December 30, 2007

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. As you can see, we did. The picture where the boys look sharp in their new pajamas is Christmas Eve. They always get new pj's to open that night. The next picture, the "after" picture, is Christmas day. We had to wait about 15 minutes while Kurt prettied himself up. You would think that picture was taken in the wee hours of the morning, but in actuality it was taken at 8:30am. We had so much fun opening gifts and watching to see what everyone else thought of their gifts. We felt quite spoiled.

Now Christmas is done and we have taken down all the decorations. We're ready for the new year! We've had a couple crazy things happen this week that are worth mentioning. Our trustworthy, but aging van has been giving us fits for the last few weeks, so we took it to the doctor. The van doctor is pricey and we weren't thrilled to have a $350 bill to pay, but the van is running much better. A big thanks goes out to Kurt's parents for helping pay that bill. They just stepped forward and took care of us...no questions needed or asked.

Hunter's job has been interesting. He has worked a ton of hours which is great for his paycheck, but he has been put in some annoying situations which has bled over to affect Kurt & I. His hours are never exactly as they appear on the schedule, usually meaning he isn't ready to go when we come to pick him up and they have scheduled him for Wednesdays when he let them know on his application he can't work on Wednesdays. The worst is when he has to close at 1:30am. This past week he closed and Kurt went to get him. I was asleep, but awoke at 2:30am to find Kurt was still gone. I frantically called his cell and found out he was still waiting for Hunter at the theater. I couldn't go back to sleep because I was too worried, so I read a book until they got home....at 4:30am. Hunter had been at work from 5:15pm until 4am. I was not a happy camper. So, we'll see if things flow better once school starts again.

We have been healthy this break, which is very unusual, but then last night Cooper was hit by some kind of bug. So, he won't be at church today. A few bizarre tidbits about this week: I checked out 64 books from the library yesterday, Coop & I are waiting for sea monsters to hatch, and I downloaded a new recipe program...more on that to come. I'm in a fight with it right now.

Happy New Year everyone! Remember to be practical in your resolutions!

The spider chronicles continued

It happened again. I might end up with a lot of these stories. I was in the throws of the holiday spirit, cleaning up my mint fudge mess (with my tongue) and getting ready to make cookies when Cooper decided he wanted to go outside and play in the snow. I went into the entry way to help him find winter gear and then headed back into the kitchen. That is when I spotted the sneaky fiend. He was hiding in the upper corner of the ceiling between the entry way and kitchen. Why must they always hide above me, laying in wait to pounce?

Sidenote: Remember that show Extreme Makeover where people willingly allowed surgeons to cut them to shreds? I vaguely remember an episode where a lady had only clumps of hair on some area of her head because a poisonous spider had bitten her several times (I'm guessing while she was asleep). I think of that lady every time I see spiders and when they are hovering over me, visions of her pain flash in front of my eyes.

Back to topic: I couldn't ask Cooper to save me because it was too high and because he was heading outside where Kurt was waiting for him. Hunter was working, so I was once again forced to save myself. I got a fly swatter, eyed the position of the enemy, closed my eyes, gave a hard whack, and then jumped backward to safety. Unbelievably, like some kind of Christmas miracle, I killed it on the 3rd whack. The downside: it stuck up there...sick. There was no way I was getting it down.

Sometimes I wonder if I leave a dead spider smushed on the wall or ceiling...if its dastardly spider friends will get the message and pass it on to the colony. I wouldn't mind if they passed it on to all insects and rodents. Nonetheless, I thought it might take away from our Christmas Eve celebration to have a dead spider message on the ceiling, so Kurt got rid of it when he came in. My Hero!

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!!!

December 23, 2007

I'm not sure if I'm alone in saying this, but I love to see what's in the mail each day. Usually I have loads of pizza coupons, a few bills, and a geiko ad awaiting my arrival, but for some reason I still love getting the mail. Imagine how I feel at this time of the year. One of the best things about Christmas for me is receiving Christmas cards. I'm almost giddy with excitement when the mailman arrives. I have a tradition of taping all my Christmas cards on the back of my front door so I see them everytime I walk past it.

This year the cards have been slow to appear. I'm not sure why, but it seemed I had been black listed or something. I started wondering who I had offended (this isn't anything new, but most of my friends and family don't hold grudges). Had a terrible tragedy struck the post office only allowing pizza coupons to pass through the mail system? Were my neighbors trying to steal my identity and secretly stealing all my cards out of my mailbox at the same time? (Marci...I think I saw you racing away with a card in your hand just the other day) Yesterday my Christmas card faith was restored. I got loads of them.

