hmmmm

Saturday is here! A day where we can relax and play in celebration because the week is over. However, there's no sunshine and it's a gloomy day. Now what?

do you know jack?

Ryan's usually very conservative in his shirt choices and really doesn't wear t-shirts with sayings on them. I got a bunch of Old Navy shirts once upon a time for $1 and $2 per shirt and he's worn those for a couple years, so he hasn't really had a lot of selection.

When I ran up to Spokane earlier this month, Cass and I went shopping at this awesome t-shirt outlet called Steve & Barry's. They had everything! They're cheap too, costing from $5-$6 each. The kids wanted something from Washington (since we live sooooooo far away--two miles from the border) so I brought back shirts.

Ryanna is getting good at Texas Hold 'Em (I know, I know) and is learning her MATH that way and so I got this shirt for her. If you ask her if she knows how to play, she'll respond, "Well, sometimes I like to check if I have good cards, and sometimes I fold if I don't like them. I like raising though." She'll even say, "Okay mom, I'm big blind, and you're small blind." (I'm what?)She even owns her very own set of chips!

Dawson loves Mr. Potato Head, this looked like him.

But Ryan's was the coolest shirt!! Since he's becoming a lawyer soon...this had his name on it. He loves it. He got such a kick out of it, even the missionaries saw it when they stopped by one night and they loved it. I know it's TERRIBLE, but if you know Ryan, this suits him!

enrichment time

Last Saturday morning we attended an Enrichment activity. There was a cute little gal that demonstrated how to cut boy/men's hair and trim a girl's bangs.



I feel like I can grow in this area, as my husband intensely questions my haircutting ability. Not sure why, really. (horrible clippers incident involving an accidental bald spot on head before an important interview last year...won't go into details)




The boys enjoying a movie on the DVD player. This comes a few minutes after Dawson was playing with Carter and pushed him down on the gym floor, resulting in a bloody nose. Poor Carter!
AND then Dawson ran off with Carter while he was in the stroller, tipped it over and poor little Carter was flat-faced again on the gym floor; screaming also, of course.

Another friend enjoying Toy Story! I thought this was so cute of Izzy, she just plopped down and kept herself entertained for a while. Dawson is quite taken with her, and talks about her constantly. Even last Sunday at church, she was in the hallway and Dawson RAN up to her, started chatting and they walked off together, holding hands for a minute. It was so sweet!!

Ryanna really enjoyed this decapitated Barbie-head. (she said it looked like a GIANT Barbie and how she "really neeeeeds one" now) She brushed all the tangles out and was very entertained. Do I see a little foreshadow here? She got her bangs cut, but it wasn't very noticeable so I'm going to attempt to trim them myself.

Who knows, I may end up doing a post about it if I botch it. But I'm confident I can do it...

olive you

Carter loves rhubarb, olives and cheese,



and hates potatoes!


He loves sleeping in his own bed,

and hates ours. (which I actually really appreciate!)

He loves Diet Coke,



and hates Apple Juice!

Olive my Carter Bo-Barter!

headaches and short-sheets

I am the eldest on my mom's side of the family and therefore I assume that since my life is moving forward and I'm having children and my own life, everyone else has to stay the same age as I last saw them. It takes me back every time I see my extended family as older, as dating, as getting married, etc. I feel so old! I guess they're supposed to grow up but not this fast!

My little (okay not so little anymore) cousin got his mission call the other night and I'm so excited for him! (I totally copied these pictures off of his sister's blog, so sorry Triners, that I'm copying you!) I totally teared up when I saw the video-clip of him opening the big white envelope. I wish I could have been there!

He's going to Brazil! Hooray, we're so excited for you, Eric! One of my favorite memories of Eric was what I accidentally did to him. I was about 8 years old. Eric was just a tiny baby. I've never admitted this outloud, so here it goes.

I was jumping on a mini-tramp with him in my arms (first "oops") and it was so cute, because his drool in his mouth would come falling out and slobber all over and he'd giggle every time I bounced him. It was great! So we kept bouncing and jumping and then after a good few minutes of this, my arms began to get tired. I was going to get off the tramp, but I wanted to hear him giggle just one last time.

I jumped and SLAM! His poor head went right into the edge of one of the bookshelves nearby. (second "oops"--I didn't pull the stupid tramp far enough from the built-in bookshelves that were on the walls) And he SCREAMED! And he CRIED! And he wanted his Mom, which was my aunt that looked at him in puzzlement. She didn't know why he was crying. I felt so bad and I have remembered that and have carried that guilt with me for so many years!

So that explains why he is the way he is...love you Eric. Sorry about the headache.

Another one of my beautiful cousins got her mission call the exact same day! Nikki is going to serve in the Ukraine!
We're so proud of you and are excited for you. My favorite story about Nikki happened back in 2000. I went down to Utah to visit some friends and family, and stayed at Nikki's house. She giggled as I settled into my room and I didn't know why, yet. We talked for a while and then she bounced off to her room to go to bed. I had been traveling for several hours and was very anxious to get inside the bed and rest my weary head...except my legs wouldn't go into the sheet! SHE SHORT-SHEETED ME! And I think her accomplice was my uncle, who would dare do such a thing.

Not knowing that Nikki was still outside, I laughed outloud and mumbled something to myself. Evidentally, she heard me and giggled even harder. We laughed and rolled around in giggles for a while after that. What a great memory of a sweet and beautiful cousin!

You will be in our prayers and we are excited to hear all about your wonderful experiences!