Give, oh, give away

There are tons of fun give aways going on right now and I decided I want to do one too.  I want to share something that is really fun (and also has been cluttering my closet since last year).  So, if interested, leave a comment and your name will be entered into the hat.

I don't want to be one of the 9!

I havn't posted any of my grateful fors yet.  I have a lot of them and this year I have kind of been focusing on the little things.  So as not to be an ungrateful leper, I thought I would express my thanks.

I am thankful for...

bright orange skies

my husband's smile

sunny days

thick, squishy blankets

fast internet

chipping paint

colors so rich you can feel them deep in your skin

running water (after sacrament meeting today)

my children's jokes

gut laughter

homemade meals

ruffles (not the chips)

and the smell of old books

There now, there's a few things I'm thankful for this holiday season.

I'm shaking my fist at all you taggers!

It's not that I don't love to talk about myself and all.  It's just too hard to think of interesting things to say when put on the spot like this.  I'll try it though.

1.  I am always cold!  do not ask me if I need the A/C on.  I assure you I do not.  You can also feel free to always crank the heater as high as you fancy when I am around.  I love 100 degree weather and can't wait for my AZ trips so I can thaw from my eternal OR frost bite.

2.  I believe ice is a dessert and since it is harmless in the calorie department,  I eat it constantly.  My favorite thing about owning my own home is the crushed ice setting on my freezer door!( this may contribute to #1)

3.  I love my hair, and  I will spend a lot of money on my hair products, so there!  My sisters can make fun of me for spending a small fortune on my shampoo, but I know deep down it is all worth it.  Bumble&Bumble for those of you that want fabulous hair.

4. I am not, I repeat NOT a clean freak!  My house is plenty messy, but I do have to have a place for everything.  If I need my house to be clean I know exactly where each little thing will go.  I do have one thing that has to be clean... my washer & dryer!  I don not like dust or trash or lint or coins or anything on the top of them.  And no dirt or sand in all the little crannies either.

5.  Not always, but when I'm getting dressed up or going out for a night on the town,  I do this.  I get dressed in my outfit then do my hair, then I think to myself   "I need to add my crazy"  just a little something to make myself not look normal.  Then I add something.

6.  I am a terrible board game player.  Because of this I do not particularly like to play them.  It is mostly the strategic games I stink at.  My brain does not work that way. 

There you go.  I am not tagging anyone.  These are too painful to spread!

Last night Sid wanted to play computer games.  Her reason for why this was such a great idea  was the games were "edunalcation"!  They must be great games and obviously very educational!

My kids daily dose of torture

Family photos gone wrong! (but still cute)



Don't these kids look miserable? You should have seen their faces before we started. They were threatening mutiny!

Do you ever catch yourself doing very bazaar things?  Lately I've caught a couple slipping out that frighten me a little.

Like...

Boston was singing a classic tune and I caught myself cutting out my Christmas cards to his beat.  The scissors following along with his du du du dum, bu bu bu bum.  Strange.

A few nights ago we were driving down the road and my headlights were reflecting back at me from the car ahead.  They kind of looked like eyes staring at me.  So, Well, I winked at them!  Strange.

I think this happens when I'm spacing it, and not really realizing what I'm doing.  Very appropriate times( I've just realized ), like while handling sharp objects and driving a car!  

Big Congrats!

This is my little brother Ty and his brand new bride, Shanda.

I wish you guys the very best!!!!

Day 2

I'm bored with this story already. I don't think I have ADHD! Here is a fun times in AZ list instead.

Seeing my entire fam (almost).

Being a little too loud in the echoing cave. We call it the kitchen at the church! (sorry)

Watching all the little cousins boogy.

Kas doing the worm!

Hearing my little sister swear at my big sister and then swearing at my little sister for just swearing.(That really wasn't so fun at the time, but it sure is funny now)

Eating grapefruit and pecans right off my mom's trees.

dipping 750 red cupcakes in frosting with my sibs & friends, and then eating like half of them!

Joni trying to force feed me children's Benodryl. Do I look like a 3 year old?This is my kids with Joni's girls.

Laughing my butt off with Meg & Monique. David(Monique's husband) pretending not to listen. Elise where were you?

Talking to Megan in the car in front of me because it was 1:30 am. I was scared she would fall asleep.

Eating pei wei on the green plastic chairs.

Skate park visit. Apparently Emma works at Ford?

Seeing Monique's beautiful new house. It is nice to finally know where my sister lives. Just one more to go, I still need to visit Em.

Breckon and Karsten as shrek and Puss N boots.

My kids being able to play in the water. It was 90 degrees after all.


Cracking sex jokes with my mom, in front of her nurses at the hospital. Did you know too much sex causes kidney stones?(my mom is gonna kill me)!

I know this only makes sense if you were there, sorry!

AZ family

We made it safely back to Oregon with only a little kicking and screaming involved. We had a very fun and very busy trip. (And you all are getting the whole story) feel free to skip most of it if you want.

We arrived at the Phoenix airport at 9:30 am. That means we left our house at 4:30 am. Amazingly the same children I have to drag out of bed every morning at 7:00 am had no problem jumping up at 3:30 that morning. (that is am).
I called Elise(she is always my morning contact) to see who was picking us up ( seeing as how I had forgotten to make actual arrangements). She informed me that my mom had gone to the emergency room that morning, so she got suckered into pick up duty. My mom had a very large kidney stone and was in extreme pain(until they drugged her up, of course). She is fine, but was in the hospital until the day before Ty's wedding (my little brother). If you know my mom, or any mother in the world, you know that she was frustrated to no end that she was not up doing the million things that she had planned. This is where trusty old Merilee comes in ( and my other four sisters, and a couple of brothers, and a sister in law, and one of the brothers girlfriends, and my dad) That is how many people it takes to take over my mother's duties!
That night was Halloween. My parents have the perrffeecctt set up for this. Not a scary set up, but a down home, country time, fall festival, covered in straw set up.
Elise and Megan's contest entries
haride anyone?

We grilled hotdogs by the bonfire, while sitting on hay bales for chairs. Then we went door to door with ten children(5 adults, and one strange vampire, who I later realized was a little friend of my boys), who were trick-or-treating their hearts out. When the children were satisfied with all their loot, we headed back to my parents for the hayride. I have been on many hayrides in my day, but nothing beats my dad's hayrides! It's a fabulous mix of dusty roads, tractor fuel(cough, cough),Did anyone bring an inhaler?, spooky cowboy stories, children dangerously jumping on and off the trailer, and pistachio branches threatening to bludgeon you if you come one inch closer. Thanks Dad, awesome as ever!

This is a really long story. I'm going to have to change my plan to installments. That was Day 1.