RS Broadcast

I went to the General RS broadcast at the church this evening. It was a fun evening, with a salad social beforehand.

I always enjoy these meetings, and I tend to get a little emotional through them. For one reason inparticular, this is the only time through-out the whole entire year that my mom and 3 sisters are all sitting in a different chapel at the exact same time watching the exact same thing and feeling the same Spirit. (That is, if they are where they are supposed to be!). You see, between the 5 of us, we live in 2 different countries, 4 different states, and 4 different time zones. Ya, not very close. But this is a time when I can feel close to them and imagine them sitting right next to me. I miss being close to them and seeing them more often. I hope they enjoyed the meeting as much as I did.

UN-thankful Thursday

Today I am going to do things differently. I am very thankful for many many many wonderful things. I feel I have been truly blessed with a wonderful family and so many endless blessings.

But today there are a few things I am not thankful for, or should I say "UN-thankful" for.

1. Cancer. It is everywhere. It strikes my family yet again, and it doesn't seem right.
   
   
2. The time zones. Okay, I really don't mind the time zones, however I am "UN-thankful" for those members of my family who forget we live in a different time zone then they do. Meaning, when the phone rings in the middle of the night and I am sound asleep and have to wake up to a happy, cheerful little voice on the other end of the phone that doesn't realize we are in bed already. That's all.
   
   
3. Batteries. I should be thankful for these little suckers, but I am not, in a way. I think I spend more money on batteries then I do on diapers. I also feel like I change more batteries then I do diapers. It shouldn't be this way.
   
   
4. Cleaning the bathroom. This is my least favorite chore. LEAST favorite. Cleaning the shower especially. That is why it is always the last thing to be cleaned.
   
   
5. People who read my blog secretly and don't leave comments. I know you are out there.

Green grass

I have had some random comments in the past about how brown our grass is. I know it was brown, thanks for pointing it out. I think it was the brownest in our whole development. But I must say, after many fervent prayers that our grass would some how miraculously turn green, (without having to spend thousands of dollars on water like we did last summer), it did. Okay, so it did rain a little and we added a little fertilizer, but seriously, it turned this green in a matter of a couple days. Crazy eh? I know!

(I think this is what Michigan is supposed to be like when it isn't in a drought)

I still can't believe the difference. It really is a small miracle. Our neighbors, who spend endless hours working in their yard, would laugh secretly in their heads at how ugly our lawn was (I think), and now they can't believe it either! In fact, ours is now greener then theirs and they even have a sprinkler system! Ha!

In all my years of growing up, I never imagined I would worry about how my lawn looked. I didn't know neighbors compared their lawns and actually discussed it on a frequent basis. I didn't know it would be a main topic of discussion every time we encountered them. But it is. And instead of them giving us advice and it going in one ear and out the other (because we didn't have time or money to take care of it, and we really didn't care a whole lot), we can now sit back and fully engage our selves in their conversations and enjoy discussing how we get our lawn so green. I just never knew it would be such a big deal. But it is. We don't really care if it stays this green, we just want to make sure it isn't the brownest on the block. It can be brown, just not the brownest.

Thankful Thursday

Today, I am feeling really crappy.



I am starting to get the chills, my head feels like it is going to explode, I can't breath. Okay, I can breath, but not through my nose. It is so stuffed up and runny at the same time. I didn't know that was possible. I have absolutely no energy or motivation to do anything. I want to throw up, but can't quite make myself do that (I don't ever throw up!). I feel like lying in bed all day and doing nothing. However, when you have kids at home, that is not possible. I already crashed on the couch while Dylan was watching his Nick Jr. cartoons. So I guess that is one thing to be thankful for. They really are learning programs too, so I don't feel as guilty.



Nate is gone all day to Detroit for some residency thing, so all the wives are taking the kids to Burger King tonight. I really should stay home, but I figure I can relax easier while the kids are playing on the play land. Besides, I won't have cook!



I am not a good sick person. I complain a lot, if you hadn't noticed. The kids are being very good today, so that is nice. I am thankful for that. I am also really really really thankful for Cassie and her naps. From day one, she has taken good naps. Not just naps, but when she wakes up in the morning or after a nap, she doesn't scream for me to come and get her, but she plays in her crib for a very long time. Usually at least an hour if I let her. She just babbles, sings, plays, says her ABC's, it is really cute to listen to her. Dylan was not like this. He would scream the second his eyes were open and I would have to come get him. But that was fine too. Each child is different, but I am so thankful that she can stay in there a while longer so I can spend time with Dylan, and also get things done.



And one more thing I guess I am thankful for, although I haven't totally explored it yet, is this website! http://www.sugardoodle.net It looks so cool. I have heard about it many times, but never took the time to look at it. I was browsing through it earlier and I can't believe all the stuff there is. There are a ton of ideas about all the different church auxiliaries and different types of activities you can do. We are doing a home preschool with Dylan and 3 other little boys and we are using the curriculum on this website as a guideline. There is so much more on here! You have to check it out.

Twilight

I just finished reading this book and it was really good.

It is different then most books I have read because it is about vampires, but not in a sci-fi way, really. It is easy reading and it will keep you reading into all hours of the night. Okay, maybe not, but just read it.

There is also a 2nd and 3rd book in the series I have yet to read. I am currently #17 on the hold list at the library for the 2nd book (New Moon) and 45th on the list for the 3rd book (Eclipse). Sort of a popular series I guess. I don't know if I can wait that long, I might have to go buy them!

Wedding

Finally, pictures from my brothers wedding. It was kind of a cold day, but so fun to be with everyone that I haven't seen for so long. What a cute couple!

Cousins

An attempt at a family picture. Some day we will succeed at this.

