My First Tag

I've been tagged!  I love learning about ya'll from these things and  it'll be fun to think back a few years....

20 years ago (1988):  I was 7 and lived in Phoenix, AZ.  I was terrified of something bad happening (still am) and would get up after everyone was in bed and check to make sure the doors were locked.  I would also ask my little brother if I could sleep in his room.  My sister was born that year.  And that's about all I can remember!  

10 years ago (1998):  I was 17 and getting ready to be a Sr. in High School.  I was training for cross-country in the fall.  Around this time I rolled a car while trying to clean off the dashboard (oops).  

5 years ago (2003): I was pregnant with Logan and getting ready to student teach English at Sugar-Salem middle school.  Joe and I had been married for 2 years and were finishing up college at BYU-Idaho.  Joe and I were primary teachers for the 6-7 year olds.

3 years ago (2005): We were living at WyMount (student-family housing at BYU).  I was pregnant with Madison, and hoping she would come early (she was late). Joe was getting ready to start his second year at the J. Rueben Clark Law School.  We were the Community Aides for quad 4 (like an RA, and we got a small discount from our rent).  I taught piano lessons for pennies and had 10 students.  Joe interned for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Salt Lake City and also researched for a teacher.  

1 year ago (2007):  Joe finished Law School, graduated, we put our stuff in storage and moved in with my family in PA while we looked for a home outside of Cleveland. Joe studied for the bar every chance he could get (usually at the local library). We bought a home, closed July 1 and moved July 2.  I found out I was pregnant with Grant (yes, it feels like I am always pregnant, and now I know why.  I'm always pregnant).  Actually, the kids and I went to my parents home the week before the Ohio Bar, Joe stayed at a hotel in Columbus the 23, 24, and 25 (the Bar Exam is 3 days) and I think I surprised him on the 23, by phone--just to give him the extra stress of having to pass so he could feed his 3 kids!  We drove to Texas for his sister's wedding, Joe started his new job August 13, and on August 15 Madison tipped a chair over and cut off the tip of her finger.  We found out Joe passed the Bar Oct. 26.  

Yesterday:  We got home from a camping trip, cleaned up, showered, napped, and went to Taylor Thuernagle's baptism.  Oh yes, and we got a letter in the mail saying Logan was accepted to the preschool by our home.  YAY Logan!  He is so excited, and so are we.  

Today:  We went to church--I am the primary music leader, and I love it!  Came home, took naps (we love naps), ate dinner together, and got lucky enough to walk for about an hour without getting rained on.

Tomorrow:  Same old... get up, get dressed, eat, clean up, do school with the kids (just a quick 30 or so min.).  Logan starts round 2 of swimming lessons at noon, my visiting teachers are coming at 2:00.  Dinner around 6:30 (we eat late in the hopes that Joe will be home from work by then).  Family home evening and back to bed again.

Next Year:  I hope we are doing about the same things.  Logan will be 5 and ready to start kindergarten.  Madison will be turning 4, and hopefully she will be attending the same preschool he is going to this year.  Grant will be 1 and walking.  I will hopefully be done taking the 6 credits I need to keep my teaching cert. current.   I hope we have many more happy memories.  I hope Joe learns to love his job a little more.  I hope to become a better wife, mother, person, and friend.  

So now I tag 3 people?  Hotsuho, Amy Gibson, annnnd Ammie Cannon.  

wHew! wHat A suMmeR!

YES, it has been a while! We've been using Joe's laptop from law school, and he turned it on a few weeks ago to the BLUE SCREEN of DEATH, which told us it was DUMPING the hard drive! We got it to work off and on for a few days, and then it said there was NO HARD DRIVE! It took a few days to order a MAC! and now we are re-learning how to use the computer. But that means we can BLOG!! So much has happened, so please excuse the many pictures and the quick recap.


As a family, we've:

• Gone to the zoo (pics below).
• Played outside in the warm (and cold) weather.
• Mowed our own lawn (first time in the seven years we've been married!)
• Planted our first garden, too!
• Been sick.
• Signed up for the library's summer reading program.
• Celebrated Father's Day.
• Slept through the night a little better (hooray!).

Logan:

• Is taking swimming lessons, and loves to swim... (He has been saying he wants to be a farmer for about a year now. On the second day of lessons he asked me if farmers could farm AND teach swimming lessons!)
• Continues to ask the funniest questions (like: why don't they make toilet seats that two people can sit on? Anyone?)
• Loves to learn. We just finished reading Charlotte's Web. Yes, he sat through the entire thing, wanted to read it, asked me continually if we could read more. I think he understood a good part of it.
• Really wants to go to preschool. Tryouts are on Thursday. Cross your fingers for him!

