up the old arm....

I am sooo grateful to have my sweet boy old enough to do this stuff, it is amazingly thrilling!!

Mamma Mia!!!

2008-09-19T09:17:00.004-04:00

"Picture ME-A screamin" Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Never Mind....I'll show you, no make-up, in my jammies and all.....

I have a new ALL-TIME, FOREVER and a DAY FAVORITE MOVIE!!!! can you guess????

Here's my story...when I was 12 my big sis, brought home a tape (yes, I said tape, as in cassette, look it up babies) from her favorite band Depeche Mode. Well, they covered a song called "SOS". My sister was curious who sang the original so she went to the library and got a tape of a band called "ABBA" Well, at the time we were moving to Ohio and living in a town home and we were sharing a ROOM! Yes, this was a scary scary sight. But this good thing came out of it....SHE WAS LISTENING TO ABBA! Well, I think she listened to it a couple times and was like, ok that's nice...BUT ME? I was in love at first song. I took the tape from her (I don't think she minded) and I fell in love hard with every song fast!

Then I bought the C.D. and another C.D. and then one day I found there book of EVERY song ever written and I bought that too! When I broke up with boy-friends, what did I want back? Nothing but my ABBA cd's. I would swallow my pride, call them and tell them I'm coming over for ABBA, period.

Do I have a favorite song? NO! There are so many many good ones.

SO...... fast forward ummmm a lot of years, like 18!!!! (Ahhh, go ahead do the MATH!)

I am living in Texas, liking it ok, but not as much as I expected and I get really really home sick. I drive home for summer trip...totally have a blast which makes me even more depressed about not having any friends in Texas and NOT wanting to go back.... my road trip BACK to Texas I am listening to the Secret.. and I learn it's all up to me. I can create the life I want. So I'm not sure, but I give it a whirl. (I love it when I spontaneously rhythm) On my way home, I say, I will make fun friends, I will make friends with BOATS. (Boats and lakes and going out on boats is big here) SO I get home and the sunday I get back I make friends with a girl I had met before AND WE PULL UP TO THEIR HOUSE FOR DINNER AND GUESS WHAT???? THEY HAVE A BOAT! and we love them!

Then there is this other couple that is our age and we adore them too! Interestingly all three hubbies get along like thee pees in a pod. They can all sit around and watch re-runs of "cringe" Beevis and Butthead and get a good laugh. SO we have been spending almost every weekend hanging out with these lovelies BOATING, dinner out, dinner in (they both can cook way YUMMY!) and I am having a blast!

So....how does this tie into ABBA? Well, last weekend we decided we needed to do a "girls night out" and we did it!

The Panera by my house FINALLY opened, YAH YAH YAH!!! and so we went there and sat out on the patio and I caught my first chill in TEXAS, it felt great! SO after some good convo, grins and giggles...we headed over to a MOVIE........can you guess?????

OMGash!!!!! I laughed, I cried, I sang, I danced....and it was sooo great to share it with my new three amigas which I am sooooo grateful to have met! I luv you guys!!

******Rachel, STEPH, MILLIE and AMY if you have NOT seen this movie, you can do two things.... yall HAVE to plan a girls night and go see it together! It will be memorable, I promise! and THEN when I get there in DEC. we have to have a girly party in RACHe's attic and have a Mamma Mia dance party!!! You'll know what I mean after you watch it!*****

Take a hike IKE!

2008-09-12T22:43:00.005-04:00

I feel remiss, if I started talking about our trip before I mentioned this little guy....yes, at one point IKE was nipping at our heals on the cruise and we were experiencing some rockin and winds.

We went rogue and snuck up to the top level of the ship where we could feel the full effects of these tropical storm strength winds. Probably like 50 MPH...It was thrilling, but stupid and dangerous. They kicked us of and closed it for the remainder of the ship.

A lot of the people helping us of the ship lived in the Galveston area and when questioned, they said they were all staying? I wonder if they did. I pray they will be ok! There saying this is the worst storm to hit Galveston/Houston in 100 years.

Anyway, about the trip....We had a BLAST! I have 150 pictures and YOU KNOW I will be giving you the full report shortly. BUT I have 4 loads of laundry to put away and a deck to clean of in preparations for IKE.....pray for all the coastal people!

Stay tuned for stories about this:

And Spid-ie stories about this:

...and this was per request by yours truly, can I deliver or what?

Good to be home! God bless AMERICA! We are soooooo soooo blessed! More on this later...

Sweet Treats and Sweet Brothers

2008-09-04T09:42:00.006-04:00

Sunday dinner was a huge hit so I thought I would share my new lasagna recipe find along with the great website/blog I got it from!

I was looking for a lasagna recipe because I am embarrassed to say how long it has been since I made a lasagna. (Prob like 3 years) SO I googled, "BEST lasagna recipe" and up came this link to Pioneer Women. This is literally the BEST blog I have ever been across and apparently others think so too because she has about 600 comments PER entry...anywho..I ended up reading her entire story which is fascinating. In a nutshell, she was a cali valley girl who got swept of her feet by a REAL cowboy rancher, Marlboro Man, whom she married and now lives on and cooks, home-schools her 4 kids, and has this great website! Anyway, if you have like 3 hours, It's a great read, "Black heels and Tractor Heels"

Anyway I made her lasagna that had like 600 comments saying it was the best lasagna they had ever had, so I figured I was safe.

Her recipe was great because she takes a picture (with her SRS camera) of each step and ingredients so it's visually stimulating and I like pictures because I bore easily!

Anyway....it was awesome! I do have to say...it's VERY meatie though. Other than that, it will be my new "have to take dinner to a family, here you go dinner in a pan, please heat" meal.

Then I topped it off, with these little tastie delights. HOME-MADE ice-cream sandwiches, made with non-other than my whole wheat choc chip cookies!!!!!!!!

Ryan has been coming home from school very happy, in a good mood, and ready to play! He loves to play with Ethan and he is soooo sweet. I was in the kitchen when I hear this.....

and then this....

Ocne again, I dedciate this posting to SPELL CHEcK! Thank you for your continuing suport!

It's a Wheat Thing

2008-08-31T10:10:00.005-04:00

So somewhere along the way I figured out that I had wheat flour, not just bread flour. This is my story:

I was getting all my devilish ingredients out to make my weekly batch of chocolate chip cookies (throw your head back, evil laugh). I was ready to pull out the white store-bought flour and my hand fell on whole wheat flour. ::::::::LIGHTBULB::::::::: Whole wheat cookies! Healthy and tasty! Could it work????? Well, I was going to make a double batch so I had plenty to take to my VT, but maybe I would just make a single batch and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out...you know! What did I have to loose other than a little time and my favorite food and the whole world, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, ok so I had a lot to loose, the stakes were high, but the pay-off would be great. Healthy, yet delicious was the ultimate goal!

So I slaved away for like 10 minutes. Because I have the recipe memorized after years of cookie monsterering. I noticed it took MORE flour to get the same consistency, but I kind of expected this, anyway, they baked up and then the ultimate test.....the critical mouth a.k.a. DH!

"What's different?" "I can't really taste anything? Well, maybe a little...what did you do?" "They are made with my whole wheat flour!" I exclaim. "What? You mean the stuff you use for your bread?" "YUP" "Pretty good huh?"

So they passed with flying colors. I think these whole wheat goodies might be a permanent adjustment to my cookie repertoires. Ok well, almost, can you imagine WHITE, sugar cookies....NOT white? Ok I don't think I'll take it that far...

....2 days later, fast forward to Sunday morning, or waffle morning. Home-made waffles get me out of bed. As I'm jaunting down the staires:::::::LIGHTBULB::::::: I can try them with ....ok you get the picture, HEALTHY and DELICIOUS!

They turned out delicious, almost as good as the bread with a big whip of butter slathered all over it, just add syrup! :) YUM... I think I'm on to something :)

Saturday, we "farted around" that is Cochran for "laid around and did very little"....then around 4:00 we headed to the pool. The pool water is so warm, it's almost like bath water, we LOVED IT!

First DAY of school, FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

2008-08-27T22:28:00.006-04:00

Get Ready to Learn to Get Some KNOWLEDGE! Come on dad, get up, it's my first day of school, you promised!"

What movie is that from???? Well, this is what I was repeating as I strolled Ryan and Ethan towards Ryan's new school around the corner from our house the first morning. Our little red wagon was the vehicle of choice. Yes, Ryan was happy, though not excited. You see this is why...BEFORE

Yes, for Ryan this is "been here done that." Ryan started kinder in Greenwich, CT last year. Last year I was worried. Is he too young? Are the older kids going to make fun? Is he going to get in trouble too much because he is young and his mind drifts? Is he too little. THIS WAS ONE YEAR AGO!!Blah Blah Blah. This year, there are little to no worries. Why? Because Ryan is a good kid, he's smart AND he has 1/2 yr. of kinder already under his belt + he was in all day summer camp for 5 weeks out of the summer...so as one could say, "HE'S COOL DUDE!" THIS IS THIS YEAR!!!

