Barn Dance and Parade

Addison participated in their annual school Barn dance last Friday. Jeff and I love attending this every year. The kids perform all of the country dances that they have been learning in PE and enrichment. They are SO CUTE! and the kids have such a good time. Kaylee was totally bummed that she had to miss it this year because she was practising with the band up at the Kibbie dome for the University of Idaho pregame performance the next day. (more on that later) Addy loves to sing and dance and she has been doing these dances or singing the songs all over the house almost 24-7. Believe me when I say that it might take a miracle for me to get "jump-jim-joe" out of my head. We even did that as a family for our FHE last monday and all of the kids LOVED it! Here is one of the little dances that she did for us. She has such a girly-girl personality, she just eats things like this up. It is fun to see her "princess" mannerisms come out.

Kaylee had a fun Saturday. She started all-city band this fall. She plays the flute and seems to be loving it so far. They were able to march in the U of I homecoming parade on Saturday. The weather was beautiful and she had a great time. I thought it was such a fun opportunity for a third grader to have. The only thing to put a damper on it was that right before she marched I noticed that she had a sizable ding in her flute already. (I'm sure thanks to Andrew). Anyone need some home or yard work done--I think she's looking for work. Anyway, we had fun watching her march by and give us a little finger wave. If you look closely you can see Noa L. and a super quick glimpse of Isaac W. too. After the parade she had to go back to the Kibbie dome for more practise. They played in the pregame show with the U of I band and many of the high school and jr high bands in the area. I asked her if she was nervous before and she said yes, but you couldn't tell. To me she looked as natural as can be. She did awesome. She is such a fun, brave little soul. She just really enjoys the moment.

ZZ Top!!!

One of the reasons why Jeff and I thought that Moscow would be an ideal area to live was because it was small town--and yet, because of the two universities close by we had ample "cultural" opportunities.

Case-in-point

Wednesday night Jeff came home from work saying that he had just heard on the radio that ZZ Top was coming to Beasley Collesium in concert--the next night. "What do you think?, he asks. "Do you want to go?" "Of course I'm in. Are you kidding me. It's ZZ Top", I respond. So we called around, found a babysitter and away we went.

This is a little sampling

We got such a kick out of some of the people there. The chick in the video smacking her chest was probably one of the funniest. She reminded us of when Jeff Foxworthy said, "Yep, you know it's goin' to be a good party when Peggy comes out of her shirt way too early in the evening." (scratch the video, I realize now that all of the video I took is actually too big and it won't let me upload it. Anyone know how to break it up???) I missed getting pictures of some college kids wearing beards down to their waists. They were pretty good. Then of course there is the resident "fondlers." You know, the couple who can't seem to keep there hands off each other the whole time.

All in all, we had a BLAST! The opening act was Blackberry Smoke from Atlanta, Georgia. Kind of a fun, blues-rock band with a decent sound.

ZZ Top was great! They were so much fun and I have to say--they were outright smokin' on the guitars. They were smooth as silk and you just knew they'd been doing this forever.

It was also kind of nice that Beasley is a non-smoking venue--so, we didn't have to get high from everyone else's smoke. We were pretty sure that came in handy after the concert when we were pulled over by the cops--for "rolling through a stop sign". Oops! (Jeff, still says he made the stop.) His streak is still alive though, because he was just given a warning--this time. If I wasn't so glad that we don't have to waste our money on a stupid ticket I'd probably be jealous of his uncanny ability to get out of traffic tickets.

For now, I'm just going to remember one great night!

The New "Do"

OK, So I broke down and admitted the fact that I'm getting OLD. My children are giving me grey hairs and I was in dire need of a new look. Let's face it--I don't get tatoos and I don't pierce (let's just say anything) and so what do I have left--just my hair. I opted for highlights and a short cut. Here are a few before and after pictures.

Before

--

After

Don't get me wrong, it's not night and day--just enough to help me "feel" refreshed and rejuvenated. Isn't it weird how a simple haircut can do that for a person. I love the simplicity of the cut. I think it will have quite a bit of versatility. I guess only time will tell.

Flashback Friday--My Babe Magnet

Flashback about 15 years ago. What a babe--even back then!!!

This was at a volleyball tournament in Little Rock, AR

My "TAG" story

I tend to be a little wimpy when it comes to self-analyzing! I read and thoroughly enjoy the tagging of others but when it comes to myself--I cringe--openly--wondering if there is anything really worthy of writing about. We have, however been commanded to ponder and every once in a while it is good to re-evaluate where you have been and how far you have come so...


Let 'er Rip


Ten years ago I was working full time in the neonatal intensive care unit at University Hospital in Tucson, Arizona. We had recently purchased our first house for the sum of $105,000. (I think it sold just recently for over $200,000.) I played league volleyball with my husband and some of my best friends ever (and we even won). I played racketball once a week with my ultimate racketball partner (and friend). I hunted Doves with my dad out by Red Rock --the middle of nowhere (now I understand there is a sizeable developement in that area--right Chrissie?). I hiked all over the mountains around Tucson and occasionally shot down to Nogales for some mexican Clomid.