Madison:

• Plays in the baby pool during swimming lessons.
• Got her hair cut--about 6 or 7 inches. First time ever. She was very sad, but what do you do when your hair ALWAYS has food in it, you hate to wash it, and you scream when mom brushes the tangles out? She still looks beautiful.
• Got dad bubbles for father's day (see pic below). We all agreed it was the perfect present!
• Loves summer treats: popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, etc. She could have them more often if she'd eat her lunch and dinner....

Grant:

• Is 3 months old!
• Started sleeping through the night (well, 7-9 hours, between 4 and 6 a.m. I'll take it, though).
• Can roll from tummy to back.
• Had his first cold.
• Started batting at toys.
• Is officially the happiest baby.

Joe:

• Celebrated being the father of three. We love you dad!
• Is excited about growing basil.
• Is extremely busy at work, which is good because he's a hard worker, bad because we'd love summer even more with him around.
• Loves me a lot. :)

Jenn:

• Likes talking to the women at the pool.
• Is happier because she gets more zzz's at night.
• Can skip her own nap and read, play the piano, clean, scrapbook or WHATEVER (blog)! (see above)
• Loves Joe a lot.
• Is trying to do school more regularly with the kids.

HERE'S TO SUMMER AND FAMILY AND A GOOD TIME ALL AROUND!

My happy boy.

After the haircut, and the reason for the haircut (icecream sandwich).

The swimming pool is only 1 block away!

Dad blows his bubbles and the kids catch them.

The cards the kids made for father's day.

Trying to keep the sand in the box. haha.

Made straw necklaces in school. Madi's hair, still long.

Ice-pops better after running in the sprinkler.

It's so fun to hit the water with a bat!

Going to the zoo. Next time we'll remember to bring Benedryl for Joe when he starts to break out in a rash while visiting the gorillas! (True, it's true!)

Playtime.

What Grant does while we play outside.

Splash park.

Totally.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Last Saturday the Wardies got together to clean up the mess my children make in three short hours each week. It takes a village . . . .


Here Jenny, Allison and Brian Hatch scrub pews to remove ground-in Cheerios John Russell left behind. (And he has the audacity to blame it on Lexi!)


Logan: "Wow, Brother Muaina! These windows are so clean, you can see my entire handprints!"


I'm just going to pass on commenting on any photo with Bishop Harmon for fear of retribution.




Dave Latham and JJ Campbell herding the cattle.


Brother Williams explaining the secret to increased attendance at a Mormon function: Food.


Brother Lee has this smile on his face because he knows he'll be long gone before the next cleaning assignment rolls around.


No comment. (But I can guarantee you who is winning this one.)


Hey Savannah, I have a suit just like that.




"Listen, Isaiah, I have to sit you here on the 'naughty curb' because your mother didn't think that was very nice. But between you and me, I think it was pretty funny."

Who Needs Sleep?

She was supposed to be asleep. But...I heard the pitter-patter of little feet, and then some banging. I went upstairs to investigate, fully prepared to lecture a little girl out of bed. And I opened the door to this...





Wait, close-up of her "rings," a.k.a. ponytail holders.



"Madison!..." but that's all I could get out before I started laughing. (I think she was pretty relieved, too...)

Memorial Day Parade

Little late getting these posted, but we certainly wanted to document how excited the kids get for candy.

Waiting . . . waiting . . . .


Logan: "Who cares if he has a gun. He has CANDY!"


A full-masked fireman is probably not the most approachable candy-giver. Madison took a pass on this one.


Do you know how much perfectly good candy made it down that drain? What a shame.


Young Sarah Peterson hooking us up.


Madison tried to take a pass on this one, too, but Jenny made her face her fear of unnaturally tall patriotic ladies.


Unfortunately a flier is covering up most of the loot. Basically, Memorial Day is twice as good as Halloween: you get just as much candy, but don't have to wear a patch over your eye, walk around rich neighborhoods, and say "Trick or Treat!" (What does that mean, anyway?)

Ten Questions: Answers, Anyone?

Logan's at that age--we hope it's the sign of an inquisitive mind. We couldn't make these up if we tried.

10. Why do hot things keep us warm?

9. Why do hot things kill us?

8. Why can't we feel ourselves grow up?

7. Why is Sams Club bigger than Toys R Us?

6. Why is Daddy browner than Mommy?

5. Why are drinks wet?

4. How many bugs did Heavenly Father make?

3. Why should we be good? (and the follow up: Why does being good make God happy?)

2. Why does sugar taste so good?

1. Why do you just say so?

Ten things Grant wishes he could say, but can't

10. Mom, you really should introduce more sugars into your diet.

9. This may come as a surprise to you, Madison, but I in fact do not like to be dragged across the floor.

8. If you people truly understood how ridiculous those faces looked, you probably wouldn't make them at me.

7. Ladies. Think I'm cute now? Just wait until my nose fills out and I learn a fake British accent.

6. Dad, stop your whining! If you think this is bad, just wait until I start eating solids.

5. Hey guys, when my eyes are closed, that means "baby" is sleeping. It's called courtesy. Try it.

4. Mom, I'm not a girl. You can either take this outfit off me right now, or you can leave me at home. I have my preference if you're struggling with the decision.

