Brett quote of the day

Paige and I were playing a game of "bananagrams". Brett came to sit by Paige and give her "advice" about spelling words. He said, (this is how he said it, never figured out how he was spelling it) "Whore is a word." "What did you say?" "I said whore is a word." "What does it mean?" "You know, like when people say, 'oh, the whore (horror)!"

Not-so-secret Santa

In an effort to put the focus on giving instead of getting we have a few Christmas traditions at our house. For instance, Dave always brings home a name from the Salvation Army Angel Tree at work and we all going shopping to help another child. In an effort to get the kids to serve each other we have, for several years, drawn names for "Secret Santa". The kids are supposed to do kind things and bits of service for each other in the weeks leading up to Christmas. They also get a secret santa gift. This year Dave and I threw our names in the hat too. One of my favorite things is the kids thinking of what they can give rather than get. Brett had chosen Bryce's name, which he promptly forgot and was sure that he had either Ty or Daddy. But, in the end I was able to convince him and he picked out gifts for Bryce that included a dodge ball, a huge tennis ball and a boomerang. Paige was so cute. She tried so hard to be sneaky. She came to me one day and said, "Mom, you always ask us what we want for Christmas, but what do you want?" Another day, Ty was shopping for his gift and Paige said, "I don't feel like getting my secret santa gift today." She got me some mini scrapbooks and chipboard letters. Ty is the worst at keeping secrets. As, he read his slip it was obvious that he had Dad and was not thrilled about it. He got dad an Uno attack! game. Bryce had Paige and was a good sport about having to get a girl present and was very concerned about getting her something she really wanted, which he did. He gave Paige a carrying bag for her webkinz and a pink hoodie for them to wear. I had Ty and since Ty never knows what he wants and is always happy with what he gets, I couldn't really go wrong. I gave him a game called hyper slide. Dave had Brett. And since he loves toys just as much as the kids do, he got Brett remote control bumper cars and they have been having a great time together with them. I love how "Secret Santa" helps them to remember what they gave and not just what they got!

Brett quote of the day

While getting out of the tub: "We should get rid of this towel, because Paige got it when she was baptized and that was like a year ago." "We have towels much older than that." "Do we have any from back in the one thousands?" "Yes." "That's old!"

While struggling to get his pj's on his damp body: "Why does water make your clothes shrink?"

Brett quote of the day

Dave was flipping channels on the tv. He came across some spanish stations and I started "translating" what they were saying. Brett said, "How do you know what they are saying? Do you remember it from high school?"

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Brett quote of the day

"I love snow!" Brett said this morning, before he had even been outside. This is the first snow that he remembers! The kids were ready for the bus so quickly this morning. (It is not quite as dark as it looks). They were all cold and wet by the time the bus arrived.

Funny things...

Funny words my kids say wrong, and can not be convinced to say right:
Ty says "inhead" instead of ahead.
Paige says "anourish" instead of nourish.
Brett says "oh-most" instead of almost.

Paige explains...

Paige was telling me about a birthday party she is going to this weekend. She thought that it was scheduled for a long time, longer than most parties she has been to. But, then she started to tell me all of the things they were going to do at the party. "So," she said,"I guess that's reasonable!" She sounded so grown up that I kept my laugh to myself.

Pet Peeve of the Week

Hey, I haven't had a pet peeve for a while so, how about this...I hate it when sales start on Sunday, so that when I go shopping Monday morning all the good stuff is gone. And...2 of the 4 stores I went to had their credit card system down and were only accepting cash, which I did not have:(

Now I am ready!

The Christmas tree is up, the decorations are out, the lights are ready to hang. We had a great Thanksgiving and now I am ready for Christmas!

Thanksgiving

The kids were so excited for Chad and his family to arrive. We had a fun day with them. A good meal that Skyler said was, "not too bad" which I think is a compliment for a teenage boy. Paige and Savannah had a great time together. After dinner, we took a drive. We wanted to go see the alligators, but the trail was closed because of hurricane damage. So, we continued on to the beach. The kids had a great time wading and collecting shells and running with Chad's dog. It has been really nice to have family here!

