Grandpa and Grammie's Visit

Grampa and Grammie came to visit for a week and it was so fun. They arrived on the 10th of Oct. We have missed them so much as they have served faithfully on their mission and we are glad to have them back. We were so busy having fun with them that the camera just sat on the counter. So very few pictures... what a shame. Grammie and Grampa gave Lindsay her b-day present which was a little cradle for her new doll and a back pack just her size. (She is always trying to put on Brad or Emma's and falling over -kinda too big for her.)

We enjoyed having them stay with us...playing, visiting, shopping, eating, relaxing. It was a pleasure to have them here. This is the morning that they left and we had to pry the girls out of their beds at 10 am (ha, ha -what princesses they are) to say goodbye. They were quite sad to see Grammie and Grampa go. I think the kids were hoping they had moved in. Only consolation was that we will see them in Nov. in California. Thank you for your visit Dad and Mom. We love and appreciate you both and all you do.

Happy Birthday!

Lindsay turned 2 on the 9th! She was so excited to see all her gifts on the table and the kitchen decorated after her afternoon nap.

Emma wanted to get in on the picture action...hamming it up for sure.

Dinner we had one of her favorites...grilled steak. Brad is always the tease but a cute one.

We had Nanny, Papa, Mark and Carrie with the boys come over for cake and gifts. We should have saved her new doll for last. She opened it first and loved it. After that she wanted no other gifts. She wanted to just play with her new baby. We had to coax her to put it down long enough for me to get it out of the box and then also to get her to open her other gifts which she loved too.

Her sister and cousins were willing to help. Lindsay had a great Birthday. She got the new Ariel movie and gift set from Nanny and Papa; Mark, Carrie and boys gave her a cute doll set with interchangable snap on clothes; we gave her a Baby Doll, a Stroller, a Disney princess phone, music player, slippers and chair and some new outfits. She loves them all. (And not spoiled in the least bit...Ha, Ha.) Thanks everyone for coming and for your gifts...you made her day great.

My First Tag (or so I thought)

Cally tagged me with this one thinking I had never been tagged, but little did I know Marci had tagged me 3 weeks ago (see last post.) So Cally's tag...

6 Quirky things about me...

6- I have not read a fictional book cover to cover since I got married (over 12 years) until now...despite my amiable protest I was sucked into the Twilight series and read all four books in 2 weeks. Now I need something else to read...what a great escape from normal everyday life fictional reading is!

5- I was born with blond eyelashes on my right side and brown on my left. So, NOBODY see me without mascara on in public. You might catch me at home though but I usually have my prescription glasses on as a "mask" -Ha, Ha like that hides it.

4-I robbed the cradle. Shane is 1 year and 2 months younger than me.

3-I have epilepsy. But it has been controlled with medication and I have been seizure free for 14 years. I feel pretty blessed there.

2-My hands sweat for no reason and have all my life. Occationally they will be dry, but usually not. I probably need to have some nerve or gland removed to stop it all. So, If I don't shake your hand willingly, I'm not snubbing you. I'm just a bit embarassed by this condition. Good thing Shane doesn't mind. ;)

1-I love to sew. My mom taught me to sew when I was 9 years old, I had my own machine by the time I was 12 (Or was it 14.) Anyway, by the time I was in highschool I was taking different patterns and mixing them up to make my own creations. I just don't have as much time for it with 3 kids...So, Halloween I usually go big and make everything.

Now I tag Jen O, Emily H. and Bonnie (Oh, yeah sis, I'm going get you posting somehow- Kiersten if your mom doesn't you have to. Hee, hee)
Hum, I think I want to tag Shane for his "Garage" too.

I Missed Marci's Tag

Okay, So I was telling my friend Cally that I had never been tagged and so she tagged me, only as I checked her comments on her blog noticed that my friend Marci had tagged me on SEPT. 9th and I missed it. Sorry Marci. Okay so hear is my Reply to Marci's tag and the next post will be Cally's.

How long have you been married? Over 12 years

Where were you married? Los Angeles California Temple

Honeymoon? 3 nights Newport Beach, 2 nights Laguna Beach (And we never touched the sand/ocean...but we grew up there so the sand was not as, um, inviting)

How old is your spouse? 35

Who eats more? Shane

Who said I love you first? Me

Who is taller? Shane

Who sings better? Me, definitely

Who is smarter? Depends...Book smarts:Me, Common sense/logical thinking smarts: Shane

Who controls the T.V. remote? Shane

Whose temper is worse? Could be either one, depending on the situation

Who does the laundry? Mostly me but Shane does his share to help

Who does the dishes? Mostly me, but again Shane steps in to help

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at the headboard, I do

Who cooks dinner? 90% me, but when Shane does cook it is usually pretty tasty =)

Who is more stubborn? Shane would say me, but I think it is a TIE!

Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Um, hum... We both take a bit of persuasion to admit it

Whose parents do you see the most? Shane's, they are only 10 Miles away, mine are in California

Who has more siblings? Me-4, Shane- 2

Who wears the pants in the family? I think we each have one leg, sometimes it is a bit hard to walk that way Ha, Ha

I Tag Bonnie, Emily (my Sis) and Jenn Luce

One Last Trip...Brrrrr!

Sept. 12 2008 we ventured off for one last camping/fishing hurrah. We went to Chesterfield reservoir just past Grace Idaho. Mom and dad brought their camper (which they did a great job restoring this spring) and we brought a large tent. Next time we are putting the babies in the camper to sleep with the bigger babies so Becky and I can get some sleep and keep the covers from being kicked off in 30 degree weather. What were we thinking!

Papa kept Lindsay safe from the fire ring that night much to her dismay.

The whole clan chillin by the fire. Little does Lindsay know that my small bite means Half..... Like stealing Zingers from a baby!

Happy campers.

Becky and Emma were in charge of dishing out Smores.

After our frigid night sleep in the tent, with the sound of elk, coyote, and other various animals tromping through the water, we welcomed the morning sun. Papa on his and Brad on my pontoon. It was such a great day for fishing.

The catch was alright...enough for a good fish fry!

"Oh, Papa...eew, the fishy." Papa gutting the fish just blew Lindsay's mind...She wasn't meant to see that.

The view from our lakeside camp spot.

Going home.

"Squishies"

Lindsay is such a funny kid. She has this thing, um, well, maybe obsession with squishing my arms. She prefers the soft part of the bicep area and it has to be bare skin. NO LONG SLEEVES. She started this shortly after I weaned her. I thought... well, for now it's a security in her time of change, but it stuck with her month after month. If she is sad, or hurt, the first thing out of her mouth is "Squishies, Mommy, Squishies." She wants to snuggle up and squeeze my arms. When I am not home she will "squishy" daddy's arms but if I am home she will take no other but me. Her ultimate favorite is the "double squishy" where she sits on my lap and squeezes both my arms at one time. It just makes us all laugh and brings a huge smile to her face.

A Late Summer Visitor

Shane was cleaning up our window wells from trash that had drifted in over the summer. Low and behold in our north window well we found this Gigantic...FROG/TOAD. We don't know if it started out that big or if it was just down there so long living off of the summer bugs and sprinkler water that it became huge. So we moved it to an easier to access window well and kept it for a week. It just kept hopping around in there feeding off bugs and sprinkler water.

We eventually decided to let it free in the ditch by the dirt road behind our house. We thought it would be more humane to let it be free. The kids were a little sad to see it go- even the girls. Lindsay loved to touch it. (Not to worry, we washed her hands every time.) Lindsay liked to go into the basement and look into the window saying "froggie...ribbit". So, I think she is the most bummed out that we let it go.