Happy Birthday Emory!

Has it already been a year since she came to our family?! It's so hard to believe that! (Emory's actual birthday is tomorrow on the 8th, but tomorrow's full, and she's taking a good nap right now...) Well, the first year has been great - I remember that after we'd had her home a week, Randall and I were talking. We both said that in spite of how short a time we'd had her, it was hard to remember a time when she wasn't with us. She just fit right in, and there was no real "adjustment" for us at all. One year later, it's still the same. She just fits right in - although there has been a little more adjusting since then - mostly for me. Girls are so very different from boys! She reminds me of that nursery rhyme about the little girl with the curl on her forehead. "When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad, she was awful." That's our little Emory. Nothing done half way for her - she's all in with whatever she's doing! But what a blessing she is for us, and how very happy we are that she's ours!

Whoops

OK, so something clearly happened while I was posting that last entry. Sorry!

So, Turkey Spaghetti:

1 Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1-2 Carrots, finely chopped - or grated
1-2 Celery stalks, finely chopped

Sautee all these together in a little olive oil, then add a can or jar (I use Hunts No Sugar Added Spaghetti sauce) of whatever sauce you like - about 24 oz or so - and add the leftover chopped turkey, about 2 Cups worth (I sometimes add a little chicken stock if it looks too thick). Voila! Turkey Bolognese! Even my dad looks forward to this one - and he hates turkey!

Got leftover turkey?

I have a great way to use up your leftover turkey. Turkey Spaghetti

Happy Halloween!

As you can see, Dallin wanted to be a Transformer this year.  Bumblebee won out over Ironman, although it was close race.  Emory just had to be Tinkerbell - at least I thought she had to.  I think it was a good choice, don't you?

 

Halloween festivities this year consisted mainly of the Trunk or Treat at church and then Trick or Treating with friends on Friday.  A friend of ours has an annual Halloween party for "grown-ups only."  That was the week before.  Randall wasn't able to go this year, so I went with a Cheerios box.  It had slashes and the scissors still stuck in it.  I was a Cereal Killer - ha ha!  All in all a fun year.  More candy than any person can eat, but that's part of the fun, right?

Here's a few pics from our San Diego Vacation!

We saw all the "usual stops" for us (Randall's old house, school, etc.) and did a few new things this time as well. Point Loma lighthouse, Tidepools (at low tide even!), and of course, Sea World. Apparently when you're actually from San Diego, Sea World is not that cool. I finally talked Randall into going "for the kids." We also spent a day going to some of the museums in Balboa Park. We really had a great time!

Halloween pics to be posted soon. Stay tuned!

We're Going Back to Cali, to Cali, to Cali...

HOORAY for FALL BREAK!

When the schools first started having Fall Break, I thought it was the silliest idea I'd heard since High school starting at 9:00 AM so that the teens can get more sleep (I'm still rankled about that one). But now that I have one in school, I love it! Traveling is so much easier for us in the fall. Things are cooler, less crowded, not to mention cheaper!

So we're headed to San Diego!

I'm sure there will be plenty to post when we come back. See you all then!

Has it really been that long?!

So Yesterday was our anniversary. Can you believe that this was our, get ready for this, drum roll please...

TWELFTH ANNIVERSARY!

Yep, folks, that's right, I've been married for twelve years. (That makes me sound really old doesn't it!)

Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm so glad that I found my match (like on Ever After - just saw it again the other day). And Randall is my match in just about every way. Of course, we do have our differences - who doesn't - but I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have him for eternity!

Long Time no post...

For those of you who are actually reading this, things here have been a little difficult. Emory has gotten to that stage where she can't be apart from me for more than about 5 seconds (that's only a slight exaggeration). And she is still not my napper. Since our computer is in the least baby proof room of the house, I can't just put her on the floor. It seems that I'm lucky to check the email more than once a week this last month or so. Otherwise, things are just plugging along as usual. Actually, we're pretty boring right now - and I guess boring is good in the grand scheme of things, because it means there's no drama. Boring good, Drama bad.

Well, this is a surprise!

