OuR sWeEt MoMeNtS!!!!!

A Little Sweetness....

2011-12-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

Oh my! We have been so blessed! How did we get two of the most amazing little friends to share our lives with? I love the annual Christmas "sleepy time" pics. No...they are not asleep but aren't they cute! (Sorry about Nikko. He would not listen when we gave the command "sleep". Hopefully this coming year with Mister being home (YES I SAID HOME!!!) and some 4H work, next year will go a tad bit smoother. We shall see......) Aren't they cutie putooties? We kindof like them.......

Catch Up Mail Call

2011-12-27T14:43:00.001-08:00

Dear T-Bug and Aly Cat,

You are the best! We love having you with us. We love watching you be altogether, seeing you grow up and take care of each other. I love hearing the laughter and teasing but most of all, I HEART seeing you help each other and be there one another. Never forget that family is forever and will support you no matter what. I promise that is all we have sometimes.

Dear Santa,

I. Do. Believe. (That is all!)

Dear Far Away Family,

You were missed a great deal over Christmas this year. The distance is just much too far for all of us to maintain the involvement that is properly needed for us. Did you feel love sent your way? Did you know you were missed? Let's figure out a new plan. This one is simply not working.

Dear Sweet Biz,

Makeup? Waver? 389 page books? Big girl boots? ReAlLy?!?!?!?! Where did the time go? Where did my little girl go? Your dad and I had a hard time shopping for you this year. Yes, some tears were shed. To realize you are growing up makes us long for the old days but still we are excited about the future at the same time. We heart you forever and 500 million Swedish fish added on top of that. Our little family is blessed because we have you! Please remember to always be you and know that the other things are fun but it is what is inside that really matters. We love your heart and your smile! We love the way you think of others and ways to help. Thanks for being my little girl and teaching me to listen with my heart and pay attention to the small details.

Dear Friends and Family,

L.O.V.E.D reading your cards and letters!!!! Wow! You are splendid and as busy as we are! The fact that you included us on your list touched our hearts. We read and reread each and everyone one of them. Nice job in the past year with all of your adventures! Please keep us updated as the new year progresses. (Oh, and if you were still searching the mail box for ours.....I promise it will be coming soon! It just maybe more of a "New Year" card than Christmas.)

Dear Little Man,

You are a teenager now. We aren't sure what that means but we have loved every minute we have had thus far with you. Thirteen years ago, you were one of the best presents I could have ever dreamed of. We were so scared and unsure of ourselves but you have helped us through each stage. We are so blessed to be your parents. Your ambition and drive not only amaze me but inspire me. We enjoyed your party with your friends. It was fun to watch you be a kid and not the old sole you can be at times. Remember to slow down once in a while and just enjoy the stillness that life can offer you. You can learn in quiet times too!

Dear Snow,

Where are you? We are longing to see you and ski! If it is going to be cold, we need you to join us! Come on. It is okay. We are waiting and will be happy with your arrival. Promise.

Dear Boise State Seniors,

Thanks for the ride boys. We miss you already and can't believe our 4 years together are over. Don't worry about the young ins'. We promise to love and support them in your absence. You will always be missed and thought of however. Best Wishes in your lives ahead. Be wise and smart as Coach Pete has taught you and you will continue to do great things. Keep Believing! We will. Scouts Honor.

Dear Mister,

Having you home has been like Heaven on earth. I heart you. You are my best friend and the Daddy my little ones need because without you, I am not me. I need you as well. How do you make things better with one smile and eye wink? I want to be like that. Thanks for loving me and making my dreams come true every minute you are with me. You make this journey worthwhile and have meaning.

Dear Aquarium,

Ahhhhhhhh, you have no idea how long we have waited for you. You can bring a small piece of that ocean close to home and I need that! Keep up the great work and try to speed up the seal and otter exhibit. That would be the best!

Dear Blog,

Sorry. Time has gone rather quickly. I suppose you can be a New Year's resolution to keep up. I will try to visit you more often.

Life Lessons

2011-10-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

I am a blog stalker. Well, when I have time. Well, actually when I can steal a moment away from our busy little family. It is good for me to do. I worked out (Day 2!!! Wahoozie! On a roll, I tell ya!) and decided to catch up on some reading. Blog reading, that is. I always feel a little smile in my heart when I get to see how amazing life truly is when I read about friends and some I shamelessly stalk but do not really know, internet friends. (Would you call them imaginary?) Life. Is. Good. It is in the small things that we don't stop to look at in our busy schedules, but all in all, life is good and we are blessed. My focus shouldn't be on Mister leaving this morning, friends of both our children and us not saying or doing the right things and causing hurt, money being tight, work hardships and the list goes on. It should be on how amazing our little family is and how we are so very blessed to be together. Because that is all that matters! So I borrowed/stole/took without permission this from an amazing blog (Written by an amazing lady!) this morning to help me remember. Life is going to be okay. I will keep praying and loving and in the special quiet mornings like today, I can smile and remember what life is all about learn a little about where my focus should be, whether I am the cheerleader, the tackler or the one being tackled!1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else. 20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion... Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
Have a most stupendous day! I plan on it!

Mister. I. heart. you.

2011-08-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Fifteen years ago, I got to say I do to a lifetime of happiness with my best friend. How lucky am I? Not only can Mister read and write, he is truly a wonderful man inside and out. I still cannot believe he asked me. He. asked. me. Wow! So in honor of our fabulous, most splendid 15 years together...here is a look back. 1) bought our first home 2)welcomed the Little Man into our lives 3)learned how to love on a very special Lil' Bit 4)built a house (Still have TONS to do and finish. Anyone want to help 5)became Aunt's and Uncles to some very special nieces and nephews 6)enjoyed family and friends (Some that have moved (Boo!) and some that are still as close as ever! (Yay!) 7)learned how to be parents at dance, gymnastics, soccer, cheer, Judo, 4H, football, quizzing, wrestling and track events 8)watched our favorite Boys in Blue and Orange play in AND win games never thought possible 9)became health conscious and one of us started running in races. (Eek! I know, everyone knows it isn't me but kudos to Mister for losing close to 150 lbs. Maybe me someday...just maybe!)10)became proud owners of two black labs and one very large yellow lab, two turtles, and a crazy amount of fish! 11)moved around in our employment, changed titles, positions and locations 11)started skiing both on the water and in the snow as a family 12)enjoyed motorcycles, 4 Wheelers, boating, snowmobiling, mtn. biking, camping and now our new doom buggy 13)enjoyed trips to Mexico, Las Vegas, Washington (Love you Westfall's!), several places in Idaho, Disneyland and of course the beach 14) learned how to heart each other more each day 15)continue to dream about what is to come.

Mister. I. Heart. You. To. The. Moon. And. Beyond. Forever.

A few things I have learned lately.....

2011-08-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

I am amazed by my little family and all they do and accomplish on a daily basis.

Getting older isn't as bad as I thought.

I can, and indeed do, love Mister more now than I did 16 years ago.

Life at this moment of time is really the only thing that matters. Not the past, nor what will happen in the future is of utmost importance. Worrying, wishing and wondering are all silly wastes of precious moments.

Summer months go by way too fast and are way too hot.

Saying goodbye to the Little Man for DU (Destination Unknown) was a very hard thing to do.

Mister is the hardest working man in the whole world and I heart him more than he will ever know.

Sometimes there is nothing you can do but say "I love you and I am here."

I want to live in a world full of people that like to laugh and think of others before speaking. Enough with judgmental, full of themselves people on this planet.

Summer School is a lot of work for a small period of time.

Having 1500 thread count sheets really does make a difference and how I do love them.

I am growing up. I really kinda like it.

Having your family live in another state is getting way to hard on me. I miss them.

We have been so very blessed in so many ways. Sometimes we forget.

The people that you find are the best to work with and love, will eventually move/leave.

I need to get to spinning more often and workout on the days when I don't.

Seasons without football are just boring.

I like winter so much better than summer. I am just not a "hot" weather type of girl.

God will always be there but you won't always have easy days.

July Mail Call

2011-07-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Dear The Voice, Wow! I. am. hooked. I loved it! I wept with you, sang with you, danced with you and even voted. Dia, you are the winner in my book but you have Mr. Blake taking care of you now, so you will be okay. Adam..... Wow. What a fine, kind hearted specimen you are. Thanks for being so entertaining. I can't wait until you come back. TV isn't worth watching.

Dear Beach, My heart is still there with you. Nothing ever seems quite the same when returning. I know you are there and I know I should be there with you. I should see my dogs running up and down in your sandy water. I should see my kids jumping and playing in the waves. I should see Mister sitting next to me and holding my hand as the sun sets. Yes, a piece of my heart is still there, it always is.

Dear Momma, Have I told you how simply wonderful you are? I can't imagine a better role model for me and my family. You make me laugh, crazy, think and want to be a better person. Who would have thought that 20 years ago.?!??! I admire you in more ways than I could ever write or describe. For lack of better words that truly represent the gratification you deserve, thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving us, no matter what. Thank you for being there, for guiding and coaching us every step but allowing us to find our own way. You. are. loved.

Dear Biz, You have had quite a week little one. You won the coloring contest and tickets for us to go to the water park. Thanks for wanting your daddy and I to go along. You woke up at 5 to work at your new volunteer project. I am so proud of you! That is not something just any 10 year old would do. You have a big heart precious girl. Don't forget to keep it!!! Remember to smile and love always. No matter what.Dear Linda, Spinning kicked my hiney and my legs and part of my upper body today. I do not believe a woman should sweat like that. But you keep going and still manage to look like some type of biking goddess up there. How does that happen? How do you do that? I enjoy it though. It makes me feel like I have really accomplished something. Thank you.

Dear Little Brother and Family, It has been forever since we last talked. I hate to be a pest but a week is way too long to not receive a picture and/or chat about the things that are happening in our lives. That helps you seem closer somehow. I can't wait for Sept.!!!

Dear Mister, You are on your way home. I can't be happier. When I hear you are on the road coming home to me, my heart jumps and swirls like I just got off a roller coaster. You get to stay home all next week. Yes. It will be fun times promise. Thanks for date night last week. It was fun to be young and carefree again. Crazy how old we have become, isn't it? Thank you for being an amazing man with so much to offer to me. You are all of the songs I love and the ones that haven't been written yet. i heart you.

Dear Nikko, Please. Listen to the dog lady. She is here to make things easier on you, and us. We love you but do not like your disobedience. How can you be so cute and naughty at the same blessed time? What a talent you have for that.
Dear Favorite Sister and Family, You are so silly. I still cannot believe what you did to our yard. Thank for making my birthday special. It was simply perfect and just what I wanted without asking. I felt loved and honored all day. Our time on the boat was fabulous as well! Sorry about the embarrising moment and forgetting the hat and glasses were on. Oops! We all enjoy you and love every minute with you crazy people. Fun, fun times and lots of giggles. Always.

Dear MTI Class, You almost killed me! You made me so frustrated that I couldn't even speak. RRRRRRR. However, why do I still keep thinking and talking about math? This is not normal. I am sure that is due to you. However, I will always say that having the right answer is most important. Ask Mister when he does the checkbook. He wants me to have the right answer no matter how I arrived at it! That is all I have to say about that, well and maybe that I LOVE subitizing. I just like to say that word.

Dear Little Man, What is up with your nose and allergies? You are making me sad hearing you and watching you try to breath. Poor thing! Thank you for getting up with me and going to spinning. I love our time together there. I love to watch you push yourself and see how much determination you have. You amaze me with your tenacity. You are a special Little Man and we are blessed to have you in our lives.

Dear Me, You have options. You are quite capable. You can and have the ability to change things and show love. Hang in there. No matter what others say, your heart is in the right place. Learn to be patient and observe. Talking doesn't always resolve things. Listen...

I Love You This Much Because....

2011-06-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

...you are a helper...you volunteer on your birthday, doing a thankless job that will help so many people you will never meet...you can light up the room when you choose to really smile...you like to snuggle...you can laugh at the Hill of Doom and know we will attack it together again someday soon...you are a perfectly amazing reader and enjoy getting lost in books. I do too...you are ridiculously cute and witty...you love school and all of the simple things of school like a perfect pencil with a brand new eraser and a perfectly sharpened tip...you miss your Daddy and love him as much as I do...you draw on anything available, the dog's collar, the walls and every scrap of paper we have left in our house...you understand the importance of family and how precious time with them can be...you really do care about others and you hurt when they hurt...you love your brother and appreciate the importance of the life long friend you have in him...you ALWAYS come and give me a kiss goodnight and promise to meet me at the beach we so dearly love...you laugh at my silly Japanese and help me learn more...you sing...you always remember to say I love you and sometimes do it first...you love all of us, no matter what we say or where we drag you, You love us back!
I just heart you Biz and always will. Ten years ago we were blessed to meet you and welcome you into our little family. Thank you for being the girl that you are and being the extra special, girlie, part of us. I love you forever baby girl, all the way to the moon and back down again 500 million times.

HaPpY bIrThDaY!

KIDNAPPING OUR SON....WHAT!?!??!?!

2011-06-04T05:51:00.001-07:00

Our Little Man is now considered to be in the 7th grade. (Yes, I know that school just got out but this is what happens in our world now. There is no waiting. They rush them into one grade and then POOF....done with that, you have now reached a new level, move on please. Don't blink!) This also means, in our Nazarene world, Youth Group!! Are you kidding me? Wasn't he just born like yesterday or possibly last week? YIKES! (I am feeling quite old and a little nostalgic about all things past....sniff, sniff.) Last week, I was a big girl and Mommy of the Year, if I do say so myself, and headed to the "official" parent meeting. No kids allowed, just adults to fill us in on what the youth group is and what will take place to encourage our Little Man to be an active part in our church. And so this is how it begins.... (For those of you like me in the dark and wishing the event of your little baby, the one that relied on you for all things, turning into that dreaded teenager and being accepted into the youth group.) 1. Your son (or daughter if this is informational to you) will receive postcards from various kids introducing themselves and telling how excited they are for your child to be coming up into the youth group. *Check, so far, so good. I can handle this. Great idea! Kuddos to you Mr. Youth Pastor! Love it.
2. On Wednesday, a group of kids (All current youth group members) will come to your house to deliver a video to your child. You are to be home, answer the door and then encourage your child to watch part, ONLY PART, of the video on that day. Oh, and then remind them to come to church for Youth on the Lawn taking place that night.**Check, Check. Again, kids coming and encouraging sounds perfect! Splendid! Hum, wait a minute. Only watch part of the video and then you are suppose to stop. (I can't even wait for Christmas and those packages are wrapped and put away. A video on the other hand can accidentally keep going. What if I am too lazy to get off the couch to push stop? What if I hit the wrong button and actually fast foward? .....WAIT?!?!? ReAlLy?!??!

3. Thursday, more video.

***Check and Double Check. Yay! I needed closure! Oops, sorry WE needed closure. It is all good. The video is about Ultimate Frisbee (Apparently something kids do these days and really does sound like a lot of fun!) and an invitation for your child to come and play. Then a scrumptious Wendy's lunch after. (Oh by the way, parents are not invited!) Super. Little Man likes being outside, likes playing games and guess what? LOVES food! So far, so good. Lovin' the Youth Group!

4. Saturday...Don't tell your child but a group of boys (Thank goodness! No girls are headed into my Little Man's room! ) will sneak into your house at an insane time (6:45 AM to be exact! No worries we were up. Mister left for McCall to run a race. Oh the joys of never getting to sleep in!) and rip your child out of bed and whisk them away. Kidnapping/Stealing/Taking, pretty much all the same words if you ask me, your child until 4 o'clock when you can go and pick them up. (Smart youth pastor!)

****Check, Check, Check and Check. Our sweet Little Man sleeping soundly, cozy in his bed. BAM!!! Boys in masks and a youth pastor, run in and wake the poor kid up and say, "Get up! We are headed to breakfast!" (Check out Jon's hand in utter confusion. He was silent. I am thinking maybe I should have them wake him up every day. I usually get a lot of whining and not a lot of movement!)

If that doesn't welcome you into a group, I really do not know what would. All in all, so very impressed. Needless to say, our boy has done something either at the church, or with the church group for the last three days and we couldn't be happier. That is a great start and a very warm welcome! Kuddo's Mr. Youth Pastor and gang! You are a breath of fresh air! Last thing to be said, Welcome to the Youth Group Little Man! Our hope and dreams are for you to grow and learn to rely on God in everything you do, all the while establishing good relationships!

We heart you to the moon and and back again.

Some news about Love Languages.