Five things on my "To-Do" list:

*I am supposed to remodel/redecorate Jeff's office. Tops on the list is picking out paint colors and new chairs/furnture for the lobby area. Hmmm? What goes well with the color of money? :)

*I also need to make a walmart run--for the office. Susan informs me that they have been out of toilet paper and paper towels for over a week!! (They are down to boxes of tissue and blow drying (their hands).

*I am also trying to finish reading a book by the Freedom First Society titled, "Organize for Victory" which has been an incredible look at the problems facing our nation and really explains who, what, why, when, and how things are being manipulated in our nation right now. --as well as what you can do about it.

* Anyone know the definition of "irony"? I was asked by my relief society pres. to do the presidency message on the first Sunday of November--on REVERANCE! I better get crackin'. Maybe I can find something to help tame my wild Andrew into submission during sacrament meeting.

* Buy travel guide book for our trip to China next spring--Does Rick Steves go to China???


A few things that I truly love include the writings and works of Thomas Jefferson and the Constitution, eating swiss cheese fondue in front of a roaring fire while watching "Return to Me" or "The Italian Job" on DVD, Swimming in an underground cenote in Mexico, Playing a competitive, high energy racketball match, and skiing down a powder-fresh Alta Mountain. I also adore "World Class Chocolate" ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I can't resist the smell of marshmallows and I love hiking up crystal clear streams in Hawaii--finding our own private waterfalls and pools. (this list could really go on forever. There are so many things to love in this life.)

If I were a millinaire I would invest it all with a certain Edward Jones Financial Planner that I know. He'd help it grow into a gadgillion (I'm quite sure that is a perfectly good monetary term in some language) and then Jeff and I would put in our mission papers. We'd hopefully be called to Italy where we would be able to help build the newly called for Rome Temple. After that I'd work with the aforementioned Freedom First Society to re-educate the American people on the Constitutional Principles that our amazing nation was founded upon. Hopefully, then, instead of just voting for the most "popular" person, they will vote for someone who will uphold the freedoms and values that we have built this country on. With that mission accomplished I would turn my sights to Philanthropy--the teach a person to fish kind--where they are taught how to take care of themselves. I would then follow my old dream of being able to visit and do a session in each operating temple on the earth--although, in all honesty with there being over 120 (apx) temples now--that would be some SERIOUS traveling. How cool would it be though! OK, for my last "dream" I would add a years supply of Ben and Jerry's "Phish Food" ice cream to my food storage stock.

Five places that I have lived or hope to live:

Durango, Colorado (awesome)

Eugene, Oregon (not so awesome)

Tucson, Arizona

Rochester, New York

Little Rock, Arkansas

(hey, I need more than 5)

Chicago, Illinois

Rexburg, Idaho

Moscow, Idaho

(hope to live)

In Italy, Austria, Scotland... ---better just make it Europe! and Hawaii

Five jobs that I have had--

My first "real" job was working at Taco Bell--yep, I can roll one mean burrito.

After that I worked for some crazy greeks in a greek restaurant called "The Olympic Flame"--great food but don't ever make a greek mad--they certainly know how to scream and fight.

As much as I try to block it out, I worked part of a summer for a bunch of Con Artists called Southern Acceptance Corporation. Seriously--they ended up leaving town in the middle of the night to get away from the cops. I still have qualms about telling people that had called in begging for a loan and asking me if this was totally legit--"absolutely, ask the BBB". It's just a darn good thing I wasn't very good at that job. I ended up quitting and only heard that they really were a bunch of crooks months later. I always had a feeling something wasn't quite right with them.

I should make sure to include working as a waitress at El Chico Mexican restaurant. Jeff and I worked there together. I wasn't old enough to carry my own drinks out to the tables so whenever someone would order alcohol he (Jeff) would have to pick it up from the bar and carry it to the table for me. A sacrifice he was willing to make since I was making a lot more money waiting tables than being a hostess or something.

My first job at a hospital was at the VA Hospital in Little Rock, AR. It was a great job. I got to see and do some pretty amazing things. It's an overwhelming experience to work on people's bodies in life or death situations. The adrenaline is pumping and your mind is assessing all of the possibilities. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. No matter what --you learn something with every trauma that comes in.

My last job at a hospital was in the NICU at UMC. --Love, love, love those little babies. I not only got to do my respiratory therapy for them but I was trained as a level III nurse as well. We went to the high risk deliveries and was the first to be called when they started to go "bad". I learned so much and never ever got tired of cuddling and working on those little beans. In my experience you either love working with babies or you hate it--just can't handle it and for me, I definitely loved it.

HOWEVER, I just have to follow that up with my favorite job of all time---Being a wife and mother to my family. I have never regretted my "early retirement" from full-time work. I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT--A few little tidbits from my life story.

Thanks, Aubry for this "opportunity". Now it's your turn (anyone who actually reads this)!

