Chit Chat

I, unfortunately, had to make a trip to the dentists office this morning to get some cavities filled. Not a real exciting way to start off the day. Now my question is this. Why does the dentist always insist on making small talk? (And this isn't just a one sided conversation.) He's asking me questions. Well, how am I supposed to answer when I have about 5 things sticking inside my mouth...fingers, suction tubes, drills, mirrors. I mean, the best that I could do is answer uh huh and maybe nod my head, but doesn't that just complicate things? I mean what if my head bobbing causes him to accidentally drill the wrong tooth? With a hole there he's going to have to fill it and you know that he's going to charge ME for it. I think in dental school they teach them about making sure to ask the patient all kinds of questions because they get a good laugh out of us when we try to answer. Thus the chit chat. It's all about amusement.

Tis the Season

It's officially the Christmas season. I bought my first Christmas present today. No, I didn't get up at an insane hour and hit the stores on Black Friday. I'm to lazy for that...but I did get online and shop in my PJs. That, I'm willing to do. Much nicer. Most of my sisters are well into their shopping (probably almost done) and I'm just getting started. Yikes. I better get a move on.

On another note, we had five houses on our street that had Christmas lights already turned on this last week. I wonder how many will join the ranks to light up our neighborhood now that Thanksgiving is over. I would love to add lights to our house. It makes it so fun for the kids. I figure that Ryan won't do it so if I want it done, I'll have to do it myself. Lucky for me, there isn't any snow to have to worry about so it shouldn't be any big deal. I guess the big deal is shoveling out the money to buy the lights in the first place. Maybe it won't happen after all. I guess we'll see!

Happy shopping and decorating!

For This I Am Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I sit down and think of the many things that I am thankful for, I am amazed at how truly blessed I am.

*First, I am thankful for my wonderful husband. He is so good to me and the calm in my worry filled life. He is a great father, especially since the kids are growing up and wanting to go out and play more with him. I love how he teaches them gospel principles just around the dinner table while we are eating. It reminds me of my own Dad and how much I love and miss him.

*I am thankful for my 4 beautiful children. I think that I take for granted how perfect they came into the world.

*I'm thankful for my family far away from here. You don't realize how much you love and appreciate them until you are far away. I treasure all of my memories and traditions that I had growing up. I'm also thankful to Ryan's family for making him who he is today! Such a wonderful son can only come from wonderful parents.

*I am thankful that Ryan has a job. I am thankful that he dutifully goes everyday even though he doesn't like it that much. He does it for us. For that I am thankful.

This list could go on to include even the smallest of things. But I wanted you to know that I am truly thankful to be alive, to have the gospel and know from whom all of my blessings came.

An Expirence Tag

This is a fun tag! I got this from a friend. She said that her life was pretty boring, but in comparison to mine, her's is much more exciting. Just copy and paste the entire list below and put the ones you have done/experienced in bold. Hopefully, your list will have a little more bold than mine!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain-it was a hike and it wasn't like all the way to the top or anything...
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (I can sing a solo, but am too afraid to sing karaoke...)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (I've also been the recipient of this too...there are still nice strangers around)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I tried once and passed out. How pathetic am I?)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt (I've helped tie a quite but It wasn't mine)
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (does a scooter count?...oh, and I wasn't going very fast)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

Happiness A Little Early

I was getting excited thinking that with Abby mostly potty trained, I would only have one in diapers. That would save money on our grocery bill! However she has decided that she doesn't really want to go potty in the toilet anymore and would rather just go wherever she happens to be at the time. The past three days have been awful! I've been running the wash constantly because we're going through so many outfits. I guess the funness (is that a word?) has worn off. I'm trying not to get frustrated but oh my heck! The bright side is that she never goes poopy in her pants. That always makes it in the potty and she doesn't even tell me that she has to go, she just does! So we take the good with the bad and try to be a nice Mommy when she pees on the carpet just 30 seconds after I have asked her if she needs to go. I hate potty training!

Showin' some Dimples

Yep, Kaden's got some dimples like his Mommy....but it's big brother Josh that can make him smile. He smiles a little for me (refer to top picture), but he was all out smiles and coos for Josh in the second shot. What's up with that? Maybe he knows that he and Josh will be best buds in the coming years!

Doin' the Spike

There isn't much explanation or fun story to go along with these pictures. I just thought that the kids looked funny with their hair stickin' straight up so I thought I would snag a picture. You know that some people go to great lengths to get their hair to look like this....hairspray, gel etc. My kids just run their heads on the tramp and there you have it. Spike Heads!