Happy Birthday Jeff

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The Thermal Conductivity of a... Tongue?

Do you remember this?





Well sure enough--As life follows art--Andrew came running in the house yesterday saying, "mom! Addy needs you! She needs you bad! Her tongue is stuck to dat ting." So I rouse myself up from whatever I was doing, and poke my head outside to check on Addy. Sure enough, her tongue is stuck to this...

Poor thing! She really couldn't get it off. It was bleeding and everything. Believe me, I felt bad for her but at the same time I couldn't help chuckling a bit to myself all the same. I did, however go immediately to get some warm water instead of for the camera (although, the thought did cross my evil mind). We poured the water over the tongue and, easy peasy, she was FREE! After we got the bleeding stopped and her tongue stopped stinging she looked almost like this again.

Needless to say, we did have a little chat with all of the kids about what happens when you stick your tongue on cold metal. I'm not sure it sunk in though, I'm pretty sure Andrew was trying to lick the ice off the fence later on. I better keep the water handy!

Annual Christmas Tree Hunt

We went out to the woods for a few hours last Saturday. We were supposed to be picking out our Christmas tree but I have to admit--I got a little lazy this year and put up a fake tree. I just really needed it up early this year for some reason and I knew that we weren't going to be able to get out to get a tree for a while. So...we just tagged along for the fun of it. Anytime we have the opportunity to play in the woods-especially with the quad and we are all over it. There was no snow this year but we had a great
time taking all of the kids for rides on the quad. Maya would chase us down the road for a while and then get tired and turn around and go back. I love taking her out there with us. She loves the freedom and is just so happy. I think that's why I love it out there too. I just love the freedom you feel being out in the woods with, relatively no one else around. (Did I just compare myself to a dog?)

We were driving West in order to get home and the sunset that day was one of the most beautiful sunsets I think I have ever seen. That includes all of the gorgous ones from Tucson. I just had to stop and take some pictures. It flat out took my breath away. The colors were brilliant shades of oranges, reds and yellows and the colors on the cloud formations was just the coolest thing.

Total Eye Candy!

I'll let you judge for yourself--although I'm quite sure the pictures can't do it the justice it deserves.

China!!! Let the preparations begin

These babies came in the mail a few days ago. I have also been filling out all of the VISA paperwork and getting the passports sent in so I can't help but start to get excited about going. I'm in the info gathering process--so if anyone has any info to pass on--let me know. I have been working on my "lip-zipping" and my "yes-sirring" and we learned the most important of all chinese words-----"Ping Cow" which may end up saving my life. (translation=Rice) I'm not exactly sure how adventurous I will be for the Chinese food. I guess we'll see.

Flashback Friday--What did you do when you were supposed to be napping?

I should have a contest to see if anyone can guess the yummy delicassy that Kaylee has just partaken of.





.............. powdered sugar?





nope





...............frosting?





nope





...........white chocolate?






nope






DESITIN?





ding ding ding--you guessed it! Evidently it is quite tasty. She seemed to love it--ate almost the full tube. This resulting picture has been one of my favorite pictures ever. The face she is making is just classic.

Oh the things we do when we are supposed to be napping. It reminds me of the time that I was supposed to be napping and decided to stick a bobbie pin into the light socket. I distinctly remember thinking, "I wonder what will happen if I stick this in here." (I was about 5, I think) I definitely found out, that's for sure. Sparks flew, fire flared and before I knew what had happened, the bobbie pin had melted into my fingers. That's when my thoughts became, "Please don't cry! Just don't cry! DON'T cry!!!" To no avail. I was so scared that I would be in so much trouble because I was supposed to be taking a nap. After about a minute I couldn't take it any more and I ran down to my mom who was doing laundry. She fixed me up and the only other thing I remember is having to tell my dad about it when we picked him up from work. I was petrified--It's one thing run to mom--it was another to have to fess up to my dad! My fear was definitely overrated and not neccessary. No beatings were given that day and all is well. I have always wondered however, why that particular memory was ingrained into my head. I think it is actually one of the earliest memories that I have.

I guess I just find myself remembering that experience because Andrew recently stuck a little toy lock into the socket and deja vu----sparks flew, fire flared and before he knew what had happened he had a nice little burn on his finger and thumb. ----Oh please spare him the rest of MY childhood mistakes.

Thanksgiving Funnies

Hope you have a VERY Happy Thanksgiving!


May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinnerStay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

(Alas, I cannot claim authorship of the above--although I can claim similar sentiments)

Sixteen years--and Thankful for it

Today is our Anniversary. Sixteen Fun-filled, adventure-prone, laughter-inducing years. I'm thrilled to be able to say that I married my very best friend and that he is STILL my very best friend after all of these years. I'm not a "worrier" by nature, but still to this day, my greatest fear is that something would happen to him and that I would be left here on earth by myself for the rest of mortality. That is something that I'm sure I could get through but certainly any joy found afterwards would be incomplete until that day that we were reunited. The beautiful thing about God's plan for us is that we can and will be reunited someday. What an amazing, yet simple plan. I'm so grateful for that plan. I'm grateful that I have been blessed with the knowledge that God lives and that he is REAL. He has blessed my marriage and blessed me with 3 fascinating and wonderful children. He has blessed me with a comfortable home and all of my needs are met--and frankly most of my wants as well. Indeed, my heart is full and I have thought a lot lately about Gratitude and Thankfulness--this being Thanksgiving time and all. My thoughts keep returning to the idea of the word "Thanksgiving". I can't help but think that if one is truly Thankful or full of gratitude then they will display that thankfulness by sharing or giving to others. --hence, Thanks-Giving. My own goal is to show my own Thanks through much more giving to others. I keep telling my children it's not enough to say "Thank you." We have to show our thanks. Now it's time to put my money where my mouth is.