2011-06-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

So I took a quiz! See, I can never escape school. First day out and I take a quiz! Geez.
That. Is. Sad.

Anyhoo....back to the quiz. It was about Love Languages and what Love Language speaks to you best. (Pay attention Mister!) So...I had to choose between two different statements which one I felt resembled my needs (It is about time someone asked or cared or bothered!!! Oh wait, I took the quiz. No one really wanted to know) the most. And guess what? Turns out that I am not at all like my fabulous brother and niece who share the same Love Language (Even though they both claim it is not of truth in any shape or form!) -Gifts (The need to recieve gifts. I know. I hear you. I try.) My Love Language is........

wait for it.......

here the big reveal comes......

The need for quality time.

Enough said. Come over! Let's spend some time. Apparently I need it. I really do!

Ask me.....

2011-05-25T16:27:00.001-07:00

If you ask me....

Mean people stink. There is no reason to be mean just for the sake of being mean. Come on people!

If you ask me...

I was able to take some most bea-U-ti-Ful hikes in the mountians with the dogs and the family.

Oh, how I do heart our little family!

If you ask me..

Twin Falls is much too far away and yet the map assures me it is just 1 1/2 hours away. I miss your face Mister and the kids/dogs just cannot cuddle the right way!!

If you ask me...

Motorbikes are scary! Oh my! Please be careful my boys. I heart you WAY too much!

If you ask me..
Biz rocked it on the 4-Wheeler this past weekend! Go Lil' Bit GO!

If you ask me....

This year was much too hard on me physically, professionally and psychologically.Here is to a New Year. It is going to be great!

If you ask me...

Kindergarten is the best grade ever to teach and my 5-6 year old kiddo's tend to behave better than some adults I know.

If you ask me..

When there is someone that you love (family and friends) and they do not live close, things seem out of order.

If you ask me...

I heart Mister so much that I cannot put it into words! I. am. blessed.

If you ask me...

Our Little Man and Biz are the coolest kids around and surprise us daily by who they are and the glimpses of the big people they are becoming. (Sniff, sniff and hooray all at one time!!!)

If you ask me...

I need to figure out a way to become motivated again and get to the gym. Ideas?!??!

If you ask me...

Yes, I would love some chocolate. I always want chocolate. (See out of control!)

If you ask me...

My goal of trying a new recipe each and every week this summer, is a most stupendous idea!

Anything else you want to ask me? Go ahead, Shoot.....

Mail Call...

2011-05-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Boys of Mine,
I am so glad you are here on this planet with me! You make me smile and laugh and a little crazy but it is good. So very good.

Dear Little Girl,
You have the world at your disposal. Remember to be sweet and kind of everyone. Just because girls are known to be the meanest ever, don't be like them. Love everyone and always show your very sweet smile. Things are going to be okay. Promise. Because through it all, you will always have us!

Dear Mister,
Can you please, pretty please, go and buy the biggest stock pile of Skinny Cow's? I am seriously over-worked and stressed at this point. When you are gone, it is the only thing that can perk me up.

Dear Family and Friends,
I absolutely LOVED spending a night of trying on flip flops. It was a wonderful evening and one that we will do on my planet daily. Thank you. Loves, hugs and hearts all around.

Dear Far Away Friend,
LOVED chatting with you on Friday. You are an inspiration to keep going and a friend I can always count on. Thank you for being you and even across the miles, still being there. I miss you and heart you forever.

Dear Planet,
It is time we all come to live. (Well, the nice people anyway!) Are you ready? I am not sure I can't take the meanness of this big, bad earth anymore. Be prepared!

Dear Twin Falls,
Remember to send back my Mister as quickly as possible. Monday night would be great as I am completely concerned about taking the puppy to 4H. Wednesday night, I am completely saddened that the BIG youth group wants to have a meeting about our Little Man. Thursday, Mister has a date with the Oregon Trail and Biz. Let's just be honest, I need him every day of every week. So Twin, I am sorry, you need to let Mister come home now!

Dear Great Potato Race,
Thanks for not hurting Mister to badly. However, why do I feel the need to feel fat and lazy when I go to be pit crew there? Hum...

Dear Photos of Me,
Please stop being so brutally honest. I know I am getting older, but you don't have to be so very revealing of my every flaw.

Dear Miracle Boy,
My heart misses you, your voice, your cute little personality, your laugh and smile. Please come back soon. You are much too far away!

Dear Self,
You are a rockstar and nothing can stop you, but you. Hang in there. Give it all you have got.

WeDnEsDaY iN nUmBeRs.

2011-05-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

540~ miles that separate me from a family of three that I love and miss so very much. Included in these miles, is a humongous mountain range and one massive river!
126~ miles is the distance between the man I heart forever and our house. TOO FAR!
20~ Kindergarten kids that sang their graduation songs and made my eyes water.

5~ students from Middle School that joined our Little Man in receiving the Young Citizenship award.
3~ miles I didn't, but should have ran this morning.

2~ proud parents of THE secretary of her 4H group and a Young Citizenship Award winner .
1~ Mister who drove all the way from work to join us in celebrating said Little Man's award luncheon. (How I love this man!)
0~ skinny cows because we are out. (sniff, sniff)
Wednesday wiped me out! How was your day?

and so it begins.................

2011-03-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

spring break 2011....

~flat tire departing from work on Friday. Yup, that is right. With brand new (not even 2 months old...however, they have hit a deer) tires, I manage to get a flat. Ugh! Thanks Mister for rescuing me! You are the man of my dreams, and car repair.

~flat tire on bike. Double ugh! Thanks again Mister....refer back to my dream statement.

~gaining 4 pounds back! Triple ugh and yuck and all the feelings that go with it. WHY?!?!? That is all I have to say about that! why.......

~Mom and gang left for the beach. without me. ReAlLy? I can't even respond.

~Only the boys got to go skiing yesterday because Biz was having a break down and needed to go shopping. (Really, shopping. Fun times let me tell you!) Just for the record, I lost rock, paper, scissors. However, life is good when you take a look at these things.

yes... life is good and going to be okay!

Whoa.....our Little Man did that?

2011-03-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Apparently this is what happens when you explain to our Little Man not to worry about being perfect and just to go out there and scrap.....

Not exactly sure I like it when other little guys are "scrapping" on my boy, but it sure does make a Momma proud when she sees her Little Man do a little of his own! Love that boy!

(No worries. No one was hurt in the making of this film. Sillies! Noone ever gets hurt in Judo....)

I Heart You!

2011-03-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

Mister,

I love that you like to do Judo and try to learn my "special" Japanese words.

I love that you watch smut TV with me, even at strange hours and laugh right beside me. Even though we know it is just that, smut.

I love that you listen to me when I need to talk about stupid and silly girl drama that truly has nothing to do with my work but seems to always be there.

I love that you will stick around through the hard times. Because you always do and I know in my heart you always will.

I love the man you are and the man that I can see you becoming.

I love watching you listen to our kids and the way you explain things to them so much better than myself.

I love when I see you tuck them in at night when you don't think I am paying attention. My heart swells to sizes I didn't know was possible. I love the Daddy you are.

I love that you can make a joke when I am totally being serious and we both end up laughing.

I love that you understand my constant need for Skinny Cow's to be in the freezer.

I love that you cared I needed help vacuuming.

I love that you keep asking me if I went to the gym but don't criticize when I don't.

I love that you listen to my work stories and even though you have no clue who I am talking about, you laugh when it is funny to me, you hold my hand when I cry, you ask about all of them because you know how much I love them and the big part of my life they become every year. Then you hold me when it is time for me to say goodbye each and every year and smile because you know I will do the same thing all over again in the fall.

I love that you laugh at me when I worry about our kids, about money, about my students, about our families, about life.

Mostly, I just heart you forever and way beyond the moon.

Thanks for being my world!

D-

(I miss your face as usual! Hurry home!)

Mail Call.

2011-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Sunday,
Why do you take the weekend from us and why do you always arrive so quickly? Take your time. We really won't mind!

Dear Ippon Judo,
Wow!

Dear Cabin,
We love you. The end.

Dear Treadmill,
I beat you down today! No inhaler, no stopping and finished the 5 miles. Take that! I shall celebrate with a Skinny Cow in your honor.

Dear Little Man,
You are the best Judoka out there. One thing I want you to remember, with all of my intensive Judo training. Relax. When it is practice, work on that "perfect" throw but at tournaments my son, become a scrapper! We are proud of you either way. The two are different and need different applications. Learn from the scrappers.

Dear Biz,
Isn't it great that Judo weekends become Mommy and Me weekends? I learned how to french braid. What could be better than that little one? I know they are long for you but I enjoy our chats while we are at them and there are always funny things to watch. So it is good for us to giggle at. Not so bad, not so bad!

Dear Boy who Posted (and didn't take the fall),
Don't do that again. That was gross, sad and scary all at the same time. DON'T DO IT, TAKE THE FALL!!!!! Yuck!

Dear Mister,
It is Sunday. We had the weekend. I heart you forever and more than all the Ippons that Ippon Judo gave this weekend and in all of their little careers out there on any mat. Thank you for coaching our Little Man. I know you get frustrated but remember that being out on the mat by yourself is different than watching it happen. Our Little Man is amazing because of you. I will miss your face this week and there will be bad hole on your side of the bed. Hurry home. Be safe.

Dear Deer that Hit Our Car,
Bad decision. However, I was quite happy to not see you dead on the side of the road this weekend. My happy thought is you are with your family telling the story from a different perspective than we had. Again, Bad Decision. Cars are made out of metal. Enough said.

Dear Friends that Entertained Me and Coached My Little Man,
Thank you. The weekend was perfect because of you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for sharing in the life of our family. We enjoyed you. I enjoyed you!

Dear Family/Friends that Couldn't Come,
We missed you. Our hearts were sad. Come back. Come back to this crazy Judo schedule. Your absences were greatly felt and we missed you more than words can say.

Dear Teacher Friend in Colorado,
My heart and my profession is not the same without you in it! I miss you! I miss your crazy food smells! Can you come back?

Dear Away Family,
Life isn't the same when sharing it on the phone. This has to end. Who is going to make the move?

Back on the Wagon.....Well, deciding to buy a ticket on the love train?!??!!

2011-02-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

As I woke up this morning at FOUR O'CLOCK (I really do love you, Mister! It is my day off!!!) just to go to the gym together before headed out on his weekly "this is what we have to do right now." journey, I realized that we have started to be in a complacent and unpleasant weekend rut. I moan about his absence all week and then when he is home on the weekend, I catch myself in my silly, pity party about how much I do (So true!), how overworked I am (Completely unfair!), how unbelievable tired I am (I am sure due to the overwork!), and frankly just about life in general. Can I get an AMEN?!??!?! Then I began to realize how completely "un-fun", "un-pleasant", and just quite frankly "un-sexy" my attitude must be for the poor man gone all week.

Let me give you a typical Sunday evening scenario.
Mister and I get home from the gym. Mister is complaining about the new church time. I am tired of hearing about this time wondering how he feels I can change the situation. Now I am angry because already my attempt at being a better Christian has changed due to said conversation. Mister and I discuss dinner options. ("What do you want for dinner?" "I don't care, what do you want?" Question proposed to Little Man and Biz, "What would you like for dinner?" "We don't care." "How about taco's?" "No, we don't want that?" "What then?" "We don't care, really." Hum...see the pattern?This goes on for literally minutes.) So I cook dinner. I beg and plead with said Children and Mister to clean up the kitchen. Mister and Children pick up kitchen while Mom/Wife/ME does the laundry and packs Misters suitcase. Then I go behind Mister and Children to clean the kitchen again. Mister asks me, "What's wrong?" I say, "Nothing. It is fine." Mister says "OK." I internally curse at Mister for not wiping the counters, unloading the dishwasher, and oh ya, by the way, why am I required to do all the laundry? Mister sits down and rough houses with the children completely unaware of my internal monologue. Mister asks me, "Ready to go to bed?" Finally I have had enough and I explode, "Why do you not do anything around here?!?!?" Mister...."Um, what did I do this time?" I realize I have overreacted.......again. Mister sighs and ultimately forgives me....once again.

Does this happen to you or am I the only crazy Wife/Mom on this Earth? Our schedules can make it so difficult not to focus on the smallest of things sometimes and today I realized that if I can write this event down verbatim, that it possibly happens WAY to often in our house. I need to learn from our Sunday evening ritual so I won't beat myself up about it all week just to do it again before Mister leaves. Wouldn't that be freeing? To just learn and stop the madness? How does that quote go, "Doing the same thing will only create the same results." or something like that. So right now, I proclaim to the blogiverse, I am going to rededicate myself (and the Mister, but he doesn't know it yet!) to treating our marriage and family time like what it is and should be...at the risk of sounding all disco...ish, We Are FAMILY! Sometimes, when you've been together as long as we have, maybe it is normal to be more like roommates than Husband and Wife. Then add kids to the mix and maybe, just maybe we get lost.....
NO MORE I SAY!
So, today my focus is on our marriage and the vows we made many moons ago. Wish me luck!!!

Want to join ?

ToDaY

2011-02-08T16:45:00.000-08:00

Today I woke up tired....again

I did make it to the gym for a great chat with my sis/friend. Love you Tam!

Today I tried to wear something different than my outfit that I have worn for several years in class pictures. (Oh my! Please someone! Take me shopping!!!)

Today I sat and chatted with my students while they painted their carp kites. I didn't care. I didn't even think about curriculum, schedules and/or IRI. I just enjoyed them looking for their "chapsticks and saying Kung Who Fat Roy." (Chopsticks and Gung Hay Fat Choy)

Today my heart smiled when my kids called me when they got home and I loved them even more!!! I can't believe they are ours. God has blessed us in ways I would have never asked and we are so lucky to have them and be a part of their lives. What a gift! I was reminded of that gift today.

Today my soul feels hungry.

It needs nourishment and much more than the just getting by.

Today I wanted parents to know that I love teaching. I love working and learning alongside their kids. That I am not there for tenure, time off or extra pay. I just want to do my job and be there to start 5 year olds on the right track, love school and know that there is someone in their corner. That I can/will teach them all they need to know if they will trust me and walk alongside me.

Today I enjoyed taking my Bug to school and being her bus driver. I realize the day is coming soon when I will no longer be needed and I will miss that part of my/our life.

Today I left my house in awe of my mom and how strong she is and how much I need her. I never would have thought and never could have dreamed but she means the world to me.

Today I sang as loud as I could on my way home. Old songs, new songs and even some help my soul songs. I felt like a Rockstar! (Then I missed my old drink.)

Today I found out a friend might not be next door to me anymore and my heart hurt. I can't possibly know how I will handle working without her beside me.

I contemplated moving to another school to be with her.

Today would be better if Mister were home.

He is fun and funny and fantastic and every other amazing word that apparently starts with F.

I miss him. I can't wait for this time in our lives to be over.

Just a few things I did today. What did you do today?

....Mail Call.....

2011-01-25T16:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Biz,
How do you have such a big heart for such a little girl? Oh how you make our family complete! Thank you for being you. Thank you for reminding us to slow down and enjoy being still. You are truly a gift!

Dear Kindergarteners,
Did you little guys make a secret combination to take me down this week? I am exhausted. And it is just Tuesday....Oh no.

Dear Little Man,
You are an old soul in a growing body! We marvel at you, your strength and drive. Thank you for letting us be your parents.

Dear Ocean,
I am still missing you! I know you are calling but the importance of life and the grown up world have taken precedence. Please know I love you!

Dear Greyson,
How can you be so far away and have my love continue to grow for you to a new level? You are such an amazing miracle and I marvel at you and all you do. (Shh! I feel the same way about your parents, but they don't need to know. It will be our secret!)

Dear Judo Friends,
I miss you. It is not the same and no matter how hard I try, noone can take your places. I am lonely and need companionship. Please return. Soon.

Dear Hill of Doom,
I will be back friend/foe! Oh yes. I will be back and when I do ski upon your blanket of white snow, you will NOT take my ski and hide it for me to waste hours on a search and rescue mission. Oh yes, I will be back.

Dear Family,
I would LoVe to go skiing again on Sat. How about you? I heart our time together.

Dear Kristin
Sometimes I really HATE that you moved. Other times I think I am going to be ok. Miss you friend! So, wish our time together would have been longer.

Dear Mister,
I love you more today than yesterday. But not as much as tomorrow! Promise!

Dear Self,
It is not wise to compare yourself to others. EVER. Especially when you will always choose the worst thing to compare. Love yourself. You may not be perfect but parts of you are pretty awesome!

