Quiz thing

Just for something a little different...

1.What would you like to appear in your hands right now? My husband

2.What was the last thing you ate? Rice Chex and raspberry Yogurt

3.What is your favorite episode of a tv show? I have no clue! There are a few episodes of Friends or Bones I could watch more than once.

4.Have you ever ridden in a limo? Yes, my first date with Mike was in a Limo--cause he was driving. So I went with him a few times. We even talked about what kind of wedding ring would be ideal for our signifigant other when we found them. :)

5.Which is better, your cursive or your printing? Depends. I think my cursive is nice but I don't really use it that much.

6.What photos are living on your camera right now, waiting to be downloaded? Just a few shots of the kids of them being cute.

7.How many pregnant women do you know? I think just one.

8. Three things you did this past weekend: I don't remember what we did last weekend. Probably stayed at home attempted to clean and just played with the kids then church on Sunday.

9.If you could only visit three websites for the next month, which would you choose? My Blog, My Bank and probably Facebook..that is annoying

10.What did your family do for vacations when you were a child? We went camping a lot. Also there was our surprise trip to Disneyland which was super fun. Our trip driving up to Washington which is so memorable. I think my parents worked really hard to make sure we had fun vacation memories. "Relax your toes, Relax your right foot, now your left..." HAHAHAHAHAHA --oh my!

11.Law & Order or Boston Legal? Law and Order

12.Do you mind if guests show up uninvited?No I actually don't.

13.When will you next travel by plane? One never knows!

14.What did the last text message you received say? That my ebill was ready. I know exciting.

15.When was the last time you got dressed up? Dressed up how? I would say the most I get dressed up is for church. Other than that the last time would have been my wedding day. :)

16.The perfect sign of affection is:From my husband, holding my hand at unexpected times.

17.Do you use your real name online or do you go by a screen name? I think I just use my name

18.What do you miss when you’re away from home?My bed, I am always with my family when we are away from home...so not sure. If we are talking home home then I miss my sisters.

19.What are you completely & totally over hearing about, reading about, discussing ad nauseum?Nothing jumps out at me with this one, so I guess nothing.

20.Do you reply to comments on your blog? Yes, but mostly just if it is a question.

21.What are three things that you are looking forward to? Easter, Summer, and Mike coming home.

22.What is your favorite kind of tree? Big Massive Oak trees I think..

23.What is the newest thing you own? Can't remember..probably a new shirt or something

24.If I do anything well, it’s: I do a lot of things well I think. I am a good mom most days, I am a good friend most days etc...

25.What is your favorite dessert? Ice cream.

26.Do you use a planner? Not a physical planner just my computer really.

27.What is your all-time favorite tv comedy? Friends

28.What is your current obsession? Just spending time with my kids and getting through a day.

29.Three signs Spring is here: Daffodil shoots coming up. Snow Drops are in bloom and a new baby colt was at the horse studding farm we pass on the way to base! So cute.

30.Do you balance your checkbook or wing it? I balance it. I don't know how people can get by
winging it.

31.What kind of grapes do you prefer? Red

32.What is your favorite store-bought cookie? Double Stuff Oreos

33.What was your fifth grade teacher’s name? Mrs. Latour

34.High school was: Fine. Good memories, a few things I wish I could do differently. Glad it's
over.
(Wow, Denise I could just keep the last five questions the same as yours. :) Funny!)

35.Describe your dream kitchen. I'm not sure, I will know it when I see it.

36.What would you really like to purchase? I don't know right now...tricky question for me.

37.How many of your friendships have lasted more than a decade? Denise, Jenni and Jenny...If I forgot you sorry... I just realized how old I am(this is a few hours after the quiz)...so there is Christie because even though we hated each other for such a long time we become fabulous wonderful and inseperable...and we are old now...so yes, it has been more than a decade! And all my sisters...I have known them and been friends for way over a decade. :)

38.Are there times when you still feel like a kid? Of course.

39.What teacher from high school comes to mind first? Mr Hopkins

40.What magazines do you read? Enisgn...and that is all I buy so okay.

Fire Bomb Bracelet

I have a real issue with the Princess overload that plagues our young girls today. I am totally okay with a slight princess mention, but it can become so extreme that self worth is determined by how much this little girl looks like a princess. In literally sickens me when I see one year old children being dressed up like little princesses and such.(I'm talking about other days than Halloween) You know it is just the parents and nothing that child has chosen on their own. On that note, I have never pushed the princess thing with Taylor. If she brought it up I would play along, but I don't push this issue at all. So the other day I asked Taylor to do something and she said, "I am not Taylor I am princess."

I said, "Princess, will you go..."

She replied, "No, I have my bracelet that has fire bombs inside so that I can beat the dragon."

"Oh, that is very awesome Princess are you fighting him by yourself?"

"yes, I have fire bombs in this heart and fire shooters in the balls."

With this I got a fabulous feeling that even when she is a Princess she is still strong willed and wants to fight her battles. It made me laugh. She was wearing it for days and fighting dragons.

Taylor is a unique and fabulous strong spirit. The only person that can get to her is Carter. I often tell people that Taylor tries to compete for Alpha Female in our home by giving quite the stare downs. Taylor is so precious and I hope that she continues to develop her self worth in a healthy way.

