Don't ask me how..

Just go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_Oklahoma_Temple

Look at the picture on the right hand side...YEAH I KNOW! I'm so famous.

I love you

You are smart...I am dumb
You are handsome...I'm not
You have straight teeth....mine sorta are
You are tall...I'm short

What else??? Are you buttered up enough?! Thanks for accidentally buying me my mixer. I love you.

The evolving Mom

I've been changing so much lately and I give credit 100% to the amazing women that I'm hanging out with. Thanks to Steph for teaching how to make whole wheat bread (from scratch...as in we actually grind up the wheat). She's actually had to show me more than once bc I was making bricks with the amount of flour I was putting in. And her recipe is so good and healthy- no butter or oil!!! I feel so healthy! I just got off the phone with my mother-in-law and she has me stoked about pressure cooking canning!!! And sewing....I LOVE IT!!!!! My quilt is taking me longer than what I thought but that's bc it is covered in embellishments. I'm just super excited about all these new skills I'm learning!!!

Moms just rockin' it

So sometimes I have very faulty thinking and think that I'll have fun someday when my kids are older but on Friday I had a blast!!!! Steph, Megan, and I went on base to work out and then rock climbed after wards.

I've always watched the kids do the rock climbing but when Megan suggested it I went for it (plus it was during the day when it was pretty much empty- don't need to embarrass myself in front of a huge crowd).

After wards my arms were just shaking so bad from climbing up twice. All the kids just played on the play structures and watched up. And then after we were done we put the harnesses on the kids, hooked them up to the wall and then sat down and talked. It was great because they couldn't go any where. Girls, we need to go again!

Sent from my iPhone

Terrific Tower of Tulle Birthday Gift

About a week ago my VT companion and I realized that it one of our sister's birthday was coming up. We thought for a while what we should do and then it came....the "gift" of all gifts.

We went to the Salvation Army and tried to find the more hideous, ridiculous, tacky thing we could find. It ended up being this...The Terrific Tower of Tulle. What is it? Looks like the wedding decorations to some 80's wedding. Oh yes, it lights up!
So we went to Julie's house and presented her with this rule card and made her read it out loud. (This whole time we had it hidden so she didn't know what we were talking about).

It says... Congratulations for being loved so much and recieving the "Terrific Tower of Tulle Birthday Gift" aka TTTB. There are a couple of fun rules that come along with this gift

1*TTTB has to be proudly (proudly defined as: keeping it clean of snow or anything that way everybody can see) displayed in the FRONT of your house (front defined as: viewable from the street in front of your house)

2* You have to have TTTB for 24 hours before passing it on.

3* You can only pass TTTB to a Relief Society sister.

4* You can only pass it on the day ofa sister's birthday. No cheating and passing it a week, day, or minute early.

5* TTTB can't be dropped-off, that won't be any fun! You have to give it to the lucky sister in person so they can see your bright smiling face.

6* When you pass TTTB pass this rule card along with it and write your name and birthday on the back.
By the end of reading the card Julie was totally...stumped. I wish you could of seen her when we revelaed it to her. Priceless. She put it up in her big window in the front of her house. Let the traditions roll.....

P.S. The gift could of been worse. I put an add on craigslist asking for people's most tacky things they have in their garage for a gag gift. The best response I got back was this....

Mounted full size mountain goat that went through a fire. I thought it would of been perfect. You could even dress it up for the holidays! TTTB won because Jodi thought that it would get flees or might be too heavy.

Is it actually possible that I'm developing a new fear? Earthquakes. It seems like once a month we've been having them. Last week I was almost alseep and I heard the deep rumble and then the shaking. It's not huge earthquakes (probably just 3s) but still I ended up playing in bed thinking about how I could rearrange the furniture in my room so if the floor gives out it won't crush Jackson or Caleb. Actually I just checked USGS and we've had a couple last week. Well, the positive side to this is that I'm proud that my rigging for my mirror had held up. That thing is 200 lbs so if it falls it's going to make the biggest mess ever.