You're Coffee.
Compared to other ice creams, coffee ice cream has a strong flavor, and it's packed with caffeinated sweetness. You're like that, too! You're always busy, and determined to stay focused as you move from one task to the next. You get frustrated when other people slow you down or hold you back, but when you're in control, you can find ways around any obstacle.

Like this quiz? Send it to a friend.

6% of the people who took this quiz got the same evaluation

Had a Bad Day?

So I had a really bad day on Thursday. The kind where you just want to stick your head out the window and yell at the world. The kind where each moment seems to get worse than the one before. The kind where you can feel the muscles on your neck getting tenser and tenser and surely they'll snap from the tension any second. The kind where you feel like you're going to cry or scream or just laugh hysterically until they "come to take me away, ha ha!" if anything else happens. The kind where you look at the clock every few minutes hoping that it's going to be bedtime soon and you can forget about the whole thing. And when it was bedtime and the kids were FINALLY asleep, that's just what I did...

And Friday morning...

It really was all better! Amazing what a good night's sleep can do. (That and kissing and making up with the ones that you need to...)

I've Been Tagged...

So I've actually been tagged twice now, but I haven't taken the time to play yet, so here goes...

How to play this game. Post these rules on your blog; List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

3 Joys:
My sweet husband - Randall really can turn on the charm when I least expect it.
My wonderful kids - Dallin is always exciting and Emory is just a little doll - but geting bigger all the time.


3 Fears:
Spiders
Psychotic drivers - mostly for Randall's sake. Please drive carefully!
That I will turn into my mother (But it wouldn't be as bad as I used to think it would be.)

3 Goals:
Going to Curves again every day (I'm getting habits back into place, we'll talk poundage later...)
Being a more patient and supportive mother/wife
Finishing school someday

3 Current obsessions/collections:
As Always - LOST, you can't watch it too many times
The Olympics - Diving is my favorite!
Reading - A friend lent me Twilight and I was pleasantly suprised. I finished it in a day and a half!

3 Random surprising facts about myself:
I'm not random or surprising...
OK, here's one - I didn't vote for Bush in either election! Ooh, and I was a Gore Supporter!
I used to want to be a lawyer (Can you picture that now?!)

As for who to tag - I don't know anyone else who actually blogs, so if you're reading this and don't blog, consider yourself tagged! Post it in the comments!

More complicated than it sounds...

So I read in Time magazine that Stephanie Meyer, the author of the Twilight vampire series, typed the first novel one handed with a baby in her lap. Let me just say - she deserves kudos for that! I can barely type this post with the baby in my lap! I'm better at one handed, but it's not that - her reach is further now and I get about twenty extra characters on each line - not to mention that she's about to jump out of my lap! Little squiggle bug!

Aren't kids so sweet!

So I just had to post about this! This morning before school, I asked Dallin to stay on our big bed with Emory (she was still sleeping) while I jumped in the shower. I heard her wake up and the two of them playing. So I was just getting out of the shower when there was a little knock on the door. Dallin said, "Mommy, can I come in?" Of course, I said, "no son, I'm getting dressed." This was the conversation that followed:

D - "It's just that..." I could hear him sniffling

Me - "Is everything OK?"

D - "Yes, it's just that... (Muffle, Muffle) ... Emory."

Me - "What?"

D - "(Muffle, Muffle)... Emory."

By now I had my clothes on, so I peeked out.

Me - " Are you ok?"

D - "Yes... it's just that I'm so glad that we have Emory in our family. (Sniffle, sniffle)"

I kissed him and said, "Me too. So these are happy tears?"

Dallin nodded.

Everyone chime in now - AAAWWWW!

Moms of Globe are dancing!

Today is the first day of School! Can I tell you how excited I am?! I think that I was more happy than Dallin to be sure! Back to school for kids means back to sanity and predictability for Moms. Emory actually napped for more than 30 minutes this morning! Hooray!

We're Back!

Well it's decided. We're not moving to Safford - at least for now. The kids and I spent most of July in Safford with Randall (or at least what felt like most of the month...) to keep him company. We kept things rather simple there, although I did finally say that I had to have something to sit on and went and rented a couch.