Blessing #24

I am thankful for visitors. We don't get visitors very often, so we love it when we get the chance. In the 13+ years we have lived here our visitors have been: Dave's parents, my mom, my sister Amy, Dave's sister Robin, and our friend Eli. So, having my brother Chad come for Thanksgiving is very exciting. And to make it even better he is bringing 2 of his kids! The first cousins to come to our house. We can't wait for them to get here!

Brett quote of the day

Yesterday Ty and Paige had friends over. At one point they got out the ice cream, but didn't save any for Brett. He came to me all teary eyed and said, " Sometimes I cry when I'm not even trying. I don't know why." So, so sad!

Last night he was talking silly and I asked, "Where do you think you are from?" He said, "I am american...and I speak english...with an accent!" How can you not love that, where he came up with that, I have no idea!

Blessing #23

I am thankful for temples. Bryce just left for his first temple trip. I wish I was going with him. But, I am so glad he will get so many opportunities to go. Dave never got to go as a youth, it was too far. So, he has never done baptisms at the temple. I am so grateful to be sealed to Dave and our children.

Blessing #22

I am thankful for laughter. I am thankful for time with my friends, which always involves laughter. I am thankful for the funny things my kids say and do. A recent example: I overheard Paige ask Brett, "What is a fun fact about Presidents?" Brett said, "You get them for Christmas and your Birthday!"

Blessing #21

I am thankful for Sundays. I am thankful for the spiritual renewal, for the reminders of what I need to do and the happiness it will bring. I am thankful for a day of worship and a day of rest. It is so nice to have a quite afternoon with no "to do" list. And I am thankful for Sunday afternoon naps.

Blessing #20

I am thankful for talents. We spent the morning at the primary talent show. This has been an annual event and is always so cute. I love to see the kids share their varied talents. This year Ty played his saxophone, his first time "performing", he played "If you're happy and you know it," and did a great job. Paige displayed a scrapbook and some cute felt animal purses she made. Brett did flips and tricks (which was so cute, he wouldn't show me beforehand what he was going to do, I just laughed!) and he read the poem "Sick" from Where the sidewalk ends.

Blessing #19

I am thankful for "Girls Night Out." And after this week I really need it! It is great to get the occasional chance to spend time with my friends, to laugh and have fun, and of course see a movie (at least this time).

Blessing #18

I am thankful for Dave's job. Dave has worked for the same company since he graduated from BYU. Before we moved here, he did have to travel pretty regularly, but now it is rare. His schedule is predictable and the benefits they provide are pretty good. Most of the time he really likes his job and he provides for us well.

Blessing #17

I am thankful for my kids teachers. They have almost always had good, patient and kind teachers. They have loved my kids despite their weaknesses. They have given advice and worked well with us and the kids. I am especially thankful for the wonderful teachers Paige has had and how much they have all loved her.

Blessing #16

I am thankful for scrapbooking. It is one of my favorite things. I love to cut and glue. I also love that it documents our lives and I think it helps us remember things we wouldn't normally remember. Just looking at old pictures keeps memories fresh. It is a great creative outlet, it is a great activity to do with the kids and all my "stuff" comes in really handy for school projects!

Blessing #15

I am thankful for my home. I am so thankful for all of the projects Dave has done and continues to do to make our home work for us. I am thankful that Brett now has his own room, that I have a great scrapbooking space, and for all the improvements in the kitchen.

The picture is Bryce in Brett's new room. We took a very small office and moved the wall out far enough to make this space for a loft bed with toys and storage underneath.

Blessing #14

I am thankful for my friends. I am thankful for the many ways I have to meet friends and keep in contact with them: Church, my kids, online, etc... I am thankful for the kindness and support they show me and the laughter and fun. I am thankful to have friends that I can call at a moments notice and those who I only hear from at Christmas. I have some really great friends!

Paige Explains...

I just heard Paige explaining to Brett that nerds are smart. Dorks look the same as nerds, but they are not smart.