Awww, he is just so darn cuttie-pahtootie!! In fact, the night before school our conversation went something like this..."ok Ryan tomorrow your back to kindergarten so you have to do your stations (get dressed and brush teeth, have daddy pour you a bowl of cereal) BEFORE you play! " "OK LISA" and that was that.

So drum roll, please, he is walking in to his classroom for the first time! The mom that says HI is the cry babies momma...see below....such a nice lady!

There was the big whooo hah with all the parents standing around the tables like there was a circus performing...it's kinda funny. I love this pixs below of him yawning...notice the kid in the corner boo whooing....he was the class cry baby. I guess ever class has to have one. Today Ryan came home and said, "Dillan is ALWAYS crying!" His poor momma, she is a nice lady and they already held him back from kinder one year already.

Ryan is such a chill kid that you really have to poke at him to get any big reaction about anything, but when school let out and I picked him up and enthusiactically said, "I really like that school! and I learned a new word!" I reply, "oh ya what's that?" He says matter- a - factly, " un-esported" hmmmm, OH, "you mean, un-escorted?"

Ya because we live around the corner, about 2 blocks from the school, he is labeled an "un-escorted walker" even though I meet him at the school and walk him home. It was cute. He talked about the stations, his favorite was the "weigher" this is what he meant..... On the way home from school Tuesday he decided he wants a "scooter scoot" (scooter)for his birthday... and on Wednesday, he told me he made a card for his sick teacher and if he lays down during rest time and closes his eyes and pretends to be asleep, they put a marble on his blanket and then at the end he gets to put the marble in a jar and when the jar fills up they get something...

Anyway, his teacher is Mrs. O'Keefe and we are excited because she was "the teacher to get"!!

So all is well, I cryed last year, Ryan got used to school last year, and we are thoroughly enjoying this year!

Ethan and mommy are baking cookies, learning our colors, playing "knock down the blocks" going to the gym, playing at the park, and shopping at target where he always gets his own big bag of popcorn and apple juice! Good Times! This is what I caught him doing the other day...dad look at what he is reading :) No, I did not sit him on there, so maybe this means he is ready! AFTER THE CRUISE BABY!!!!

Hope all yall's first day's went smashingly!

Check this out....

2008-08-24T02:23:00.005-04:00

I come home from a friends house and this is what I find....oh, GREAT!

Positive: He moved them, not where I wanted, but he did move them.....AIRCONDITIONING....and now my neighbors don't have to look at two ugly buckets in my front stoop.

Negative: I have two ugly buckets in my house! Blocking my front door...I have to hound Seth some-more....

I GIVE UP! I WILL DO IT MYSELF!!! ............tomorrow...maybe.....I'll ask one more time....

For all those who thought I was a girly GIRL...

2008-08-22T23:41:00.002-04:00

Ok, I know I may look the part...of being a girly GIRL.....but there is a reason why I believe I have become a mother of BOYS...

1) I don't mind bugs. I am the "official squisher" of the house. Seth is more afraid of them than me. If I see a spider. I just walk over and squish it. Non of this scream like a GIRL!

2) If I see a frog in the yard, I catch it with my bare hands and make a little house for it and show the "boys" what mamma caught.

3) I jump in the pool like a boy (in my cute suit) and get my hair wet...all the way.....

4) Sitting around and chit chat OR fish, run, ski, play,surf....I'll take the later...

5) I don't mind getting dirty, as long as I can clean up later.....

6) I love cars....the faster the better...it has to be a manual...if not B-O-R-I-N-G!!

We rented a Red Box tonight. I volunteered to take it back....he he. Seth caught on to my scheme...windows down, moon roof open, music LOUD!!!! First gear.........try not to take it over 4.5 r.p.ms....I took the long way home. I'm telling you that was as exhilarating as it gets folks. I never went OVER the speed limit. Doesn't matter how long it takes you to get up to it does it? This is the only side of my car, YOU'LL ever get to see!

So I play like a man, but who says I can't do it looking good?

Still there...

2008-08-22T15:08:00.003-04:00

So you know how I am Betty Crocker now? Well I ordered some wheat, well a lot of wheat, well like 50 lbs. of WHEAT! It finally arrived about 6 days ago.

Me : "Honey, have you seen what's on the front porch?"

DH: "No, what is it?"

Me: " A ton of wheat!"

DH: "oh, what's it look like?"

Me: 2 ,25 lb. buckets of wheat that I am not strong enough to carry!" wink wink

DH: "OK, I'll get them later"

Day 2, Day 3 "Honey the wheat is still outside" "OK, I'll get it", Day 4 open the door to let my neighbor in, there still there, therefore have to explain to her why I need two buckets of raw wheat

Day 5, Day 6 Open the door to let the furniture repair man in, I watch glumly as he steps around 2 white buckets of wheat.....SIGH

OK tonight I'm putting my foot down.... right on his throat!

Sign up, show up, or GET OUT!!!!!!

2008-08-19T09:16:00.003-04:00

Anywhere, Texas. Home to friendly little subdivisions with playgrounds, pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, elementary school, and beautiful walking trials through your very own preserve over looking Lake Austin.

"Oh what a family friendly little neighborhood!" Me and every other mother in the world thought so too.....

Issue One: Pre-school, Sign up early, get in fight if necessary...

In fact, unless you already have a child at the school and get the PRE-registration forms and fill them out and submit them with your $85 dollar check to hold your spot...then YOU GET A SPOT! If you don't have a child already in that pre-school you better get your boxing gloves on because you are going to have to beat down every other mother in West Austin for the two remaining spots on the day, no the morning, no 1/2 hour before the school opens the morning of registration.

Not realizing any of this I decided to take my time and look at other pre-schhol programs before deciding on a school for Ethan. Which I did. And WHAT HAVE I ACCOMPLISHED!!!!! BY LOOKING AROUND???????? Two things

1)WAITING LIST #1, waiting list #2, waiting list #3, and waiting list number #4. Oh and I am like between #3-#20 down on the list and they all accompany a $40 wait-list fee!!!!!! What in the world is a "WAit-list fee!!!!" That's like Walmart running out of diapers and you pay them $10 to put you on a list of the next people to receive them when they become available again!
2) "Next year"- I have accomplished "next year" Each pre-school administrator has assured me that by being on the wait-list for this year, it gives me not first, (because first goes to families of kids already in the school) but second dibs on a spot for NEXT YEAR!!! I just about fell out of my chair when they said, I was literally going to have to wait till NEXT YEAR!!!! I thought ok maybe we wait a month, two months, even three months, but no DUE TO MY BAD BAD BAD procrastination BAD BAD BADNESS, my little ETHAN who was so so so so so so so excited to start pre-school CAN NOT!!!!

Issue Two: The Gym
Every morning I wake around 8 a.m., eat breakfast, check my email, pack lunches, get the kids dressed, take Ryan to pre-school/summer camp, and then head for the 9:30 exercise class at my wonderful little gym. It is the perfect time 9:30 a.m. They rotate the classes to alternate cardio/strength training for me so I just have to show-up and I am guaranteed a good sweat....well almost....

Come to find out what's good for me is also good for the thousands of other west austin mammas and thier ideal little family neighborhoods once again! The class starts at 9:30. Get there at 9:10 sign your kids in for their kids center and you walk to the class and stand there and watch all the fake boobs walk in the room. The is Option #1 and THE ONLY OPTION!!! Get there at 9:15 and you are staring at all the boobs in low-cut tank tops and daisy duke shorts in the lobby of the kids area for another 20 minutes!!!!!!! And you guessed it, you are on another WAIT LIST! This time it doesn't cost you extra though I guess because you write your own name on the list and stand there till you get in instead of expecting them to call you???

When you pull in the parking lot, you scan the area for any IMWK (pronounced eem-wauks) this stands for "incoming moms with kids." If so, we go into emergency, "move as if your pants are on fire and it will not extinguish until you get the kids out of the car and beat every other IMWK to the front gym doors. Don't make eye-contact though because they will stare you down and try to intimidate you with there guilty-pouty "your not going to rush in there and beat me in there and make me have to put my name in the waiting list, are ya, are ya, are ya?????"

Issue Three: Area Association Youth Sports

Fact one: Registration opened Aug. 1
Fact Two: Practices and games begin on Sept. 1
Fact Three: I forgot about fact one and just knew that it wasn't time for fact two

So after Seth reminding me I went on the website last night and this is what it read,"Registration is now closed for our fall programs: Please note that we will accept a limited number of wait list registrations through August 23" Oh You've got to be kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luckily I persisted and found that there actually was ONE spot still available for the baseball program....BUT now instead of it already being a whopping $140/ for two months....it was $195!!!! You guess it because of a late registration fee!

HOW CAN YOU BE LATE FOR SOMETHING THAT DOESN"T START FOR TWO MORE WEEKS!!!!!!