It was really nice to catch up with friends there and see how they're all doing and be amazed at how the kids have grown! We had a great time - but it is good to be back home now. It's crazy how much happens when you're gone. I hardly even had a chance to check my email! And how in the world does an empty house get so dirty?!

Swimming Lessons

One week to go still, but - Oh, what progress this year!

After three years of lessons, Dallin is finally enjoying the water. Our first year, he wouldn't go near the pool at all - screamed bloody murder the whole time. That really suprised me - I had no idea where it came from! Last summer, he got into the pool, but as soon as he had to try and swim, it was more of the same. This year I said, "all three sessions, please!" (The lessons are for two weeks each session) And now, nearing the end of the last session, he is really having a great time!

He's able to float on his back for 10 seconds (then he gets scared and moves...), he can kick with his arms stretched in front of him, he will even go into the "deep end" (the 5 feet), and when they do life jacket day, he can't wait to jump off the diving board! I'm not exactly calling him an Olympic hopeful, but this is progress I can be happy about!:)

A side note for those who have noticed - those are Jeannette Voelker's kids, along with Crystal Slaughter's (I can't remember her married name... ack!) son in the pics as well!

Weekend Husband

So I'm going back to having a weekend husband. There's a lot of trucking work to be done in the Mines in Morenci, AZ (that's about 60 miles further east of Safford - for those of you not familiar with AZ), and Randall is being put on a truck there. This is good, because the pay is "supposed" to be much better. I say that with "s because the numbers don't always work out the way "they" tell you. So we decided to work out an interim situation. Rather than moving us all to Safford right away, Randall is renting a house in Sunrise Village (the trailer park that we lived in before) to see just how well it actually works out. If the numbers do work out the way that we've been led to believe, then we will consider moving. In the meantime, Randall will be living in Safford during the week and come home on the weekends. We don't know his exact schedule yet, but it's looking like he'll be driving nights with Sun and Mon off. (Although that's not definite till his boss gets back from vacation on Monday...) As you can tell, there's a lot about this that's up in the air, and that's a little scary for both of us. And of course, that's why we aren't moving the family yet. We did that the last time we moved to Safford, and it didn't work out so well - not that it's Safford's fault of course!:) We just want to have our feet a little wet before we jump in the deep end. So for now, it's the "wait and see" game we're getting so good at playing, and I have a weekend husband again.:(

How cute this is!

So I just read about this one on Mela's Blog (thanks, Mela!). Emory won't have enough hair for at least a little while yet, but I had to post something about it for those of you with daughters or nieces or whatever - that do.

http://shedoeshair.blogspot.com/

Check it out! They are the cutest hairstyles I've ever seen - especially the Lattice Ponytails. It makes me want Emory to have long hair soon!

It starts...

So I was just playing with Dallin and Emory in their bedroom. Emory's getting good at sitting up and "floor swimming" (on her tummy with all fours in the air). Saturday, she finally got up on all fours. And today - she has pretty much mastered it. Next it'll be walking, then running, then asking for the car keys and going on dates. Ok, let's not get ahead of ourselves or anything! Tee Hee!

Visit with Naani

She went back home last Tuesday, but I'm finally posting about it now....

My grandmother, Betty Allen, flew out from Connecticut to see us for about two weeks. What a great time we had! Dallin enjoyed getting to spend time with two Naanis. (Naani, by the way is the Hindi word for Mother of the Mother. So to Dallin she is Naani Jii.)

Hyla and Nathan came down from Utah for the occasion, as did my mother's cousin, Bruce Converse, and his family - from Scottsdale, not Utah :). Of course there was time with Laurie and Matt and their kids as well.

Four Generations of Women!

We love Naani - I only hope that I can be doing as well as she when I'm 83!

Wow! My first real post!!!

So I think I finally have things situated enough to feel good about posting - and here I am! Now, what do I write?!

It'll be nice to have somewhere I can write those cute things about the kids, share in the excitement of my day (only a little sarcasm there... honest!), vent about annoying things, and all the great stuff I love reading on other blogs.

And on that note, the baby's awake again - I got a whole 15 minutes to myself this afternoon! Yeah!

Under Construction

We're finally here! Keep checking back for more excitement!