I got comfy on my couch and poured over each one. It doesn't matter to me if there is a long family newsletter or just a signed card, each card holds special memories of those who have touched our lives in one way or another. So, I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to send a card because it's one of my favorite aspects of this holiday. Merry Christmas to all! Remember why we celebrate this magical holiday!

A small step forward

Yesterday was the music program for the elementary school I intern at. I volunteered to run the sound system (I thought it was just a CD player...wrong) for all 3 performances. Two were during the day and one was last night.

I took Cooper with me because he loves music and this was a really phenomenal performance. I put him in the front row where he could make eye contact with me if he got nervous (I had to sit smack dab in the center of all the music stands).

He asked if he could sit with me, but there was no room, so he went and sat down. A man with a rather large camera was sitting next to him. Before the program and all through it, I would see the man lean over and talk to Cooper, then look at me and smile. I thought it was very sweet, but wondered what Cooper was saying. After the program, the man came up to me and told me how polite and well behaved Cooper was. I thanked him and told him I appreciated him talking to Coop since he was by himself and wasn't happy sitting away from me. The man told me to I should let Coop play with his boys to help with that.

Cooper & I walked off and after we were far out of earshot (huge area of growth for Coop), he said, "That man kept talking to me through the entire performance. He was so annoying". Poor Good Samaritan! What's a mom to do?

Incredible Art

My Aunt Kati sent me a forward containing these photos. I'm not a fan of fowards, but Cooper and I were entranced by these images. They are unbelievable! I decided to find out a little information about the artist. If you would like to learn a little about him, click on this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guido_Daniele

Wouldn't you love to have him do this on your hand, photograph it, and hang it up for all to see? Sign me up!

December 16, 2007

This is not a figment of your imagination. It's not something to be taken likely. It's a once a year phenomenon. Betty Crocker threw up in my kitchen!!! Sometimes I go a little overboard, but this time it will benefit many other people. I wanted to get my holiday baking done so we could take our plates out for Family Home Evening...all I need to do is make some name tags and they are ready to go!

One baked good needs further mentioning. I was feeling nostalgic and decided to make the candy cane cookies my mom used to make when I was little. I found the recipe online and was thrilled to get started. Now I know why my Mom didnt' make them every year. They are the most stubborn, annoying cookies to make. You know how you buy a box of candy canes from the store and there are always a few broken? Well, imagine putting a lot of time and effort into making them, only to have them break during transport between the cooling rack and the goodie plate. So, many of my friends will be getting peppermint stick cookies instead.

Moving on to more exciting things. Hunter is working again. Sorry Taco Bell...you snooze, you lose. He is now working at Edwards 21, a movie complex. He started Friday night and worked last night as well...until 1:30am. I baked until time to pick him up. He loves it and the great thing is he doesn't have to work during the school week this week. Also..free movies for Hunter and a friend of his choosing...time to butter him up! He has a fondness for pens, chocolate, Victoria Secret lotion and lip gloss, and gift cards to any book store. Give it to me & I'll pass it on.

Also, I want to wish my cousin Dena a Happy Birthday! She is one of the sweetest people I know...always thinking of others. My parents moved to Colorado Springs this weekend...odd. It just doesn't seem real! Alright everyone...1...2...3...start your ovens!!!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Nope...you aren't seeing things. There is snow in Meridian. Great, right? Well, I love snow, but it wasn't pretty when I headed to school this morning. Normally it takes about 7 minutes to get to Spalding. This morning it took...15....25....40....nope....58 minutes. That's right...58 minutes to drive 3 miles. GRRRRR!!! I kept thinking to myself, "There's nothing you can do about it. Just enjoy the Christmas music" and it worked most of the time, but every once in a while I just had to yell. I couldn't keep it bottled any more. Phew thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

And Yes...Cooper is wearing a lei...don't ask!

December 9, 2007

What a crazy, fun-filled, rockin' week! It was my nephew & niece, Austin & Katelyn's birthday. It was my niece, Gracie's birthday, and we celebrated my Mom's birthday. It was also my cousins, Mike & Calie, anniversary. Thanks to my Mom and Cooper, we still have the sweets to prove our celebration madness.

My parents came back from Randy's on Tuesday. We were so excited. We went to dinner at Sizzler (my fav., actually they have an awesome salad bar) and then to a "surprise" activity. My dad pulled into a dark, over-filled parking lot and that is when we realized we were at a bowling alley. It seemed every space was taken, so Kurt & Hunter went inside to see if they had any open lanes (mom & I were in the back seat praying there weren't). While we were waiting, a man...about my age...stopped right in front of my van window and started yelling and wagging his head. I'm not kidding. We had a good laugh about it once we were safely out of the parking lot & on our way to Boondocks. We played a round of laser tag (I Love Lasertag!), but the best part was playing Deal or No Deal. It was hilarious. The best part was the people staring at us when Dad & I were chanting, loudly, "NO DEAL" while Mom was playing.