Ice Cube Softball

I was asked by a friend to sub on a co-ed softball team the other night. The problem was that we already had two strikes against us. one: We didn't start playing until 10:00 P.M. and two: It was SO BLOODY COLD that night we were sliding on about an inch of ice on the outfield grass. I had so many layers on I looked like a big, pudgy polar bear. "Why?" you ask, do I say yes to these kinds of things? I'm not quite sure. I think I'm a glutton for punishment. Or maybe that competitive spirit is just so ingrained in my brain that I'm just not capable of saying no. Or maybe when it's all said and done, I just love SPORT!

Moscow Mountain Maze

The kids have been out of school for the last 3 days. I love it when they are out of school. That means PLAYTIME for me as well as for them. On Wednesday we started our day off playing basketball with the MWBA. (Mormon Womens Basketball Association) The action was fierce and surprisingly competitive but alas no black eyes were recorded. Actually we really have a great group of ladies that play and I have really had fun with them.

After the impressive b-ball show the kids and I jumped on the bikes and headed down the palouse trail for a little bike ride. We passed by the U of I fountains and the kids got a little frisky. They had so much fun playing in the fountains and running around splashing each other with sticks and their hands. So many times the fun of kids occurs at the simplest of occasions and with the least amount of planning or money. Isn't that cool!

On Friday we again played some ball but then after that Kaylee, Addy, Andrew and I hopped in the truck and headed up the "mountain". We were off to find the cave that is supposed to be up there. I plugged in the coordinates on the gps and started off. I had never been up this side of the mtn before though and so we took a few wrong roads before we finally found the right one. No worries though because we had all day to ourselves. When we finally made it to the mountain we started following the gps directions. At one point the road split--the high road and the low road as it were. I chose the low road thinking that it was heading toward where the gps was pointing us to go. We followed it for awhile getting closer and closer --finally about 0.3 of a mile to go--we hit a dead end. There was a little trail however so we climbed out and grabbed the backpack and started up only to find another dead end. This time however the dead end was a really cool old broken down cabin. The roof was totally gone and several trees had fallen on it. It was just this teeny tiny one room cabin stuck in the middle of nowhere. I thought it was a fortuitous dead end to say the least. The kids had so much fun exploring it and pretending that they lived in it and had to go out hunting for food and chop logs and such. I never get tired of listening to them make up stories to act out. We decided to turn back and try the "high" road this time. We found a good place to park the truck and hopped out determined to find the cave. We started down a trail that looked promising according to the gps and we happily hiked along for about 1/2 mile. According to the gps we were again only about .3 miles away but that is the problem with gps directions while in the mountains--three tenths could mean three tenths across a canyon or straight up a cliff. It doesn't take into account the fact that trails wind back and forth up or down the mountain. Originally it looked like we were going in the right direction but as we kept going we started to get further and further away so I finally decided that we were indeed not on the right trail so we once again backtracked back to the truck and looked around for a different trail which we found. The kids had, up until this point, been real troopers. Right about now however a few of the slightest little complaints and murmers started to come out. We hiked along coming across an old rusted out car that had obviously been driven off the road and down the mountain. That made for some fun conversation later on when Andrew had tried to explain what we had seen to Jeff.

However... to make a long story short... That wasn't the way either--so we backtracked AGAIN and took a little trail that broke off to the north. We hadn't gone far when we actually saw a sign that indicated that we were indeed on the "Cave Trail". Yahoo!!! At least we knew that we were on the right trail now. At that point the gps indicated about... (surprise, surprise) 0.3 mile. Oh brother!!! We kept going knowing that it couldn't be that much further now. All the while the complaints were steadily increasing and the moral was definitely dropping. Addy was worried about getting back for a birthday party that she was supposed to be to. We came to the end of the "cave trail" and had just one more section to go and the bottom dropped out ---Andrew started asking to be carried. Up until now he had totally walked on his own. I did not want to get stuck carrying him the entire way home so I finally gave up and said--ok we'll go home. I didn't want to have to hike all the way around the way we had come though. It seemed like there should be a more direct way back to the truck so I looked for another trail--I found one straight up a ravine which we tried for about 50 yards--then we found another one that lead right back to where the truck was. It just happened to be the first trail that we had tried after parking the truck. We just hadn't gone quite far enough. Bummer!

Some may say that we failed in our quest to find the cave--but I know that we succeeded in spite of not reaching the final destination--because as someone famous once stated, "It is in the journey--not the destination." We had a really great day together. We laughed, we played, we talked, and we enjoyed the beauty of being outside. Besides, next time I'll know right where to go!

A night to myself

Jeff flew down to Boise this afternoon for his winter regional meetings for Jones. I almost always love it when he has a quick day trip here and there. --not that I want him to be gone all of the time mind you--I just really love the feeling of total control...


...of the remote!

...and not having to cook a "real" dinner!

...and being able to organize and clean stuff without being mad because he isn't helping or else feeling like I have to entertain him.

...and then of course there's the "homecoming" :)