Blessing #13

I am thankful to be a mom. There was a time I wondered if I would be. I am also thankful to be a mom whose job it is to raise her children and take care of our home. I don't have to worry about making money. If there is a dentist appointment to get to, I don't have to make arrangements. If a child gets sick, I go get them and we come home. If there is a field trip or a program at school, I attend it. When help is needed with homework, I provide it. I saw them take their first steps and heard them say their first words. I don't have to worry about missing anything, because that is my job...to be there.

(I also take alot more pictures than I am in, so this is an old one that I like of me and Paige)

Blessing #12

I am thankful for school buses! My kids have always ridden the bus in the mornings, but I used to pick them up after school, because their bus got home so late. But, then they switched buses and the new bus got them home much earlier. So, I haven't been in school traffic for awhile. This morning I had to be at the elementary school at the beginning of the school day and that traffic was terrible! It took me almost 30 minutes from my house to the school. So, thank you Mr. Kevin for taking my kids to school!

Blessing #11

I am thankful for good books and reading. I love to read and I am so glad that my kids love to read and are so good at it. A book can get me through a longer work out than I thought I could manage. It can get me out of doing needed housework :). It just makes me happy to read!

Blessing #10

I am thankful for a living prophet. This week for fhe, I passed out recent copies of church magazines. Paige and Brett got the "Friend", Bryce and Ty the "New Era", and Dave and I the "Ensign". We all started with an article by President Monson and highlighted every time he asked us to "do" something. Paige and Brett had questions at the end of their article that they answered. We learned that to follow the prophet we should...pray always, seek after anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, and find joy in the journey.

Blessing #9

I am thankful for my freedom. I am thankful for those that made it possible and continue to do so. I feel so blessed that I can believe what I believe and basically live my life in comfort and peace.

Brett quote of the day

Brett started to fall asleep on the couch during fhe. I asked him if he wanted a treat or if he was going to sleep. He popped up and said,"I was just blinking for a long time!"

Blessing #8

I am thankful for Bryce. I am not ready for him to be a teenager, but all the signs are there...it is coming. I am glad he is making good choices. He is a good example to his brothers and sister. He helps them when they need help and even plays with them once in a while. He puts up with Brett's pestering-which is not easy. He doesn't give me too much to worry about...and that is something to be thankful for.

Blessing #7

I am thankful for Brett. He is my baby(but don't call him that). I have had so much time with him alone and just loved it. He is so sweet and funny and smart. He gives me something to smile and laugh about everyday!

Blessing #6

I am thankful for weekends! I need a day to sleep in and then work on those things that just never get done during the busy week.

Blessing #5

I am thankful for modern medicine. Dave is now five years cancer free, which means the cancer is no more likely to return than in the normal population. It was a tough few months but gave me a totally new outlook on life! This is one of the few digital pictures I have of him during that time. It is actually at Christmas (when we got our first digital camera) when his hair was growing back.

Brett quote of the day

"Why do you say words that embarrass me?"

Blessing #4

I am thankful for Paige. She has (for maybe the first time in her life) made my life easier lately. She comes home from school and does her homework, with out me nagging. She is doing much better at keeping her room clean. She enjoys playing with her little brother. She has always loved to spend time with me and is often my shadow. And of course, she is just all around sweet!

Blessing #3

I am thankful for eternal families. I can't imagine losing any of them ever and I am glad that I know we can be reunited in the next life.

First election memory

This is a picture of me sitting under the voting booths at my grandma's. I think the lady is a friend of hers, not sure. As I voted this morning I remembered this picture and the vague memories of the voting booths in grandma's living room.

Blessing #2

I am thankful for Ty. He is always willing to give help when it is needed and is my only kid who will ask to help. He also is always ready to give a hug.

Blessing #1

I am thankful for my wonderful husband Dave, who believes that nothing is impossible.