Wednesday we did some errands and my dad fixed our electrical problems...again. I wish they lived here!!

Thursday was their last day, but we packed in the fun. I let the boys stay home from school and while I was away teaching, Cooper & Mom made all sorts of goodies. Then Dad took the boys bowling (he was determined) and back to Boondocks while Mom & I spent hours and hours editing the family story. We had so much fun. We stopped when the hairdresser came to do my mom's hair and my friend, Sherri's, hair. Sumer (hair dresser extraordinairre) comes to my house to do my hair. She is hilarious and does a fantastic job. All in all, it was a day buzzing with activity.

My parents left early Friday...before any more tears were shed. Cooper & Dad had a crying competition the night before...it was a tie.

I have more to write, but am too tired to continue. Hopefully I'll bore you with more mundane details in a later post. Until then....Mom & Dad...COME BACK!!!!!

The dual use of Dove Aerosole Hairspray

It all started with a simple trip to my bathroom. I went in, shut the door, locked it, and headed to...well, ...you know. Just as I sat down, a slight movement caught my eye. To my intense horror, I locked eyes (fine, spider eyes are too tiny to "lock") with a large, brown HOBO SPIDER!!! I'm fiercely afraid of spiders, but put a poisonous one in front of me and I start to panic.

Here's the thing, you need to know the layout of my bathroom to understand the problematic situation I found myself in. When you enter the bathroom, straight ahead is a large tub with a long, skinny, rectangular window above it (my head couldn't even fit through it). Turn left in front of the tub, & you find our shower & throne. That's right...NO WINDOW, NO ESCAPE. I was cornered.

I got in the tub because it was the furthest point from the spider where I could still keep an eye on it. There, I found some worthy weapons. A rubber snake, a few plastic pokemon toys, a magazine, & a book. First, I started launching the toys at the spider. Unfortunately, my aim wasn't very good. I played softball growing up & you are always supposed to "keep your eye on the ball". Well I'm sorry, but looking at my frightening menace wasn't an option, so I had to throw with my eyes shut.

None of the toys hit it, but a few rolled back so I got some more shots in...missing every one. Eventually, all of the toys ended up right beneath the spider. I realized I was down to the magazine & book and that really scared me. I opened the window & started yelling for Hunter. I knew he was in the neighborhood somewhere and I figured if I yelled loud enough, he might come, but no such luck. Then, I started yelling for Cooper, but he was singing & dancing so loudly to High School Musical he couldn't hear me. Way to be there for me boys.

So, I picked up the magazine, took aim, closed my eyes, & threw it. Yep...I missed. It landed right below the spider. Only the book remained. I picked it up and decided to try a new tactic...the underhand toss. I got ready, closed my eyes, & sent it upward. Somehow, I hit my perfume bottle & body spray, sending them into my sink & on the floor...but the spider was safe. Heroically, I creeped along my counter and got the book again to give it one more try, resorting to overhand. That's right...no cigar!

I was out of weapons. They all lay below the spider...I swear that spider gave me an evil grin. Then, it hit me....hairspray. It was close enough to grab & I could spray it at the villain without getting to close. I picked it up and sprayed it with all my might. I hit it...the spider started moving....That is not what I was hoping for. I kept spraying until it dropped to the floor....what??? I didn't want it on the floor either. Then, some fierce warrior erupted from my being and I courageously grabbed the magazine and thrust it like a spear upon the demon spider. Victory was finally mine. Thank you family....not!!! Thank you Dove Hairspray!

December 2, 2007

Today is my brother-in-law, Chad's, birthday. Chad's one of those laid back, roll with the punches, get the job done kind of guys. I honestly can't ever remember seeing him mad....I know it's happened, but I've just never been around. I do know his face gets blazing red when he is embarrassed and I'm guessing it probably looks the same way when he's mad. Here's the thing: Chad is always up for a game, any game, even though he knows I'm going to whoop up on him. You've got to give a guy kudos for that! Happy Birthday Chad...wish we were there to celebrate!

Fun news: Hunter is back on the job hunt. Yesterday he applied at Toys R Us (forget saving $$ there), Winco (grocery store), Shopko, & Walmart. He also applied at a couple of movie theaters. He's decided to try some non-fast food places before Christmas break. After that, Taco Bell just might win him back.

Here's another tidbit I forgot to mention: Kelli & Mike are having a GIRL!!! We are so excited. I love the name they are thinking about right now. I have a feeling Gracie will be quite the little mother.

