Name That Nerd

YES!
It's Time To Play Everyone's Favorite Game...
NAME * THAT * NERD

contestant #1

contestant #2

our distinguished judge

Friday Flashback

1967 - 2009
The Making of a Good Man

a sweet baby

a delightful toddler

a happy child

a kind brother
(most of the time)

a cool teenager with feathered hair

and today...

This Is My Husband.
A Good Man.
(and so very good looking)
lucky me.

Hey Junie B!!

For school Courtney was supposed to dress up as her favorite character from a book...

I think she makes an adorable
Junie B...

sup home skillet?

Sunny Day

The Sun Was Shining.
We went for a walk.
We saw the llamas & ostriches.
We saw the horses.
We saw the black fluffy chickens.
We saw the roosters & goats.
Our favorite was the big, fat
gobbling turkey.
(fascinating)
Valerie gave all of the animals
pet names.
Tony picked up a stick
and dragged it along in the dirt.
On the way home we hunted for "treasure" (air soft pellets).
Here is our booty, all spiffed up.
getting to play in the bubbles while we cleaned them was an unexpected bonus
Getting lost with my children
for 2 hours...
just what i needed
funny side note: when I told Valerie we were going on a walk to see animals, she said "mom, when I see a puma I will yell out "PUMA!!" and then you will know to look."

Why I've Been Grumpy

Because I live with a two-legged,
blue-eyed wrecking ball...

and his sassy sidekicks

so you think they look innocent, eh?
see for yourself

Ok, so maybe this is only PART of the reason,
but still...
AND if you don't think I've been grumpy,
then Never Mind.

Don't I Have a Right to Profess my LOVE?

According to the state of Arizona,
I DO NOT.

Due to the fact that a law went into effect making license plate covers illegal if they obscure [Arizona], the world may never know of my devotion to
Pat & Vanna.

I am a wheel watcher after all.

BT666...
BT666...
BT666...
(yes, that is my children chanting my Spin ID when its' Prize Puzzle time)

Friday Flashback

March 2005
Hmmm... looks like maybe someone forgot to
Choose The Right

although, I have to say, red is definitely her color.

Thanks I Needed That

The rainy night was much like my mood.
Bad day? Uh... yeah, you could say that.
With all the little ones tucked into bed, I settled in to be decidedly grumpy.
but it was not to be.
One look at my dear (dorky) husband & my grumpy mood drizzled away.

by the way, Thank You Mike, for patching our leaky roof...
even if you couldn't find a flashlight & had to resort to your trusty head lamp.