Don't forget Thanksgiving

I ran a few errands this morning and I couldn't believe it when not only were all of the Christmas things being put out, but one store was already playing Christmas music. Now I LOVE Christmas, but I am not ready for the retail bombardment just yet. I want to look forward to Thanksgiving. I just found our yesterday that my brother Chad, his girlfriend and two of his kids will be coming to our house for Thanksgiving. We have never had family here for Thanksgiving and we are very excited. Anyway, I want to spend some time being grateful, before all the holiday excitement. So, everyday from now until Thanksgiving I will post one thing I am thankful for. Just one. I will post here on my blog and on my facebook page, so join me. What are you thankful for?

Halloween

We didn't get our pumpkins carved all in one night this year, but we did get them done. I carved with Paige and Brett on Wednesday night while Dad and the big boys were at scouts. Bryce and Ty carved theirs on Thursday. Paige did most of hers on her own. Brett designed his own and I did all the cleaning and cutting (he would not put his hand in the pumpkin for anything). Bryce's pattern looked much better lit up. It is kind of hard to tell what it is in the day time. Ty freehanded his jack o' lantern. We used them for our decorations for the Trunk or Treat, since we weren't home for trick or treaters this year.

Brett could not decide which costume to wear. For the last couple of weeks he has talked about wearing the following costumes: Superman, Spiderman, Soccer player, cowboy, Harry Potter, and a Space Man. He settled on Harry Potter for school and a space man for the Trunk or Treat.

Paige knew all along she wanted to be a cowgirl. She wanted me to get her a shirt, hat, vest, boots and holster with guns. She settled on the shirt and hat. Bryce, again did not dress up, but he did help out with the "Haunted Barn". I didn't get a picture of Ty and his friend Zac. They dressed up like nerds, but told everyone that they were pirates, such silly boys!

Weekend update

* On Friday Bryce challenged the first chair trumpet in the 7th grade band and won!
* Paige and I went to see High School Musical 3 with our friends, great pre-adolescent girly entertainment.
* On Saturday I took Ty and a friend to scout day camp. I thought I was going to have to stay all day with them, but they didn't need me, so I got to go shopping instead :)
* While I was gone, Dave purchased a piano! We saw it at a garage sale down the street. It is pretty ugly and needs some work. But, Dave is thinking about refinishing it (he is not afraid to take on any project!) and even with the work it needs I think we got a good deal.
* Dave was given a third calling at church today! Besides being a primary teacher and webelos leader he is now the cub master. He says, "As far as I can tell all the cubmaster does is conduct pack meeting." So, he thinks he can handle all that responsibility :).
* In the last few days I actually did a little scrapbooking. It feels like it has been forever, and I really need a creative outlet!

Photo Tag

My friend Judy had this tag on her blog.

Go to my pictures on your computer go to the 6th folder and choose the 6th photo in that folder.

I followed her example and have two because #6 in my pictures was just a picture, not in a folder (me at my 2nd birthday party) so, I posted it plus the one in the 6th folder which was not photos, but Paige's art work (She drew this mermaid in 2nd grade, I think).

Look what I found on my camera today!

This will teach them to play with my camera :)

Brett quote of the day

Last night as Brett snuggled up with me he said, "You're the most comfortable thing in our house."

A mimerick for londay

Runny Babbit style:

There once were kour fids who were bad.
They were saughty and nelfish and mad.
My mead they nade ache,
I nure seeded a break.
When they all bent to wed I was glad!

A suprise visit

Yesterday, after church I got an unexpected call. My brother, Chad, who has been working temporarily in Houston, was thinking about driving over. He arrived (in record time) with his girlfriend, boss and a puppy. I fed them a not very exciting dinner of chicken enchiladas, showed them around our place and visited before they had to head back. It is very rare for us to get family to visit so everyone was excited. The kids loved the puppy, especially Paige. We also found out that Chad will be in Houston for Thanksgiving and may even have a couple of his kids with him so, we invited them all to come back then, when we can show them around more. And the kids are thrilled at even the thought of having cousins visit our house. Hopefully, it will all work out. We would love to have family here for Thanksgiving!

Twilight

I admit it, I have read all the "Twilight" books. I liked them. Some more than others. There were definitely some parts I didn't like, but they were fun to read. I am looking forward to the movie. For all you other Twilight readers, here is a little quiz to see which character you are most like.