I am sick sick sick of wait-list, wait-list and more wait-list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have learned my lesson I guess.

The moral of the story is "get there early and sign up for things even if your not sure you want to do it...."

or GET OUT!!!! or pay another 20%. That works too.

Give thee thy Daily Bread

2008-08-11T15:11:00.005-04:00

OK call me Amish, call me June Cleaver, call me Betty Crocker....call me whatever you dang want, but this sista can BAKE!

It all started about 3 months ago when I went to a activity where this really cute little lady showed us how to make yummy whole wheat bread. The thought popped in my head that I like the taste of this delicious bread more than food storage food....so instead of stocking up on random dried yucky food storage I would invest in a industrial strength, commercial mixer/blender and a mill and learn to make my own BREAD!

Lucky for me my mom's cousin owns the company Blend-tec (former K-tec) and she can get me 1/2 off this sweet machine. It does everything for you. You select your button that corresponds with what your mixing and it just goes and senses everything for you. I love the smoothies button. This machine is so powerful...I think he started with a vacuum motor and put it in a blender and after 20 years of tweaking ended up with this little marvel...Tommy has his own You Tube show called , "Will it Blend" check this out

So first I milled the grain. Yes you take whole grain, pour it in this bad boy(it kinda sounds like an airplane taking off) and it grinds it into flour...sweet!

Then I threw everything in my machine and push mix. Then I hit the another button and it kneaded it for me. I scooped it out of the bowlIt was STICKY!!!!! Then I put it in the pans to raise...In the oven and out of the oven.....the SMELL, you can't beat this SMELL!!!We ate 2 loaves that evening! I might need more Wheat! Anyone know how to get some cheap?And this is my happy, HEALTHRY, whole wheat eating BOYS!
I love Ryan's face, "ugh dad, gimme my bread!"

There are better ways to save on gas money.....

2008-08-01T11:36:00.002-04:00

...than a three day house arrest! It made me appreciate my world though! Keys glorious KEYS!!!

First I went to Target. I think I had my priorities straight! Awww it's like a drug. Tarjay pharmaceuticals.

Then it was a trip to the nail salon for a much needed pedicure and nail fill! I have been going to the same place for 6 months and I know them by name now. Tammy does my pedicures was excited because she is becoming a US citizen. I told her she probably knew about American History than I did sadly. I told her I needed a pedicure and she looked at my cracked, 1/2 gone polk-a dot polish and LAUGHED!!! "WHY" she said? I was shocked by her humor and thought are they really that BAD? I guess so! Tracy is my nail tech. The best one I ever had. She does so good that 3 weeks later I hardly EVER have any lifting.... she is 4 months pregnant and she said she is trying to eat a lot because her first baby only weighed 3.5 pounds and she thinks it was because she didn't eat enough...poor thing! Ryan came with me and built some really cool Lego structures. When we were leaving the my nails girls started squawking in Vietnamese and Ryan goes, "WHY are you talking crazy?" HUSH....gotta go! It does sound funny though, but I guess English sounds funny to them!

Then I headed to the grocery store...I was so happy! So happy to have my keys and be able to shop and buy this......

This is no grocery store cake! They import these babies from Canada which means....they are really divine! Moist and moussi...YUM

I really am a desperate housewife....except I'm not having an affair with my handyman that is keeping a secret about killing someone's mom...and my daughter is not pregnant with the neighbor's son that is really in love and sleeping with my daughter's best friend....my husband did not quit his job to start his own pizza shop and I don't go around the neighborhood in a bikini and roller blades!!!!!

YES HONEY, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET IT!

2008-07-29T23:05:00.000-04:00

WELL ATLEAST FOR THIS LIFETIME.......

OK yes, I have had lots of time to.....

2008-07-29T19:48:00.004-04:00

Make muffins(Ethan calls them cupcakes) for breakfast and watching the Little Nemo

Lugging an 80 lb. wagon to our neighborhood pool....it was uphill! UGH

Ryan swimming lessons while Ethan sat on the chair and ate crackers:

"OK you're going to go under and blow your bubbles, ready, set......"

"Where'd they go?" This is the best part...he's under the water(on the right)"Good Job, Good Job!" Oh some water in the nose, blow it out!

This is called the "prone glide" it's before they learn freestyle

Then lugging the 82 pound wagon home, we picked up a couple pounds of water...

While wrestling on the floor with the boys...both of them on my back...

Me: I'm the mamma bear and I have two bear cubs on my back!

Ryan: No YOU HAVE PEOPLE CUBS!!!

Making Rice crispy treats and all three of us pigging out on them....dulls the senses a little...YUM

Watching Little Nemo again while eating a Divine leftover spaghetti dinner....

OK I guess I should do some laundry..............

3 crazies for 3 days!!!!

2008-07-28T18:34:00.004-04:00

So I have been sick....I only tell you that b/c it means I have not been living a normal life for 5 days, well I started to feel a little better.

Seth goes out of town this morning.

I get the kids ready, take a shower, and get ready for a fun night out with the boys.

I get my purse together, no keys...there probably in the car....

Get in car....no keys.....

Run in house, look in all the places......call Seth

RIng RIng

SETH: "I have your keys, but I left mine"
ME: "No, Seth there not here.... oh. let em call you back"
SETH PAUSE
ME: "Do you realize this mean I can not leave the house for three days?"
SETH: "YES."
Pause
Pause
"THis sucks, BYE!"

No apology, no nuttin! I am going to go crazy! He didn't even apologize......I'm fuming because he is in friggin CONNECTICUT....he doesn't even need my keys, his keys, any keys, BOTH KEYS!!!!

WHY ME? SO if you know me, call me because I am stuck indoors- three crazies for three days!

Hot days of summer!

2008-07-23T15:56:00.004-04:00

It's hot, I'm hot and happy! I love the heat! Call me weird, but I was cold about 1/3 of the time I was in Ohio, maybe more and it made me realize how much I love the feeling of my flesh burning hot! HEhe

SO what have I been up to? You would think, maybe some cleaning or laundry. NO NO NO! I have been reading! Non-stop. I love to read, and I have read the follow up book to Twilight and I am highly anticipating Book Four Breaking Dawn!!!!

On a side note, on Tuesday, Ryan started swim lessons. This is a right of passage for a kid who lives in Texas! It's kinda a necessity. Ryan was not too keen of the idea. The day before the lessons where to start he would argue and fuss and cry like a little GIRL about not wanting to do them. I kept telling him and reassuring him, to no avail. Finally on the way I said, " Ryan there are little boys and girls out there who have NO LEGS or ARMS and would love to be able to swim but can't. So you are going to swim and like it! " He was silent after that. We got there and he hesitantly entered the water. Well, I didn't know his swim instructor was such a miracle worker.

By the end of the lessons she had his not only blowing bubbles under water, but putting his whole face, body and everything underwater to dive for those sink-able water toys! He screams, "I love to go underwater!" I wanted to jump up and do the "I told you so dance" but I didn't. I just told him how proud I was of him. I didn't even take my camera because I didn't think there would be anything to take a picture of? Well I'll take it tomorrow!

:::::::::::::::::Warning stop here if you have not read all three books!:::::::::::::::::::

SO back to the Twilight books....

-What happens if Bella changes her mind and decides she can't live without Jacob and then he imprints on some random chick.....then will she run back to Edward!?

- I know teenage hormones are strong, but common how can she really want a granite rock shoved....ok you know where I'm going with this.........???

-Book three ends with seemingly every loose end taken care of, so it makes me wonder what the big adventure/fight will be in the forth...I know that the Vilantes are going to make sure she changes, but there has to be something I'm missing. Where is the loose end that I have over looked that has not been taken care of?

- Who do YOU choose? Edward-true love, but a hefty price to pay or Jake- love, but a life...a human life, BUT with the chance that he will imprint??????????

SURPRISE!!!

2008-07-20T21:24:00.003-04:00

6 Days on the ROAD!!! What was I thinking???? I don't know, but it was soooo worth it! I had the best time in Ohio and I am sooo grateful for everyone who made it the best, funnest trip ever. I balled my eyes out when I left...I was not in a good mood at all.

Luckily I had prepared myself and bought some books on CD, one of which was the above, THE SECRET! I had heard of this book/movie on Oprah and ever since been intrigued. Now I am more than intrigued...I am fascinated. I look at the world, God's world differently now. It is amazing. It is based on the Law of Attraction and how we are all made of energy. Everyone and every living thing in this vast Universe is made of the same stuff, energy. Therefore, everything about us....even our thoughts have a energy or a frequency. Positive thoughts, full of love are the most powerful. Negative thoughts are not as powerful, yet if you have them and a lot of them and do not control them they will consume your life just the same....