Love him....

something about this kid just makes my heart grow a million times larger each time I watch him get something new. I was brought to tears today as a Young Woman in our ward sat with me a church and was able to help so much. Mason went with her after she asked him if he wanted a drink. He had been trying to get the water bottle of the people's in front of us. He then cuddled in her lap after they got back. He let his teacher help him get his plate of lunch after church(we had a Linger Longer) and sat with her eating the whole time.

Such a great vision of love. He was getting ready for bed yesterday and as I was helping in this process I leaned over and asked if he wanted to look through the family books. I told him that I knew he missed Dad and although he couldn't tell me with words that I knew when he was feeling. He smiled this huge smile at me, hugged me, babbled a bit and then sat down on the couch waiting for me to get the book. So adorable!

Can't get enough

I've said before and I'll say it again. I love this age! Brennan is so much fun, I think I laugh at him about 10 times a day at least. So it was mentioned his hair was getting a little long, hum, I'm not so sure I know what you mean?

Trying to smile for the camera

He was showing me something, I'm not sure what it was, but it must have been serious business look at that face.

cold sheets

I don't like going to bed alone. How did I do it all those years, I will never know. My personal heater is gone. He's away cuddling with an old bed spring apparently.
He had his friend play and record a song for me. It made me smile and laugh.
Being alone has new meaning with this deployment. I know I am not alone, but I feel alone. Late at night, into the dark cold nights I sit doing nothing productive.
Maybe hoping for something to encourage me to go to bed. I need to get out of this rut.
A trip, exploring, that always satisfies me.
Snap out of this self pity party that just does nothing but bring you down. I want to go running for miles and miles with no interruptions. Sounds funny considering I was feeling alone two sentences ago.
Last deployment I had respite care, a gym within 2 minutes of my house that was free and had a play area for the children. I utilized this everyday. Even on Saturday I would take all three of them just to have something fun to do. A friends house was connected to mine and so baby monitors were used and long conversations were had late into the night. Caramel popcorn movie nights were fun. I think I was more fun, because I was more energized. My well was being filled and therefore able to give more. I am feeling like I am in a drought.

Sorry for the personal nature of this post. Just had to talk to someone and most people are not awake at this hour. Maybe I just needed to be able to read this in a couple days and realize that I was sounding completely and totally self centered.

Ask and ye shall receive. My motivation to go to bed just woke up in his bed. Mason is like a mini heater, so he will do. I am going to snuggle with him. His door is shaking, then it stops like he is listening, then it shakes again. So cute.

Goodnight.

Mason's burn

Mason's much improved arm!(the much improved part is the second picture) Yes, no more wraps, no more spraying, no more anything complicated. Just lotion it up! So glad this little problem is better now. It was a record for us, 48 hours before something major happened after dad left the nest.

One would think that Mason has learned his lesson and stays away from the stove. That would be a big fat, "NO WAY!" What will we do about this little problem? If it was my house I would probably do a dutch door in the kitchen entry and lock him out. It's not my house and I don't want to buy a new door when we have to move.

Cookies

Finally we are fulfilling the request from a certain man to send some cookies. Brennan was helping by making sure the chocolate chips were fresh and yummy enough to go in. Then it was on to batter test control. He is quite fabulous at both of these jobs. I really am excited for the day that I don't have to have that ugly transformer to use my mixer. BLAH!

Mike.....note to you.....when you get your cookies and you notice that our recipe make a signifigant amount more you can thank this guy who couldn't keep his hands off the batter. I helped as well in product testing. So blame us both and hope that they are as good when you get them.

Taylor has been carrying around this phone all day and talking to dad about her everyday moments.

"Dad, we are going to the post office now to give you your cookies."

"Dad, mom is mad at Carter."

"Dad, Carter punched me and I hit him back because Mom told me too." That is the truth. I simply told her not to put up with him being a bully and she needed to stand up for herself.

"Dad, I ate some of your cookies."

"Dad, I am eating more of your cookies."

I hope you get the point.

Big brother hugs are the best. Brennan was Carter's favorite buddy of the day until a wooden sword was used to fight Carter.

I cook, he cooks

Brennan loves these big pots to play with while I am cooking dinner. Today he added the griddle and the stir fry pan into the mix. He was being so cute that I needed some pictures. As soon as he saw the flash he stood up and starting posing for each picture. Then he would stack, or unstack and pose again. I loved that his hands were at his sides and he stood there until the flash and click, then moved on to greater things. Sorry, but you just needed the full range of shots I got here to enjoy it.

Teeth

Carter enjoyed creepying me out with his twistable, hanging by a thread, but only he could pull tooth. Not that I wanted too. Those things give me the creeps. I also realized I take up close pictures right after dinner quite frequently. Meaning most of the time my kids look like they have dirty mouths. Sorry.

I found these two pictures on the camera and did not know they were there. Apparently Carter wanted documentation that he lost two teeth in one week.

Kuwait

When the kids saw this picture they shouted, "Can we go and eat there with dad for lunch!?"

Whatever you have to do to entertain yourselves.

It is true, men are just big children.

The countdown

The countdown.

I don't like these.

They make things last longer in my eyes.

The kids like it.

Alright.

At least it is really cute.
Most of the shapes have little messages on them.
Smile.
Help Someone else today.
Get a hug.
Give a hug.
You get the idea.
Of course we have a schedule for who gets to take a shape off each day.