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

A laundry miracle

Brett has loved all things "Star Wars" for quite a while now. He has toys, books, shirts, etc. Last year he begged and begged for a "Lego Star Wars" T-shirt. He loved that shirt and wanted to wear it all the time. He even wore it on the first day of preschool. Shortly after that the shirt disappeared. We had no idea where it went. We looked everywhere. But, it just couldn't be found. That was a year ago. This week as I was folding laundry the shirt reappeared! It was mixed in with all the other clean clothes. No idea where it was or how it turned up, But Brett is happy!

Ty's Feeling Famous

Yesterday there was a community open house at Dave's work. We took Ty's friend Zac along and enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, snow cones, etc. There were games that demonstrated scientific principles and tours and chemical experiments. After the experiments Ty and Zac were interviewed by a reporter for our local news channel. They talked about what they learned about liquid nitrogen. They were very excited to see themselves (very briefly) on the 6:00 news.

Don't tell the big kids

Last night Dave took Bryce and Ty to scouts and Paige to Activity Days leaving Brett and I home alone. Brett wanted to go out for a treat. He had a really tough time deciding what he wanted and finally settled on the m&m blast. As he sat at the kitchen table eating bites too big for his mouth, he kept telling me. "Don't tell the big kids." I told him I wouldn't tell and besides when they got home it would be late and they would get ready for bed. So, when he had eaten all he could we put the rest in the freezer for later.

We were up in his bed reading stories when they got home. The first thing out of Brett's mouth, "Don't look in the freezer!" Which, of course, sent them running. They were upset they didn't get a treat and Brett was mad because he didn't want them to know and "I told them NOT to look!"

Brett quote of the day

As we left the soccer field tonight Brett saw a car with Alaska license plates and asked about it. I said they must have just moved here. He said, "Do they know our language?" I said. "Yes." He said, "What about Ohio?"

Afterschool Special

They got off the bus 30 minutes ago. Ty is blaring his saxophone. Brett is screaming for no apparent reason. Bryce is wandering aimlessly, pretending to be getting started on his homework. Paige chased Brett to me while she was "doing her homework". I have been bombarded with questions (What is in that bag? What is there to eat? Will you get Brett away from me?) and bombarded them back (Do you have any homework? Are you sure? Where is it?) A few deep breaths and I'll be fine.

blogs: a great way to embarrass your kids!

This week we actually had an evening with no swimming, no soccer, no scouts and no homework. The weather was beautiful and we finally got the trampoline back together after taking it down for the hurricanes. The kids played and jumped until the mosquitos chased them in (I know it is October and the mosquitos are as bad as they have been all summer!). It was great to not have to get anywhere or do anything. As much as the kids love their activities it was nice to have a break. Wish we had more days like this.

Saturday Scattergories

Say that 5 times fast! I saw this on my cousins blog and it is one of my favorite games so I gave it a try.

Here's the rules:
SCATTERGORIES. ..it's harder than it looks! Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things.. nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.


What is your name Lisa

BOYS NAME: Luther
4 LETTER WORD: Lake
GIRL NAME: Lorraine
OCCUPATION: Librarian
A COLOR: Lilac
AN ANIMAL: Leopard
BEVERAGE: Lemonade
FOOD: Lasagna
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Lotion
A PLACE : Lithuania
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Lazy
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT OUT: Loser!
A PLANT: Lawn

Pet Peeve of the Week

School Fundraisers!

I know they have their purpose and they do a lot of good things with the money earned, but when you have more than one kid trying to sell something, it is just too hard. It's one thing to sell candy or cookie dough...pretty straight forward, but I really hate the catalogues. It is too much to look through and too expensive. We also have no family in the area to push things on and all of our friends have kids selling the same stuff. There must be a better way!

I do have 3 kids besides Brett!

I realize that I post alot about Brett and not so much the other kids, but he is much younger and thus says and does cute things. Still I should not leave the others out so in the near future I will post all about Bryce, Ty and Paige. Here is a little bit of what they have been upto...