ReAlLy?!??!?!?!

2010-10-16T21:04:00.000-07:00

It has been a week....
A LONG week......
The kind that just keeps going and going and going!
However, I know tomorrow is a new day. I have a lot to be thankful for.......

Mister is home (Happily sleeping in the recliner with our Little Man passed out on his lap! I must say it makes me smile and shed a tear at the same time!!! )

Lil' Bit is on her way home from spending amazing quality time with Grandma and watching Teila at D3. So glad she didn't go to McCall for the train wreck of a game! Let's just say I made my Dad proud as I wrote a very lengthy letter to the president of Optimist football. In fact, I could hear him as I typed, encouraging me to add more detail and to describe every minute of the autrocity of what was suppose to be a good, clean game of football! (Well, it might have been Mister too, standing over me still fuming but I do remember Dad always writing a letter when things were wrong!)

Boise State won, again...!

Puppy is still in love with his new ball!

I had, no, made time to look at these pics from our trip to Washington to see a special little miracle turn 3!!!!

...and here is a deep thought.........

2010-07-29T09:58:00.000-07:00

So, I am a blog stalker. Yup, I admit it and will honestly tell you that I adore reading about other people's lives, whom I have no idea who they are or where they live or will never actually meet. It could be considered scary but I promise it is or I am perfectly harmless. Sometimes I do though, get quite involved with their stories and I cry, or I will laugh or even call Mister to share. (He thinks it is a little weird but....I think some of our most amazing conversations have been started due to something we have read!) And, sometimes I read something that truly touches my heart and makes me a better person.

This past week that happened! I read a blog about a lady who decided that there is so much going on in our lives and how busy we get that we forget that our kids are growing up and might miss the opportunity to do activities that make us who we are as parents are today. (I am paraphrasing this. Hope that is okay. Remember I don't know even know this lady! If you do,please tell her she is AMAZING!) She went on to say that "We are tour guides. Every day our babies hear a language they don't really understand and witness events and objects. Everything is new to them. But ever so much more than teaching our kids, we get to teach them to live!"

That got me to thinking.....(Here is the deep thought part!) Yes, we have introduced our kids to letters which eventually led to reading. We have taught them to write those letters to put down on paper for thoughts and words. We have taught them colors and numbers and how to act in specific situations. We have taken them outside and taught them to swim, enjoy the snow and the sun, see the sky, the trees and even bugs!

But out of all of these things, what are the most important things we can help our children really learn. Of course there is the number one priority that God loves them and there is nothing more important than building that relationship with Him, but my imaginary friend (The blog author. I can say friend because I just know I would LOVE to be friends with this lady! I feel it!!) took it a step further and suggested that we should teach them to really live! That every day, every year, every minute, we need to take a minute or even make a list of things that will help them really "Live". (See! I told you I would love her! I LOVE lists!!!)

So, I thought I would share...Here is my/our live list:

Play in the rain.

Sleep outside under the stars.

Send a care package to someone we love.

Experience a sunrise with a cup of hot cocoa.

Roast a hot dog over a campfire.

Catch a tadpole, and kiss it for good luck before setting it free.

Plant a flower and watch it grow.

Go a WHOLE day without shoes!

Get in a waterfight with no rules.

Make cookies for a friend and doorbell ditch.

Have a tea party.

Play with my camera until I can use all of its features correctly.

Spend a day hiding "Happy Fortunes". (More about this to come...I am soo doing this!)

Teach the dog to stay.

Send a letter just to tell someone you love them.

Go the beach and build a HUGE sand castle.

Go Huckleberry picking and eat them until we feel sick.

Stay in pajamas and watch movies all day. With no housework.

Catch a fish.

Make a zoo out of play-dough.

Splash in rain puddles and get sopping wet while dancing and playing.

Fly kites at the beach.

Laugh until you cry.

Attend a luau.

Swim with dolphins.

Cook a full course meal and have the table set with all the works.

So, there it is. My/Our Live List! I am excited. I am motivated! I am glad there are people who can inspire us without them even knowing. And you know the more I really think about it, a Live List just might be able to bring us one step closer to that very important relationship with God too! Hum....

What is on your Live List? Wanna play along? I would love to hear yours!!!

~ A dAy FoR sOmE wAtEr PlAy ~

2010-07-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

Who: Teila, Alyson, Jonathan and Elizabeth. (Well, and Aunt Tammy, Mister, Grandma Terry and myself...and Aly's friend Emily).

Where: Roaring Springs Water Park (Have I mentioned before this is my ABSOLUTE favorite place to go? Nothing like spending all day in your swimsuit!!!! L----O-----V----E it!!!)

When: Saturday

Why: Because the wonderful, magnificent, awe inspiring, amazing (Do you hear the angelic notes going off around you?) Uncle Bob, Aunt Stacy and Little Greyson always bless our children with passes to our local waterpark for the their birthday.

Awww....nothing says Happy Birthday and We Love You more than free passes, (for YOUR parents to take you) on a fun filled, sun kissed, heat extreme, over crowded, day at the waterpark on your special day! All the while, we get the credit for being extremely cool!

Thanks Uncle Bob, Aunt Stacy and Little Greyson! We had a fabulous time! For real! We really did enjoy our day on you! (Well the kids did! All of the adults are now taking up second jobs to help pay for our own entry into the park!)

Please remember when we buy Greyson tickets to a nice, cold, energy driven, football game for his Birthday...it is because we care and love him dearly! Make sure and take pictures for us!!!!

*giggles!*

mail call....

2010-07-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Dear Camp,

Thank you for taking care of my babies last week! I missed them dearly but they had a great time! They have great stories too! I am glad they are back with me though. A week is too long for this Momma!

Dear Weekend,

Where did you go and why did you go SO fast? I hate when you leave and take Mister with you! Hurry back!!!

Dear Gym,

Soon I will be back! I know I keep making excuses but my pants remind me minute to minute that it is time! How about tomorrow? You and me...and all of those people!

Dear David Ramsey,

Living your plan is like eating healthy food! It is good for us but terribly dreadful at the same time! (Goodbye green car! Please understand that it was a debt snowball decision, not you!)

Dear Mister,

As always I am here missing your face! I heart you more today than yesterday!

Dear Family,

Yesterday was fabulous! I LOVED every minute of it! Always good laughs and an occassional head smash. Love you all! How about we go again sometime soon?

Love,
me....

More Vacation Recaps......

2010-07-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

Did I happen to mention that after the REALLY BIG tournament of tournaments, we were able to head across the street from our motel (Yup! I said ACROSS the street from where we our sweet little heads lay on a pillow each of the 9 nights we were gone!) and have a glorious time at the happiest place on earth? Don't get all sappy on me and say "your home is the happiest place on earth" because hello, it doesn't have churro's or space mountain or an adorable little mouse that you always spell M...O..U..S..E. at the end. Oh! Sigh, Hum..Well, we did! We went... and there without a doubt, I was the happiest person on earth and shhh!!!! don't speak or say it too loud but the Mister was too!

See, don't we look happy? Yup! Cuz we were! The happiest!

Oh and yea, nope, we didn't have a problem with the fact that we are over 30 and wearing those ears as a family! We were very cool sporting them around the park! We might have, maybe, just suggesting it, skipped a time or two! (We held hands too WHILE singing the song!!!! *giggles*)
Awww.....and what a great time we did at that place of happiness!

What We Did This Summer.......

2010-07-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

a little of this......

some of this......

and a lot of this........

and where were we when we did all of this, you might ask?

I am glad you asked.

SeaWorld, Disneyland, San Diego Zoo and Universal Studios.

We did something we have been talking about for years. Yup, you are correct..we took a little vacation!

Thanks to Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Shamu, the group of Polar Bears, Tinkerbell (My new favorite right behind the Mouse himself!), and all the other various characters we got to meet on our amazing adventure!! We LOVED every minute of it!

(There is more to come! But that is all for now folks!)

Well, welcome to the big dogs........

2010-07-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

.........or the big gi's or however you would like to say or word it. Let's just say that there are no words to use for the experience we all received today! How do I begin.....hum...the words.....I am certainly not going to do it justice because being in the environment is really the only way to understand. But I shall try....
Imagine if you will........
Hundreds of people all waiting in a line for two small doors to open. Coaches, kids of all colors, weights, ages and sizes. (You can say Kilograms, pounds, ounces, it is all irrelevant when there are soo many shoved together in one tiny little area!)
All of these people anxiously awaiting for these two small doors to open in order to overtake the University of California-Irvine's arena for the next two days. Some of the kids were quiet, (Well, they were deaf but it added to the ambiance and thrill of being somewhere new!) some were loud and obnoxious,(It is California...I think I have heard that about some of these people), some were sweet and kind, (That would probably be us! *giggles!*) most spoke Japanese or Spanish or languages I have never heard or can't identify, and then there were some that were naive and new and just had these "What have I gotten myself into"looks. (Okay, maybe we fall into two categories!)

Finally...the wait is over. Like bread popping out of the toaster, the doors eject and there is that pre-shiai mayhem but more at a normal level times 100! People pushing, kids with gi bags that are bigger than they are trying to squeeze through the turntable to make their way to the "really BIG fight of their lives" and moms grabbing hands to not lose their younger children. Some had obviously been here before, they expected it, you could tell. However, when we walked into that arena and there was music blaring as if we were at a rock concert rather than a judo tournament, you couldn't help but show your ...holy moley...we aren't in Kansas anymore Toto expression! Some "in your face" motivating music blared throughout the stadium and an even louder voice, if that is possible, speaks to invite all judoka on the mat to warm up.

See chaos!!! This is just one side and corner of the mat area! WOW!!!
I am shoving Jon's contacts in his eyes and fast as I can. The poor kid didn't even know what hit him. He was whisked away by coach Mister and down to the arena floor they go.

The little man was amazing. He didn't seem to be timid, shy, out of place. He stood at the mat and listened to directions as if he was getting directions for a walk in the park that he loved! The kids kept coming out of the wood work, or concrete work if you would rather, the music continued to blare..one motivating kick your hiney song after another, while moms, dads, clubs, etc. looked frantically to find the best seats to watch their player in the 8 fight stadium! Yup, I said 8!!!

As if this wasn't to be outdone.....the participants were taken off and over 100 judges/refs lined up at the end of the mats. Wow! Amazing! But here is the best part, out come the players holding their state/country sign to the Eye of the Tiger, Right Here, Right Now, and the list goes on. Unbelievable, there was Oregon, Idaho,

This is our little Idaho group! Jon is the third one from the front!
Washington, Illinois, Ohio, Brazil....yup the country....Australia...yup that country too...and California...the State that just kept coming. I was pretty sure they had forgotten to keep passing out the signs during California's big showing. Everyone was welcomed, thank yous were expressed, the anthem was sung....that always amazes me, the kids all bowed and then it was time.
I have tried all week to figure out how to post the silly video...but I can't. So, pictures will have to do. (We have TONS of video footage and would love to sit and chat will you come over to see!)

Here is some prior knowledge before I tell you how he did...I was told by several people that going to your first National is just for the experience. The description was that more than likely our Little Man's fights would be bow, throw (his opponent throwing him), bow. And that this would be okay. After just the opening ceremonies I can see and fully expected to have that happen!

He did lose. However, he didn't lose by a throw. He fought hard and got out of several pins on the mat and he remained completely calm before, during and after each fight! I am so completely proud of him. He was amazing! And just another little tid bit of information...the first boy he fought, was last years USA National Champion. So hey, 2 1/2 minutes (Three minutes is the full time allotted for each fight)with a champion...not too bad Little Man! Not too bad!

In our eyes, Jonathan represented himself and his Judo Club with honesty, integrity, sportsmanship and respect! Way to go Little Man!!

"Where are you going now that you have competed in Jr. Nationals? I am going to DiSnEyLaNd!!!!"

Beautiful......wish you were here!!!

2010-07-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

After weigh-in this morning for the little man. We had a tasty lunch and then headed over to the beach for the afternoon to clear our heads, relax and "mentally" prepare for the BIG day tomorrow. (Yes we are all in training! This has definitely been a learning experience for ALL of us!!!) Can I just say that it was much needed after the CrAzY morning at the Tournament Headquarters?!?!? It was crazy and somehow we ended up leaving an important paper that the Mister needed to register for coaching so the little man and I were on our own! Yikes!!! So much Japanese and Judo talk around me! Boys running around in underwear/or down to their underwear or the other half had on those big sweat suits working extremely hard to lose that one to two kilograms (Yup! I said Kilograms. Everyone is weighed in kilograms at this level! Great! I have a hard enough time with our measuring system!!! Just ask Mister!!!!) to move to the lower bracket. That is just on the boy side and I wasn't even allowed in the weigh-in room! I won't even tell you about the poor girl that made a VERY bad decision to officially weigh-in with a tank, 2 t-shirts, 1 sweatshirt, flannel pajama pants and socks! To make a bad story easier, he told her he didn't want to see her again until he could calm down. Yikes! However, even I know better than that!!!

It was beautiful! We enjoyed it and had an amazing time! We do wish you were all here with us and sharing in our fun! Loves and Hugs!!

Update from Judo Land: Jonathan is a whole 32 kilograms. That puts him in the 31 kilogram bracket. This is the 2nd to lightest group for his age group. He will fight tomorrow (July 3rd) sometime after 10:00 am. As an added bonus, Sensei Bob has decided to form a team and so guess what? The little man will compete again on Sunday (July 4th) sometime after 11:00. Keep your fingers crossed and your prayers coming! He is so excited and we are so proud of him just for the sheer fact that he is here! He has such a calm deposition and is just enjoying himself! Being here is a priveldge and if you know how hard he has worked, you know that he deserves to be here and learn! Go little Jonny GO! Win or lose, learn, grow and do your best! We love you!!!

HeLlo from DiSnEyLaNd.......

2010-07-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

.....This is what happens when Mister is at school learning how to be a coach and the wee ones and I are stuck with nothing left to do but shop! *giggles!* We should start this story over and tell you how the day really went! Well, maybe a quiz to see if you can guess how the day went......Best Wishes! How about True or False?

Did Mister go to Judo School the ENTIRE first day of us being here?
Did we stay at the motel right across from Disneyland?
Did we go play in the Disneyland park?
Did we take a dip in the pool?
Did we take a nap?
Did the Little Man get to partake of a little, friendly Judo shiai today?
Was Mister late? Would you like to see the answers? Come on! I am sure you did great!!!

Mister At School: True AND he passed! Yup.... an extra special surprise of 100 Judo and coaching questions! Too bad I couldn't take it! I am pretty sure that "oh-she-got-me" and "Ippon, somones sorry" are Judo terms everyone should be aware of!
Stay at a motel across from Disneyland: True
Played at Disneyland: False...not yet at least! Oh Sunday, we just can't wait!!
Took A Dip In The Pool: True, True, True!

5.Nap: True! In my infinate wisdom-but it was well worth it and the company was the best! I decided to attend the premier midnight showing of Eclipse before we left. It did not double well with a late flight, being stuck in an airplane for 45 minutes while we wait for them to lift the "noone moves" ban due to the weather.our little man is going to be working for OSHA one of these days and LAX- the Little Man was not impressed!!!

6.Shiai: False. Not today....soon! Weigh-Ins are tomorrow morning and another little coaches meeting for the Mister and the fighting begins on Sat! Keep the prayers comin'!

7.Late: Of course you sillies! It is the Mister we are talking about! But, guess what? We love him more with each passing minute!

Loves and Hugs to all of you from the Mouse House!!!!

A Few Odds and Ends Before We Go......

2010-06-30T09:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Mister,
How do you lose 10 pounds that fast? Really?!!?!?! HOW? That is not only not fair and wrong but completely not nice!
BTW, I am madly in love with you!

Dear Alarm Clock,
I will always hate you! No matter what time you need to wake me up! Thank you for doing your job but that is just the way it is!

Dear Washington,
Why do you have to be so far away? I miss the monkey and his parents. Could you move mountains closer?

Dear California,
Please be nice to us! We would love sun kisses but hopefully more of the tan kind than the berry red kind!

Dear Moomba and Supra,
Someday dear friends...someday! Promise! You, us, lake....fun times!!!

Dear Judoka coming to the tournament,
Take it easy, will ya? You are good, but so is the little man! Watch out! Sometimes it is the nice, small kids that can be the hardest! Plus my friends, he has worked extremely hard and deserves just one good throw/ippon...or maybe two, three......

Dear Family,
We will miss you! Thanks for taking care of our four legged friends! We love you and they love you for it! We have talked about behaving.....