3. Banging your head against a wall burns 150 calories an hour, Dad. Try that one.

2. They're cheeks, people, not silly putty.

1. Sorry Dad, but I do like Mom better.

Take me out to the ball game

On Saturday evening, Jenny attended her first professional sporting event. After a few beers and a fight with a former professional wrestler, she spent her first night in jail.

Just kidding about the fight part. And the beer part.

And the jail part.

note from Jenn: You knew he was kidding, right? And, also, it was my first professional baseball game--but I've been to other professional sporting events. Finally, I actually really enjoyed watching the Indians beat Texas. Almost as much as I enjoyed spending time with my sweetheart (and away from the kids). We need to do this more often!

SUPER NOTE from Joe: Now that Jenny reminds me, she did indeed attend a Buffalo Sabres (Ice Hockey) game in high school. My deepest apologies. She enjoyed that game in the company of a lucky young man, who happened to not be me. No wonder I tried so hard to forget that piece of information.

The Cleveland Indians brought a 7-game losing streak into Jacobs field. The Texas Rangers were traveling as the American League's most error-laden team. Something had to give.

The night started off in classic Cleveland fashion as we pulled up to Superior and Ninth:




We had great seats right behind the Indians' dugout:



Up to bat for Tejas is Milton Bradley. That's right you Mormon game lovers: Milton Bradley. I'm not joking. I guess if you're Mama Bradley and Omar is already taken, Milton is the logical choice. The only worse name in the Majors has to be Coco Crisp. (Yeah, Coco Crisp (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=6983)).


I selected this picture from about a dozen seemingly like it. Jenny took quite a few just to make sure she got one she liked. We'll see how long this one lasts.


So I wasn't kidding about the former professional wrestler part. Gracing the field this night was Sergeant Slaughter. You guy readers (both of you--and you know who you are) will remember him from either his WWF days, or his GI Joe days. Or, as in my case, both. Probably the coolest spectacle of the night was his clothesline of Ketchup during the hot dog race.

Thanks, Jenny, for attending what you consider to be the most boring sport ever with the only man present cheering for the visiting team.

disclaimer

I just want ya'll to know that JOE is the one who writes all the random stuff (like on the quotes on the sidebar, which I just happened to notice). Don't get me wrong, I think some of it's pretty funny, but I just don't want to get the credit....and the raised eyebrows!

Kiddos, and Grant at 2 months

Grant is already two months old! Just about every day I am reminded that Madison and Logan were once this little--although it seems long ago. I try so hard to remember what it was like to hold them at this age, but all I have are some specific memories and pictures to remind me what they looked like when they were babies. They are so fun now, and I am glad babies don't stay babies forever, but the growing happens so quickly and without anyone noticing. This realization gives me motivation to (try to) enjoy every moment and to make as many (good) memories as I can.

Father n Son

Yesterday was the annual Father n' Son outing. Here are a few shots summarizing the event.


Christened "The Marriott" by Shane Manning, Logan exams his vast kingdom from his castle's portico (Logan calls the vestibule the "Garage"). I took a lot of flack for bringing such a big tent. But when I made omelets in the tent's kitchen, no one seemed to be laughing anymore.


Isaiah is strategically bundled. It wasn't that cold; Sam just wanted Isaiah's movement restricted enough so he couldn't run too far away.


I'm sure Andy Theurnaggle laments--at least on occasion--his decision to quit modeling for Ralph Lauren and matriculate into dental school. He rests assured, however, knowing that Taylor can pick up right where dad left off.


Logan's really good at toasting marshmallows. In fact, he insists on dad not helping. Blowing out the flaming sugar puffs? Not so much.


John Russell decided to sport the Russian poet look (since Garn Smith was nowhere to be found). Vondelay Reis de Silva is staring at . . . well, I'm not sure what he's looking at, but John sure thinks it's funny.

Good times by all. Good times even for Sam Meeks, who caught some rock fragmentation in his eye thanks to pre-pubescent lads that think it's funny to make fire out of small rocks rather than wood. Good times even to me, who fielded approximately 5,493 questions from Logan over the course of the campout. I have no idea why the sun is bigger than a flashlight. Bad on me.