Believe it or not, my semester is coming to a close. Right now I'm finishing up a group project...YUCK. I hate them for the most part. It's so difficult to mesh schedules and it almost always forces the bulk of the work on the anal members of the group (there are 2 of us this time). Truly though, I can't believe this semester is almost over. It seems like just yesterday when I was throwing a temper tantrum about one of my classes, or crying while I poured over the syllabi, or muttering non-swear words under my breath about the cost of books...and now, it's almost over. Next semester I have no classes because I'll be student teaching. Unfortunately, I've already thought of some books I'd really like to have to use while I student teach.

Two more days until my parents come back for the second part of their visit...yippee!!!! I know you're all jealous.

Niece Spotlight: Charming Kierra

This is my super darling niece, Kierra. She is the oldest daughter of DJ & Kindra. She is only 2 years old, but you would never know it. She has an amazing vocabulary and her voice is as sweet as honey; so when she says something slightly naughty, it's comes off as hilarious!

I just love being around Kierra because she makes me laugh all the time. I always want to kiss her little face off because she is so cute. I can't wait to meet her little sister and see the two of them interact!

Here's her interview:

1. What would you like to be when you grow up? Why?
A mom…because I want to…and a dad…and a baby…I want to be a lot.


2. If you could visit any person you wanted in the whole wide world, who would it be? Why?
Olivia…cause I want to..I want to go to her home…and Luke’s home.


3. What is your favorite movie?
Snow White


4. What is your favorite book (or book series)?
Pooh Bear



5. What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Christmas…because I like it…I just like something about it…because I liked it when I was little.

If you're smart....

You'll hide your daughters. There's a Hunter on the loose...my Hunter. That's right world, Hunter turned 16 today. I've told him over and over again that the most promising career path he could take would be to become a nun, but alas...he didn't take the bait. What? He could pass as a girl...have you seen how long his hair can get?

Hunter brings so much joy into my life. He's kind and caring and grateful. He tried to make good choices. He's a leader and a friend to most everyone. He still hugs me and tell me he loves me. He feels very connected to all six of his grandparents and all the babies in the family love him. I think I'm one very blessed mother.

Tonight he and my dad, Kurt, and Ryan went rock climbing. They looked like they had a blast.

Happy Birthday Hunter! Let the job hunting, girl hunting, and license hunting begin!!!!

November 25, 2007

Even though it's only been a few days since Thanksgiving, I've been quite busy. After everyone left Thursday night, the plan was for Kurt & I to go through all the ads and decide on our attack route for Black friday. Unfortunately, Kurt was finishing some application stuff, so I did it by myself. We split up our shopping. I went to one store where most of the shopping would be done at 5am (not too bad). Poor Kurt went to another store at 3:30am (you read that right) and he was about 70th in line. He didn't get what he really wanted there and, after heading to another store & grabbing a few things, he ended up waiting in line to check out for 3 hours. He could have gone to an entire church service in that length of time. I got home around 6:30am and went back to bed at 7am. Kurt got home around 10am which is when I woke up for the day and he went to bed.

Then, the urge hit me....time to decorate for Christmas. The boys helped me haul in boxes and get things set up. As you can see, my christmas tree isn't the designer upscale version you would drool over in a department store window, but it's a pillar of fond memories and family connections. There are a couple of ornaments from when I was a child and an ornament for when Kurt & I were married. There are ornaments with pictures of the boys when they were younger and one from when I had Hunter. I have one from my grandma that says, "grandaughter" and one which is symbolic of my other grandma. There are toy dinosaures, Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, and Snoopy ornaments Hunter used to play with and now Cooper does. So many memories flooded over me as I decorated this tree.

Saturday we did lots of laundry and prepared for my parents, Uncle Bill, and his mother-in-law to arrive, which they did around 5pm. Bill and his MIL only stayed for a little while & left early in the morning, but we enjoyed spending time with them. I'm so thrilled to have my parents here. They are easy to have and up for anything.

For the good news: Kurt starts a job tomorrow!!! We are so excited and I know he is a little nervous, but we feel very blessed to have this job. Thanks to all of you who have communicated concern for us and kept us in your prayers. I'll leave you with a Cooper quote from today. After church (6pm), it was freezing as we all piled in the van to head home. After a minute or so Cooper said, "I'm so cold I have a brain freeze in my back".

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

The above pictures show my little family. My cousins, Calie, Mike (her hubby), Ryan, and Ben (Spidey). The other picture is my uncle Jim, aunt Kati, their son Dain, and their granddaughter Aurora.

