The Little Things

I am fully aware of my slack-fullness in blogging lately. Frankly, there just is not that much to blog about. Either that, or I have been too busy and tired to come up with anything creative to blog about. Everyone who knows me knows that I HATE January and February in Idaho!! They are the most awful months out of the year. I hate January and February because of the freezing cold temperatures. If it was somewhat pleasant...say 40-50 degrees, I wouldn't mind these two months so much. But I HATE the cold!! Beside that, it is very difficult to keep a two-year old locked up in the house for two months. Jason has been fighting a cold for about six weeks now and can't seem to kick it. The doctor did some blood work and found his white cell blood count was down. He suggested we not take him to nursery or playgroup or anywhere he could come in contact with other children who may be sick or have a cold. Even more reason to be upset about January and February in Idaho!!

Anyway on a lighter note, I don't have any pictures to post so I "borrowed" some off the net to capture our lives.

This is what it looks like outside



Kim has been doing a TON of this lately


Jason has been doing TOO much of this lately


And if I would allow it, his dog would be doing this with him every day


He lets our dog Sadie in the house about 10 times a day and I want to scream!! She stinks and her fur is shaggy, which ends up everywhere!! Even though it tests my patience every day, Jason loves her so much!!

I have been doing a TON of this lately


And this


Hoping one day I will look like this


Wishful thinking I know!! You can tell that Miss Keira has not breastfeed before. I would like to believe that my boobs looked like that before my baby!!

Also, I have been trying to do this but I am not getting very far


Hope you have a great week and weekend!

New Years Activities

Kim's brother Kody went to Logan for Christmas to be with his wife, Marlaina's, family. They were back in town for New Years and Kim's parents took all of us out to eat on New Year's Eve. We went to Stockmans (formerly the loft restaurant). And all I have to say is DELICIOUS!! The food was outstanding. Kim had all you can eat steak and believe it or not, he put three whole steaks down plus part of a bake potato and some sweet potato fries!! I had a scampi dish and some cheesecake for dessert. It is the best meal I have had in a really long time. I recommend it to anyone who lives in the area.

After dinner we went to my parent's house and played games. We had a good time laughing and sometimes crying (because we were laughing so hard).

My dad and nephew Kaden during a game of quarters.

Kody, Kim and Marlaina.

And to close, a picture of what Jason spends much of his time doing lately. Oh how he loves water and his toothbrush. If life were only this simple!!

Happy New Year!!

December in Review

Wow!! Did the month of December fly by or was it just me? Although time did go too quickly for me, we had a great month and a great holiday. I think the month really started when Kim finished the semester on 12th. We had a nice relaxing three and a half weeks. We were able to get a few more projects done on the house however, not as many as I would have liked. But I am grateful for what we did accomplish. We had plans to go see the lights at Temple Square but never made it down to Salt Lake due to the crazy weather. Nonetheless, we were able to enjoy our break by hanging out with family and friends, going to see Twilight (I would have been completely fine with just watching the movie and not reading the book...plus I really felt like I was at a tween movie....I know, I know that is how it is suppose to be...I guess I am just not a big fan!!), snowmobiling, shopping, watching movies at home, eating, etc.

Our friends, the McDonald's, came into town on the 15th and we were able to spend almost the whole day with them. It was good to be reunited with them again and for Jason and Lola to play together. We had received a good amount of snow a day before their arrival so Jason and Lola had fun playing on the sled.

Lola in her pink snowsuit. Kim thought she looked like a little marshmallow! Under all that stuffing is a tiny little girl! So cute!!

I thought this was a cute picture!

Here is a picture of the "sledding" crew. Shannon was such a sport. She would drag Jason and Lola up and down the sidewalk...running in high heels! What a woman!

Jason was laughing so hard and it was making us all laugh. He absolutely loved being pulled on the sled.

Christmas Eve was a little unusual for us this year because usually we head to my parents for a big party with my family, but this year my brother who lives in St. George, UT was to arrive in Idaho on Christmas Day, so we decided to hold off on the party and wait to hold it until Cody and his family arrived. However, due to the threat of the weather Cody and his family left Utah on Christmas Eve and made it to Idaho before the terrible storm that hit. So on Christmas Eve we went to dinner with Kim's parents to Texas Roadhouse and then headed to my parents for secret Santa. Secret Santa has been a tradition in my family for years and we all love doing it. So of course we had a good time despite the cold and windy weather. We finished our activity around 11:30pm and Kim, Jason and I headed for home. We made a bed on the living room floor and all slept by the tree with the Christmas lights still on. Right before I fell asleep I said, "Merry Christmas Kim. Merry Christmas Jason." And Jason responded without skipping a beat, "Merry Christmas mom."

