Grandma C's

I love going to Grandma C's for dinner.  The food is always great and from the moment I met Grandma and Grandpa C. I was immediately welcomed into the family and wrapped in arms of love.  It was no surprise to me when we adopted the boys that those arms of love were extended to Wannabe, Giggles and Smiley.  So when I tell them that we have a dinner invitation to Grandma C's they are jumping up and down with excitement.

I also love taking pictures at their home.  This past Sunday was a cold day though so it had to be super fast!  Apparently Grandma saw me out the window and was laughing as I ran the boys from place to place before we froze to death.  

We love you Grandma and Grandpa!!!

The Love of Music

The love of a good beat sometimes forces our body to move. You just can't stay still.

Last summer on one of our Lake Powell trips the little boys were driving us insane on the drive home (what's so unusual about that???) so we told them that they had to close their eyes and take a "nap". Brett turned on an ABBA cd for us to listen to. I just happened to turn around and almost busted out laughing when I saw that instead of napping, Smiley was moving to the music. He did, however, keep his eyes closed in compliance for the napping rule (at least until the second song came on at which point I caught him opening his eyes .... busted!!!). This video clip was during the first song.

Still, he had his dad in tears he was laughing so hard. I'm so glad my camcorder was at hand to catch this moment.

For Love of the Game

Today's edition of Carin's love challenge is dedicated to Sheriff and his love of basketball.  He is currently playing with some friends on a local team and having lots of fun playing games on Saturdays. 

Sheriff is not a typical basketball player... I say not typical because he has some unusual moves.  He sometimes twirls, sometimes does a homerun slide down the court (I wish I had a shot of that one) and his hands are always busy doing all kinds of unusual moves.  You really have to see it to believe it.  Pictures just don't do it justice and he moves so fast they end up blurry.  Or is it that I'm laughing too hard that my camera is shaking???  You decide.

He moves to the beat of his own drummer.  I think he definitely is a combination of my husband and myself - a basketball loving dancer. poor kid!!! hahahaha!!!  just kidding!!!  

He is one awesome kid and I love going to his games.  I'm sad it is only once a year and for just 8 games.  But he loves it so much he takes every opportunity to use the court in the backyard to practice his "skills" in the nice weather.  

Well... my love of chips is calling to me so I must end this post and heed their siren call.  hahaha!!! 

Sisterly Love

You're Awesome... No You're Awesome...No You're Awesome  (if you are April you will know what this means)  Happy Birthday April!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For today's highlight in Carin's February challenge I couldn't pass up the opportunity to focus on my sister April because it is her birthday today.  Today she turns ....... just kidding!!!  I'll let her tell you if she so chooses.  But let's just say she is OLDER  than me and I'm 38 turning 39 this May.  

What can I say about my sister April?  She's verrrrry mysterious....

Just kidding... here goes...

1.  She is a mother of two boys (one serving a mission in Madagascar and one a teenager).  So right there you know she is awesome because she is surviving raising two boys.  I'm still working on that - we'll see how it pans out 15 years into the future.

2.  She has survived many trials and difficulties and has maintained an awesome sense of humor.

3.  She has me as a sister with my lack of fashion sense, lack of humor, lack of coordination etc. etc. yet is still willing to acknowledge me as family.  Now that's love!!!

4.  April has a great sense of style and knows how to decorate.  She also knows all the staff at Eddie Bauer by name (without their name tags on).

5.  April has a gift for listening and comforting.  She always seems to know the right things to say and has helped me during many difficult times in my life.  

(disclaimer: I can't take credit for the above picture... obviously... I was doing karaoke and had NO IDEA  my sister had serviettes in her ears while I was singing.  Frankly I should have had serviettes in my own ears.  I would have spared myself the pain.)

6.  Although April claims to hate change she is more savy than I am with technological advances such as text messaging, blogging and computer programs.  She started blogging after me and if you look at her page and mine you'll know what I'm talking about.  I have no idea how to add things to my page and do links within a post.  Perhaps I should have her help me???

7.  April is gifted with supersonic mom radar and can tell at any moment if her kids are where they said they would be.  I pray for this gift when my boys are teenagers.  :P  (she also worships Coke machines)

8.  She is witty and always has quick remarks and comebacks.  Sometimes I just turn the t.v. off grab some chips and just listen to her and Brett talk back and forth.  It's like watching an episode of Seinfeld.  

9.  She's a hard worker and puts her all into everything she does whether at her employment, something she is creating, a home project, or self-improvement.

10.  She is beautiful inside and out.  

The Language of Love

For today's installment of Carin's February challenge I turn your attention to the language of love.  Brett has had to go out of town a LOT lately and this trend will continue indefinitely during this economic recession.  Unfortunately the company has had to bid a lot of out-of-town jobs.  At least we have a job right? :)

Anyways, Brett often leaves at 5:00 am before any of us are crazy enough to get up so when we DO get up at a saner hour we find notes that he has written us or emails he has sent throughout the week.  Sometimes I find notes in odd places later in the week.  For the boys he leaves their note at the breakfast table telling them he loves them and what fun activity/activities he will do with them when he gets home.

This week I found my note here ....

You don't get to read my note.  SORRY!!!!  If I let you read mine Brett might never write me one again!!!!  I can't let THAT happen!!!!  Although I do keep everything remember so I suppose I could just start hiding old cards and notes and pretend they were new ones if he did stop writing me notes.  But that's kind of sad and pathetic... kooky really.  But who ever accused me of being normal? oh wait... me!!!!  I'm ALWAYS saying I'm the only normal one in my family.

But I digress...

Brett also calls a couple of times each day asking me how I'm doing (checking my sanity and how many kids are in time-out).  Actually come to think of it he doesn't actually ask who is in time-out but asking me how I am is a natural lead in to that don't you think?

Each day the boys pray for dad that he will be safe and I pray he won't be a minute late getting home from out of town(for multiple reasons).

We are so grateful for Brett.  He works hard for our family and showers us with love.  Thanks for all you do Brett!

Baby Love

Who doesn't love a brand new baby?  Okay maybe if that baby is crying and pooping all the time it's not your favorite thing to deal with - but this baby... my brand new nephew was the quietest, best baby of the day (and there were some noisy kids in church in yesterday!!!) :P

Carin's challenge this month is to capture love and as you can see, there were many who held Mckay or who looked on in adoration.  (and many didn't get a chance to hold him because of the baby hogs!!! just kidding)

Welcome to the world baby Mckay.  You are surrounded by lots of love already!!!

Pretty As A Princess

When you have 4 boys and a husband you often feel overwhelmed with with the testosterone in the house and the fighting, boy games, trucks, cars, Yu Gi Oh this, Pokemon that, Bakugan battles etc. etc.  There are no Barbies, no necklaces (well that's not entirely true... Grandma got them shark tooth necklaces from Kauai)  no My Little Pony or Strawberry Shortcake, no cute skirts or socks to dress them in, no cute princess dress-up clothes or tiaras, wands, wings, purses or bracelets to wear... sigh. 

So when we went to my brother-in-law's house after his baby boy's blessing and saw an ADORABLE princess chair I JUST COULDN'T HELP MYSELF!!!!!  

Needless to say Smiley did argue with me about sitting in it at first... "but it's a princess chair!!"  

me:  "I know.  just sit down"

Smiley "but it's a PRINCESS chair!!!!!"

me:  "I know.  just sit down."

I won.  And he even smiled.

And don't we all have to build up a good stock-pile of blackmail pictures of our kids anyways??