This Girl

This girl...

Grew up to be this woman...

And I don't know where I would be without her. My mom just had a birthday and I already told her how glad I was that she was born. I mean, without her being born, I wouldn't be here... But it is so much more...

There have been so many times that she was the ONLY one who understood. The ONLY one who knew what to say.

I called her so many times from college and even though she was far away, she knew exactly what I was going through and exactly what to say. Many times, it was just to go to bed, that everything would look better in the morning. Advice that has also come in handy now that I am a mom.

I remember how she made our home smell so great with her cooking. Oh, how I loved the smell of dinner when I walked in the door after a long day. I remember how she remembered all the details of my friends' lives so she could keep up on the latest story. She knew how to make me laugh. She would come in and dance with me in my bedroom. She always knew what to do with teenage drama. :)

She can talk to anyone, anywhere and boy, can she tell a story. Truly, it is one of her talents!

Her faith in God and her devotion helped me understand the importance of my testimony and my own convictions.

She taught me so much about how to be the woman I am today. So here's to you Mom. Thanks for everything. And Happy Birthday. :)

While Dad's Away

Andy was gone for 90 minutes. In that time, G. put a Lego stud in his nose. (This is the best picture I could find. Ignore the fact someone made them into earrings...) He calmly came out into the hall with smeared blood all over his shirt sleeves and his hands trying to get it out. Luckily, I pushed on his nostril in just the right place and it popped out.

THEN, A. got his knee stuck in the slats to his bunk bed. He was pretty calm until I couldn't get it out. I told him he didn't need to worry, since we would cut the board before we cut his leg. Then I tried lotion, which luckily slipped that baby right out!

I seriously think God gives moms this special sense for what to do, or a special memory to remember what others have used as solutions. I also believe in the "Mom Gift" that helps moms remember exactly where to find things that kids need. You know, that one where when one of them ask where it is, and you can tell him to look over, around, and behind that, and that, and that, to where it is exactly located!

Funny Things

So I have told you about my clever 4 year old. He is at it again.

- G. asked me why we need Christmas money if Santa makes all the Christmas presents. At the time, he was riding in a shopping cart and we weren't talking about Christmas at all.

- He asked why Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck wear white gloves. Anyone have any answer for that one!?!

- He asked his preschool teacher how the lights turn on. She told him that we flip that switch on the wall, to which he responded, "Yeah, but how does that turn on the lights?" He often asks her questions that in order to answer, she would have to use vocabulary words he doesn't know.

They Can't Believe It

Stephanie, one of my two best friends from h.s., came to visit this weekend. It was so good to see her. I told my kids that she had been my friend since I was a girl and they couldn't believe it. I guess either that I was ever that old... or that I had friends from that long ago... or that I had friends... not sure which. ;)

This is us before each having THREE boys. When we were young, naive, and excited to take on the world.
Do we look wiser now? More experienced? My vote is more tired. ;) LOL

I am grateful for Stephanie. I have so many memories of times we shared. (In fact, as I was straightening the house, I remembered her and Kari helping me pack my bedroom the night before I left for BYU. I laughed at all the stuff I have accumulated since then.) Not only did we have A LOT of fun, but she probably had some influence on who I am today. And she always got the inside front cover in my yearbook.

Here are two pics of some of our boys. Crazy how we both came from families with little testosterone, yet here we are! :) Both of us love it though!

Student of the Month

We got an email to invite us to the assembly where A. got student of the month. We are so proud of him. He has had a great year this far!!! Isn't he handsome. :)

The Cruise!!!

Andy's office manager told me about 2 months ago, "Now you are going on the office trip, right?" I hadn't even heard about it, but once I did, the answer was YES! Dr. Lee's office staff went on a 3 day cruise to celebrate meeting their goals and they were generous enough to invite me. I have great sister in-laws that helped watch my kids. Thanks soooooo much J., C., and A. I am glad that Andy and I had left them in April or I would have never had the guts to leave them for 3 nights. Of course, they did great. And Andy and I had so much fun!

Our boat out of San Diego



The Docs and their wives. This was an accidental picture but we all look better in this one than the one on purpose... ;) We had so much fun hanging out with S. and K. We are also glad they made sure we made it back on the boat after entering Mexico with only I.D.'s and no passports. :)


These are the office ladies that help Andy get it all done and keep him laughing. He really likes working with them and it was fun for me to get to know them better. I think they liked seeing him when he is relaxed and getting to know me a bit too.

Ahhh, to eat with no kids. No bibs, no whining, no feeding anyone. :) I tried duck and lobster for the first time. And surprisingly, duck tastes like HAM. Who knew!?!


Us on Dress-up night! We clean up pretty well, I guess.



Andy and I after we returned from shopping in Ensenada, Mexico.

Every night, the housekeeping staff folded your towel into some animal. We had a turtle and something that was debated to be a viper or seal. This was the best of the three.

At the San Diego Airport, they had a bunch of rocking chairs. I am not sure why, but we took pictures sitting in them. Here is Andy laughing at something he just said. I love candid pictures of him. :)

Here we are practicing for old age. ;)

We bartered for these cape/mask things in Mexico. The boys LOVE them and they were 3 for $14!!! K. is a power ranger and it is actually too big for him. They are cute running down the hall wearing them.

These are just pictures I found on the internet of our ship since it was a pain to lug around my huge camera. Also, I am not sure that my camera could have captured these anyway.

This is the atrium. It has 2 glass elevators.

We played miniature golf and ping pong. I am definitely better at mini golf. But I didn't know how much Andy likes ping pong. This course was on the very top of the ship and was surrounded by a track.

This is the pool. We were both surprised it was so small. It really is the size it is on the Love Boat!

Andy and I had a lot of fun and it was very relaxing. We will definitely go on another cruise. We felt like 3 days was just about right unless you are really excited for your destination location. Thanks Dr. Lee! And thanks to Andy for being so fun to hang out with for 3 days! I am still really glad I married this boy. ;)

A Little Dirt, A Little Fun, A Little "Whew"

So last weekend we went camping. We haven't gone with all three kids, and the last time we went G. was just about a yr. old. Andy was off for the weekend so we borrowed necessary equipment, planned, packed, and headed off. Notice I always dress the boys in super colorful, non-camouflageable shirts. ;)

G. had lots of fun playing in the puddle at the water spigot. Andy had to remind me that is what little boys do when they camp.

A. had a lot of fun throwing rocks and throwing things in the fire. Andy had to remind me that is what little boys do when they camp.

K. climbed on things and picked up pine cones. I was fine with that, until he fell off the curb he was climbing on. :( Actually, he fell about four times, but he is a tough little guy. He only cried once.

K. slept GREAT. He even slept in. Of course he slept between Andy and I and got to hold my hair 'til his heart was content. He has never taken a binky or a blanket. I am his soothing object of choice. (We even tried to replace me with a Barbie, unsuccessfully.) But he woke up a little grumpy.

We had a lot of fun. But it was still really hot when the sun was out, so apparently next time we camp, we must drive farther north. But it was a good venture for us. We got away from home and enjoyed being together. And it was good to get really dirty and enjoy nature.

The "whew" in the title refers to this little camp visitor...

When I was in the tent with A. and G., Andy was outside by the fire with K. He strongly informed us not to get out of the tent since a skunk was sniffing around our table and garbage. And was headed to sniff our tent!!! We were so quiet and we heard him scratching around the zipper. He headed away for a bit and then returned when I was almost leaving the tent to brush my teeth. Oh would that have been an adventure!!! "WHEW", I say. :)