Bryce, Ty and Paige are taking a swim class at our gym. They are all doing great and having fun. They are also glad to have their friends Tristan and Savannah in class with them. They get to use swim fins which they really like and are learning different strokes. They all like to do the "dolphin kick".

Bryce is in 7th grade. He is still playing the trumpet. He wants to join the chess club and the science club. He is doing a great job of completing homework and assignments on his own. One project he had was to make a model of an animal cell. He did it by himself and got an A on it. He really loves science.

Ty is playing the saxophone and loves to "practice" . They have learned several of the little tunes that are played at the football games. He has his friends Zac and/or Tristan in almost all of his classes and he was glad about that. He is glad to be out of elementary school, but is still working on keeping up with everything in middle school.

Paige loves all of her teachers this year. This is the first year she has not had one of her best friends in her class. Hopefully, this will push her to communicate a little more and not rely on her friends. She started French this year and really likes it.

Does it sound like a Christmas letter? Anyway, I will try to keep up better with ALL of my kids, even the ones that aren't so cute and funny.

Brett quote of the day

After his soccer game yesterday Brett asked me if he would still play soccer when he was six. I told him he could if he wanted to. He said, " I want to play soccer four times in a row and then switch to bowling." I am not sure if I can find a bowling league for kindergartners!

This morning Brett was singing,"Duh Duh Da Duh Duh Duh Duh Da Duh Da Duh Da." (You know, the music they play at graduation.) I said, "What are you singing?" He said, "Country Music!"

Made me smile

Here are just a couple of things that made me smile recently...

During sacrament meeting Brett has his blue Book of Mormon. He randomly flips pages and reads here and there. Then he asks me for a pencil because he need to put his name in his scriptures. This is where he puts his name...

Last night we were reading in Helaman and talking about "treasures in heaven". I asked what we could take with us to heaven. Bryce (yes, the 12 year old!) says, "All the things we learn ...and maybe some clothes." I guess I always assumed they would be provided.

It was a dark and stormy night...

We stayed home all day friday like all those who did not evacuate for hurricane Ike were encouraged to do. We spent the day playing, working and just hanging out together. It got a little windy, it rained a little. After we went to bed the winds picked up and the power went out. I had a hard time sleeping as did Dave and Ty, but the other kids slept right through. This morning the kids woke up and pulled out games and puzzles, I wish they would do things like this more often, even when the power is on. There were a few complaints of boredom, before the power came on at about 11:30 and they all headed for the tv. We, again, were very lucky through this hurricane. I think the kids will probably (unfortunatly) miss a little more school as they inspect all the buildings, wait for all power to be restored and high water recedes. There are a lot of areas with flooding problems. We are still being asked to stay home so we will enjoy another day together.

Happy 41!

Tuesday was Dave's 41st birthday. We celebrated by playing games, opening presents and eating cake.

41 things we love about Dave (in no particular order)

1. He works hard

2. He is funny

3. He makes thing for us

4. He likes rollercoasters

5. He is inventive

6. He will try just about anything

7. He follows his dreams

8. He fixes things

9. He is a budgeter

10. He plans ahead

11. He like to do big projects

12. He loves to play

13. He is smart

14. He likes to tease

15. He likes fun vacations

16. He never quits

17. He is determined

18. He catches big fish

19. He is a great skiier

20. He gives us father's blessings

21. He teaches primary

22. He takes us to dinner on Fridays

23. He serves others

24. He likes camping

25. He is creative

26. He is good at puzzles

27. He hates to pay interest

28. He like to go mountain biking

29. He hates to pay for hair cuts

30. He likes things done right

31. He has fun ideas

32. He is supportive

33. He is a good scout leader

34. He helps with homework

35. He does quality work

36. He teaches us

37. He follows the prophet

38. He is a good provider

39. He is a great dad

40. He is a great husband

41. He loves us!

Pet Peeve of the Week

Hurricanes and kids missing school!

Mission Call

Grandma and Grandpa called us this week with the exciting news that they received their mission call! They will be serving a genealogy mission in Salt Lake City and leave in 2 Weeks! We are so happy for them and hope they have a great time and enjoy serving.