Dear Mickey, Shamu and Friends,
Alas, you will get to meet my loves! Can you wait? I know we can't.

Awww, a sweet picture to leave you with! These two are the best! They have Mister and my heart! Couldn't be happier with our little crazy busy life! Next time I write.....California baby!!!

If you can't beat "um", join them...............

2010-06-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

.....or maybe you would prefer...when in Rome, do as the Romain's do?!?!?! However you would like to word it, our Lil' Ms has joined Judo. I know, I know, I know. I know, exactly what you are thinking and to be honest, I have NO IDEA how it all came to be or how it started or even at this point why but she did and she seems to like it.
(One has to ask if I can spend in anymore time in an old Dojo?!?!?That is my single, most irritating question. Why must a dojo be in an old, broken, down, no heat or air conditioned building? Really!?!?! How is it possible that these people find these buildings and call them a dojo with pride? When I win the lottery, I am building the first known in our area dojo with real restrooms, state of the art training apparatuses, a place for the spectators to work out and/or sit and just enjoy learning, and here will be the best part......HEAT and AIR CONDITIONING!!! Those Sensei's won't know what to do! It will be crazy!!! It will be my fame to claim to the Judo community! Awww, I get smiles just to think of it!!)

Mister is beaming from ear to ear and all three of them throw out Japanese/Judo vocabulary at the dinner table like everyone should know what it means.

All in all, I am delighted if she is happy and secretly (Shhhh!) I am enjoying the sport. We have gone to several new dojo's this summer (Getting the Little Man ready for Junior Nationals...oh, you might not know! More about that later!!!) and I do kindof like it! I would deny it if you asked me or talked about it, but it truly isn't so bad. (I am a little hurt though that not one of my kids wants to try swimming. Sniff, sniff! Now that is what I like to think of as a sport!)

She has no desire to compete, not a problem! I hate that part! ( But we all know she will do whatever is the opposite that her mother wants so I will inform you of dates for tournaments! ) She just wants to get involved in something and recognizes the need for exercise. I do believe that it allows her to spend time with her Daddy and brother but any mother would be silly not to appreciate that for the perfect reason. So, maybe the best title should be, "You go get um Tiger!" or "The world is at your fingertips Little Lady!"

Mr. Greyson Comes to Visit!!!

2010-06-03T16:06:00.000-07:00

well......and Bob and Stacy too! We love all three, really, but Greyson I believe takes the winning prize!

It was a special treat to get to have the Westfall clan come and spend Memorial Day with us! We spent every minute we could with them and wished we could have spent even more. Drat that need for sleep!!! That is all I am going to say about that!!
We always have a good time when they are here and we so look forward to them coming. More than they probably even know!

It is so hard to not have them close where we can see them, share things with them, do activities with them and even watch Greyson grow. (We get to see through Skype and pictures but it isn't the same! We need him here!!) He is truly a miracle baby with obviously a HUGE purpose we know that it our privilege and gift that we are able to be a part of his life. He is an adorable little guy and is soo good! (I think he takes after his Aunt Debbie in that area a little, don't you?!?!)The weekend went by way too fast! However, it was perfect.....
well, perfect until we had to say......

Goodbye!

We love you Bob, Stacy and Greyson!

We hope that all goes well and you can hurry back!

A sPlAsHiNg WiNtEr !?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?! Hum.....

2010-03-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

Summer can take forever to get here it seems....Please don't get me wrong, if I am not out on the boat I have no desire to see the temperature go over 75 degrees with a light wind. I am a Fall/Spring kind of girl when it comes to everyday life. But right after Christmas, our family starts getting pretty antsy and needing something to do. So after a year of pressure from the Sebrights, we decided to try out skiing, winter style!
It was "in theory" just a trial....princesses don't like to be cold....mommies (ME!) that are old, don't like to fall, (It hurts and it has been a while...a LONG while!!) Mister needs to keep paychecks coming (You know, no broken bones because he doesn't realize that he isn't a kid anymore or in the Olympics for that matter!)...you know all of those things that our parents use to think about and say but now we hear ourselves saying them.....
We rented the gear. (Oh my!!! Ski's have changed, coats have changed, boots have changed! Where or when did this happen?!?!?!?!) We bought the passes. (Are you kidding me!??!?!?!?!! I am pretty sure that we took out a loan for 4 night ski passes! That is just crazy!!!) We headed up the mountain. (Only two of us have gotten sick thus far! When did I start to get car sick? Oh my!) We skied. (Well, our family of four, Tammy, Teila, Aly, Jacob and Declan. Our family doesn't believe in doing anything alone!) And....

Get Ready For It.........

The Big Answer To The Question...........

WE LOVED IT! Lil'Bit thought it was amazing and Mister and her have developed a "skiing" partnership that I never thought was possible. Our Little Man, well, he is just our Little Man. The kid loves anything outside and active! Plus, the big bonus...I lived and came home with all of my bones in place AND actually enjoyed every minute of it!!!!

We are a ski family now. We open the doors to let the ski gnomes in at the cattle guard for good luck.(Thanks Smith's for the tip! We could use all the luck we can get!) We are slowly gathering the gear. (Sport Authority knows our names now and attack us as soon as we enter the door!) We have passes. (We had too! If we didn't we would end up having to refinance our house!) We have headed up the mountain almost every weekend since December. (So long for a clean house! That has gone by the way side!)

So, maybe we aren't "splashing our way through winter. Just maybe we are doing the next best thing. Tucking our way (or snow plowing for Lil'Bit!) through winter, while we anxiously await the boat! Hum....as I write that, I don't believe we are waiting anymore. We have found something to definitely occupy our winters now! Great family memories and fun..not to mention...we get some exercise doing it as well!

for reals.........

2010-02-25T16:41:00.000-08:00

A new post (for those of you who have asked and care!) I am overloaded with pics, thoughts, stories and memories! System overload..... all programs crashed......or maybe just too plain busy! :) My plan to use our blog as a "memory journal" was put on the back burner! So to get my toes wet again, here is a fun little "tag". I just LoVe these! *giggles* Well, I love reading yours, so I will begin........

if I were a day of the week, I'd be Saturday!
if I were a time of day, I'd be 7 am in the morning.
if I were a direction, I'd be helpful to everyone, not just to my Mister!
if I were a tree, I'd be an old one that had tons of limbs that people could climb and had an old swing and lots of leaves that change colors every season!
if I were a tool, I'd be a cricut.
if I were a flower I'd be a daisy.
if I were a musical instrument, I'd be church bells.
if I were a color, I'd be a nice tranquil blue.
if I were a fruit, I'd be strawberries.
if I were an element, I'd be FIRE!
if I were a food, I'd be a fortune cookie.
if I were a place, I'd be the Oregon Coast.
if I were a material,I would be fleece.
if I were a scent, I'd be snowberry.
if I were an object, I'd be a radio/ipod/ or something that makes music for everyone to hear and sing to.
if I were a song, I'd be Bubbly.
Ok guys, enough about me, what else is going on in the world?
j/k! I will get back into the blogging thing! I just needed a little break! :) Thanks for caring!
oh btw, TAG, YOUR IT! 9missed you......

A gLiMpSe aT tHe TeEn ScEnE....

2009-11-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

Eight teenage girls + two dogs + three children + three adults = Lots of noise (actually squealing...), lots of food and little to no sleep!!!!
We took Teila and her friends to the cabin for her birthday last weekend. The plan was to play a game, How to Host a Murder, and get out of town for a little mini vacation. We had a great time...we're not saying we weren't surprised and in shock most of the time, but it was a great time! The game was a blast and we can't wait to play again! Have you ever played? Each person takes on a character and has certain clues that they must reveal throughout the game...all the while, trying to figure out who committed the crime. Now, I am not a game player. In fact if a game lasts more than 20 minutes, I am DONE. But this was different! I really enjoyed it! The girls did a great job turning into their characters and even went so far to come up with crazy accents that they used throughout the whole game..well the whole weekend as a matter of fact! It was an added bonus to watch them all try and text while staying involved and committed to the game and then get side tracked with side stories while we played! (If you are interested...we would love to play with adults...let us know! )
We also rode 4-wheelers and cooked. Ron and I are still discussing how much these girls could eat! Poor Little Man and Lil'Bit barely got breakfast, the ladies were putting it down so fast!!! Mom, Aly and Grandma Great made it up in the morning and we got to watch T-Bug open presents, more squealing, and eat cake!!!
All in all, we had a great time and just hope the girls and Teila did as well! We figured it out and to be honest, the whole weekend (even with the food!) was cheaper than we have spent on parties in the past! So, be looking for invitations to the next party!
Happy 15th Birthday Teila! Thanks for letting our family be a part of your special day! We enjoyed meeting your friends and getting introduced into what we have to look forward to in about 6 years!!!

Have you head of the Turkey Tango?

2009-11-16T19:30:00.000-08:00

I taught my turkey how to Tango...
His name is Fred, he's from Durango...
He teaches his friends how to Tango...
Peter, Panda, Betty Bear..
They all think he's Fred Estare..
Even all arango, Tango!
He's suave and graceful..
He would never trip or hobble..
He's got that polish..
Like a diamond or a bobble...
He'll teach the Tango....
To San Fransisco....
New York and Albuquerque...
He won't teach to anyone...
Who is being quirky...
Just remember he is a turkey!!!
CHA, CHA, CHA....Gobble!
(Said with a little hip action and then hands straight in the air and a snap!!!)

Our sweet Lil' Bit had her 3rd grade music concert last Friday. She has been so very excited about this program and wanted everyone to be there to watch. So, we loaded everyone up and packed ourselves into a crowded gymnasium to see! It was a "Turkey Time" theme and what a bunch of turkeys we saw! No just kidding! We did hear lots of turkey songs though!
However, here is the best part or the "stuffing" you might say! Lil'Bit got to Tango with her bestest bud, Declan. Declan is the brother of Jonathan's great friend Jacob and is in Elizabeth's grade. If you have been noticing, he has been in many of our pictures lately....Hum. Even with all of the questions and red cheeks, they sure did make a cute little couple as they danced to the Turkey Tango!!!

alL iN a daY or tWo!!!

2009-11-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those weekends when you just are happy with being a family? This was one of them! Mister was home, our schedule was full but not the usual rush, rush, rush!!! We started our morning with Church, then some Christmas shopping. I know surprising, Ron and I actually starting early. Very impressive! We are finally getting the hang of this..two kids and 13 years later!!
Anyways, then we took the kids out to a local middle school for some bike riding practice. Yes, you read that correctly. Our Elizabeth out for BIKE riding practice.
You might be asking, "When did Elizabeth start riding a bike? How long has this been going on?" Our answer before yesterday would have been.. We have tried for YEARS to get her to ride a bike. Well to be honest, we could never even get her to put her helmet on, let alone sit on a bike and ride around!!(With training wheels I might add!) One day last summer, she woke up and said she was ready. We rushed to the store to get her any bike she wanted. Spent all day and probably a few, "not so appropriate" words from Ron to add training wheels and the bike has sat in our garage ever since.
Yesterday we stopped at a bike store to look at new bike for Jonathan Tyler and a special run/bike watch for Ron, possibly for Christmas. (See I told you we are ON it!!) Needless to say, our little princess girl was not thrilled to spend time in a bike store and we are pretty sure that most people could guess that as we walked in. Then there was this lady that came over to ask if we needed help. We explained why we were there and she took us over to the height chart, measured Jon and asked Lil'Bit to come up and get measured. I wish I could have videotaped the whole trip. Elizabeth to the embarrassment to Ron and I, told the lady that she hated bikes and didn't know how to ride them. I wouldn't have blamed the lady for walking away. I am pretty sure we could be labeled as "Oh, you have that kind of daughter!". This lady was different and we now think of her as type of bike, miracle worker. She found a bike for Jonathan(Gary Fisher I might add...holy Toledo Batman! He is a very expensive little man but has to be just like his Daddy!) and puts a helmet on him and sends him out with Ron to go "test drive" it. (Did you know they did this for bikes? Possibly they do because they are almost as much as my first car and then some!) Then she proceeds to strike up a conversation with Liz.
Why don't you like bikes? Have you ever tried? Do you own a bike? Do you have a scooter? Do you like to ride a scooter? What about pink? Do you like pink bikes with Hawaii flowers on it?
Next thing I know, she has a pink bike, a helmet and Elizabeth's hand and is headed out the door. She explains it is "just to see what it looks like outside in the sun". The lady asks Elizabeth how many wheels a scooter has.. Elizabeth answers 2. So she tells her that a bike has the same amount of wheels and she should just sit on the bike.
Now, I am getting closer realizing that at any moment, Elizabeth will tell this lady something that Ron and I really would regret and quietly leave the store as quickly as possible. But as I get closer, I realize the lady already has the helmet on (ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!) Elizabeth's head and has her "just sitting on it to see how it is like a scooter with a seat". Then in a blink of an eye, there goes my baby girl with this very nice lady running behind her for a bit and then lets go! That is it. She is riding a bike. All over the parking lot! Like she has been doing it forever! The lady comes back to where I am standing and says she has to get back in the store, but let her know if we have any questions. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!?!? Ron is in shock, I am speechless and Jonathan is cheering for her like she has just won the Heisman trophy. Again I ask, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!??!
After about an hour, we bring the kids, the bikes and helmets, in the store and the lady comes over and gives them a quarter for being such great kids. High fives were dealt all around and Ron and I just starred at all three of them. Of course though, the lady doesn't stop there. She tells Elizabeth that the bike she has at home is the same size as the one she was riding and that if she was really brave, she could try one that shifts and would be a bike that she would ride for longer.
Just in case you were wondering, of course we just HAD to test drive that pretty mint green one for another 1/2 hour!
That is the story. That is how our daughter learned to ride her bike. In 10 minutes, with a stranger and on a bike we didn't own!
However, back to our weekend. We took Elizabeth and Jonathan to ride their bikes at the middle school and then drove to the dog park to let the doggies play before another busy week begins. Headed to the gym, had a great dinner provided and cooked by Mister himself!!! It was a good day!!!
Oh...we are taking donations for the bikes! (Just kidding! We have decided that Santa is going to have to come through on this one! The two bikes combined ARE more than my first car!!!) Here are some pictures of our great family weekend! Nothing beats a nice fall day and family outings!

A Family Fall Outing

2009-11-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

Every year, I take my students on a field trip to the pumpkin patch and I love it!!! This year I started wondering, why do I never go with my own family?I am pretty sure we did when Jonathan was a toddler but for some reason, we haven't made it back. (Shhh...I know he is 10 and the toddler years were quite some time back!!!)
So, after Jonathan's last football game/bbq this year, we took the kids (A couple of extras too! Jonathan's great friend Jacob and his little brother-who by the way is the same age as Elizabeth) out to the pumpkin patch! I even got Farmer Feist to take a picture with my kids, just like I do with my Kindergarten kids! It was a lot of fun and I am hoping to now make it a October tradition!

Today

2009-11-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

I am loving.....

my career and being a mom to the best kids ever and married to my best friend!

I am wishing.....

I would slow down and enjoy each and every moment that I have!

I am hating.....

every Monday when Mister leaves for the week!

I am wanting.....

a Rockstar. Dang you makers of that wonderful drink!!!! I haven't had one for
over a month and I still want one!

I am excited for....

Christmas music and lights and SANTA!

I am thrilled about...

having a nice, relaxing day at home with just me and the dogs!

I am regretting....

the donut I ate this morning. Ugh!

I am proud of...

my kids and all they are doing!

I am asking....

What is on your Today list?!?!??!

LiFe Is GoOd!!!