I can't believe I ate the whole thing....and that Thanksgiving is over. We had dinner around 3pm and everyone stayed & visited until about 7:30pm. I think it's always interesting to see what people have for Thanksgiving dinner..here's our lowdown:

Turkey

Rolls

Ham

Green Bean Casserole

Mashed Potatoes

A Veggie Plate

Stuffing

Pumpkin Pie

Sweet Potato Casserole

Apple Pie

Frog Eye Salad

Chocolate Cream Pie

What a formidable feast...we came, we conquered, we crashed. Some extra little tidbits: I didn't burn myself today (I did yesterday, but barely survived), A pimple graced me with it's presence, I've got my ads narrowed down for black friday. I hope all of you enjoyed Thanksgiving as much as I did. The only thing that would have been an improvement was if more family were here!

You've got to see this

If you want to see Hunter lose a few brain cells....go to this link:

http://montanasharks.blogspot.com/

Watch the video and leave a comment. Something like "Helmets are in" would be helpful!

Happy Holiday Dance

Thanks Ben & Shannon for this hilarious little clip!!!!! Our family had a blast learning the dance.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=9558802972

Niece Spotlight: Darling Danielle

Danielle is Brittney and Nate's oldest daughter. She is a beautiful child as you can see. The times I've been around Danielle (not very often), I've observed the following: She likes to play anything, just as long as she gets to play and she likes to have little kids to play with. She is a tidy child (why didn't I get one of those), putting things in their proper place. As girly as she looks, she's tough enough to hang with the boys and take care of herself. Although I haven't seen her with her baby brother, I would venture to guess she is quite the little mother. She is also a well-behaved little girl. Hopefully I'll get to see her soon!

Niece/Nephew Spotlight of the Week

1. What would you like to be when you grow up? Why?

A Vet. Because the kitties and doggies are really cute.


2. If you could visit any person you wanted in the whole wide world, who would it be? Why?

Belle. Because she lives at Disney Land in the Pretty castle.


3. What is your favorite movie?

1st Little Mermaid
2nd The Terminator


4. What is your favorite book (or book series)?

Misty Morgan(about a girl and a horse)


5. What is your favorite holiday? Why?

Easter. Because the sneaky bunny hides our eggs.

~Danielle LOVES playing dress-up, riding her bike w/NO training wheels, which she learned this summer. She likes going to preschool with her brother McKade and doing gymnastics there too. Her favorite thing to do at home is helping with her little brother Porter(4mo.) and playing with him to make him giggle.

November 18, 2007

This past week has been filled to the brim. Besides our Anniversary, it was also my Grandma Lane's birthday. Although she is no longer with us, I've thought about her a lot. I'll just share a few things with you. I remember, when I was a child, making Christmas candy trains with her. It was so much fun and took all my strength not to eat the train before it was finished. I remember bringing my college friends home to meet her and making bets as to how long it would take to make her swear. I remember when we lived in the same apartments as she did and I would take Hunter (who was just a baby) over and just hang out with her...those were my favorite times. She was a generous person full of spunk and nobody crossed her without getting a taste of wrath!

Speaking of swearing, I have another Cooper incident to share. He had been creating something on the computer for me and was very excited to show me. He came downstairs, grinning ear to ear, and asked me to come take a look. On the screen was something called, "monkey mail" through Career Builder. He pushed play and this animated monkey starts talking. It went something like this, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, you're nice and your cologne stinks too. Get rid of your cologne. Get rid of your D*** cologne." Needless to say, Cooper was on the receiving end of an unhappy mama!

Calie & I went to a craft show yesterday and it was so much fun! We each found some Christmas gifts and had a little treat as well. It was in Nampa, but we found out there is even a bigger one (how can that be possible) in Boise on my Mom's birthday. Too bad she isn't going to be here! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for!

It's our 17th!

Yesterday was Kurt & I's 17th Anniversary. Getting married at the age of 12 has it's advantages. The festivities had a rocky start due to the fact I didn't want to celebrate. Let's face it, the last couple of years have been rough and I was just done with it all! Luckily, my parents and Kurt came to the rescue. My parents sent us some of their hard-earned money. I wanted to give it back because it's embarrassing receiving money for you parents when you have been married for 17 years, but my mom convinced me to take it. They are just the most generous, kind people.

Then, Kurt was dead set on celebrating. He listened to me whine and cry and complain and then, after I was done with my 30 minute vent, I felt a ton better. So, plan anniversary was back on. We went to a new Italian restaurant called Asiago's. It was so much fun. Then, we came home & picked up Coop because it was his awards ceremony. I have to say, it was so enjoyable for us to see him receive his certificate, medal, and gift. He was beaming. He also got to have his picture taken with his principal. Afterward, we dropped him off and went to do our Thanksgiving shopping. That may sound boring to you, but we had a good time.