I was telling our home teacher about this and he told me he watched this movie called, "What the bleep do we know?" and in this movie they did a subatomic study of water particles. They had two groups of water coming from the same source. One water they talked to positively, and the water at a subatomic level was forming more quickly and better. The other water they talked to negatively and the water was slow and did not form the crystals as did the positive water...FASCINATING!!!!

Matter and MIND is the same. It is governed by the same energy or spirit that governs everything. I am so grateful for a loving father in heaven that has allowed all this fascinating science to come forth.

Sooooo I changed my thinking halfway through my trip. Instead of saying, "There are no people my age here, I can't make any friends, I don't like it here, I want to go home.........." I drank a Red Bull.....................no just kidding, " I started saying, "I will make friends, I will love it in Austin, I will find positive, fun things to do."

I feel so much more in control with my destiny. TO not be a product of my dis functional childhood or my mistakable past. It is of no consequence. I can create whatever future I want by thinking about it, believing in it, loving it, being grateful, and being patient that it will happen and I know it will.

So I was not kidding so much when I joked about Red Bull. I had one a day...this is how I survived. This is how we did not come home in body-bags! This is me chugging, oh man did I ever have to pee about 1/2 later!

Ethan loves sweet drinks. We started a sort-of traditions of going to Costco and getting the kids a pizza and sprite about once a month. Ethan would stick that straw in his mouth and it did not come out until the whole thing was gone. Thus we named them "BUBBA-SPRITE" Well, we stopped at this little town in ARKANSAS and they had a slush puppie machine...I LOVE those things and wanted Ryan and Ethan to have something I LOVED from my childhood. Ryan took one sip and said, "it's pretty good, but that's enough" So Ethan gladly took it of his hands....its thus became BUBBA PUPPIE- as in bubba slush puppie.

About 1/2 hour after the ROCK STAR ENERGY DRINK. RYAN was cracking up! Ryan got bored with simply building legos in his lap and he started building them of his tongue!

OK so at 8 p.m. I got home. Seth came and greeted me and gave me a quick hug...what's that it? He rushed up the stairs and I followed....I came around the corner and WHAT, NO, AWHHHHHHHH!!!! I just started balling. Seth had painted and finished alllllll my cabinets! Three coats! They look amazing! I was sooo grateful and happy and thank-ful! I love this man! Thank you soooo much! He caught the whole reaction on video too!

I couldn't believe it because he totally is a good good liar and told me he had not touched them and I was coming home to a big mess. He got me good! This is what I came home to

Thank so much honey! I love love you, not Edward anymore :)

Twilight, Twilight, Little Book, How I love you, yes I DO!

2008-07-14T16:33:00.002-04:00

Edward, oh Edward, wherefore art thou Edward. Sorry honey, but I came to OHIO and found another man! His name is Edward and he fills up my senses! I love spending time with him and I miss him when we can't be near....

OH BUT HE'S A VAMPIRE!!!! Oh, and he is a fictitious character out of this great, radical, awesome,tubular,wicked,phat,uber,fabulous,beautiful,wonderful,lovely,INCREDIBLE NOVEL!!

If you haven't already heard of this book.....consider yourself informed that this is the one and only. The soul mate of a book. The book that non-readers should read. If you are blind, have someone read it too you. If you are deaf, I think braille should work. There are no excuses for this winner winner of a book. And if you don't listen to me by now, you're LOSS. I am not a gambling women, but I wouldn't want to loose this bet!

I haven't LOVED a book this much since Harry Potter. This book is filled with way more romance and intrigue though.

There are four books, I've ordered them all 2 day shipping through Amazon. Oh and there is a movie coming out in December...that's how big this is. Don't bother calling the Library, we did they are 199 people on the waiting list. Thanks to Nicloe and Amy for inspiring me to read!

Freak to Bleach!!!

2008-07-12T08:25:00.005-04:00

Before:

So what's wrong with this picture? Why did I feel the need to do something so drastic that I endured 6 hours of peroxide and bleach on my bare scalp..... I swear I still fell woozy and numb. Well, let me tell you why! I am cheap, maybe not as cheap a some of you deal finders out there. But cheap enough that I have not been very good about keeping up with my hair needs since I left OHIO. This is due to the fact that the cost nearly doubled in my new lovely hometown of BeeCave, Texas. And while I could say we technically can afford it, I just have this home-made barrier in my mind. The same barrier that RARELY allows me to spend more the $20 of ANY piece of clothing. I just get numbers stuck in my head.. . so I'm cheap! Here is where my glam BFF Rachel enters the picture :

See those beautiful goldy locks? These locks of lovely beauty are home grown- in her KITCHEN SINK! Yes, she had discovered the art of "professional, grade A, salon-quality" BLONDE! Come to find out there is much more to this process than a box of L'Oreal hair dye! (Which by the way, I have always been to chicken to use!)

You've all heard (or lived) the stories. You walk into (fill-in the blank big box store) and find a really pretty picture of some random blonde model and you are lead to believe that YOU-TOO can look like this-you are just one box of hair dye away. So you go home slather in on the head and wallah---you are orange! So after hearing horror stories like these, I avoided the process.

************************BUT*******************************

I have a "golden"example of someone who has gone blonde and done it from a tube,tub, and bottle......from home, saving me literally hundreds!!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$$

So I could either go on as I was, with perpetual Jerry Springer Roots, spend the $100/month, OR try to look like this......

Hmmmmm the choice was difficult. I deliberated on it for 5 full days. Then I saw another cute blonde at the mall and as she swung of golden locks over her shoulder (in slow motion of course) I made my mind up there and then! LET"S GO FOR IT!!!

First a trip to Sally beauty supply for powder, processor,toner,conditioner,bowl,brush,caps, and purple sham"poo". Then it was off to Rachels house(ok ok I stopped for ice-cream first) and begun the day of blonde! We tested, bleached, shampood, touch-up, shampood, touch-up, shampoo, toned, washed, conditioned..
WARNING: THE AMOUNT OF CHEMICALS ON MY HEAD AT THIS TIME ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL A SMALL ARMY, THEREFOR I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY SUDDEN DECREASE IN BRAIN CAPACITY!
These are my evil eyebrows, (through back your head, evil laugh...haugh,haugh,iagh)
This was after processing and shampoo, before toner! Me and Rachel's sink became very acquainted with one another!

Seth if you are reading this you will be VERY happy to know that I have many less brain cells and I am a very light golden........(6 hours later)

*******************BLONDE*******************************

(Sorry no make-up)

This is the new me all natural! And we figure I can keep this up, touching it up every 4 weeks for about $15/month)
I was VERY impressed with how good(non-orange) and even it turned out. I eventually will gradually warm and darken it ever so slightly, but this is the starting point!

****Thank you so much Rach for making me blonde...your the best! I owe you more ice-cream!

Blessed!!

2008-07-08T18:32:00.003-04:00

I am seriously blessed! I have had so much fun on this trip. I came with NO, ZERO, NATTA, ZILCH, ww.0.com and I have played all day long everyday!!! Thanks to wonderful family and friends who have kept me quite busy. Who would have thunk it!

Sunday I went to my BFF blessing and then spent all day with her super fun fabulous family! Great company, and great food! We laughed till our cheeks ached and our stomach's hurt!
Today we went to visit my cousin who lives in Kentucky and her little boys. Isn't she beautiful!
Yesterday I went a boatin, tubin, and wake-boardin! This was totally WICKED! First we found this little cove and went for a little swim. Then we started tubing....talk about tube burn! Then a little wake-boarding. I got over the wake only once but it was still really great!
This is from Amy and I's girly night at Easton, this great outdoor mall! Yummy Brio! Which we are always afraid to go to although we love the food, why? B/C we both worked there once a LONG Long time ago and want to avoid some ok MOST of the people who we used to work with.
This was from the fourth of July. But I just love this moment captured because it is the essence of my mom's relationship with my boys, she loves to get down to there level and play with them. She's the best!

Movie Time Monday.....COSI and the BIG CATCH!

2008-07-07T09:35:00.006-04:00

They have a charged ball that you put your hands on and get shocked, this is his shocked face...

Gotta Love COSI (Columbus, Ohio Science Institute) not sure, kinda makes sense? Recognize Val? They have this great kids room with tons on great toys and learning/interactive stuff. I've almost never seen Ethan this excited. He squealed like a pig and ran from toy to slide, slide to balls, and back again.

Then we watched this 3D movie, love those things! Ryan was too scared to put on his 3D glasses??? Oh well.....

This fourth of JULY was our BIG family picnic. After stuffing our faces, the boys headed down to the pond and the girls sat around the kitchen table swapping stories and fun.

And what were those boys doing at the pond??? Well lets take a look....

My dad was having a ball...fishin. He grew up doing what every re-blooded Utah country boy does...fish,ski,climb,camp, and get dirty. After moving east and three girls later. He doesn't get around to that much. In fact he said that it had been years since he fished. It seemed to be like riding a bike though. He looks like he knows what he's doin right?