The Hula Girls

Our wonderful Jodi went to Hawaii and came back with some Hula outfits for the girls- complete with grass skirt, coconut "bras" (as Kali calls them), shell necklaces, and a flower for their hair. Here's Jodi explaining the rules: You can only have these if you always promise to wear a shirt or something under the "coconut bra."

Isn't this a crack up?!

Kali was more than happy to pose for the camera.

We actually had to go grocery shopping after wards and she was begging me to let her wear this.

Keeping Track

In our kitchen I have a big framed chalkboard. Here are some of the dates that we are keeping track of:

Dad comes home in 47 days
Thanksgiving in 20 days
Christmas in 49 days
Caleb's baptism in 54 days
Caleb's birthday in 44 days

Voting day

I was planning on voting int he morning but as the day went on I started to think "we live in a Republican state, I guess it doesn't matter that much if I vote." Aaron called and reminded me that he serves our country and that it would mean a lot to him. SO, after I picked up the kids from school we headed down to the Lion's Club. On the way there Caleb and I had a little conversation-
Caleb: I think you should vote for the brown man because he hasn't been president before.
Mom: Well, I don't like some of the things he stands for.
Caleb: Like what?
Mom: Well he cut funding for our troops. I want someone who will support the troops. Especially since your dad will deploy next year.
Caleb: Ohhhh.....does McCain support our troops?
Mom: Yeah and he used to be a pilot also in the military.

So I went into vote and the kids were amazingly well in there. After I got out of the both Caleb asked me who I voted for. When we hit the parking lot I told him McCain. Caleb says," So...is that the man in white skin?"

That night when McCain lost Caleb was so mad and worried about the troops. "Troops might die now. We need to go get dad!" Aaron was awesome at calming his nerves and reassured him that he thought President-elect Obama would do the best he could to lead our country. I just thought it was so sweet how concerned Caleb was.

Kali's 6th bday

Thursday was Kali's 6th birthday. It was nice because it was only half a day of school (parent conferences) and we were able to come home at noon and get ready for our birthday surprise.

Kali's present from Granny Yo and Grandpa.

High school Musical seemed to be the theme for the night.

And Granny and Grandpa sent some money and movie tickets.

Here's a kiss for you Yoyo.

And this seems to be the face she always wants to make for the camera lately.

Our birthday surprise was going to go see High School Musical 3 with she loved and one song was stuck in our head after wards and we sang the chorus all the way home. Then we came home to ice cream and cake. The phone is in the pic bc Granny Yo and Grandpa were singing along.

Hooray! I can't believe she's 6 years old! P.S. The cake looks the way it is bc Kali decorated it. It was so super crunchy from the 50 pounds of sugar sprinkles she put on it.

Stampin it up

Kali had a school Halloween party on Thursday and someone made little goody bags with a Halloween stamp in it. Yesterday morning after breakfast I'm doing a little cleaning while the kids are still eating and when I come back into the kitchen Jack has been decorated by Madeline.After two baths the stamps are still there but have faded just a bit.

Happy Halloween 2008

We had a fun and super cold Halloween. The kids were rushing me out of the house so we started around 6:30 and were home by 7:10. It was a whopping 17 degrees! Here are some pics when we got home. Look how red Maddy's cheeks are from defrosting. Mads was Strawberry Shortcake but didn't want the freckles or wear the hat.

Kali was a rock star. I realize now that I did a crappy job at taking pics bc it doesn't show her with her pink hair on microphone on. Well, most kids were just in their snow gear and you really couldn't tell what they were. I'm starting to figure out that in Alaska you buy a costume to wear to school for the Halloween party and trick-or-treating is done in snow gear.

Caleb was a really cool pirate.

And baby Jack was a perfect little baby. I had him in his full snow gear and riding in the backpack on my back. After 40 minutes he started making some noise and I figured he was probably frozen like the rest of us. Sure enough when we got home he was practically an ice cube. Look how red his face and hands are. Poor baby.