Christmas morning Kim and I woke up at 6:00am (Kim is like a seven year-old at Christmas time and I tease him of it and his only reply is "You can't hear the bell!!" I am grateful that Kim is still young at heart because it keeps things fun!) and exchanged gifts. Jason didn't wake up until 9:00am so Kim and I put in a Christmas movie and watched that to pass the time. At 9:30am we received a call from my mom telling us that her road was completely blocked off due to snow drifts. I was hoping that would happen and it did!! We were able to ride our snowmobile out to see our parents. It was a nasty day to be on a snowmobile but, nonetheless, it was fun. After stopping at my parents we headed to Kim's parents. Then at four we met back at my parent's for a Christmas dinner and the party. We had a great time and it was fun for Jason to play with his cousins. They sort of made him the spotlight and he was eating it up. We taught him the first couple lines of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. He put his own spin on it and his cousins thought it was hilarious!! It was fun watching them play together. We all wish they lived closer so Jason could have more family members his age to play with. Here are some pictures from our adventures.

Jason and I during our Christmas party at my parents. Caleb is the cute little boy with the Binky in his mouth. Caleb and I share the same birthday....only 28 years apart!!

My dad trying to help Jason get Elmo Live out of the box. This was probably his favorite gift, or at least the one he plays with the most.

Jason trying to put his new Elmo slippers on. Can you tell what character is popular at our house? Oh yea, the toothbrush...Santa left that for Jason and he wouldn't put it down most of the morning.

Can you see the enthusiasm? I think Jason was too young to really understand the whole Christmas and gifts thing. I guess we didn't really help the situation because we didn't take the time to teach him about Santa. I figure he will learn soon enough.

Jason and Jessica in their new Christmas PJs. Thanks Grandma Howells for sharing. They really came in handy!! Jason and Jessica are only four months apart in age. They had a great time playing together.

Jason as Joseph.

Mary, Joseph and an angel.

Mary and the angel.

My brother Cody and his family.

My brother Ryan, his wife Jan, their daughter Tallie and our niece Anna.

My sister-in-law, Chandra, playing us some Christmas songs.

Kim and Jason after riding the snowmobile.

My parents on Christmas day.

Christmas Tag

I can't believe how quickly Christmas is coming!! Today we received a good amount of snow and it really set the stage for the holiday!! My biggest wish for Christmas is for us to get so much snow that we are snowed in and can't leave the house!! How fun would that be?!?

I saw this Christmas tag on Holly's blog and thought it was fun so here you go...
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper--definitely. It is so fun to buy!!

2. Real tree or artificial? Real tree. Kim is a stickler on this and I have grown accustom to it. I love how real trees smell and I enjoy picking "our" tree out each year.
3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving weekend
4. When do you take the tree down? Around New Year’s
5. Do you like eggnog? Not really
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Shopping cart!

7. Hardest person to buy for? All the guys on my list!
8. Easiest person to buy for? My husband
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? My dad's flannel shirts!! One year my mom got confused in the chaos of wrapping gifts for so many different family members that she wrapped my dad's flannel shirts and put my name on the present!!
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Miracle on 34th Street and Polar Express
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Around the first part of November
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't believe so
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Oh lets see.....pretzel salad, deviled eggs, chocolate, and my mom's homemade chex mix
16. Lights on the tree? Wouldn't have it any other way!!
17. Favorite Christmas song? This is a hard one....I am not sure I could pick one. I really like all Christmas music.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home for sure
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both!!
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The pressure of buying someone a gift and not knowing what to get them.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I am a big fan of red, gold and silver

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Anything my mother or mother-in-law cooks!!
25. Favorite family Christmas tradition? Secret Santa

I tag anyone who wants to play!

This and That...starring Glenn Beck

We finally did it...we broke down and bought a new functional TV!! We had an old JVC 32" monster for about 5 years. It may not seems that bad but it weighed about 60lbs and treated us to a high buzzing sound every time it was on. With the whole "TV going digital" era upon us, we figured it was probably as good of a time as ever to get a new TV, which is really quite funny because we don't even have cable. But we figured three channels were better than none. Merry Christmas to us! We love it. It has freed up much room in the living room and it is nice to have the TV and DVD player out of the reach of little hands. Jason made his affection known for the new addition. The morning after we bought it, I went into his room to get him out of his bed and the first thing he said to me was, "I need to see the brand new TV!" He loves pointing it out and telling everybody he talks to about it. I am not sure who loves it more, Jason or Kim's brother Kody!!

Don't mind the cords hanging down...we have a shelf we are going to put up behind the TV, which will store the DVD player, the Wii and hide all the cords.

Jason the following morning holding the "brand new TV" remote.

Last night Glenn Beck was signing books at our local Barnes and Noble bookstore. Kim and I took advantage of this opportunity to meet Glenn. Kim has been a avid listener for about 6 years now and got me hooked about 4 years ago. Every time we were in the car between the hours of 3-6pm we would turn the radio to AM 590 and tune it to Glenn. I have always agreed with much of what Glenn says, although I must say there have been a few times when I have disagreed and he has disappointed me. But through it all, I enjoy listening to him. I believe that he has a good heart and is a great man. He proved this to be true. He seemed very genuine and sweet. Every old lady that came through the line he would grasp her hand, look her in the eyes and say, "Hello" or "Thank you". It was sweet to watch.