My F-I-L went with Ryan the day before to buy worms. I guess this is what makes good fishing..great fishing. I've seen a little bit of fishin in my day. I've seen old man sit around and catch a fish or two all day. I HAVE NEVER SEEN FISHIN LIKE THIS. MY DAD HAS NEVER SEEN FISHIN LIKE THIS. You threw the reel in and SNAG, "I got one, I got one!" There were three poles in the water and they were in rapid succession catching this squirmy swimmers one right after another. They had a bucket full of about 40 fish!!! And to top it of it was with a barbie fishing pole, a plastic toddler fishing pole, and one regular walmart adult fishing pole. It's just a little funny to see my dad fishing (and enjoying himself) with a pink plastic Barbie fishing pole? They had a ball! I have to admit. I think it was more fun than sitting around with all the women. But I have always been that way....kinda. Oh and for the fish-lovers out there....we threw them all back! :)

This is just too funny!!!

2008-07-01T00:40:00.002-04:00

Had to share..can't take credit, BFF had me watch and I can't stop laughing! Remember me talking about my old baggy t-shirts.... I think many of us can relate...LOL

You know you're from Texas when.....

2008-06-30T18:06:00.004-04:00

You get in your car from freezin your buns off outside and turn on the HEATER FULL BLAST! I didn't know I should've packed sweaters for me and the kids. I've heard "brrrrr" and I'm cold more in June in Ohio than I did in January in Texas....I guess it is safe to say we are official warm blooded Texans....

To backtrack a little, yes, we got here! We arrived at 5 on Friday night. We were all soooooooo glad to come around the corner to Grandma's house. HONK HONK HONK!!! The kids jumped out of the car and we all ran into the arms of our loved ones! Later Amy went outside to get something out of her car and came in and said, "Why is your license plate ducked taped to your car??????" They all looked at me and laughed. The real person they should be laughing at was not there to take the blow. The story is..Seth could not get our Ohio license off b/c is was rusted on there or something, so he just got some ducked tape out and went to town. Yes, I thought it was crazy but I just wanted to leave for my trip so GET IR DONE! My very handy dad's ears perked up and he just couldn't stand it. He had to go out and have a look. He took a look and said," you know you hear some people call Texan's 'BuBBA', well that's BUBBA!" HA HA HA

With that he marched into his garage came back with some tools and went to work. Let's just say that night I was driving duck-tape free.

We visited for a while and then I took off again this time for a short 20 min. ride to my BFF's house for a little R& R and a lot of girl talk and my second dinner of the night. She had made yummy fresh form her garden Carrabba's herb and garlic dip with fresh bread and then a fat free pie. It was Y-U-M-M-Y! I don't know she accomplished all this with her cute 2 week old babe!

Saturday we drove to our Grammy and Papa's house for a visit. Ryan took Papa straight away to play some computer games and Ethan re-acquainted himself with all their toys.

Saturday night it was time for more action-my favorite kind...a girl's night out!!! So me, Amy, Rachel and her sis Steph met at Cheesecake for some more yummy food...for me a 2000 calorie slice of Godiva Cheesecake....more Y-U-M-M-Y.

Today we went to Tar-jay, then to Panera for some soup because yes I am cold, have I mentioned that? And then we headed to see the new Disney Pixar movie Wall-E, isn't my mom cute. This is Ethan's FIRST movie! He did awesome! I wish I would have taken him sooner! He sat there the whole time, ate popcorn, apples and sucked his thumb! Yah it was fun...well that catches us up, to sum things up....O-H-I-O gotta loove it!

Day Terrible Two

2008-06-26T18:48:00.005-04:00

Hump Day....It was our shortest scheduled drive. 6 hours. Only problem, we went to bed too late and then Ryan woke us up at 6:45 a.m.!!!!!!! Awww I was tired the WHOLE day and we are at the hotel, but I don't feel like working out or swimming or anything fun, I just can't bring myself to do anything................uhhhhh.

Ethan was pretty fussy today. More like squealing. Ryan peed in a cup. That's about all the excitement... mostly I'm just to tired to say more than that.....................

I tried to give Ryan a twizzler today and he said No! Then I made him try it and he did. He handed it back to me and said he didn't like it??? What??? Ethan on the other hand enjoyed more than one, two, or three!

My view today: the heartland of America....

I'm going to try to cat nap now so the kids can go to the pool :) Common!!!

Gone Truckin....Day One

2008-06-25T21:25:00.004-04:00

The first day...duh duh duh....it was..................................Awesome! Ok well, compared to going to Disney World maybe not....but compared to how I remember road trips with yours truly, my sistas...this trip was amazing (no offense Mammy and Shelly).

I have to split off here and talk about our yearly family road trips to Zion(Utah). Today reminded me....ok I was always so excited to go. We got all new crayons and books and music and walk-man, well not the Sony brand..Then we would go and Michele would be yelling, "I'm in the sun again, WHY AM I ALWAYS IN THE SUN!" Amy would be going, " When can we stop for cheese fries..." and I would be sitting there keeping to myself, being a perfect step-ford child! What? I heard that, I totally heard that! Did the bottom of my shoe leave a print on your face??? Oops Evidence. I don't honestly remember that many particulars about these trips. What I DO remember is how unhappy we made my mom, so we must have been driving her crazy. I remember her getting so mad one time that she pulled off the road into some farm-town and we pulled into a K-Mart. We went in and she bought us our own K-Mart brand walk-mans and music to go. She was desperate and at her wits end! With headphones in, I think that limited the amount of yelling, kicking, clawing we could do to each other and we went on. Then mom stopped at a gas station and came out with a COKE. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH We were SHOCKED! See we grew up in a family were if you drank Coke and said, "Crap" you were bad. So we were all,"MOM you're drinking a Coke????????????," and she went on the explain that she was having a hard time staying awake...NO really is that why you were flapping your arms up and down like a wild chicken and yelping????? (Yes, she really did do that!) It left a lasting impression!!! So the Coke was medicine. There was no red bull in those days...I wonder what we would have thought about that??? I've never said it but, "Sorry for being whatever I was being on those trips out west!"

OK so back to my trip....Thanks Darleen, sometime after lunch I was feeling the drag and the RED BULL did the trick. That stuff also suppresses appetite...BONUS! I get the major munchies when I am driving so that was good. I ate a bowl of cereal at 8 a.m., but by 10:30 I had already had chez mix, beef jerky, and cookies. OH YA, get in my belly!!!! Around lunch time I drank the red bull and then I didn't get hungry again the whole time!

The kids were sooooo soo good! Ethan only cried ONE time and that was when he was tired and overdue for a nap and then he fell asleep. Ryan did not complain once. He was an angel helping me with Ethan and talking very sweet to him and being quiet while he slept...love this kid...don't now how I got so lucky! For 2, Ethan was really really good too. Blessed. Because driving with two kids, turning around a million times and thanks goodness for those loud lines on the side of the road!!!

Ok you should be impressed my fellow bloggers b/c I even have pixs and videos...

We went swimming, got in our jammies and snuggled to watch, "SO you think we can dance!"

See you tomorrow! Goodnight and Good Luck!

Road Trip!!!!

2008-06-24T13:40:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow morning I leave for my three day road trip to Ohio. Period. 1261 miles. Here is the deal....

I'M REALLY EXCITED!!!!

Now before you throw me in the loony bin, let me explain. I am a family girl. I LUV me familia! I miss mi familia and Amiga's!!! There is not a lot that I WOULDN'T DO for them or to get to see them!

I have made this drive once before. I did it by myself...it took me about 22 hours over two days.It was not fun by myself! I have amazing parents and they offered to book my hotels and have me do the trip over three days. So that is a huge blessing-thanks daddy!

So this is my game plan

-eating,eating,eating

-movies

- legos

-suckers, lots and lots of suckers

-Ethan's blankie in emergencies

******************Do yall have any impute/ideas/suggestions????

My DH spent all morning getting our cars registered in Texas. As Seth says, we have been riding "dirty" Translation: we never registered our cars in Connecticut!!! SO our Ohio tags expired last YEAR in October!!!! So driving back to Ohio...with expired tags....not good! But we are LEGAL now, don't worry dad! And we've had our oil change and air in the tires dad!

I will be taking my laptop and will be blogging so no worries! I can't wait!

Movie Time Mondays

2008-06-23T16:48:00.006-04:00

I was cleaning out my picture folder and was going through all my videos and naming them and organizing them. While doing so I realized that there are so many that are so cute that I just haven't blogged about.

I have a couple friends that do themes-day blogs, so this gives me the idea that every Monday I will do a couple of movies from either the past or present!

This is first one is a phenomenon known as "THE PEE PEE DANCE" Most male species have been found to have one. It starts in early childhood and usually stops around the age of late adolescents. Scientist have not yet identified the gene for this phenomenon as of yet. There are some questions as to if this was once a survival instinct, for it would scare away all the other animals on the block so one could do their "business" in private. Here is is Ryan...and "THE PEE PEE DANCE, take it away..."