2009-09-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

Can I take a minute? (Here is your chance to click and move onto another blog!.....)
Life is good....you know...it knocks you down, you have your support group, you cry, you pray, you get angry and you scream (Or stomp and throw a fit...hum, did that just come out? Is that where Lil' Bit gets that from? Me? Oh no!!! Sorry mom. All those years of walking up and down those stairs nicely and I still don't get it right all of the time! You get the last laugh now! I am raising one of my own!) but then you have one of those moments that reminds you that life is just the way it is suppose to be. That everything happens for a reason. That hanging in there is all that matters sometimes.
Football has been different this year. We have a new coach. A coach that likes to win. You know the ones that we all have had and while we all like to win, he has made it perfectly clear that our son just might not be quite the NFL starting line up material, if you know what I mean. He is small, he isn't as fast, he starts out quiet and timid and that is not the kind of kid that a "winning football coach" wants to have or will eagerly put out on the field.
However, we know Jon. We know he does everything with heart and we know that he is a perfectionist. So, I have sat. I have sat and watched my little man play a position that he hated. Yet in spite of it all, he did so every night with a smile and a shrug. Never wanting to quit, never saying a bad word. But as a mommy, I could see in his eyes his disappointment at each practice and after each game. I have hated being here all alone while Ron is gone. I have hated trying to explain it over the phone. I have hated watching Jonathan stand there to do nothing more than represent a position while others did play after play after play.
But not tonight. Tonight my 67 pound little man turned into a pit bull. He has wanted to play defense so bad. After last nights "Dad" cell phone coaching, he went out tonight like he was the biggest player on that field. He tucked his head, held that ball and ran into kids. Then got right back in the other line,squared up, got down low and showed no fear as he tackled the next one.
As I heard each tackle, saw each coach give him "knuckles", bang on his helmet, express genuine enthusiasm and praise for what he had just done, I couldn't help but shed a few tears. (Of course to myself! This is football for crying out loud! No pun intended!) I could see him stand a little taller each time he got up! I couldn't help but beam as well!
But the story doesn't end here...nope...at the end of practice chat. The "win coach" announces that not only will our boy play starting offense, he had just won a ticket as starting linebacker!
Now that is a moment! A moment worth writing down to remember forever! So, maybe we will never see him charge out on the blue turf, or maybe we won't see him on Sunday afternoons but for now...he is bigger than that! He is our own starter on offense and DEFENSE....and we couldn't be prouder!

A little blue + A little orange = Just what we needed!

2009-09-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Many of you know, that our school year hasn't started out to be the best. Our district decided to change the Kindergarten schedule and it has been one of the hardest years I have ever had. A simple procedure for Ronie, provided us with a big scare and many weeks of nursing and hard moments. So, in reality, not so simple! Ronie continues to be out of town (Well, when he has not been here for doctors visits or surgery!) and the kids are starting to miss him horribly. (As do I! Hurry home Mister!) Plus other things that just happen in life are in full bloom and it feels as if they all decided to happen at this exact moment.
However, Friday September 11th brought wonderful news about Ronie. We have a plan to get him better and it is a do-able/easier one! Elizabeth can now do her cartwheel without her very cute but not so textbook, hand cheer. Jonathan won his first Optimist football game ever on Saturday and we topped off the weekend with a Boise State game! Even T-Bug came to join us and we haven't seen her in forever! I hate not being the bus driver!! The only thing that we missed at the game was our Lil' Bit but she got some one on one time with Aunt Tam and Alyson. Which we are all sure she preferred over yet another football game!
We had a great time, BSU won and the night was complete by good friends and snacks/dinner after. Thanks Holm's and Allen's!
All in all, we are happy! Thanks to everyone that has checked up on us, loved us, and prayed for us this past month! We are okay and made it through because of you all! Thank you!! So all in all:
Fall is here~YES! Football is in full swing~YES! I think school will be okay~YES! My mister is fine~YES! The kids are happy~YES! The house is clean~YES! The puppy is~Well, let's not push our luck!!! 6 out of 7, isn't that bad!!!

A Special Little Note On Our Anniversary!

2009-08-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

To my Mister,
It's been 13 years today, that my life truly began! Hard to believe that it was so long ago, when it seems that we have just begun. So, in honor of our big day, I thought I would share my top thirteen.
Forever I love you because....
1) you can make me laugh always! Even when there is absolutely nothing possibly funny!
2) you helped to create the two very "bestest" children I could have ever imagined!
3) you make the most amazing grilled cheese sandwiches!
4) I always feel safe with you!
5) you like to be with me, even during the times I wouldn't want to be with myself!
6) even when I sneak a Rockstar, you just smile and encourage a better choice!
7) you support me and the kids no matter what!
8) you can keep secrets!
9) you like to snuggle, especially on rainy nights or on the beach!
10)Your a hard worker for us and even spend extra hours so that we have everything we could ever need or want.
11)we can people watch for hours and smile the whole time!
12)you politely put ketchup on foods that I burn/ruin due to lack of impatience or poor time management.
13)you asked me to marry you and be your best friend forever and smiled when I finally said YES!!!!

I Love You Forever Mister! Thanks for being my best friend and husband!

It's beginning to look a lot like...........