Before he started signing books, he talked to the crowd of about 700 via the PA system at B&N. He said that we must all face our weaknesses (or storm as he called it) head on and be who we are. The "bad side" is too strong and powerful for us to be weak. We each need to be who we are and everybody is needed. Not bad advise if you ask me.

He even gave a shout out for Idaho. He said, "I have been to a lot of cities. I have been to some nice cities and some not so nice cities. Out of all the cities I have been to, Idaho by far has been the great cities I have visited."

Kim was able to shake his hand and I had about a 10 second conversation with him. He is one person I would really like to sit down with and have a deep intellectual conversation with.

Here are some pictures from our encounters.

Kim and I waiting patiently in line. We were number 215.

The 214 people in front of us.

See how sweet he is! I was so impressed because he never looked at the book he was signing, he looked directly at the person.

Glenn addressing the crowd.

Kim only has two more days of test and then we are free for three and a half weeks!! Hopefully we can get some snow and be able to enjoy this time of year!! I have several more things to share but I am getting grunts and sighs from Kim. So I guess that is my cue that I have reached my limit (it is 11:46pm and Kim is trying to sleep while I am busying typing on the laptop in bed. You don't mess with Kim and his sleep.) So until next time...

Things I am loving lately...

There are many things that I am grateful for (e.g., family, education, friends, health, baseball, shelter, etc) but I thought I would take a different route this year and record the things that I am really loving lately. Here they are:

• Jenny Oaks Baker- She is amazing!! Kim and I had the opportunity to see her perform at BYU-I and I was completely blown away. She has been given such an incredible gift. I have ordered her O Holy Night album and... WOW!! If you are looking for a great Christmas CD, you will not be disappointed in this one.

• The cool Idaho weather- It has been chilly in the mornings, but the afternoons are so beautiful. I truly love this time of year and the crisp feel that is in the air. I went into Target today and couldn't help but feel excited for Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday. What a neat time of year. Here are some pictures of our fall "projects". FYI- racking leaves with a two-year old is not the most productive project!!

• Windows Movie Maker- My sister turns 40 tomorrow and my nephew 17. I had to take advantage of my sister's old age; therefore, I put together a movie of her throughout the years. It was so easy to do and turned out so good!! Happy Birthday Lori and Austin.

• My husband having the whole week off of school! It is so fun to hang out and to work on some never ending projects. Kim put up our outdoor Christmas lights yesterday!! We love to turn off the inside lights and gather around the window and stare at the lights. It is so magical!! Jason loves looking at the lights and has asked several times today to turn the Christmas lights on.

• Black Friday shopping! Can shopping really get any better than this?? I am SO excited. I love just going and hanging out with my sister, mom, sister-in-law, her sister, and my aunts. What a fun time it is!!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! What a special time of year. We all have so much to be grateful for. Although some may have more than others, I think if we dig deep enough inside ourselves we can find much to thank our God and Creator for. How grateful I am to be spending this time of year with those who I love the most!!

7 Random or Wierd Facts About Myself

I was tagged by Courtney and have been putting off answering this tag. I become some what insecure when I have to open up to people and let them "in" (Liz, I know you can testify to this!!). I guess it is because I fear that they will think I am "different" once they know the real me; however, I am not sure why I am this way. Nonetheless, here are my seven facts....and please still be my friend after reading this post!! JK
1- I hate chewing gum. It really turns my stomach. I hate the smell, the taste, the texture. I hate seeing people play with it or chew it. And most of all, I hate it when people sit it on their plate or glass while they eat...and then put it back in their mouth!! There has been a couple times when I have actually gagged because it was so disgusting to me! So needless to say, my husband has to chew gum when I am not around. Sorry babe!
2- I always wanted to be a CEO when I grew up. I didn't care what corporation it was for, I just wanted to run and manage a major business. Isn't it funny how life takes you down different paths than you would have expected!!
3- I love surprises! I love them so much that I did not find out what sex Jason was when I was pregnant with him. Kim has a hard time keeping surprises and so this creates a challenge sometimes!!
4- I am not the most organized person in the world. I felt like I was extremely organized before I had Jason, but the whole birth and postpartum thing really did me in! I have finally come to grips that I will probably never be "that" organized again and that is OK.
5- When I was on my mission, I thought it would be so neat to have a set of twins. However, now that I have one child I think that I was absolutely out of my mind on my mission! What in the world was I thinking? No offense Jen!! I think twins are the cutest thing, but I don't think I personally could handle it.
6-I have a terrible habit of reading several books at one time, and then not finishing the whole book. I love reading; however, I am an all or nothing type of person. I want to set down and read the entire book at once. If I can't do that, and I NEVER can, I find myself losing interest in the book quickly because there are so many other things I think I could be doing instead of reading; therefore, if the book does not "have" me within the first little bit...then it is out the door.
7- I much prefer to live in the city than the country, which is completely opposite of my husband. So far I have persuaded him to see the "light" but we will see how long it lasts!!

So there you have it!