This next one was a silly day, when instead of unpacking, going to the gym, painting, or anything else I should have been doing... I simply sat in front of the computer and before I knew it the blogging time thief had stole my whole afternoon. Ryan and I were making up Rhythm's and here is the brilliant one I came up with...

Here is one of my 2 sweet boys eating home-made waffles...YUM!

Ryan must have liked his new house because he did this about 10 times, this is a speedy tour of the house....as Ryan see it :)

Home Improvement Aint Pretty!!

2008-06-22T10:33:00.003-04:00

Scrubbing off all the grim
Painting the trim, before I get the roller out
No more oak....this is the primer

So as many of you know, the last thing on our immediate list to do for our home improvement was re-face or paint the cabinets...I had a painter come give me a quote. To sand, prime, and paint them is was going to be $2000.(That's wasn't to faux glaze them) At the time(4 months ago) we had the money in the budget. Then I met Tiffany. She is my neighbor that is practically perfect in every way. She is kind, she gives people the benefit of the doubt and she makes amazing chocolate chip cookies. I walked into her kitchen and saw that she had painted her cabinets off-white, the same I wanted to do (before I glazed them). I explained that we were paying someone to do it to which she said, "OH, it's not that bad, I wouldn't pay someone to do it..." Well, if she could do it, I can do it right???

OK you know how AFTER your pregnant for about a couple years...memory fades and you THINK you could even do that again. Well, this is my conclusion too. That she just didn't Remember how much work it was!

I AM GOING CRAZY and I am not even 1/2 done! This is what it looks like NOW:

The far right cabinets(4) have had one coat of antique white, you have to have eagle eyes to see it! The island you can see is painted walnut brown. Like the mess!

I have made progress and that's saying something I guess. But our kitchen is torn apart and we hate living in chaos, so patience and understanding is appreciated! So what have I accomplished? They are primed...and the island has been primed and has it's two coats of dark chocolate brown paint. Now all I have to do is put on the varnish. But just so I can vent about how overwhelmed I am, here is a list of what is still left to do after about 30 hours of work time already invested.

-Paint all cabinets antique white (15-18 hours)

-Re-paint cabinets antique white (15-18 hours)

-Glaze and rub, rub, and rub till your fingers fall off (15 hours)

-varnish everything (8 hours)

I literally would rather be in labor right now than the thought of finishing these bad boys!!!

********************I NEED AN EPIDURAL!!!***********************

Water Safety!!!

2008-06-17T13:45:00.003-04:00

I am struck to write this to remind myself what more I can do to keep my own children safer while we are at the pool this summer....

Why am I doing this? Because a 4 year old boy from my neighborhood drowned at a Club Pool on Saturday. There were 7 lifeguards on duty at the time AND his mom was there. He was pulled from the pool unconscious and they rushed his to the emergency room where he died the next day. I am just sick over this! So it lead me to do some pool safety research mostly for myself, but a good reminder for all!

This is from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

A swimming pool can be very dangerous for children. If possible, do not put a swimming pool in your yard until your children are older than 5 years. Help protect your children from drowning by doing the following:

- Never leave your children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. An adult who knows CPR should actively supervise children at all times.

- Practice touch supervision with children younger than 5 years. This means that the adult is within an arm's length of the child at all times.

- You must put up a fence to separate your house from the pool. Most young children who drown in pools wander out of the house and fall into the pool. Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all 4 sides of the pool. This fence will completely separate the pool from the house and play area of the yard. Use gates that self-close and self-latch, with latches higher than your children's reach.
- Keep rescue equipment (such as a shepherd's hook or life preserver) and a telephone by the pool.

- Do not use air-filled "swimming aids" as a substitute for approved life vests.

- Remove all toys from the pool after use so children aren't tempted to reach for them.
- After the children are done swimming, secure the pool so they can't get back into it.

**********Remember, teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in water. ******

Have a great, SAFE summer Yall!!!

A HOT concert!

2008-06-13T15:16:00.004-04:00

Isn't it spooky how you can see my camera hand shadow on his shirt????
MMMmmm mmm nuggets n' dip dip
It's sunny!!!
"Doggy, Doggy!!!!"

Every Thursday there is a free concert at our local outdoor mall. We decided it would be fun to go picnic.....I even curled my hair!

At high sun, at 100 degrees we gathered our food loot. Seth got a stir-fry bowl, I got a fish dinner, and the boys got ...any guesses? Ya, McDonald's!!!!

There is a wealth of great live music in Austin...being the LIVE music capital and all! Tonight we had the pleasure of listening to the music of Josh Grider. He was really good for a one man band. Just him and his guitar... he said he had just got back from San Fransisco. He joked had went to a party and grilled out with friends....and shivered b/c it was so cold. He said it made him grateful to live in Texas because you never SHIVER at a Texas BBQ....sweat yes, but never shiver. This is my new slogan....

I would rather sweat than shiver any day!!!

Really, almost everyday these past two weeks it has hit 100 degrees! But it has not bothered me one bit! I don't know if my body has already adjusted, but every time I'm out there I think of last winter in Connecticut and count my blessing! (No offense to my CT friends)

What do yall think of these floods and tornadoes...God Bless those families of those scouts....

And a huge shout out to my BFF who just had a DARLING baby girl named Elsie Valentine.....Congratulations!

A WHAT????

2008-06-10T21:34:00.002-04:00

I'm a Chevrolet Corvette!

You're a classic - powerful, athletic, and competitive. You're all about winning the race and getting the job done. While you have a practical everyday side, you get wild when anyone pushes your pedal. You hate to lose, but you hardly ever do.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

What?! You gotta be kiddin me! Common! I have known one too many car fanatic in my day that called corvette's "plastic fantastic" or cheap or trashy or rich whitey......so now I take this quiz and from this short questionnaire it compares me to a Corvette...Rachel ask Mark is he thinks I'm a Corvette??????

With the price of gas these days, I'm wishing I were a GOLF CART!!!!!!

Honesty about LOVE and ACCEPTANCE

2008-06-10T14:08:00.004-04:00

I think that part of this life is learning to love those that are different. There is a reason for everything. There is reason why there is a little boy in my primary class that builds a chair wall around himself every Sunday.

I am the primary chorister in my ward. The primary president called to explain some of the children in our ward that have special needs. I had noticed this before. Some it was all too obvious and I felt the automatic love and sympathy for them. But then she started talking about this other child whom has this disorder that causes him to go in the corner of the primary room and put chairs all around himself and hide.

The first Sunday I saw this I thought, "WHY doesn't his teacher come a get him? How is he aloud to sit on the floor under a chair?" So know as the president is telling me a LABEL, I all the suddenly felt the love and understanding for this little boy, I should have felt automatically! I was feeling very bad and the thought popped in my head, why did I wait for her to tell me a LABEL. There is a reason for everything and I need to assume this much quicker and find love and patience quicker!!

It seems like we love labels-we love them because it explains our differences. I asked my self , what does this have to do with me knowing what was wrong with him? Why didn't I automatically feel "sorry" and love towards him. I guess I can blame it on our society that we judge until we KNOW what is wrong.

It does feel better to KNOW what is wrong with us....a diagnosis of cancer, or thyroid, or obsessive compulsive, or ADHD. But maybe in the meantime...I little more love and compassion!

But I know I need to work on feeling more compassion and love for all people before we know....because all of us are struggling through this life...some more than others....

This is in part response to a friend's post on homosexuality. I agree with her on the point that I do not believe in PRACTICING homosexuality. I think we need to be careful how we teach our children this point. My parents would always say, "Just feel sorry for them" This was good advice. But I honestly have to admit that when I was in my teens...I would look at smokers, drinkers, homosexuals, and think that they were bad, it went beyond their behavior.

The point is...we (I) need to learn to love my neighbor as my brother. As Jesus taught so long ago in the be-attitudes. This means loving them even if they are strange or sick or mean or different. In my adult life I have learned a lot more empathy,but I still have a long ways to go....

Ouch! Those are NOT bees

2008-06-10T12:52:00.004-04:00

Today Ethan went and got his shoes and wanted to go outside. I was glad because it showed that he wasn't "scared for life" of our backyard after yesterday's bad experience!

So we velcro'd up and out he went. I watched him walk to the edge of our deck. He looked at something to the left on the deck steps. LIGHT BULB...he's was standing at the very spot I found him screaming yesterday! He continued down and I walked over to the that spot......OH MY GASH, I'm NOT an expert, but these are look like a.........WASP!!!! Wasp Wasp Wasp, that's four!
No wonder there looked like there were two bites and he was in so much pain, poor thing!

Stings and Stuff

2008-06-09T12:37:00.004-04:00

POOOORRRRRR Ethan! He loves to be outside, but that bite him today....literally. I was in the kitchen and he was on the back deck. All the sudden I hear shrilling, LOUD crying/screaming! As all the horrors run through my head of what I might find. I go out to find him standing there frozen clenching his hands and SCREAMING. Automatically I KNOW. I gather him up and run in the house, but now what? What do you do for bee stings???????????

