Clifford

We were able to go see "Clippord" at the library tonight for the love of reading week. Meredith was even able to join us and she was so excited to go. She even had a pair of ears to wear, isn't she cute! She remembers him being a lot bigger when she was little. When Jason, Meredith's son was little, he would always say he wanted a yellow dog that he could call "Clippord, the big yellow dog." He was so cute! So now we have my girls saying Clippord, in honor of cute little Jason. As I was looking around at the kids tonight, I realized that I had the cutest kids there. But that should be no surprise to anyone :)

My updated wish list

Just in case anyone (Meredith) wants to surprise me with a gift just because you love me, here is my new list. Feel free to buy whichever, or maybe even several of the things that I want/need. I even promise to not return it or them. :) Happy shopping!I like blue, but would accept any color

size 7

any size in the princess cut

I already have the block and a few knives, but still need the steak knives and some of the bigger ones

I need a place to store paper so I know what I have
only available from stampin up


Le Cruset 6 1/2 quart

Proline kitchenaid toaster

KITCHENAID KPFP850OB - Pro Line Series Food Processor

Proline chef's blender

Ateco Cake Stand, 12"

If these are not enough ideas, let me know. I'm sure I can force myself to think up more.

A good laugh

This is one of my all time favorite emails that I thought I'd share for those who haven't ever seen it or to those to have and just need a good laugh.

Challenges of the Ladies Room

My mother was a fanatic about public bathrooms. When I was a little girl, she'd take me into the stall, teach me to wad up toilet paper and wipe the seat. Then, she'd carefully lay strips of toilet paper to cover the seat.
Finally, she'd instruct, "Never, NEVER sit on a public toilet seat. Then she'd demonstrate "The Stance," which consisted of balancing over the toilet in a sitting position without actually letting any of your flesh
make contact with the toilet seat. By this time, I'd have wet down my leg and we'd have to go home to change my clothes.
That was a long time ago. Even now, in my more "mature" years, "The Stance" is excruciatingly difficult to maintain, especially when one's bladder is full.
When you have to "go" in a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women that makes you think there's a half-price sale on Nelly's underwear in there. So, you wait and smile politely at all the other ladies, who are also crossing their legs and smiling politely. You get closer and check for feet under the stall doors. Every one is occupied.
Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter. The dispenser for the new fangled "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook if there was one but there isn't - so you carefully but quickly hang it around your neck (mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."
Ahhhh, relief. More relief.
But then your thighs begin to shake. You'd love to sit down but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance" as your thighs experience a quake that would register an eight on the Richter scale. To take your mind off of your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you would have tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more.
You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It is still smaller than your thumbnail. Someone pushes open your stall door because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet.
"Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle, and sliding down, directly onto the insidious toilet seat. You bolt up quickly, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly ashamed of you if she knew, because you're certain that her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get."
By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, sending up a stream of water akin to a fountain that suddenly sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged off to China. At that point, you give up. You're soaked by the splashing water. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket, then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks. You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past a line of women, still waiting, cross-legged and, at this point, no longer able to smile politely.
One kind soul at the very end of the line points out that you are trailing a piece of toilet paper on your shoe as long as the Mississippi River! (Where was it when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this."
As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has since entered, used and exited the men's restroom and read a copy of War and Peace while waiting for you. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?"


This is dedicated to women everywhere who have ever had to deal with a public restroom (rest??? you've got to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked question about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other woman can hold the door and hand you Kleenex.

Stop the madness!

Recently KSL did an article on blogging and the dangers of blogging. Sure, there are some freaks out there that might use a blog to find you, but I doubt it. Seriously, if someone wanted to kidnap my kids, I highly doubt they would google search blogs in GR to find just the right kid to snatch. What is the likelihood of that happening? For those of you that read the article, keep in mind that the "stalker" was a close family member. The point is, you never know who is going to end up being a stalker. Most people looking at blogs are just nosey, me included, not out to hurt you or your loved ones in any way. I guess now that most people are going private, my favorite past time, blog stalking, is a thing of the past. Most peoples blogs that I look at, probably don't know it and therefore, I am just too embarrassed to ask to be on their "privileged" list. We have a tracker that tells us who has been on our blog, how often and for how long. No need to fret over a few curious people. Until I no longer feel safe, our blog will not be going private. Read on freaks!