2009-08-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes my friends, it is football season! (You sillies, you seriously thought Christmas!?!?! Shame on you!!!!) The best part about Fall!!! Cool nights, great football games on TV and the opportunity to watch the little man play our favorite sport ever! Here we go......
~~~~The Boys in Blue and Orange are back and so are the Little Men in Red!

What do you get with a little speech, then another little speech, a sweet little man, a perfect niece and a bbq?

2009-08-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

Speech Number One:

Speech Number Two:

Sweet little man (Who is now a Nanakyu~Jr. Rank Orange Belt by the way!):

Perfectly sweet niece (Who is now a Gokyu~Jr. Rank Green Belt!):

You get......

***A little man that is the Most Inspirational of the Year and a niece that has been selected as the Best Sportsman of the Year!

Can I just add that there is nothing better in this world than having your child be recognized as an "inspiration" and your neice be awared the "Best Sportsman"? To have others recognize and share about the kids we have is nothing short of amazing! We have been so blessed!!! Not bad for one afternoon bbq!!!

JuSt A fEw ThOuGhTs.....

2009-08-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Mister left this morning, with his suitcase in hand (AGAIN!), the kids are still sweetly, sleeping in their OWN beds, the dogs are out snoozing in the kennel and here I am taking a minute to think and smile........

We have had two people pass away in the last three weeks, celebrated my sister turning 40 with a surprise and lots of family and friends, money has been overflowing and then scarce, the summer is over and the to-do list has only three things checked off. However, when you sit and watch the sun come up, the house is paid for and quiet, I just can't help but think about all the things that are right. I thought I would write a list to help me remember. (You know on the days when you just need a simple reminder!!!)

So, today I love.........

1. ... my special man because he is a great secret keeper and holds my hand and always kisses me goodnight, goodbye and good morning! Plus he makes me smile all the time!
2. ... when my brother and his family get to come and play and spend time with us and our children!
3. ...watching my darling daughter smile sweetly when she sleeps!
4. ...having my family close and always a part of my life!!
5. ...the smell of a good rain with clouds still in the sky ready to give us more!
6. ...my friends who listen, never judge and are always there to help me!
7. ...the way our little man thinks and smiles when he is being clever!
8. ...how our family laughs, and laughs A LOT!!!
9. ...how my sister is my best friend and my mom is right there too!!!
10. ...learning new things and being taught how to do them.
11. ...that I know there are people who love me a lot.
12. ...that I am a mommy! We have the best kids ever and they are way too cute!
13. ...my job!!!
14. ...watching Mister talk to our kids and how their eyes are eager and dancing to see what he will say or do next!
15. ...being able to be a part of my neices life every day!
16. ...seeing our kids play when they think no one is watching!
17. ...watching the kids sleep with the dogs all curled up with one rubbing an ear, the other snuggled in close.
18. ...seeing how truly unbelievable my brother and sister are and the wonderful talents that they have and the beautiful families they have created!!!
19. ...receiving mail! (Snail, e or text!)
20. ...how my life has turned out! I wouldn't change a thing!!! Who wudda thought!!?!?!??!!?

Just thought I would write some of it down. Just thought I should take some time to remember. Just thought I should think about all of the things that I absolutely love today!

And my birthday present was....oh yea! A Judo Tournament!

2009-07-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

I know you are thinking that a Judo tournament is always top on my list of things to do on my birthday! Yup! Of course it is! I am just joking. We went to the Intermountain Shiai (Wow!!! Judo is becoming a part of me! Check out the lingo!!!!) in Twin Falls and it just happened to be during my birthday weekend. We did have a great time though. Elizabeth wormed her way out of going but Teila hitched a ride and we got to have a very nice dinner at a restaurant, The Outback, with some great friends! The bonus, Jonathan finally broke his record of only placing 2nd or 3rd and took 1st in both divisions. Teila amazed everyone (Uncle Ron decided to put her in any fight that she could compete in! Isn't he kind?!?!?! I think she dearly loved him for this!!!) and took 1st in 3 divisions and 2nd in one. Here are some pics of our fun weekend and last tournament of the year!

Where, oh where, did our little girl go?

2009-07-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

I am a little behind. Well not a little, more like a lot! Life just keeps speeding ahead and, POOF, it's gone and we are further behind, trying to look back!!! Hours, days, months have passed by in just a blink. I remember when we had Jonathan and everyone said, "Slow down, just enjoy! Take time to just play and remember every moment." But did we? Not really. Do we? Not really! Between doctors visits, growth charts, school and parenting books, we pushed and encouraged our kids to grow/learn/do...just like we said we never would. Just like we promised everyone we wouldn't. As I write this, my blog (supposedly my attempt at a journal)is not updated, my classroom is the exact same way I left it on the last day, my house and it's contents are no where near organized and there is only 4 weeks of summer break left with the list of things we had "planned on doing" with the kids has ONE thing checked off. Coffee and get togethers have been cancelled and rescheduled more times than I care to share....
All of this got me to thinking about all the "firsts" that are over in our house. The first words, the first steps, the first time riding a bike, the first time on the potty chair, the first time coloring, the first tooth, the first tooth falling out, first time reading and the list goes on and on. Not really sad, but more a sweet remembrance and wondering how it went so fast. Then I rolled over (we were all taking a nap) and took a look at Elizabeth. How is our little girl now 8 years old! Our baby, the last of babies we are going to have, is 8 years old. Not so much a baby anymore. She is a young lady! I realize there are more firsts to come and I
can't wait. But realizing that I need to slow down, I need to play, I need to keep better track (blog, journal and/or write down the wonderful things that are happening) and really "live" in the moments that we have. Yes, the housework needs done, the laundry needs folding, bills need to be paid but I am going to try and relax and enjoy the days our family has together and write it down, type it up, or just make sure to document it so we can take a look back when we need to! We have been so blessed!
So, in an attempt to start fresh, better late than never, Happy Birthday Sweet Elizabeth! We love you so very much and are so lucky to have you! You are our princess and no matter how old are, you will always be your Daddy and my baby girl!!!

An attempt at being creative.......

2009-06-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

I can honestly say that I don't have a clue when it comes to all of the gadgets my camera or the publisher program Ron got for me can do! I just basically turn on my camera or computer and play with all of the buttons. (Remember, I teach Kindergarten, so this really is appropriate for the age group I spend most of my time with!) I envy those of you with a "creative eye" and can use all the tech stuff to have projects turn out wonderful! I am always in awe at your quilts, scrapbooks, wall paintings, video's, and the list goes on. You know who you are!!! For that reason, I have always paid, well for the sake of Ron's blood pressure, let's just say too much for pictures of my kids. However, I saw a project that I dearly fell in love with (Thanks Nikki!) and I just couldn't help but give it a try. Now, Ron would love anything that has our kids in it so it really didn't matter what the end result was. Especially with him gone all the time, I thought he would really appreciate having some pictures of the kids to look at. However, our family doesn't just do for one and not for the others! So, guess what? I got to make one for my sister and one for my cousin! However, the kids are beautiful and that is all that really matters in the end. Please disregard light exposures in faces, next door neighbors rooftops, doors, crooked pictures, etc. Remember, I tried! And using the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better." I tried to just put the three pictures together to give you an idea what the final project looks like. We put the individual pictures into a 3 place vertical frame and the letters spell out the word dad. Please refer back to the previous statement about my technology failures! Hopefully you will enjoy, appreciate the attempt, critique if you must, but most importantly know how much the "Dads" in our family mean to us!
Jonathan and Elizabeth!
Teila and Alyson!
Brenna, Rylee and Jostyn!

Thank You!!!

2009-06-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

I just have to say thank you for all of the prayers and phone calls yesterday you made to us during Greyson's surgery! I was completely in awe that so many of you would take time out of your busy schedules and do that for a baby that many of you don't even know and our family! Thank you! The link to Bob's blog is on under Westfall's for all of the technical stuff, since I don't want to say the wrong thing. However, I can say, the trach is gone and he did well through the surgery. Bob, Stacy, and Greyson are okay. Of course, it isn't over yet. So, if we could ask, please keep them in your prayers. What a living witness of God can do in our lives, even in the midst of uncertainty! This story has definitely been one with God in the center helping,loving and guiding the whole time! Enjoy this picture that I borrowed (Took right off of Bob's blog! Aren't I getting tricky? Thanks Bob! I will be there soon to take pictures of my own!!!)of the sweet little boy you are praying for! Isn't he a cutie!?!? Takes a little after his aunt, don't you think? My prayer is that everything will continue to go well and this little man will get to come and meet you all for the first time! Wouldn't that be a party?

iNtRoDuCiNg.........

2009-06-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

Our family would like to introduce to you the new addition to our family, Nikko Ni Ryan. Our bouncing, happy puppy, born on April 8, 2009, weighs 15 pounds and is an energetic and friendly black Labrador retriever!! (What were we thinking? Actually the story goes like this... Ron comes home and says he has been saving cash for a surprise to take us all to the Outback. Aunt Tammy-Thanks Tam-calls to tell us about registered labs-nothing but the best for us!-for sale near Costco. Ronie has always wanted a chocolate lab and after Bailey's ordeal last summer-Oh my!!!-our family dog has gained A LOT of weight and could use a playmate to get him active, so we thought, why not check them out. The rule was this, if there was a chocolate, we would DISCUSS it. If there were none, we would simply walk and be on our way to dinner! Simple, right?!?!?! Well, we drive up and peek into the kennel and guess what? No chocolate labs...so being apparently the only rule follower in our family, I head back to the car. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ron put Elizabeth into the kennel with the 12 adorable, but not at all chocolate,to play and love on, puppies . Just an FYI, never put a seven year old little girl that has a desire to be a zoo keeper in a kennel filled with sweet little puppies and try to tell her no. So, about an an hour and a half later- in the extremely HOT sun!, - we left holding our very own BLACK puppy! Hum....not mentioning any names but someone wasn't listening to the plan!) However, he is cute (NOT when he is pooping and weeing all over the house!) and hopefully with our new favorite TV show, It's Me Or The Dog, will be well trained! So, come on over! He loves to play!!!!
Oh by the way...we never did get dinner that night!So much for the Outback!

A Tournament In Twin Falls

2009-04-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

We ended up in Twin Falls this weekend for Jonathan's judo tournament. The trip down was just Tammy, Teila, Elizabeth, Jonathan and myself as Ron was already there for work. Thanks Tammy for the ride! We enjoyed the treats, the Teila comments (Have you spent time with a teenager lately? Oh my goodness! It is like the world is a new place for them and they have just arrived! More stories about this I am sure will come now that I am excited about blogging again!) That night, the kids got to swim in the motel which made their evening. In the morning, Jonathan was geared up and ready to go, begging to "play up" at the tournament. Not that we try to discourage him in anything he does, but we tried to explain that this tournament was going to be hard, he has had rough time this year (Well, maybe our tournament wasn't his fault as he left with a fever was horribly sick!) and that the scoring was different than most tournaments. So, well, yes, I guess as parents we did try to persuade him into just sticking to his own division. But our little guy was determined, so we paid the extra $5.00 give him the "you wanted this, no backing out now, no crying to us, we tried to tell you" speech. I am sure it is a typical speech we heard from our parents sometime in our lives!
The tournament begins and our little man proved us wrong and did absolutely amazing! In fact, I have to say, he was relaxed, focused, and really seemed to be enjoying the whole competition atmosphere. He took 2nd in his division (losing by just one opponent for first) and he fought hard and tough and took 3rd in the 11-12 year olds. I enjoyed the day and actually didn't mind sitting there watching! Even Elizabeth was getting into the whole "Judo" thing throughout the day! So that is telling you something!
So, what we learned......listen to our children. They may sometimes know more than we think they do!

PlAyTiMe On PrEsIdEnT's DaY!!

2009-02-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

Today we went to one of the kids' favorite places to be rambunctious and get our wiggles, or should I say, sniffles out. Teehee! These colds have been horrible to get rid of! UGH! We went to Planet Kid. It is a perfect place for kids and full of a bunch of toys and slides and tubes! Fun for all and as an added bonus, adults can fit into it all too! Yipee! You haven't had a day unless you tried to slide down a tube with a nice head cold with your lungs straining for just a little more air, and an added bonus of a 3 year old cheering you to go faster, in a place you aren't sure you can get out of! Too much fun!!! No really, we had a great time! One of my favorite friends and her daughter came with us to join in the fun! I love spending time with them! I am so glad they were able to come!! Thanks Kristin and Magnolia! We so enjoy you! Of course Mom and her new crew came with us and it is always fun to play with all of them. (Plus a day with Mom is just an added bonus to anything!) They even opened up the rock wall and let us climb on that too! We were so lucky! We thought we would share some pictures of our pictures so you can see how we spent our Presidents Day. (We did talk about Lincoln and Washington and all they did for our country! See you thought, we didn't spend the day the way we were suppose to! Silly you!)

JuSt AnOtHeR cRaZy MoNdAy!!!

2009-02-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Well, here we go again! Waking up as Ronie heads out the door for Montana! I hate when my best friend is gone! (However, you keep working honey! I completely appreciate how hard you work for us!!) It makes the world seem so very lonely and not as much of a fun place as it was the day before! Thank goodness we have our children so I can see the little things they do that remind me so much of him. Our little friends that make our lives crazy, wonderful and full of joy!! Isn't it amazing that family can make your life seem so complete?!?! So, as they are running through the house in need of my attention, I am sitting here coughing and sneezing, (Oh yes, I have the cold the kids shared with me!), probably feeling a little sorry for myself (Sorry Mom, I haven't figured out how not to, yet!!) I found this song on someone else's blog. It seemed perfect on a day like today! So babe, if you reading this, I love you! Hurry home! We are anxiously awaiting!!!! For everyone else, I hope you enjoy listening to a really good song! (You might want to pause our playlist at the bottom, so you can you hear the song.) Enjoy!! I sure did!

A Weekend Get-Away!

2009-02-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, after judo practice, we decided to head up to the cabin to get away! It had been an extremely LONG week for Ronie and I and we just needed to spend a little alone time with family for a breather! Sometimes it seems that life just goes way too fast with schedules, jobs, routines, you just need to slow down and get away! So that is exactly what we did! We loaded up the dog, the kids,some food and headed for the hills! It was a beautiful day! The sun was shining, Ron built a campfire and we sat around it watching the kids sled down the back steps! Can life get any better than that? A perfect setting with some perfect family time! A weekend like that takes away all of the bad and fills your heart with fresh renewal for life!

Can we take a minute to brag?

2009-02-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

January 29th and 30th, 2009
We were asked to attend award assemblies for Jonathan and Elizabeth. Both of our kids were selected for special recognition as one of the top five in their class for the second quarter. As always, we were so very proud of both of them! It is so nice to see that they are doing well both academically and socially in their new school. Jonathan and Elizabeth both have some new wonderful friends and they have adjusted perfectly!!! Can I say that it was so nice to go to the assemblies and just be a proud mommy! Ronie didn't get to go to because he was out of town in Montana (We missed him greatly!) but thankfully I have an amazing Kindergarten team this year and principal to let me take time off and make it to both of assemblies. The kids were well supported and loved with Grandma Terry, Grandma Great and Grandma and Grandpa Ryan coming to cheer them on. Elizabeth's was Thursday afternoon and I was able to make it there in plenty of time to see her get her award and meet some of her friends in her class. Jonathan's was Friday, so I decided to take the whole day off. It was fabulous to be able to wake up, get the kids ready and have breakfast with them, drop them off, spend some time reading (ALONE!!), hang out with my mom and go to lunch with a good friend before I went to the assembly. To top the day off, Jonathan was not only one of the top five, he was the top of his class so received the "Wildcat" Award. A perfect couple of days, with the exception of not having Ronie there! We have been so very blessed by amazing kids and how hard they work in school! Jonathan and Elizabeth, way to go! We are so very proud of you and all that you do! Congratulations!!!

Here comes the sun....di, di, duh, duh. Here comes the sun... and I say, its alright!!!!

2009-01-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

Yipee! I came around the corner and this is what I saw at our kitchen table. I had to take a picture. Yes, it is the sun and its golden rays creeping through our window! I am not really one for summer when the temps get over 90 degrees but I have had enough of this doom and gloom, inversion yuck that we have had this month! It just makes your spirit lift just from seeing our long lost friend. Thanks for coming sun! We have missed you!

Things Will Come If You Just Believe!!!

2009-01-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday was Jonathan and Teila's judo tournament and to be honest it was a LONG day! I have to say, I am starting to enjoy the sport and can appreciate Ronie's love for it but our kids just had a rough day. The worst part was seeing our kids act defeated before they even started the fight. We are so proud of Jonathan and Teila (All of the kids at the club actually. We have become quite close and I care about all of them and their families a great deal!)but when you see them not try and just give up without a fight is heartbreaking! They weren't satisfied, we were concerned and our club just didn't put out the effort that we normally do. I know our Sensei's are the best. I know and have seen Jonathan become more confident than ever before. I know we have the culture, possibly the technique and the lingo down more than almost any club out there. But this weekend, we just didn't show it. That's okay though! We can learn. All of us, and we can only pick up where we left off and grow and be better because of it. Isn't that what life is all about anyway? I know that I have learned alot more from situations where it didn't go my way and I had to stop and rethink things. It isn't about winning but a mindset that we can try and do anything! My prayer is that I/we can be the parents to help our kids see that and to continue to help them grow and be fighters in everything they do! To not only learn from what happened on Saturday but to become better because of it! Hum....that might not be just a lesson for our two sweet kids but for all of us! (Note well taken!)

Hey, I do all my own stunts!

2009-01-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

Really, it is just Elizabeth at her new gymnastics class. We just couldn't go without taking pictures of our lil' bit on her first night. We absolutely love the teacher and Elizabeth did great! It was nice to be able to watch her and she tried really hard and you could tell she was so happy! She can't wait to go back! Raina has been going for a while and told us about this place so after she decided she couldn't bear to do dance any longer, we decided to check it out. Thanks O'Leary's! You are awesome!!! We can't thank you enough!!! It was fun to see her enjoy herself and be so involved! Alyson even got to come and try it out for free and the very best part, it is a considerable amount cheaper than dance! Yipee! We are sold!! Happy little girl, less money going out, and a wonderful teacher to work with her! What could be better in life?

Time to HoNoR the past, but ImAgInE the future!

2009-01-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

My mom's last day of official work is today! However, many of us know that she will probably be busier now than she ever was while she was working! Not only has my mom watched our kids almost every day while we work, she is a major part of their lives and continues to be so! All of our children think the world of her and could not ask for a better mom/Grandma! So, in honor of her retirement, here are a few things that I have learned and love about my mom:
*She is a giver and never expects anything in return.
*She loves us unconditionally and completely, no matter what!
*She never complains! Even when things have been tough, she keeps a smile and reminds us to find the positive!
*She has always worked hard and shown us what it means to give 100%!
*She is a perfect role model for me and has helped me to become the mom that I am today. Even though I mess up, she still helps to guide me into an even better mom.
*She always has time for you no matter what. Even if you just need to chat or have someone come over and help you with your laundry!
*She is my hero!
*She is the bestest Grandma around and her Grandchildren think the world of her!
*She is compassionate and kind to anyone she comes into contact with.
*She is realistic and keeps all of us focused!
*She has a smile and a laugh (However, it has been known to sound like a turkey if she really gets going! teehee!) that will fill up a room.
*She has the ability to make everyone feel special and welcome.
*She has taught us the true meaning of life and that putting our trust in God is the most important thing we can do!
*She hasn't just told us what faith is, she has actually lived it!
*Whenever life gets hard, she can model Mary Poppins in a second!
*She is quick witted and enjoys a good story and a laugh!
*She enjoys a good water fight better than anyone I know!
*She is always there when I/we need her!
These are just a few things about my mom! So, Happy Retirement Mom!! We couldn't be happier for you!! You deserve it! You are truly our hero and have shown us all a work ethic that goes beyond what is expected! Thanks for working so hard for all of us! Enjoy!!!

Snow Much Fun!!!!

2009-01-01T18:11:00.001-08:00

We made a trip to go up to the cabin to plow the snow and have some fun with our new coats, snow pants and boots. We asked some friends and family to join us but due to Holiday plans and the roads, noone was able to come up. We sure missed all of them but we did get a special surprise by Teila getting to spend the night/day with us! We took the 4-wheelers out and pulled the sled behind it and the kids had a blast! The dog was so sore from running beside them. Jonathan and Teila played outside the whole day! Our Princess Elizabeth did actually stay outside for about 2 hours so that was promising that the snow gear will come in handy! The mountains are beautiful a great way to spend a couple of days to end the Christmas holiday. Sorry friends that you couldn't make it up!! Hopefully soon!!!