GOOGLE! I type with one hand while kissing him on the cheek and trying to calm him. I got so many ideas....mustard???vinegar, honey???? OK all those things were so random and weird, so what does any newish parent do when in doubt? That's right, call your mom who somehow knows everything.

What was even better than that, my mom just had happened to have her visiting "nurse" friend over!! So they told me exactly what to do. Thank goodness there was no stinger to pull out. I just dipped his hand under cold water and then let it soak in vinegar. You can't really tell which finger it is, thanks to fat toddler hands, but it's his ring finger :)

Ethan was a very very good patient! He just sat on my kitchen counter quietly looking so pitiful with BIG alligator tears still there to remind of the incident.....his little hand in the soaking bowl. He didn't move. It must have felt good. Then I gave him some benedryl and we snuggled on the couch and watched the Ellen show. SHE IS SOOO FUNNY!

He is now sound asleep in his bed, poor thing! He is the first in our family to experience the bad side of summer and the great outdoors.....

Bikers and Babes

2008-06-08T20:51:00.007-04:00

Ethan loves anything with wheels....especially bikes. He was outside for hours in the 100 degree weather getting on and off Ryan's bike.....here's the proof

This weekend was another fun one, thanks to some very charitable ward members taking pity on the newcomers.

We were invited to a go out with about three other "cool" couples. It kinda felt like a friend audition. :) We went to this yummy Italian restaurant and sat under these mister fans (man's best friend in Texas) It was funny to listen to them talk about the "old days" but they were all 7-15 years older than us, so the old days were early 80's ........we are still not sure what the "flock of seagulls" hairstyle meant. I sat there and did my "pretend to know what you are talking about" laugh though. Lemme google it...

OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH, that's what they were talking about....the boys must have been jealous about the amount of hairspray my resident 80's cheerleader big hair friend,Kelly you-know-who-you-are ,was using...hehehe

We finally talked Ryan into eating a Texas staple- BBQ Beef folks, as known as brisket! He ate 4 bites and he got a sticker on his chart, I was soooo proud! He is such a picker eater, but he has tried many new things this week thanks to out rewards system! All he wants is a speed racer car. We just keep letting him think they are really really expensive! He has tried a chicken and cheese burrito, BBQ, tortellini, a hamburger, and a turkey sandwich!

We have also spent a lot of time playing our newest Wii game....LEGO Indiana Jones! So fun! I'd like to think I am a "cool mom" because I play video games with my boys and I can MORE THAN hold my own! Oh yah!

This coming week I plan on painting my cabinets, working out, and go to the pool A LOT! Funny to think about my dismal life and then my BFF about any minute to go into labor with her third little darling! Good Luck my dear!

Time to DISH!

2008-06-05T17:38:00.003-04:00

I have been fighting it out with DISH NETWORK for the past 3 months. Mine is not the first horror story I've heard about these cable/dish providers. You sign up over the phone for one thing, and get billed for something totally different. Something totally more!!! When I signed up it was 29.99 plus $5 for local channels plus 5.98 for our DVR service fee. Ok no bigee...thats a little over $40.00 plus tax. Maybe I'm just cheap, but I hate paying this much!!

Soooo why is our bill been $53.98! We get 100 channels and a DVR and local programs.

Maybe I'm just cheap, but I hate paying this much!!

DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT????? What is you cable bill? And what do you get for it?

Kiddie Candids

2008-06-05T16:29:00.003-04:00

To all those who have little hands and a camera.... do you go to upload your pixs and there is ALWAYS a picture or two of the wall, the ground, or some other random kiddie candid.

Well this time I had a surprise video. I did NOT take this video. From the voice, you can figure out who it was, all the same it was funny to see Ethan's expressions.

Yesterday, he pooped his pants and went upstairs to "clean himself" I found a bottle of concentrated Tide detergent, a cleaning bucket, and a pile of rags sprinkled all over the carpet infront of my bedroom door.

I now have smurf blue carpet. Oh well, just adds to the other oppsie's. We will no doubt be replacing this carpet in a couple years.......

I'm gonna PUMP you up!

2008-06-04T10:08:00.004-04:00

Hehehehehe I have a couple funny hubby stories and I just had to share.....

So another thing that happened while we were in San Antonio was........ as we were walking to the River Walk....we passed a HOOTERS. I personally have never eaten there, but I have been a server. SO the thought of serving in daisy dukes, really tight tank top, and dance tights...is somewhat disturbing. Anyway, there was an outdoor seating area so we could see them. There was a server talking to a table of 4 twenty something dudes (giving her a hard time). The next thing I know Seth IS RAMMING THE STROLLER INTO A GLASS DOOR! (His head was looking the other direction) Then he yells at Ryan to move out of the way like it was his fault. I cocked my head to one side and said, "YOU ARE SO BUSTED!" (with a half smile) He shyly and nervously laughs and says, "WHAT?hehe."

We talked about it later in the night and he gave me some story about how the guys were giving her a hard time and he was listening to that.....hmmm mmmm WHATEVER !!! :)

Have you ever heard of BODY PUMP? It's a class I take at the gym where you lift weights the entire time and lot of them. You are exhausted when you leave. The first time I did the class, I literally could NOT walk the next day. It took 4 days to feel normal again. Seth was not that sympathetic. (it's in the DNA) So anyway about 3 weeks ago SETH JOINED THE GYM. He has been "taken it easy" easing into his workouts as he says. I decided he needed to see how the real hard bodies work out! :) I talked him into this class, telling him there will be other guys there...which is true.

SO we drop of the boys and off we go. FIRST IS SQUATS. I tell Seth to go easy...we do A LOT of reps! He doesn't listen and puts 40 POUNDS ON HIS BAR! Then we go down to the ground to work on our chest, he keeps the same weight. I'm like...this is crazy there is no way he can keep up with this! Sure enough he come over to me and says, "This lady is crazy!!! I've never done that many reps in my life!" I smiled and supportable say, "I told you to go easy" The rest of the workout, he put 5 POUNDS on his bar for triceps, biceps, and lunges. This by the way was less weight than I had!!!!! When we start the lunges, he goes, "lunges after the million squats we just did?" YUP!! Us ladies gotta have a great bootie!

That night he was soo tired he was walking around with "rickets" (this is a family term described as sticking your butt out and scooting your feet around) and the next morning he was walking down the stairs backwards, b/c it hurt too bad to bend his thighs going down forward. I tried really hard to get a video of this, but he figured out what I was doing and pulled his pants down while I was filming and mooned the camera thus making it impossible to post!

A couple laughs at my hubbies expense! Thank you for working hard for our family though, we luv ya!

Satisfaction in San Antonio!!

2008-05-31T22:07:00.003-04:00

Man I love exploring new places. We have been so lucky to live east coast close to Manhattan and now we not only live in a really beautiful city, but being close to San Antonio too!

It's a great city, with really big drawes such as the river walk, The Spurs basketball, the Alamo, Sea World, and who can not forget the TEMPLE!!

Last Saturday I went to the temple and Seth took the boys to Sea World. This Saturday we loaded up and ALL went to Sea World. We spent all our time at the Happy Harbour, which is the children's section of the park. Kiddie rides, fountains, and rope walls with slides.Ryan and I had so much fun on the mini amusement park rides. Remember the egg beater or the teacups ride, that was my favorite! This was a day you not only minded getting wet, I was walking up to the kiddie fountains and spraying myself. OK OK! I have to admit that getting wet was not my only design. I was sitting around with all the other moms/dads and then I started thinking to myself, "WHY AM I SITTING HERE, WATCHING ALL THE KIDS HAVE ALL THE FUN...NO WAY MAN!" SO i was the only adult splashing around in the fountains....whew that felt great! In-hibition....gotta love it, try it sometime!!!

So after about 3 hours of that we were off for the next thing on our agenda.....FILL OUR TUMMIES!! I happened to see that there was a RAINFOREST CAFE on the San Antonio river walk. (The river walk is a beautifully landscaped little river that runs through the heart on San Antonio, it is lined with restaurants and hotels. ) So I had heard it was an awesome place to eat, but wasn't really sure why....until today!!!! It was worth the short walk from our car! It was sooooooooo fun! We walk into this amazon place that is covered in fake ferns and birds and gorillas and snakes, and pandas! Oh, and tons of fish tanks. Every half hour it sounded like a thunderstorm. The kids drank out of these phycho-delic flashing lighted cup. Our dessert was shaped like a volcano, but was the best tasting brownie volcano I have ever had!

Then it was time to take a boat ride on the River Walk. SOOOO COOL! It's freggin Beautiful!!! There are so many yummy restaurants that are along there that I can't wait to try! Gotta Love It!!

"I'm going on a date with my mom tonight!"