Soccer

Brett is playing his first season of soccer this year. Opening day was Saturday and although they had barely practiced, what with rainy days and hurricanes, they played very well. Brett's team is the Colts. They "won" both of their games Saturday (score is not officially kept). Brett even got his foot on the ball a couple of times. He didn't complain about the long day (pictures and opening ceremonies before the games), he didn't complain about the heat, and he didn't complain about how much he did or didn't get to play. In my book that is a success. He even pays attention when on and off the field and cheers when his team scores. I hope he continues to have fun all season!

Brett quote of the day

I made chicken sandwiches for dinner. Brett wanted us all to look at his partially eaten sandwich. "Look I made Texas."

Brett quote of the day

I have two actually, since it has been awhile. We were driving around this morning to see if any thing was open. As we drove past the middle school I read their sign. It says, "Go away Gustav, You're not welcome here." Or something to that effect. Brett says, " What is a Gustav?"

I few days ago he was playing "Big Brain Academy." I was watching him and explaining it to him. I guess I was telling him the answers too, because he said, " I am trying to test my own brain!"

A rather blustery day

Well, the storm is gone and we are still here. We are really happy with the decision we made to stay home. We got lots of work done yesterday. Painted and put up window trim in the new room. It was pretty overcast all day and sprinkled off and on. It was also breezy all day. Late in the afternoon we had bands of rain and some strong winds. We lost power at about 5:00 pm, just before we made dinner. So, we had sandwiches. We rounded up the flashlights and candles and while there was still light the kids played games and legos. We expected the worst of the storm to be between 8-10 pm, but by then the worst was past. We played games by candle light and I read to the kids for a while at bed time. We had some windows open to let cool air in, but Brett did not like the sound of the wind and frogs. The kids all camped out in the living room. It wasn't the best night sleep, a little warm and muggy. We had all just gotten up and were resigned to poptarts for breakfast when the power came on. Now I just have to keep the kids busy for a few days and convince them to do some homework!

Call us crazy!

Well, we are staying home to weather the storm. We are feeling that the storm will be just as bad at the places available to us for short term evacuation. We have had sick kids and don't really want to spread it to many others. It looks like the hurricane will make landfall to our east and then come our way. Hopefully, it will die down quickly over land. I am nervous about staying, but also feel like it is what we should do. We expect power outages and lots of wind and rain. So, wish us luck, send your prayers and I will let you know how we faired in a few days!

Should we stay or should we go?

We are getting ready for Hurricane Gustav today, and just hoping it is not as bad as it seems. Dave is on call at work through tonight so tomorrow we will decide for sure what we are doing. The kids are hoping for a "vacation" to Indiana to see their cousins. I am just praying they are not out of school for 5 weeks like last time!

Why I am Thankful for...

Stake Conference: Everyone sings loud, so I can sing loud and not hear myself. I also convince myself that others can not hear my pitiful attempt.

Brett lost a tooth!

Brett lost his first tooth last night. He was a little mad at me when I pulled it and cried when he saw he was bleeding, but boy was he excited to see what the toothfairy brought him this morning. As he was getting ready for school he said, "Mom, do you think my missing tooth looks better with my jeans or my school pants." He looks so cute no matter what he is wearing.

They're Back!

Friday the kids went back to school. Ty had his first day of Middle School and Brett started Kindergarten. Bryce started 7th grade and Paige 4th grade. I think Ty is excited about middle school, though he won't admit it. He was glad to have some very good friends in most of his classes. He will be playing the alto sax in the band. Bryce didn't say much about his first day, nothing unusual about that! Paige has 2 friends from her class last year in her class and loves her teachers. She switches class for math and science.

And then there is my baby, Brett in Kindergarten! It will take some getting used to. He was so excited Friday morning he could not stop smiling. I dropped him off in the morning and picked him up in the afternoon. I couldn't feel too sad, because he was so happy. It was a little harder this morning putting him on the bus, he is so little, but again he was so excited. I am sure they will all have a great year.