The real surprise happened when I got home. There were little post it notes from Cooper with Anniversary drawings on them. Then, Kurt blindfolded me and he & the boys took me downstairs. When they took off my blindfold, there were balloons everywhere and over in the corner were dried mangos (one of my favs) and a Wii game I had mentioned looked fun. Kurt, Coop, & I played the Wii for awhile to wrap up the evening. Yesterday was one of my most memorable, enjoyable Anniversaries ever!!

Look out...It's the inefficient spelling police!

I thought I'd share something I found of Cooper's today. Almost a month ago, Cooper went to his cousin, Dain's, birthday party. Dain is always prompt and consistent about thank you cards and Cooper received a thank you from Dain last week. Today I found it on my computer desk.

On the inside of the card, Dain drew a heart and inside the heart it said, "thank you Cooper". On the opposing side of the card it said (verbatim), "Dear cooper thank for the art set and the candy bars. i realy lik the presents." It was a heartfelt, sweet card. Well, Cooper couldn't get over the word "lik", so he wrote the following on the back of the card:

"Corecttion: lik is like. Question: What did the art set taste like"

Can any say...takes one to know one? I don't know who Cooper thought was going to read the card, but it sure won't be Dain. This card will secretly grow legs, walk to the edge of my computer desk, and jump in the garbage!

Recipe for Disaster

Wet Child+Tumbler of Water+CD Player = Sleepless night!

Last night Cooper was taking a shath (bath/shower) right before he went to bed. I was downstairs, Kurt was on the main floor, and Hunter was in his room. All of the sudden, I hear Cooper screaming the most terrifying scream I've ever heard....the kind where you know the E.R. will be involved.

It's one of those moments you don't want to face. You just want to hide and pretend nothing is happening, but you just don't have a choice. So, I ran up the first flight of stairs and was almost up the 2nd flight of stairs when I saw Cooper, soaking wet with just a towel wrapped around him, sobbing and obviously terrified. Tears were streaming down his face and my heart was about to pound out of my chest. I asked him what happened and he said (in a high pitched shrill voice) water had gotten on his CD player and it started making loud, scary noises.

It seems he somehow (not sure if was accidentally or on purpose) spilled the big cup of water all over the CD player, counter, and the floor, and the CD player was, of course, plugged in and turned on. Then Hunter, the true hero he is, ran in, unplugged the player and put it on the ground. Basically, both of my boys almost got zapped last night. It took about an hour to calm Cooper down and 2 hours to get my heart to regulate my heart beat. So, I'm very thankful to have two healthy sons today!

Nephew Spotlight: Energetic Jamin

Jamin is Amber & Roy's 2nd oldest child. We've never lived close to Amber & Roy, so it's a true treat when we get to be with their family.

Jamin is a handsome little devil and I'm pretty sure he was the inspiration for the energizer bunny. He is always busy playing something or the other. Every time I'm around him, he is looking for one of the cousins to play with. He is also a sweet child. He looks out for his younger siblings and if someone other than him is not being nice to them, look out.

It's hard when you don't get to see little nieces and nephews very much. Hopefully we will be able to spend some quality time with Jamin soon! Here is his interview:

1. What would you like to be when you grow up? Why?

I want to be a builder when I grow up and build houses and stuff, because I get
To use so many cool tools and stuff.

2. If you could visit any person you wanted in the whole wide world, who would it be? Why?

A fireman, just because they are so cool!


3. What is your favorite movie?

Like you have to ask…TRANSFORMERS

4. What is your favorite book (or book series)?

Power rangers


5. What is your favorite holiday? Why?

Christmas and Easter because Santa brings us awesome toys and the Easter bunny brings us candy we have to look for.

November 11, 2007

In honor of Veterans Day, I would like to thank those who have served the cause not only in our country, but in other countries as well. On a personal note, my grandfather, father, and husband are all veterans who have served our country during times of war. I know I have many more relatives who are celebrated veterans and I'm proud to be from such a patriotic heritage.

My 5th grade class is writing an essay right now titled, What is an American? Although I don't have to write one, I would like to express my views on what I believe an America is. An American is someone who honors the laws of this land to contribute to the peace and well-being of our communities. An American honors our flag and can recite the Pledge of Allegiance with full conviction of heart. An American is someone who doesn't take our freedoms for granted, understanding how blessed we are to the opportunity for free education, an allowance to respectfully disagree with others in authority, to own land, etc. An American is someone who realizes the family will determine the success of a nation and backs up that understanding through word and deed.

I'm feel incredibly blessed to live in this country. Happy Veterans Day everyone!

Captain Literal strikes again!!!