And come Santa did......

2009-01-01T17:31:00.000-08:00

Our lovely children were up at 1:20 AM Christmas morning! Yes, I am not joking.We took a picture on the microwave to prove it to everyone. Ron and I hadn't even gotten to sleep yet. They were so wound up and wide awake that finally Ronie and I decided in our infinite wisdom if we let them see just what Santa brought, (Thankfully he had already come! YIKES! What happens when he hasn't been there yet and your kids are still up? Does he still come? Does he come back later? I don't have the answers to these questions!) they will go back to bed and we will get more sleep in the long run right?!?!? So we took a peek and Santa was good to all of us this year. Maybe that is what provoked the craziness that continued to take place in our house . Even Bailey was all worked up and was prancing around and Santa didn't even leave him anything. (Teehee! Santa left a note that told Bailey he didn't get anything this year but if he tries better this coming year, he just might get something next year. The kids kept petting him all day and telling him to be a better dog and they loved him but Santa doesn't forget like they do!! It cracked Ron and I up! If you haven't heard the wonderful Bailey stories from this summer, give us a call. We would LOVE to share how much our dog costs us with a short 2 hour outing!!!) After we opened our Santa gifts, we all headed back to bed with a parental warning that NOONE is going to be up until at least 7. We finally got all snuggled into our nice warm bed (Thanks Tammy for the electric blanket! We love that thing! Oh yes, it was on our bed the very night we got it!!) feeling all proud of ourselves thinking of all of the other moms and dads that were going to have to get up around 4-6 AM and start their whole day but we would be sleeping. NOPE!! About 4, Elizabeth came in our room claiming to be cold and needing a snuggle, so in our bed she comes. This wakes up the dog, so in our bed he comes. Hearing all the noise, Jon wakes up and decides he can't be alone so in our bed he comes. Needless to say, we were up again at 4:30 opening our family gifts! Oh my!
With all of that being said, we did have a great day with family and even met up with everyone for the movie Marley and Me, later on in the evening. Who knew people go to the movies on Christmas? The place was packed! We were exhausted but enjoyed every minute of it! I absolutely LOVE Christmas time!!!

PrEpArInG fOr SaNtA!!!!!

2008-12-29T11:25:00.000-08:00

When everyone had left for the night and the house was somewhat picked up (haha!!), we did our traditional set out milk and cookies for Santa, apples for the reindeer, (We were out of carrots so we improvised! I was NOT heading to the store, even though our children were bawling and quite certain that Rudolph was going to starve and it would be all our fault and...and...and...! There goes my Mom of the Year award!!!) a special letter
(I am not even going to comment on our kids spelling! I will tell you that it is going to be something that will be worked on in the near future! Yikes!!!) and a quick check on Nordic Tracker to see where Santa was. Luckily, he was in Delaware when we checked so we were just in time to get settled in our beds!! Do you think these precious children are sleeping? NOT A CHANCE!!!!

Christmas Eve Fun!!

2008-12-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve was at our house this year! The night started with Christmas carols, then the kids opening gifts and then our ever famous gift exchange for the adults. It is a blast and BreAnn's parents joined us which made it a blast! Something about getting to steal a gift from someone just adds to the Holiday cheer! (teehee! I am not sure that is what Christmas is all about but we only do it with the upmost love and kindness!!) In the middle of our gift stealing, oops, I mean exchange, Santa came! Oh yes! That is truly the highlight of our night! Of course, he always brings us appropriate jammies to wear for the next day from Mrs. Claus and reminds us to head to bed on time so he can come. I just love this holiday! There is nothing better than being together with family and carrying on traditions. We just love it! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

The Sounds of Christmas!

2008-12-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth dazzled the family with her very first piano recital on Christmas Eve! My mom has been teaching her notes and how to play and decided that it was a perfect time to show us all that she has learned! She did a great job and we were amazed at all the Christmas songs she could play. Jonathan even played a song for us!! Then Teila, along with Aly and the cousin troop, led us in Christmas carols! It was a lot of fun and a perfect way to start our Christmas celebration!!!

The Party

2008-12-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday!!

2008-12-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago today at 1:22 AM our little boy was brought to us in this stocking. Wow, he was quite a bit smaller and all wrapped up in it. How time flies!!! He has become our little man of the house now. The poor little thing has had to share his birthday with so many Christmas events but he handles it with grace and a smile! The last couple of years, he has been blessed with his/our favorite team playing a bowl game on his birthday and that has been a highlight for him. Tonight is of no exception. Everyone is invited over to watch his beloved Broncos play their last game of the season and Ian Johnson (Jonathan's favorite player) play his last college game. Little did the Boys in Blue know they were giving a little man the best gift ever for his 10th birthday. Too bad we weren't in San Diego to help cheer them on but we will be watching and cheering just the same!
Before his actual party, we thought he should take a test to see if he was ready to handle double digits or not... Here is the "Birthday Test" we gave to him. (Thanks Teila for asking him these questions!!!) What a silly little man! ENJOY! We sure do!
Name: Jonathan Tyler Ryan
Age: 10
Favorite Color: Blue and Orange
Favorite Animal: Dog
Favorite Number: 41 or 19 (Ian Johnson's jersey or Vinny Perretta)
Favorite Letter: Z
Favorite TV Show: Spongebob SquarePants
Favorite Movie: Santa Claus 2
Favorite Toy: Football
Favorite Ice Cream: Vanilla
Favorite Sport: Football/Judo
Favorite Breakfast: Grandma Terry's Waffles
Favorite Dinner: Ribs
Favorite Dinner Restaurant: Outback
Favorite Snack: Cookies
Favorite thing to do inside: Play the Wii
Favorite thing to do outside: Football....man, that's in a lot of his answers, haha!
Favorite Song: All Star
Favorite Vacation: Wallowa Lake
What do you want to be when you grow up? Scientist/NFL Football player
What do you want to drive when you turn 16? Mustang
If you could change your name, what would it be? Jacob
If you could buy anything, what would it be? Skybox seats

A good friend + A football player = A Christmas program.

2008-12-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little children were in the church Christmas play again this year. However, the only things being talked about by Elizabeth was she was so excited that she got to be next to her good friend Maddie. While Jonathan was ecstatic that he was #19 (Vinny Perretta's number a football player from Boise State). Of all the things to be excited about for a program that is all we heard about for over 4 weeks now. Not the songs they were learning, not the story or the play, not the story line of what Christmas really is but just being able to stand next to a good friend and getting to wear a college football players number. Should we worry? Na......it could be said that Christmas is about learning how to share love (good friends) and I am quite sure that Jesus would all want us to focus a little on football, especially since it is bowl season. Don't you think?

The Last Dance......

2008-12-20T07:11:00.000-08:00

Our baby girl was in her last dance recital! It is so hard to believe that she was three when she first started dance! My how the time flies! Getting ready this time was bitter sweet, we missed having the Armbrusters be with us but of course my sister is always willing to help me out when I need it (What would I do without you Tammy! I love ya!) and Teila brought over 2 of her friends. It was fun to watch the teenagers get my little girl ready! They did a wonderful job and Elizabeth looked beautiful! She enjoyed the personal attention as well. I am scared that she will expect that kind of attention on a daily basis now because I am not capable of putting on anything other than mascara!!! Thanks girls!!! So, we closed a chapter and can't wait to see what will be next. I have heard rumor of Softball, gymnastics or Cheerleading. Hum.....we will keep you posted. One thing we do know for sure, with Elizabeth you just never know!

Welcome Winter!

2008-12-14T17:18:00.000-08:00

We made a quick decision to go up to the cabin to get a start on blowing the snow and getting it off the roof before it becomes too deep. I have to admit that I wasn't that thrilled about going because there are so many other things we need to be doing right now (Plus I had made plans for us to go to Elisha's birthday party! Sorry Elisha and family! Thanks for understanding! We are sorry we missed out! We did miss you!) but once you get up in the mountains and you see the gorgeous outdoors....life slows down and it just feels right. There wasn't that much snow when we got up there but we awoke to LOTS of snow and it continued snowing during the day and was still going strong when we finally left. Ronie got to use the new "snow blower" (I swear he was like a kid with a brand new toy!) and we all played in the snow. Bailey was happy doggy too!!! Nothing is better than enjoying a winter wonderland while spending time with our kids! Hum......why is it the minute you get back you start to feel the pressure of a clean house, groceries needing bought, laundry needing finished, kids projects needing completed and bills to be paid!?!?!? We need to figure out a way to bring a little of the mountains/cabin down with us!!!

LiViNg ChRiStMaS TrEe 2008

2008-12-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas always begins for us at the Living Christmas Tree. This year, not only did Aunt Nana sing in it, but Raina and Teila did as well! We cannot believe that Teila is old enough to sing in the tree with the adults but whether we like it or not, sang she did! She was beautiful and the kids absolutely LOVED seeing her all dressed up and singing! There was a part when the singers came down off the stage and sang in the aisles of the congegation and I thought Elizabeth was going to jump off my lap and run to her! It was so sweet. We are so blessed that Tammy and our kids are so close. They act as if they are siblings and cannot stand to be apart from each other. It is funny when something happens and they aren't able to spend a day off together. My kids go into withdrawals. It is cute!!! As Teila gets older though, she would rather have some more space but she is such a good sport about it all! Through it all, it is great that they have each other for support and in this crazy world they have someone they can lean on and loves them!! We are so very blessed!

Yet Another Judo Tournament....

2008-12-09T19:49:00.000-08:00

Can I just say that sports should understand and take the back burner when it is the month of December? This is a month for family, cooking, decorating, entertaining, and shopping(yuck!). I really do not have time with all of the parties and programs to fit in a Judo tournament as well. Especially since I have explained several times that tournaments make my heart and brain hurt. There is something about having your little boy, oh excuse me, man, be out on a mat all alone with another child that has every desire to throw him until he lands with a thud on the floor. I realize this is what he trains for. I go to practice to learn and appreciate the sport but nothing helps. The pain in my heart begins when he is out there all alone with no way for me to help him. (Or should I say send Ron in there to help him!) However, all of this ranting and raving does me no good! No one of the male species in this house cares and Elizabeth doesn't have the same argument. So, lets just say as the Treasure Valley tournament date was announced, I was less than thrilled. We had Ronie's work party, Teila's living Christmas tree performance and I still haven't done ANY shopping for the BIG holiday coming up..... Then to find out that it is just three kids in Jonathan's bracket to compete. That is when my lovely husband, knowing how I feel about tournaments, sweetly asks for five more dollars to have my baby boy compete in the next bracket up or play up as we call it in Judo. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?!? Play up with kids that weigh 10-20 pounds more than Jon, play up with kids that are 11-12 years old and are getting ready to enter the world of choking during competition, play up with kids that are strutting around with green, blue and every other color of belt except my sons little yellow/orange!?!??!?!?! However, guess what? Play up he did and even though he didn't win, he learned and again he reminds me of how a true sportsman competes! We are so proud of him. The true joy comes in watching Ron's face when Jonathan does something correct and both of them have a smile of contentment. Oh yes, Judo is a great sport! (Well, now that the tournament is over!!!)

By the way, Jonathan placed 2nd in his division and Teila placed 2nd in both of her brackets. All in all, not a bad day.

Kids in "BIG" Church...

2008-11-30T09:45:00.001-08:00

Okay, no pic (Sorry, but I didn't bring my camera to church!)but I need to share a sweet story about church today. When there is a month with 5 weeks the kids are asked to worship with their parents. So this morning (coming from experience) we packed up a special "keep quiet bag" and off we headed to church! The kids sang with us(I love to hear them sing) and for the most part the kids did perfect. All in all, I am pretty proud and realizing my kids are getting older and we can handle these Sundays with much more grace. This was all before we head up front for communion (I have never let my kids have communion with us until today but that is another LONG story. Let's just say Thanks Uncle Bob for helping these silly parents through some of our parenting struggles!) Anyways, as we get up to the front of the church, I see Ron start to grab Liz's hand because she is almost running back to our seat. Hum... However, as we stopped to take communion, Jonathan starts to make this wonderful gagging noise. Not too loud but loud enough for the people in front, the people behind us and those already back sitting in their seats to have a little giggle. When we got back to our pew Jonathan gives me an explanation. "You guys sure do have the strong stuff! That was horrible!!! The juice in our Kid's Church tastes much better." After we finish trying to keep quiet and stop laughing hysterically, Liz explains to Ronie that she didn't understand that we needed to stop because as she put it, "Downstairs we use the Grab and Go method!" Oh my! You gotta love my kids!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T18:26:00.001-08:00

We want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving! We are so very thankful for each and everyone of you and all of the love and support you give us! Our lives are enriched and full because of all of you and we hope that you know how much we appreciate you!! We love you!!

Ron and Deb Plus 8?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

2008-11-28T18:04:00.000-08:00

We were asked to watch my cousins on our day off before Thanksgiving. Of course Teila and Aly were at our house because without them, my children just simply cannot cope! (We love them though and think of them as part of our clan!) After talking to my "parent teachers" at school, I decided that I need try to do some more "crafty" things with my kids. Some of my parent teachers are amazing!! They can do all sorts of arts and craft projects and they can do even more in the kitchen. So, I figured why not! What a perfect day to spend with the kids in the kitchen making old fashioned sugar cookies that I loved growing up! Well....let's just say that I need to listen to the stories a little bit more before I take on such a project! After making a HUGE batch of dough, the kitchen was cleaned up and we were ready for the actual rolling and cookie cutting, Ron tastes the dough and spits it back out! Hum....apparently, the word sugar in sugar cookies is VERY important! With a range of children starting at almost 1 year to 14 years (or 34 if you want to count Ronie but that would be another story in itself!) keeping them all entertained while a select few used the counter and the cookie cutters was also quite a challenge! We had to take a few timeouts and watch Charlie Browns Thanksgiving (My poor niece Teila of course has never made sugar cookies and never seen this classic! I swear that child acts as if she has never been out of the house!) but this provided a much needed rest time for the little ones! With 9 children (Elizabeth was dying to have her friend over and we figured what could happen with one more! We love you Miranda!!!)Ron and I definitely felt outnumbered!!! However, we had a GREAT time and loved every minute of it!!!! I was proud of all we had accomplished in one day and we were able to spend some quality time with family and I believe that is what the holiday is really about!!!

ThE fIrSt SnOw FaLl!!

2008-11-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

Yes sir ee Henry!!!! You read it correctly! It snowed for the first time this year! It didn't stick but it sure made us excited to get the Christmas stuff out! (Ron told us NO with a firm face, so we will just have to wait until next weekend after Thanksgiving!) The kids were so excited and the dog loved the company outside! While Ronie and I enjoyed a nail-biting Boise State game, the kids (along with Teila!) played outside! Here comes winter, ready or not!!!

HaPpY bIrThDaY tEiLa!!!

2008-11-16T15:52:00.001-08:00

Our little Teila turned 14 on Friday! She is getting so grown up like! I still remember (Oh my! I am getting old! I am telling a "I still remember...story!) Bob and I rushing to see her the day she was born! I get to be her bus driver every morning and I completely enjoy every minute of it! She is beautiful, a lot of fun and is growing up to be a wonderful young lady! I am so thankful I get to be her aunt! So Happy Birthday Teila! We are proud of all you do and how much joy you bring my family! Thank you for being you and letting us be a part of your life! We love you so very much!!!!

Judo

2008-11-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

It may well be said that the primary objective of Judo is the perfection of character. ~H. Seichiro Okazaki
This weekend we took Jonathan and Teila to the Idaho State Judo Tournament. I am not sure that I can correctly recap the days events but here is a list to give you an idea....
*Weigh-In Table Confusion
*BAD brackets
*Lack of Organization
*Chaos
The list can go on but aside from the pictures, I want to tell you about one event that both summed up the whole day!! We knew from Ronie watching at the score table that Jonathan placed 4th. Now we have been wrong in the past but this time we were pretty sure and Jonathan knew as well. However, when it came to the awards ceremony, they called the other little boy for 3rd but grabbed Jonathan and put him on the stand. The pictures were taken, things were done and then the other little boy comes up and wants his medal. He had every right-I am not arguing that point but these two boys were now caught in the confusion and chaos. They took Jonathan off the podium, pulled of the medal (Again, it wasn't his,he didn't earn it, we weren't going to keep it but in front of all of those people......!) and put it on the other little boy. Jonathan stood in confusion but walked up, bowed to the three winners, shook their hand and walked back to us. Ronie rushed him to the locker room to try and help the train wreck that we knew was going to happen! For goodness sakes, you should have seen me let alone a 9 year old little boy!!
Well, a Sensei walks up and asks if he can chat with Jonathan and told me how impressed he was by him and his sportsmanship. Of Course he could!!! Silly man! So Jonathan comes out and the Sensei tells him who he was, how he watched Jonathan and was so proud of how he handled the situation and how he had brought medals for his team to give for various reasons but he wanted Jonathan to have the one for sportsmanship! Oh my! The best speech I have ever heard! Thank you Sensei! You helped a little boy through a hard situation but also helped build some character in everyone that watched and listened to you! It made me want to sign up for Judo!! Anyone else game?!??!?! p style="visibility:visible;">

I'm An Esme!

2008-11-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

I found out through TwilightersAnonymous.com. Which Twilight Female Are You? Take the quiz and find out!" />
Take the Quiz and Share Your Results! I am thoughtful and care deeply for my family. A loving home is of great importance to me and I always try to make people welcome. Although I have a great capacity to love, I have a great capacity to hurt, so at times I can be sensitive. I am firm when I need to be but people trust my judgment and appreciate the kind way I handle things. Hum..what do you think? Take the quiz and find out which Twilight character you are most like!

Head of the Class!!

2008-11-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

We were invited at conferences to come to an assembly today to celebrate the top 5 students in Elizabeth's class! As I am sure you guessed, one of them was our little Lizzy! We were so excited to come and watch her get acknowledged for a great performance during the 1st quarter. However, Mrs. Curtis made us even prouder when we went to pick Liz up after the assembly. I guess there is a little girl in Elizabeth's class that has been very shy and hardly ever does her work. At conferences, I guess the parents shared with Mrs. Curtis how the little girl always goes home and talks about how sweet and smart Elizabeth is and how she even wants to be "smart like Lizzy". Then Mrs. Curtis went on to share how every since the conference, the little girl has been raising her hand, turning in her homework and trying very hard! Oh my! So Liz seems to be adjusting just fine! We are so very proud of her! I still get a little teary eyed when I think about it!!!! Way to go Elizabeth!!!

Jon Gets Promoted!

2008-11-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

Our little man has been promoted to Hachikyu (Yellow/Orange belt)! We are so very proud of him! Congratulations Jonathan!

Look what happens to a little girl when........

2008-11-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

she is tired from spending the night at Grandma's, has a cold, and everyone is watching the Boys in Blue play ball on TV? I had to share this picture! I got up from watching the game and find my sad little girl in the hallway! Poor little Elizabeth! At least the dog will listen to her!! (Check out her Dad's boots?!?!?!) She is so darn cute!!!

Happy is the man that finds wisdom!

2008-11-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

The kids are back at it in church this year. Bible Quizzing this year is covering the book of Exodus. (I remember doing that book when I was in quizzing too!) Last Saturday, we had our first quiz meet of the season. I am always amazed at how well the kids do! There were so many plagues and signs plus some of the time Pharaoh hardened his own heart and others God actually did it, that I can still get confused. Oh my! However, the kids did great!!! Elizabeth, Aly and Raina took gold and our little Jonny (His head must have been on football!)received a silver! We are so very proud of all of them!

Boo Bash!!!

2008-11-13T16:05:00.000-08:00

Of course, Halloween is not Halloween without a Grandma Terry party! The lady just lives for holidays! The kids all brought friends this year which meant we had a house full but it always a great time! Thanks Grandma Terry for the annual Boo Bash! We LOVE you to pieces and all that you do for us! Next year Grandma Phyllis, we are going to just steal you, so you can come and watch the fun!!!! We miss not having you there!

Candy and friends, who needs more?

2008-11-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

This year for the first time, my kids got to experience trick or treating with friends in an actual neighborhood. Jonathan went one year with the girls and Grandma Phyllis but Aunt Tammy took him to the first house and it scared the pants off of poor little Bob the Builder and he has never wanted to go again! We were invited to go around Brandi's neighborhood and decided, why not?!?!?! Actually, it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be! We walked (great exercise!) and the kids had a great time! WAY too much candy but isn't that what the holiday is all about?!??!?! So Thank You Brandi and Miranda for the invitation! Thank you Tammy, Zack, Tammy, Teila, Kenzie and Josh for going with us on our very first Trick or Treating experience! We had a blast!!! Want to make plans for next year?

Trick or Doughnut?

2008-11-13T15:38:00.000-08:00