Halloween tradition is everyone dumps out their candy and eats as much as they possibly can. I think they love that tradition.

When we were leaving Caleb wanted to go just in his pirate costume. I kept telling him it's freezing outside and he's going to be so cold. Well, he's 7 and knows everything. 10 minutes into it he was frozen and had snow in his shoes. When we got home he said, "You were right mom. Next time I"ll listen to you." Someone please hand me a video camera for that moment...

Jack enjoying his sibling's goods.

"Christ is the center of this home, a guest at every meal, a silent listener to every conversation."

Last weekend was our Super Saturday and this is what I made. The picture is a little funny bc I was holding the camera over my head bc it's on top of my kitchen cabinet.

I thought of you, MOM, when I saw this sign. I remember when you used to wear that wind-up Dracula pin. Love you.

THANK YOU AUNT ROSIE

Thank you so much Auntie Rosie for the birthday movies! We were so excited when we got the package in the mail. We love them!

Anybody want a freebie?

Every Friday is Family Fun Night which calculates into we get our Netflix movies in the mail that day and we stay up as late as possible eating popcorn. The kids usually pass out on the sofa. Well, I got 4 Free one month trial coupons in the mail from Netflix. They expire on October 31 so if you want them you got till the end of this week to sign up. Each priority code is for a different coupon. I use Netflix because I hate dragging the kids into the movie store....holy cow is it hard to get four kids past the candy section, which is by the checkout, without causing a huge scene when you say no. Anyways, if you wan them here you go. Enjoy.

Go to http://www.netflix.com/TellAFriend

Priority code:
M636146791595

M606186791955

M666106791855

M656196791445

I think she was 4

So I have to write this story down because 1) my friend Jodi has made me tell it a couple of time because she thinks it's so funny and 2) it just shows how dynamic our family is.

Every Monday and Wednesday morning I play basketball at 6am. A lovely girl named Andrea comes over to my house at 5:45 and just hangs out until her ride come and gets her for seminary. Well I got home one morning and this is what she tells me (keep in mind that Andrea is very shy and quiet):

Jessy: So how was everything? Did they all stay asleep?

Andrea: Well one of the girls got up and went into your room. Then they came out here and told me you were gone. I told them to go back to bed but instead she went and picked up her Little Pony. Then she stood at the steps so I told her again to go back to bed and she did.

Jessy: Was is Kali or Madeline?

Andrea: I'm not sure.

Jessy: Kali is 5 and Madeline is 3.

Andrea: I think she was 4.

Jessy: (me thinking, 4???? I don't have a 4 year old. Crap Jessy....you're going to have to say it.) Okay..I hate to say this but was she white or brown? (That's the part Jodi can't stop laughing)

Andrea: OHHHHHH....she was white.

Yep, sometimes in desperate situations I guess it's the only thing left to ask.

The black girl with curly hair

One of the sister's that I visit teach told me a funny story. She said that forever her son, who's Kali's age, would tell her, "I want to marry the black girl with curly hair when I grow up." She was stumped as to what he was talking about. So this school year the two of them are in the same class and when she notices how shy he is around her she puts it all together. Well, Saturday when we were at Target we ran into them and man when he saw Kali he turned all red, got a huge grin, but was really shy. LOL. Even his mom looked at him and said, "Wow, why are you so red?" We all knew why. I have a feeling that Kali is going to have that effect on a lot of guys.

The best part of my day.....

So every night at dinner whoever said the dinner prayer gets to be the moderator for "The Best and Worst." Each person gets asked two questions: What was the best part of your day? What was the worst part of your day? There's a couple rules to it. 1) Everybody has to listen and can't decided for another or make fun of them and 2) the worst part of your day can't be anything about a family member.

So Jennie, I bet you can guess what was the best part of two little kids' day.....talking to Preston. Hands down. We need to do that more often because they LOVED it.