2008-05-29T22:35:00.003-04:00

These are the words I heard him tell his 5 year old pre-school classmate today....that was when I was sure he truly was excited about going out with his old momma.....
From the beginning, Ryan has been collecting those McDonald's speed racer cars, I have to admit they are pretty cool. We really have not been going to McDonald's at all lately, I don't even know how this began! Marketing at its best because now we have to get the whole collection...especially the "Mach 5" Tonight he finally got it and he started jumping up and down at the Mc Donald's Counter....

So subsequently he really wanted to go see the Speed Racer movie. So this morning I thought why not, me and Ryan can go together. So I was like, "Ryan! Want to go on a date with mama? You can pick out the restaurant and then we will go see Speed Racer!" He started jumping up and down and said, "YES!" Awww so sweet. I said where do you want to eat and he was like McDonald's...oh what we do for our kids. I don't eat at McDonald's, we get carry out if anything. So I cringed and said, "OK!"

All day was a countdown, it was two more 4 more hours and then 3,2,1, then minutes. We ran into friends and he told them he was going on a date with his mom. If only that was still cool when he is 15! I told him he had to take a nap because we would be out late and like a robot he said, YES mommy and went and got in bed.

I showered, got dressed and came downstairs and he said, "OH Mommy you look pretty. yes, you look very pretty!" AWWWWW he is sooo sweet, he just makes my heart melt!!!

AT 5:19 on the dot, he started screaming,"one more minute!!!"and I started screaming and out the door we went. We talked about just about everything, he kept saying "THIS IS DEFINING!" I think he was trying to say exciting??????

We had 5 minutes to play on the playground and when it was time to leave, he excitingly said, OK mom, threw on his shoes and off he went. There was no arguing, moving snail speed as usual.I reveled in the moment and smiled to all the other moms as they looked at me like, HOW DID SHE DO THAT????

SO, then we got cookies and potty and then, GO SPEED RACER GO!!!

It was a BLAST! I know it didn't get good reviews but I liked it a lot and so did Ryan, every racing scene he held his little McDonald's car out front and made racing noises as he moved his car around...so cute

At the end he adjust himself and says, "I want to give you a kiss," leans over and kisses me on the cheek! Sweetest boy on EARTH!!!!

It was sooo fun ! We had a great time. I am so grateful to have such a sweet special son!!!

Had to share...

2008-05-25T10:27:00.003-04:00

If you have a few minutes..read this article...truly eye opening or eye popping

The House of the Lord

2008-05-24T23:00:00.004-04:00

Dear Diary,

Today was an amazingly special day....it started out with a trip through Texas Hill country on-ward to my lil slice of zion...the San Antonio temple. My hand-cart...a Toyota Camry which we had to pull over because everyone kept pointing to our tire and so come to find out all it was? Our $17.99 Walmart wheel covers coming off..

We drove by a couple taco stands and my tummy called out to me. I thought hey there are tons of these things, we'll pass more. Well every time I would see one, I'd yell, "STOP!!!" As Seth went, "huh what where?" IT DOE SN"T MATTER WHERE! In the time it took for you to look see for yourself, it is 60 mph 5 minutes ago! This happened about 3 times. I took lots of deep breaths...(happy thoughts, peaceful thoughts, I'm going to the temple!) We must have past about 10 breakfast taco stands on our country drive, but I ened up eating a chocolate brownie energy bar...uh.

Our car turns the corner onto the golden path to the temple and as we come over a bluff, I see it in the distance....well it looked very much like a large and spacious building with something shiny on top...."That's IT!" LAHHHHHHHHH!!! THE TEMPLE...excitement, peace. Wow this is a really nice area I think...townhomes, a new SUPER TARGET, and then there it is as if it were the corner of Broadway and 42cd street.....large white granite....colorful gardens, and a white fence...signatures of our classic Mormon temple.

We stop at the light looking to our left to take it all in. Ryan reading the steet sign exclaims, "DEAD END, DEAD END!!!" We calm him, sensing the irony...

The parking lot is full of tired cars. I am dropped of at the steps leading to a huge waterfall wall. I step back from the car and wave and watch as my three boys roll away...then my attention turns to the waterfall which lead my eyes upward to the words, "Holiness,,,,THE HOUSE OF THE LORD"

Up the steps, glance at the stone waterfall, up more steps and land on a concrete leading to the door with the ornate white handle. Needs washed I think. Then another set of doors, white handle. This time the handles are noticeable clean, free of buildup in the niches of the scrolls. I enter.

Peace, familiarity, my spirit is HOME, HAPPY, and CONTENT. Feelings bring me tears. Why tears? Why am I suddenly filled with gratitude. Gratitude for everything that can rush into my mind in mere milliseconds.

Grateful to be a member of this church, grateful that I can attend this temple...and feel this love...grateful for the magnificence of everything that God was, is, and will be forever. I feel light, full of love, full of warmth.

I exit. The sun greets me. I breath in the warm air. Seth pulls up, parks, and car doors open. Ryan runs towards me and we embrace. Ryan,"OH, It's beautiful!" "Yes, Ryan this is Heavenly Father's house, this is how the houses and gardens may look in heaven. Do you feel it? Do you feel the warm feeling in your heart?" "Yes, I feel it will heal my heart if it is cracked," Ryan retorts. I reply, "Yes, Ryan it healed my heart today...."

Picture This....

2008-05-23T15:13:00.002-04:00

OK so Katie tagged your Ohio friends, well technically we are Texas friends, but we met in OHIO? Anyway, it looked fun. THIS IS AN IMAGE TAG! I love Google image. It has become my best friend with my calling primary...so here goes...

My FAVORITE THING:

MY FAVORITE PLACE:

MY FAVORITE FOOD:

MY FAVORITE COLOR:

THE TOWN I LIVE:

MY FIRST PET'S NAME:

NICKNAME I WAS(AM) ONCE CALLED:

MY COLLEGE MAJOR:

MY FIRST JOB:

MY GOAL FOR THE NEXT YEAR:

PLACE I'D LIKE TO VISIT:

AGE ON MY NEXT BIRTHDAY...

So who to tag.....IF YOU SEE THIS......YOU ARE TAGGED!!!

BUT AMY<>

To my friend...VAL

2008-05-22T14:34:00.002-04:00

Ryan loves to chat with my freind Val! He watches for her smily face to pop up all day and then this is what he says....

Day Five.....only one oopsie, and one poopsie!

2008-05-16T22:37:00.002-04:00

He he! I just crack myself up. OK so here goes, he only had one accident and I take half the blame because I wasn't being as good about putting him on the potty during that time. Overall I am still way way pleased because as long as I get him on the potty, he will pee....and that is progress folks!

And now for the one poopsie. How do I get that going? I think he was holding it for about 5 hours to get a chance to get away from me. Which he did and I knew what he was doing! But no juice today so at least it was WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY easier to clean up this time..... So any suggestions about that??

SO who is your favorite idol folks.....

I don't see this as a contest of talent: rockers vs. ballads....

I think I have to go for Cook. He is amazing at composing and "making the song new" plus he is an amazing singer.

Archy-letto makes my heart melt, but wasn't impressed when he leaves the ballad arena.

Therefore Cook all the way baby, which way do you swing?

Day Four........Success!!

2008-05-15T21:49:00.003-04:00

YaHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

The harder the work, the more exciting the PAY-OFF! All of those that potty train, know the feeling the first time they actually pee in the potty!

I digress. This morning I gave Ethan 3 juice boxes (big mistake, don't give your potty training child juice, see below for why) and we watched 3 BABY EINSTEINS and Ethan sat on his potty the whole time without coaxing.

Finally he started to pee!!!!! Just a drop, then I think he got scared and stopped... he said, "UH OH" I said it's ok keep going, but he wanted up.

So we jumped up and down, we high-fived, we yelled, we got candy....then I walked away and he peed all over the floor, then I cleaned that up and he pooped all over the floor, I got that cleaned up and new underwear......and HE POOPED again...remember the JUICE? OK can I say RUNS!!! Oh man, this was the final straw...I kinda lost it and had to vent to my potty-training Coach VAL. She gave me some new advice and encouraged me to keep going, especially since he did pee once.

So Ethan was down for a nap. I woke him up and he was DRY!!! So I sat him on the potty and wham bam thank you mam, he peed and not a few drops, like a full-on fill the cup pee!!! Ok so twice.

We had one accident in between, but then right before bed he peed again.

SO that's 3 times!!! FOR my 25 month old. I was sooooo happy. Like just got engaged happy, or just found out you are pregnant happy, or got your dream job happy. Elated happy!

Persistence did pay off, I know this is far from over, but it gave me the encouragement to keep going, that progress is being made and it can be done.

This is to no mo' DIAPERS!!!!

Thanks so much to everyone for your words of encouragement and especial thanks to VAL!!! THis is a picture of Ethan saying "YAH, while eating a full-on candy bar!" OH YA!!!