Silly Grandma Terry decided that everyone needed to head to Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to begin an already sugar filled holiday! Instead of sleeping in and getting the rest we needed for the day, we were up at the crack of dawn to go and watch the doughnuts! I tell you that lady gets nuttier all the time! We love her though and had a great time. So, thanks Grandma for a silly suggestion that started our sugar high earlier than most kids were allowed too!!!

Guess What Elizabeth Lost?

2008-10-26T19:56:00.001-07:00

Her tooth! YUCKY! I am glad that Ronie is able to do the worst part of parenting....pulling a tooth! That whole process just gives me the creeps! There is nothing worse in the world than seeing that tooth move around and dangle from threads that used to hold it into place! So, way to go Daddy! Elizabeth was just put to bed with our special little "tooth fairy" cup as she eagerly awaits for the morning! Congratulations little girl! You were very brave! I am so glad all I had to do was hold your hand! (With my head turned the other way and Jonathan holding my ears!)

TrAdItIoNs!

2008-10-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

My mom decided to make some popcorn balls like we used to do when we were kids. Of course the main reason was to send some off to Bob, Stacy and Greyson but we like to think it was for us as well! (Ha ha Mom, I love you!) We have been a little concerned with Teila too! All of the things she has been saying lately have us a little worried about her childhood! A few examples could be, "I had my first chili dog last night." "I haven't ever roasted a marshmallow." "I don't believe I have ever sat around a campfire before." "Is there really this many stars in the sky?" It is starting to get us a little alarmed that she will be turning 14 soon and her lack of exposure she has with certain traditions! So, off to Grandma's we go after church today to make popcorn balls. The true experience was having 4 kids involved in the process and trying to keep them all focused, out of the treats, and still end up with popcorn balls worth eating!!!

Oh yea, while we were there Teila tried on her new dress for the upcoming Living Christmas Tree program she is singing in at our church! She is all grown up now! Oh my! It seems like yesterday......

Carving Out Some Memories!

2008-10-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

Grandma Terry and the girls came over to carve pumpkins and have some dinner! It was a lot of fun and the mess wasn't even that bad to pick up! Every year, when we carve pumpkins it reminds me of a story when I was growing up. I was well, around 15 and my friend Shelley came over to carve pumpkins with me. We were carving (really, doing everything just perfectly!) and somehow, instantly, the pumpkin insides were all over the kitchen! (teehee!) I still remember pumpkin in my hair, down my pants and worse yet, hanging from the light, down the kitchen cabinets and on the walls. I will never forget my dad walking through the kitchen and saying quietly, "You better hope your mom doesn't see this." He didn't seem mad and had a little smile as he left as quickly as he came. Of course my mom did come in and she didn't have the same look. In fact, I think she was genuinely angry! So angry in fact, that when Shelley's mom came to pick her up, they both agreed she would have to come back later to give us some more time. We laughed just as hard picking it up as we did making the mess!!! However, I know to this day, both Shelley and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! It was well worth the punishment! I would venture to guess though, if you asked my mom about the story, she will still be just as angry as she was that night!

ThAtS AlL fOlKs!!

2008-10-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Football season ended today for our Bulldog team. The boys sure tried hard and they played with a lot of heart! Jonathan's first season is over and he did awesome as he met new friends (Some kids have been playing for 3 years together!) new positions and basically just how to play the game. We are so very proud of him. The coaches gave little speeches at our dinner tonight about a just a select few of the kids. One speech was about our Jon and it made us beam with pride. The coaches talked about how Jonathan never complained, always did what he was told, supported everyone on the team, and never gave up no matter what. One of the coaches explained how at every game, he was up against someone bigger and sometimes half his size and he still only missed the tackle a handful of times. No, he wasn't the fastest one on the team and definitely didn't make the big plays but he was consistent and steady and showed character and that in my book makes him the best player out on the field!!! Way to go Jonny! You did great!!! We can't wait until next season to watch you play again!

"Read um and weep!!"

2008-10-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Okay I have to add this only because I am so far behind in my blogging and some of you are completely to blame! Let me explain! I guess I can say that I have to take some of the blame as well because I couldn't make it to dance one night and some of the dance mommies (I won't mention names here because it is a safe place.... Brandi and Jolyn!) decided to tell my niece about a new (or old depending on how you look at it!) book series. Well, I have heard of the books and knew enough about them to know they were not a genre that I normally like and to be honest didn't have any desire to read them! I also knew that they were a big hit with the Jr. High and High School kids and that sometimes can be a turn off in itself. However, Teila began reading these books and could not put them down. WOW! This is a child that I have spent countless hours, spring breaks, Christmas breaks, etc. reading with her because she was always behind on a book report and hated to sit down and read. Even on our trip to WA, she did nothing but have her "nose in these books". Now I am not complaining. Anytime I see someone get hooked on reading, I get excited, I am a teacher for goodness sakes but now I am stuck with a dilemma. I feel that someone needs to know what she is reading and the subject matter(My sister being more like Teila and doesn't really ever "get into" a book so it could be years before she reads them.)or just go online and get a general idea about them. Even though I was pretty sure that I would not enjoy them, I decided to take one for the team and read at least the first one. All I have to say, is holy cow!!!! These books suck you in and they will not let you out! That is why my laundry isn't done, my house looks like a bomb went off in it, my kids have had toasted cheese for three nights in a row and I have dark circles under my eyes! Are you are dying to know what books I am writing about? Or maybe you have guessed!?!?! It is the Twilight series and they are good, bad, amazing, scary and thought provoking all in one.
To keep you informed, in case you were like me, there are 4 books in the series thus far. (There is a movie coming out soon as well. Hum, I will have to see about that!!)I have just finished the 3rd book and have asked Teila to keep (actually hide!) the last one from me for a couple of days so that I can get caught up on being a Mommy/teacher and my other duties that have been neglected! So if you have 7-10 days with nothing on your agenda, check them out. You might be pleasantly surprised. I should warn you though, the story line is about vampires (YES! I SAID VAMPIRES!!!) but surprisingly it seems that once you start you read and read and read until you just can't hold your eyes open to read anymore. Then you spend every other waking minute thinking about when you will find a chance to read again. Oh my!!! Talk about time suckage!!

Take Time For A Little Roll!!!!

2008-10-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

October 16, 2008
As we headed out of the fabulous volleyball game, the girls (Aly and Elizabeth) were eyeing a perfect "rolling hill". You know the ones that you loved as a kid because you would start at the top and roll all crazy and wild until you get to the bottom. The girls were watching all of the other kids roll and you could tell by the look in their eyes that they really wanted to do it as well. How could you say no to that? I knew we were late to get to football practice, I knew we hadn't had dinner yet, I knew there was homework waiting at home and I knew we were in a hurry (as usual) but it did look like fun. Yes, even I had a strong urge to take the plunge with them but after my mom's careful warnings about how I might not be able to walk the next day, I decided to settle for taking some pictures instead! Isn't it great to be a kid? There is nothing better than a hill and a little time to take a roll!!!

Does anyone understand the game of volleyball anymore?

2008-10-18T16:36:00.001-07:00

October 16, 2008
I went to watch another game where I was completely lost! It seems to be happening a lot to us lately! A couple of weekends ago, we went to a Flag Football game and were were confused by the rules, procedures and calls. Well, that is nothing compared to Thursday's volleyball game!! Apparently, it is not in the rules anymore that the server actually has to try to get the ball over the net. If they should happen to not make it, no worries, the coach on the sidelines will throw the ball over for them. Does this cause some confusion for you, like it did for me? How in the world do you know who scored if you can have outside help? And that is not all my little friend, it is common practice now for both teams to rotate after each and every play. HUH!?!??! There were girls moving, hitting, coaches volleying the ball back into play and before I knew it, two games were over and we were the champion team!!! Unbelievable! I realize I have not done the game justice and with my lack of words given you the full description of what we saw but I do know that it was not a game of volleyball that we played when I was in school. Have I been out of school so long now that the games have completely changed? Don't games stay consistent? I don't remember ever hearing my parents say, "Well, when we were kids, the ball was twice the size and you didn't need to worry about points." Clothes and hair do's change continually but games are the rule breaker. That is how we all know how to play them. Games are one thing our parents parents taught them, they taught us and now we are here to teach our kids. Games are games and should remain untouched. Does yet another thing in life have to change? Especially something like a good game of volleyball?

Captain-Oh Captain!!

2008-10-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

October 18,2008
Our day started out more like winter than fall. It was extremely cold, many places around us awoke to snow and the wind was howling! Burr!!! Not a great day to run to your kid's football game! I even waited in the car listening to the Texas-Oklahoma game (Sorry Kristin!) until the very last second before the game started! It was miserable cold! We have been so fortunate to have great weather this whole season! (In fact, Aunt Tammy has been burned more times than not attending the games!) As we got our 50 yard line seats (FYI, as you can tell we aren't those silly parents that has to be right in the middle of everything!) out struts our boy on the field as captain! Oh man!! Ron and I looked at each other in complete amazement! It also appeared our son standing about 5 feet taller full of pride! He was going to need it too, because yet again the other team towered over us!! The whole season has been more or less the "David and the Goliath" type of games! Our kids have heart though and Jonathan never complains! It doesn't matter who he is assigned to guard, he gets right in there. I am not saying that I am okay with that but the boys in our house are just down right proud of "the bigger they are, the bigger they fall" approach! Even despite desperate pleas for friends and family to stay home my mom and Tammy came! Our pleas were obvious, it was cold, please don't feel like you need to be here! Yet the troopers came in the worst weather all season!! Thanks family! Your support is amazing and so greatly appreciated! Grandma Great and the rest of the girls stayed in the car! As well as Uncle Bob texting throughout the whole game keeping track! But check out our football star! We are just so proud of him! Way to go Captain Jon!

Guess who can tie her shoes?!?! FiNaLlY!!!

2008-10-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2008
See the concentration in her face!?!?! My darling daughter with whom I love with all of my heart has struggled with tying her shoes FOREVER!!! I am not one to brag but I spent a good portion of the school year teaching other kids how to tie their shoes and have done a fairly good job at it! So it has been a very sore subject in our house because no matter what I have tried, the girl just couldn't get it. We have tried cute little stories about a bunny running around the trunk and slips into his hole (You know the one I am sure!) or make the two bunny ears and wrap them around, etc. We have even resorted to bribes like the dentist used to get her to quit sucking her thumb! (I humbly have to write that we tried then too but for some reason the dentist had some magical power in his voice as he promised a credit card to Toys R Us if she quit! And so she did that very day! However, let's not get into that right now!!!) We have been patient, we have been angry, we have threatened, we have tried being positive, but nothing!! Then as if some type of shoe tying fairy came down and impressed upon my sweet little girl that it was time to start tying her shoes, she decides to do it for Grandma Terry!!!!!! Can you imagine my feelings? My mom called to tell me that she taught Elizabeth to tie her shoes!?!??!?!!? WHAT!??!?!?! That is all I have to say about that! It couldn't have been the THREE years of prep work that Ronie and I have been doing, it was just one day with Grandma and she has it just like that! UGH!?!?!?! This parenting thing doesn't have any type of credits for the true heroes in the trenches, does it? Regardless, she knows how now and would love to tie any of your shoes if you would so desire and for that we are extremely happy! We are pretty sure that it might look a tad bad to be walking away from her college dorm at Notre Dame and stopping to tie her shoe!

Nothin' But A Ferry Ride To Make It A Little Easier To Go Home!

2008-10-18T15:37:00.001-07:00

October 5, 2008
Many of you may not know this about my mom but she is crazy about the ferry! She is not only crazy about the ferry but she absolutely LOVES the ferry. She loves the boat, the memories of when she used to ride the ferry way back when and enjoys the water. In fact, our kids know that she LOVES it so much they would love to buy her one and they talk about doing so on a frequent basis! Knowing that we were going to have to leave Greyson (Bob-don't forget that angelic voices should be singing as you read his name, and Stacy) we were all a little bummed and dreading the trip back home. However, my mom was not going to let that stand in the way of not using the ferry as a means of transportation home!! No siree!! We all got to get on the ferry with my nutty mom and rode it across. The best part was seeing my mom, grandma and aunt climb into a taxi to head to the airport after we made it across! I think Ronie still giggles about that vision! It did help to get our attention on something else and made for some fun mental movies and laughs on the way back home! So thanks Mom, what would we do without you and your love for the ferry!?!??!

Oh People! There is more than that!!!!

2008-10-06T12:14:00.001-07:00

You thought one slide show was enough for Greyson's first birthday?!?!? Oh sillies! You gotta be kidding me!!! You gotta watch more!! You NEED to watch more!! As you can see, our trip was all about Greyson! No tourist trips, no crazy outings, just playing and more playing with our new little man! WE LOVED IT!!!!!! Did I mention that we got to hold him, hear him laugh and talk to us, as well as watch his special tricks? We also got to see him roll over from his back to his tummy, FOR THE FIRST TIME! Oh yes!! We were quite entertained and happy! We have prayed and thought about this little guy for over a year now and to be able to love on him, there are no words to describe!!! He is a special little blessing and to watch my baby brother be a Daddy was a special memory to me as well! Oh how we wish they lived closer or as Jonathan put it, "I wish we were airline pilots so we could stop in all of time for a few more moments!!!" We love you baby Greyson!!! (You too, Bob and Stacy!!!)

Family Times are the Best of Times......

2008-10-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

as well as some controlled chaos! Our family is well, the best way to say it is special. I am not sure you can put it any other way. We think we are normal, we think there is nothing special about us, we actually believe there is no other way. However, as we get older and others join into our family, we are learning that some might think differently! That being said, I believe the utmost important fact about our family is that we love each other deeply and that when we get together, we like to have fun and we actually enjoy each others company! Maybe it is strange that we like to be around each other, maybe it is strange that we like to tell good story that makes your belly hurt from laughing, maybe it is because joking and goofing off is always prevalent when we get together. I am not sure. It is all I know. It is how I was raised and it is most definitely how my Dad would want us to behave and I believe he smiles when we carry on the behaviors he taught us! So, when we took a van full of kids, flew a Grandma Great, (Yup, Grandma Great on a plane!) Mom and Aunt to Washington to throw a first birthday for our little Greyson, one can only imagine what could happen.
However, I believe we were very well behaved! We toned it down quite a bit! Maybe that was because we couldn't take our eyes off of our new little nephew/cousin! Maybe it was because Mom told us too! Maybe it was because we are getting old! I am not sure but the trip was perfect and we soo enjoyed our time with Greyson. (Well, Bob and Stacy too but really-shh-don't tell--Greyson was the big hit! This is going to be hard for my little brother to take! He has always been the star of the show!!)
We rented a house that ended up being so close to Bob and Stacy's and spent the whole time introducing ourselves to the new little man in this strange family of ours. I have only gotten to see Greyson when he was in the hospital and was very sick. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed those visits and will treasure them always in my heart but this trip was "the bomb"! We loved playing with him, holding him and spoiling him. The kids got to play with him and the hardest part was leaving and knowing we will not see him again for awhile. So even though we can be a little crazy, I think we pulled off a very good 1st birthday party. And all I have left to say about that is, what a perfect weekend with a perfect family!

Say Cheese!

2008-10-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Picture day at school was last week! This year, I had no idea what the kids should wear and just couldn't make up my mind so Mom got to do the honors of choosing! Have I ever mentioned how wonderful she is? I gave my suggestions (Of course, that is what you do when you are a control freak!) and walked out the door to work. Of course, the outfit that Elizabeth HAD to wear, the sweater was left in my car! Daddy saved the day and came all the way out to my school, picked it up and brought it home for our little one! (What a good daddy!!) I can't wait to see the actual school pictures but my mom surprised me by taking a few pictures before they went to school. (She is simply the best!! Thanks Mom!!!) So here is a preview....our little ones are not so little anymore! They are growing up so very fast!!! I do miss that baby stage but are completely enjoying this stage. Aren't they the cutest kids?!?!?! We just love them to pieces!!!

CaBiN fEvEr!!!

2008-10-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

On the spur of the moment, we ended up needing to go to the cabin but had a great time! Tammy and Teila got to join us!! (Aly was at a birthday party for the night and Derek was out of town.) We had a campfire, learned that Teila needs to get out in the wilderness more often, roasted hotdogs and marshmallows, played with the dog, and enjoyed the great outdoors. We even got to go on a 2 hour ride on the 4-wheelers, which is something that we haven't done for a VERY long time! It is amazing that the cabin seems so far away when we are down here but once you are on the road to go, it isn't that bad and is so relaxing! In the morning, after breakfast, the kids studied for church quizzing around the campfire and then played on the big rocks. Baylee loved climbing with them and was so tuckered when we got home! We need to remember to get back up there more often. It is good for the soul to get away and enjoy God's creation!! So much better than the hussle and bustle of our every day lives! Plus, poor Teila almost burned down the forest with her flaming marshmallow so she is going to need more practice!! And if Teila needs some work with her roasting skills, we can't even imagine how much help Aly is going to need! We gotta get back up in those hills!!!

Get Ready, I am ready to take you down!!!!

2008-10-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Bulldogs did great and for the first time, one of our players wasn't hurt after every play! Now, I am not saying that we didn't have players rolling out on the field from time to time but it wasn't so bad that everyone had to take a knee after each play! That is progress!!! We didn't win but there was a grade A effort by most players. Jonathan had a great tackle and saved a touchdown run from an interception. That was awesome to watch and impressive that my little man has that kind of strength. However, he did get a penalty for holding later on in the game. He was cute because in Judo, they teach them to get a good grip one on the shoulder and one at the chest, well in football, that is a BIG no-no. The kid that Jon was guarding was a lot bigger than him (BIG surprise!) and you could tell he was getting frustrated. It was funny to see him resort back to something that he has been taught in another sport. Of course, it wasn't funny to my "play by the rules" child and he couldn't believe he did something wrong. It was a good learning moment for him. He really is enjoying playing and has come out of his shell a little bit too!
We also had some friends join us again for the game. The Holm's came last week but our opponent was too scared (that is what we have told the boys) and didn't show. It was fun to visit with them and have them watch our little man! We continue to be blessed by friends taking time out of their busy schedules to come! Jonathan feels like a NFL player because he always has an audience! Thanks friends! We are so lucky to have you in our lives! We hope you know how much you are appreciated!!!
Elizabeth was surprised by having a friend from dance be at the football field (her brother was playing at the same time at a different field) and then of course, Mr. Zack (see previous posts!) was there as well. She even did a little moan of sadness when the game was over. (Yes, my daughter!!! She was really cute showing off for Zack with her good friend Courtney! They were two little giggly girls and Zack was enjoying that as well!)
Oh yea,I almost forgot (see what happens when you don't keep up on these posts!) Ronie volunteered to help run the chains. Pretty impressive for him to be so accommodating! He did a great job! I on the other hand, had to entertain our guests and cheer the boy on. And keep a watchful eye on that little Zachary (teehee)!! Fun times at the Optimist Football Field!!!!

Special Friends and a Little Bit of Football!

2008-10-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

We were able to go and watch two of my former students and now good family friends of ours, play tag football in Kuna. Elizabeth went to 1st grade with these boys so it was like a reunion for her and Jonathan just absolutely LOVES anything about football so it was a perfect morning. To be honest, we thought when we told Liz about our plans, she would panic and try every excuse in the book to not go. However, the first words out of her mouth were, "What time do we go?" As Saturday approached, we figured we would really hear it as the game was at 8:30 in Kuna so it meant an early morning. When we woke her up, dreading what was to come, she jumped up and exclaimed, "What do you think looks best mom for me to wear to the game?" Now, the plan has always been for her to marry Nathan (I am always scouting families for the perfect match for my kids! There is a lot to consider when choosing just the right one!! Just so you know both of my kids are already taken!) because remember I taught both of these boys and Zack broke many hearts in Kindergarten. So we were pushing for the best buddy thing with him and more of a commitment from Nathan. Well, we are pretty sure and it was made even clearer there are some special feelings that our daughter has for Zack and it might turn out a little differently than we had originally planned. Either way we are fine, we love both sets of parents so the extended family will be perfect whichever way it goes. (Even if that is what, at LEAST 14 years away!!) We had a great time and it opened up a new world for us with the whole tag football thing. We were confused a lot of the game and can't wait to go back to watch again. Zack and Nathan were all stars and we enjoyed watching them play! Thanks for inviting us and letting us come!!!