As of this very moment, this is what Hunter's room looks like. It's always messy, but there's a story behind this disaster. Yesterday I told Hunter I wanted him to clean everything out from under his bed. I'm not kidding when I say he packed every square inch with junk under there. About forty minutes later he, Ryan, & Cooper came downstairs.

Hunter said he was done and Cooper was very excited that he got to help (lucky, lucky Cooper). Cooper declared, "I helped Hunter clean under his bed and he gave me this candy (an old jawbreaker and a sucker). I think I got the better end of that deal". Oh Cooper....so much to learn. I told Hunter I was going to check under his bed, so it had better be completely done. His response should have given me a clue as to the completeness of this project. He grinned and exclaimed, "Mom, there is nothing under there. It's completely empty. Now I just have to clean the rest of my room". So Hunter & Ryan left for a four miles skateboard ride.

After a little while I went to check how he did and, as you can see, I was in for quite a surprise (just like Christmas). That right...he did exactly what I told him to....and not a thing more. I guess I should have clarified to clean under his bed and put all of it away. Another mother lesson learned the hard way!

How to look cute when you're pregnant

As brilliant as I am (ask any kindergartner...they'll back me up), I never mastered the art of looking beautiful while pregnant. I usually had a greenish (not healthy) glow and I always managed to do something extreme with my hair.

Obviously, my sister Kelli has the pregnant superstar look down to a T (even the pose). This particular pregnancy has brought so much joy to our family, but I have to admit I think Kelli should have to look a little scroungy...it's only fair!

November 4, 2007

It's November...I'm not kidding. It's also daylight savings, the good one where you get to sleep in and magically you wake up it's still a decent wake-up time. Except for my husband who is still sleeping (10am daylight time & 11am regular time).

I've already discussed Halloween, but you have to love the picture of my 2 nieces in their giraffe costumes. Aren't they the cutest? Either they are holding hands or their hands are so sticky they're stuck together.

I had a minor embarrassing moment this week. I have them all the time, but usually forget. I had a scholarhip luncheon. This luncheon is mandatory because donors want to meet their recipients. There were 450 people at this luncheon and we were assigned seating at tables of 10. I found my seat and one of my donors was sitting right next to me. The V.P. of the college of education was at my table and the other 7 were scholarship recipients whose donors couldn't be there for one reason or the other. As we're chatting, I notice on the placecard with my name on it is the letter "V" (or roman numeral 5) in parenthesis. I look at all the other placecards and they don't have that symbol. Images of impromptu speeches or having to sit on a block of ice or something start racing through my head. So, like the idiot I am, I ask the others at the table if any of them know what the symbol means. My very kind donor says it must mean VIP (trying to cover my ignorance no doubt). No one really knows.....until lunch is served. Oh yeah...I'm a vegetarian...DUH! You know that commercial where the gal says, "I'm a veteranarian, I don't eat meat"? That is how I was feeling. I bet my donor was so proud.

I've been eating a lot of candy lately and I feel pretty good about it. I look at it as a true act of charity for a couple of reasons. First, it would be wrong to throw it away food and all because it would be double the bulk at the dump. If I eat the candy, only the wrapper goes to the dump. It's all about the environment. Second, the more I eat the less my kids eat and lets face it...I'm the better brusher & flosser. I'm only thinking of my kids as I tiptoe to their rooms in the dark of night and wisk away the snickers & peanut M&Ms. Plus, what if they have a peanut allergy. I mean, they haven't so far, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. Save your kids, save the environment, eat candy!

Goodbye Halloween, Hello sugar...woo hoo!

Halloween has come and gone, but it has left us not with a bitter taste, but with sugar plums (chocolate) dancing in my head (waistline). We had so much fun last night. Mike, Calie, & Jamie brought bad spiderman (Ben) and good spiderman (Parker) to go trick or treating. Kati brought the devil (Dain), yummy cookies, and they joined Aang (Cooper) and myself. Kurt stayed and handed out the treats.

I love our neighborhood. It's so fun to see people you know and get to catch up. Plus, because of the delay in daylight savings (this weekend by the way), it was light out most of the time. We were done by 8pm and got to see some of the kids who came by. We had these half-naked teen boys in weird deer skin throws come and I thought that was pushing it a little. After 9pm, everything quieted down until 10pm when one more group of rowdy teenagers came to the door. We gave them my least favorite candy....the jolly rancher suckers.

I hope all of you enjoyed Halloween as much as I did, and Hey...it's the middle of the day and my boys are at school. I guess it's time to raid the candy bags. See you on the other side of my sugar rush!

Happy Halloween

Click on the image to see it in full size! Love Calvin & Hobbes!