Grandma, sisters, mom..................and Katelyn.

Some good lookin grandparents! (and a fantastic yodeler on the right)


Okay, so you might be wondering why there is a random picture of spiderman. Well, he came to the family dinner. Elvis showed up too...............

You might be wondering why they showed up? Well, if you know my family at all, even to the slightest, then you will understand. We do things differently. Like I mentioned in a previous post, we are not afraid to be ourselves when we are together. In the back of each of our minds, there is a little part of us that is yearning to share a hidden dream. Whether that be following our hero, spiderman, or becoming a legend as Elvis did, we understand and support each other and allow each other to get closer to that dream. It is always an eventful time. Spiderman even appeared at my wedding luncheon 5 years ago, however this time around his suit had somehow shrunk a little, but his leaping improved because he didn't hit his head on the exit sign again.

Pictures missing include one of my own father doing his famous dance, or whatever you want to call it, and also him doing a round of his animal noises. That is always the funniest thing to listen too, but even funnier, is to hear the new animals he invents and watching him struggle to get through his routine. And people sometimes wonder where I get some of my "qualities" from.

Here is Nate singing and playing his guitar. I am glad I could add some normalcy to the family.

Cousins, younger siblings, nieces and nephews etc. singing a song. And yes, that is Dylan dancing in the front.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am so thankful for my family.

(I didn't have any pictures of the whole family. Sorry mom, dad and in-laws).

I am so thankful that I could spend so much time with them last week and that we could have so much fun together. I love that when we are together, no matter how many months or years we have been apart, we can still be ourselves and do the funny and silly things that only our family understands. Each member of my family is so different from the other and each brings such a special and unique personality and without them, our family wouldn't be the same. I love you all!!!


I am also thankful for where I grew up. I LOVED growing up on a farm. I love that when we go home to visit, we don't have to go anywhere for entertainment, there is so much to do just at my parents house/farm. I love playing games with everyone and staying up late visiting. (Okay, so I am usually the first to go to bed, but that is only because my kids are the first ones awake in the morning!). I love that my kids love going there. I love that Dylan can go outside and be in heaven. I love that Nate loves going there, probably even more than I do, especially when he can go fishing down at the river (with Dylan). I love that I can go running in the mornings and be alone, not having to say "hi" to anyone, and also breath in the fresh air (expect when manure Eddy is out working...............spreading manure, that is). It is beautiful. I love it there. I hope you get the point.

Here are some random pictures of us hanging out at home last week in Canada.

It was so funny to watch the kids cruise around in the Escalade. They had their own sound system and everything in there. I think this is worth more then our car right now. Sad.

Everyone was supposed to be bale jumping in this picture. Apparently I was the only one struggling.

Dylan making a big jump for the team. He loved this. Growing up we used to play baseball out in the field and use the hay bales as our bases. You had to jump up and over the bales to get around the bases.

This picture is for Mike and Natalie. When there is nothing else to do, you ride a cow. Cute little Sam demonstrating.

My Grandma Carol made all these big pillows for us when we were younger. These kept us all busy for hours at a time. (Siblings, do you remember snake?)

One hottie and one little cutie.

Whenever Cassie was outside, she would push this little swing. She loved it.

I still have pictures of the wedding day to post, so stay tuned. This takes way too long to do sometimes!

Waterton

While we were in Canada we went to Waterton one day. I love this place. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and it is so close to home. I worked there in the summers between college and had so much fun every night after work.

Anyway, the guys all went golfing while us girls, along with all the kids, rented these bikes for an hour and had a blast riding them around town.

Tanya and Candace with their kids.

They had a hard time making it up the hill to the Falls.

Still struggling. Candace finally decided to push. It was funny. I guess they had an excuse of BOTH being pregnant!

I love all the wildlife in Waterton. The deer never seem to be afraid for some reason. We even saw bears at the golf course, but I didn't get my camera out in time.

Hanging out at the lake, waiting for the men to bring us some food! The kids loved throwing rocks in the crystal clear water. They even stripped down to their underwear to swim in the freezing cold water. I didn't think it was appropriate to post those pictures though.

Cassie sees a helicopter.

We're home

We are back in Michigan. We had a wonderful time with family and it was hard to leave them all, not knowing when we will see them again. We are so extremely tired from such a long day that started at 2 am this morning and ended when we walked in our house at 8 pm. The flights weren't bad, and either were the kids, just lack of sleep from staying up so late and averaging 3-4 hours of sleep for the last 3 nights. Time for a good night sleep in our own beds and in our OWN bedrooms. I am not a fan of sharing a room with my children. It means we don't sleep. So anyway, it is good to be back and I will get some pictures on here soon.

P.S. - The nicest thing about coming home tonight was finding out that we were locked out of our own house. Ya, that was great. Okay, not really. Thanks to Nate and our Bishop, who also picked us up at the airport, for spending over an hour trying to unscrew the safety latch (on the inside of our door) through an opening of 2 inches.

P.S.S. - The other nice thing about getting home is that I don't have my luggage. Everyones came except mine. Great.

P.S.S.S. - Okay, this one is for reals. It was nice to see that my anniversary flowers are still alive from before we left!

Nursery

This is our conversation with Dylan last night:

Dylan: "Mom, where are you and dad going?"

Me: "We are going out for our anniversary".

Dylan: "NO, mom and dad can't go to nursery!"

Me: "Dylan, we are going out for our A-N-N-I-V-E-R-S-A-R-Y, not nursery".

Dylan: (in a loud and upset voice), "NO, you can't go to nursery".

Nate: "Dylan, mommy and daddy are going to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We got married 5 years ago and we are going out to dinner to celebrate it".

Dylan: "Oh, okay". Then he runs off.