100th post

In Recognition of my 100th post.
100 things

1 - i am very passionate about life, about my husband, about my children, about my friends, the list could go on & on...
2 - i was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.
3 - i have green eyes.
4 - i met my husband on my 1st day back at college after my freshman summer break, it was love at first sight.
5 - i love Doris Day.
6 - i have 4 brothers & 2 sisters. we were best friends growing up.
7 - i love peppermint icecream with chocolate milk.
8 - i love being pregnant. to me it is like Christmas Eve for 9 months.
9 - i went to Brigham Young University.
10 - i taught piano in high school.
11 - i have 5 children, 3 boys & 2 girls (16, 14, unscheduled 8 year hitaus... 6, 4, 2).
12 - i am frugal.
13 - i went to Fish Lake on my honeymoon.
14 - i play the flute.
15 - i was blonde until i had my 5th baby & then my hair turned dark.
16 - i was a tomboy as a child & loved to play sports.
17 - i used to wear lots of makeup, paint my nails everyday & rat my hair.
18 - i am a Laurels advisor for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. i work with 16 & 17 year old girls. i love everything about my calling. i love teaching. i love the ladies i serve with. i love the girls.
19 - i have driven to Utah alone with my children 7 times, and once to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
20 - i wish i was wonder woman.
21 - i am trying to learn how to be a better cook.
22 - i was a cheerleader in high school.
23 - i love all things retro/vintage... i think i was born in the wrong era.
24 - i love to talk.
25 - i had LASIK eye surgery one year ago.
26 - i am not 40 yet...
27 - i was an at-home medical transcriptionist when i first moved to AZ.
28 - i love roller coasters & have been on this one.
29 - i grew up in Midland, Michigan & my parents still live in the same house on Canterbury Drive. i love going home.
30 - i love Wheel of Fortune & Price is Right (although i miss Bob Barker).
31 - i love to organize, but i hate to clean.
32 - i love steak & baked potatoes.
33 - i have been on a cruise to the Western Carribean.
34 - i was a ballerina & taught ballet in high school.
35 - i make good cinnamon toast (just ask McKay).
36 - i have learned that plastic ketchup bottles can be explosive.
37 - i like who i am.
38 - i have pierced ears.
39 - i have no other piercings (in case you were wondering).
40 - i love award shows.
41 - i like my feet & love having painted toenails.
42 - my 5th child was a happy surprise.
43 - i love Diet Coke.
44 - i play Webkinz.
45 - i love to give my children over-the-top birthday parties & i love to make them cool cakes.
46 - i cannot sew, but wish i could.
47 - i could spend all day just playing with my kids...
48 - i was the Senior Rep on the homecoming court in high school.
49 - i enjoy doing yardwork. i want to have a garden.
50 - i told Mike we would NEVER get a dog.
51 - Mike & I have had 4 dogs during our 18 year marriage (Lucy, Libby, Jesse & Murphy).
52 - my children always get along really well on vacations... needless to say, i LOVE vacations.
53 - i need new shoes.
54 - i traveled to Chicago with my high school choir.
55 - i love camping.
56 - i always keep my nails very short (at least while i have young children).
57 - speaking of young children, i HATE bath days.
58 - i love the smell of fresh air.
59 - i look forward to growing old with Mike. i dream about getting a Motorhome & traveling around seeing the country & visiting our children & grandchildren.
60 - i am very sensitive (that's a bad thing & good thing).
61 - i love anything to do with chicks, although i think it looks better spelled "chic".
62 - i had a deliriously happy childhood.
63 - the post office & airport make me nervous.
64 - i made Mike his lunch (nearly) everyday while he worked at Parks Sportsmen.
65 - it doesn't take much to make me cry.
66 - my parents are amazing.
67 - i have had two c-sections.
68 - i enjoy having my kids friends come over to play or when the teenagers come over to "hang out".
69 - i have learned that being a perfectionist with 5 children is not easy... on that note, i am learning to "let things go".
70 - my husband is very funny.
71 - i wash my hands obsessively & apply lotion after each wash.
72 - i dislike washing dishes.
73 - i love the smell of citrus.
74 - i worked in the MTC cafeteria my freshman year at BYU.
75 - i am really good at selling things on eBay.
76 - i love, love, love to play games... any games, computer, board, Wii, Indian leg wrestling, card, dice.
77 - i had many crushes in high school.
78 - i worked at Dow Chemical as a co-op my Senior year in high school. my bosses names were Anne & Verle.
79 - i played church basketball as a teenager.
80 - i am very competitive.
81 - i took my baby brother Jon for show & tell in elementary school.
82 - i admire many people & try to be more like them.
83 - i want everyone to be happy.
84 - i love wearing pajamas & getting my children into their pajamas at night. sometimes i even walk Courtney to school in my pajamas.
85 - i love to read magazines. at this time in my life, i don't have much time for books.
86 - i am a snack-master, meaning i love treats & snacks of all kinds & could snack all day long. i also love making treats.
87 - i had crazy curly blonde hair as a child.
88 - i was more fearless before i had children.
89 - my parents always took us on fabulous vacations.
90 - i have low platelets.
91 - sometimes i share too much information.
92 - i love to watch people.
93 - i want approval & probably worry too much about getting it.
94 - i love blogging.
95 - i color-coordinate the hangers in all my closets.
96 - i love to sleep, but never get enough.
97 - i love to make lists.
98 - i wish i had 48 hours in each day to accomplish my long lists.
99 - i have a very happy family.
100 - 2009 is going to be my best year yet...

I Can Tell That You Are Going To Be Friends

Today was a day off school.
Happy Martin Luther King Day.
So of course all kinds of shenanigans took place.

Jon & his posse hit the A&W for some grub and then home for Smallville, Rock Band and MORE grub.

McKay & his posse headed over to "Cassie's" with a quick stop at the dollar store afterward (arriving home covered in GLITTER... Macey?!)

Mike working. Man you'd think his boss would give him a day off once in awhile.

AND the Ninos... well, I can't really put it into words, but I did catch it on video.

Mr. Capn' Crunch,
meet Ms. Christmas Crunch & Ms. Mini Wheats.
I can tell that you are going to be friends.

But Mama...

I didn't MEAN to pull out a HANDFUL of Valerie's hair...

my hand slipped.

5'15"

Jon (and) The Beanstalk

Going...
Going...
Going...

G-O-N-E
I had to laugh when Jon was giving a talk in church a few weeks ago. He stepped up to the podium & had to lean down to reach the microphone. Brother Crawford tried to raise the podium only to find out that Jon had "maxed out" the height allowance...
Love that boy (beanstalk).
only wish i didn't have to stand on a stool to hug him.

Friday Flashback

December 2005
The Birthday Party Week was in full swing.
Party, Party, Party,
party.
A "vote for pedro" shirt for Jon.

And a surprise package from my mom & dad for McKay
containing... what else?
An Austin Powers costume!
everyone had to give it a try
only the lucky ones got photos

McKay

Mike
(as if you didn't recognize that booty)

Beckie

Valerie
what else is there to say?
dorks rule.

I Can Relate

Have you ever felt like THIS?

or THIS?

baby, I feel your pain...
zzzzzzzzz

Baby Got Crack

When the tunes are thumpin'
this girl is jumpin'

i love this girl

i love this girl

i love this girl

i love this girloh yes i do.