Fabulous Monday

I love Mondays, really....I do. I thought I would share some fun news on the Lott homefront. Yesterday we got a phone call letting us know Cooper took one of the top two spots in a national program called Reflections. This is an art contest and Cooper entered the rainbow photo. He will be honored at his school and his photo will go on to district competition.

Today I also started to hear good things from my 5th graders. On Friday I didn't go in and I guess some of them were asking where I was. One of them told my mentor teacher she thought I was going to make a really good teacher. Then, today one little girl came up and asked if I was teaching Math tomorrow. I told her I was done teaching math for this semester and would just continue teaching writing. She told me she wished I was teaching Math. Lots of the students came to me for help today as well...so I felt pretty darn happy about that.

Finally, I registered for my last semester as an undergraduate today. It felt odd. It was much less exciting that registering usually is for me. I can't believe I'm getting closer to my goal.

Niece Spotlight: Charismatic Kelsie

When Kurt, Hunter & I lived in UT, Kelsie was just a baby. She was so cute and such a little doll. I remember her as a happy baby with lots of personality. Well, that hasn't changed a bit. Kelsie is a carefree, fun-seeking tween who is always bubbly and semi-dramatic. I'm pretty sure she doesn't know how to whisper because whenever I'm around her she speaks in an animated way and you can't help but listen to her. She is a talented dancer and works very hard at it. I love that she doesn't mind showing me some of her moves when I'm around her. She is beautiful on the outside and the inside. She is the oldest child of Jen & Jason and is a good helper with her younger siblings. One of my desires has been to see her dance at one of her competitions, but that hasn't happened yet. I love being around her and can't wait to see her again! Here is her interview:

1. What would you like to be when you grow up? Why?

Hairstylist.. cause my aunt Jamie is one and it looks fun.

2. If you could visit any person you wanted in thewhole wide world, who would it be? Why?.

The Jonas Brothers cause they are a way good band and they are hot!!!I was in there consert movie with Hannah Montana and it was so fun!!!

3. What is your favorite movie?She's the Man.

4. What is your favorite book (or book series)?Spider Wick

5. What is your favorite holiday? Why?My Birthday cause it is a day about me

October 28, 2007

Bad mommy confession time. Even though I'm in school, I try to put my family first, but it just isn't always possible. So, this week I was working on a writing assignment and Cooper kept coming in and asking for things. I would get to work about a minute before he would interrupt again. A good mommy would have recognized this as a child needing a little attention, but I took it as time for a little talking to. I told Coop I just needed about 10 more minutes to work on my assignment but if he kept interrupting me I would never get it done. He said OK and left the room. It really only took me about 6 more minutes. I headed out of my room and ran into the above sign (taped to our downstair's door which was propped open so I would run into it). Can anyone say guilt-ridden? That's right, my son has to literally bang my head into a door to get lunch. It did a good job on the sign though. He gets an A and I get a C (if you average my assignment grade and my mommy grade).

This past week we went to Cooper's book fair which was lots of fun. Books are dangerously addicting. Kurt & Cooper carved a darling vampire pumpking at pack meeting and it's sitting in our kitchen. It was also red ribbon week (say no to drugs). It was quite confusing to try and keep up with what Cooper's school was doing and what I was supposed to wear at my school. The first day was pj day at my school and mismatch day at Coops. You would think wearing pj's to school would be fun, but it was very awkward. I also observed the students were much more comfortable with bad behavior that day.

Here's an odd piece of info. Hunter, Ryan, and their friend Calvin wanted to go to the mall yesterday. Strange, but it gets even stranger. They were there for 8 hours...yuck! How can a person survive 8 hours in a mall, let alone voluntarily. I'm a little worried. I hope you all have a fun Halloween...I love holidays of all kinds. Stay safe and check your children's candy thoroughly!

Nephew Spotlight: Amazing Ashton

Ashton is Kevin & Heidi's oldest child and he is a very darling boy. He balances malehood well, loving to sing and dance as well as play soccer and practice his super hero karate moves. Ashton is thoughtful of others and has a sweet disposition. When he smiles, you can't help but give him anything he wants. When he's sad, it's heart wrenching. He is a super big brother to Chloe as he plays with her and protects her. I wish Ashton lived closer. The few times I've been around Ashton, I've realized what a wonderful little boy he is.

Here is his interview:

1. What would you like to be when you grow up? Why?

I want to be a missionary (no lie, he really said that). I want to be ashton missionary (in response to why)

2. If you could visit any person you wanted in thewhole wide world, who would it be? Why?

Dallin (friend in florida). Because he is a boy.

3. What is your favorite movie?
Charlie and Lola

4. What is your favorite book (or book series)?The Costume Copycat (halloween book)

5. What is your favorite holiday? Why?

Halloween. I like buzz lightyear (that is his costume this year)