Janae's first date

For her birthday, Scott gave Janae a coupon for a dinner and movie date with dad. She has been waiting for the new Madagascar movie to come out to go. They headed out to eat at Grub's for a burger and fries. Then they went to the theatre for the movie. Because we are cheap and won't pay for overpriced candy at the theatre, Janae filled her purse with Halloween candy to snack on during the show. Popcorn is something we, or at least I splurge on, nothing like movie theatre popcorn, but never candy. They came home full and happy.

Since Janae was going out, I decided to make it easier on myself and not have to listen to Addyson whine all night, by taking her on a date. We ate at Bonsai then did a little shopping. She needed some new dress shoes and we also got some groceries. What a fun date!!

They both had a good time having some one on one time, that we plan on making it a regular happening. We have few dates for ourselves, but look forward to our dates with our girls.

My baby

This picture just goes to show that my babies will never be too big to snuggle on my lap and fall asleep.

"First Date Kit"

Addyson come home from school today excited about what she had made. She proudly told me that she had a "first date kit". She even had an cut on her finger that needed a band aid, imagine that . When I tried to correct her, she insisted that she was saying it right. Whatever, no sense in arguing with someone as hard headed as myself.

Hope you don't need more than a band aid if she comes to help you in an emergency, that's all she got in it.

She is so proud of herself. She's also showing the smile she smiled for her class picture today.

Our over-achiever!

Janae is one smart girl. She is the youngest kid in second grade, but one of the smartest. I volunteer in her class 2 days a week, so I know this, not just think it. Every morning, the first 30 minutes of school are spent in reading groups to help improve reading skills. Janae is in the highest level group. They are learning the "no-excuse" words for 3rd grade right now. "No-excuse" words are words the kids need to be able to say and spell with no problems, no having to really think about them.

Mrs. Legerski is always commenting on how good Janae is at math. That must be because she likes it so much, just like her dad. She is good at having "fact-power".

In second grade, the kids start reading A.R. books. They read a book at school/home and then take a quiz on the computer to test comprehension. The students are encouraged to be in the 5 point club every month. They get between .5 and 1 point per test they take. As of last week, Janae already had 10 points, double what she needed! That puts her a month ahead. She plans on keeping up this pace to see how far ahead she can get.

On Monday, Janae takes a spelling test at school. It's just a pre-test. The last day of the week she takes the actual test. For several weeks in a row, Janae has gotten 100% on the Friday test.

We are so proud to have her for our daughter and we are pleased that she is such a good student. We love you Nae-nae!

Bowling

We started a at the beginning of the year a little reward system for the girls. We made little pouches and they decorated them and I got some star shaped beads to use as counters. For every positive behavior 1 or more stars was put into the pouch. But for every negative behavior, 1 or more could be taken out. It took a while for them to get used to the system, a few times all stars were lost and they had to start over again, but they eventually got it. The rewards were predetermined, as a family.

For 25 stars: a movie night (going to Redbox and eating popcorn downstairs)

40 stars: ice cream at Arctic Circle or Cold Stone

60 stars: a date with Dad (or mom)

100 stars: family bowling

If they chose to receive a reward after the stars were counted on Monday night during family home evening, the number of stars for that particular reward was taken out of their pouch. Addyson had a hard time understanding the concept. After only a few rewards and minus the stars, she decided to save them us for the "BIG" reward.

We tried going three different times with no luck. The first failed attempt, the computers were down at the bowling alley. The second was a league night and all the lanes were being used. The third time we went with friends but weren't able to get a lane after waiting 45 minutes. So we decided to give it one last try on Saturday. We were able to get in and have a good time.

Addyson got to go first since it was her reward. She is a natural.

Janae's throw has improved so much since the last time we bowled as a family.

Addyson started back by the chairs to run and throw.

The youngest member of our family whooped us all. I don't know that I have ever broke 100 in bowling. (In my defense, I've only bowled about a dozen times in my life.) Addyson was extremely lucky getting 4 spares. She seems to be able to do anything she tries without much effort. Lucky girl!

Our little miss smarty-pants

Tonight as we were reading the scriptures, the word bestowed came up. Addyson's little hand flew up, like it does when she has a question. She wanted to know what bestowed meant. We told her that it basically meant that something is given to you. Without missing a beat, she informed us that the mail lady bestowed mail to us today. We were kind of shocked that she was so quick on her feet. She can usually think of something for any word we give the definition for. Another example tonight was the word restoration. When told that is means bringing back something that is lost, told us about something she lost and how it was restored to her. She is one smart cookie!