Ryan on Channel 12!

Ryan was on Channel 12 this morning introducing Keller Williams' Home Buying Stimulus Program. He and his friend, Christopher Holmes (lender), were there at the studio EARLY this morning. They were actually on twice-once at 5:30ish and then again at 6:30ish. I wish I had the 6:30 one because between the two, I prefer the second one. In the second one, he smiled more and looked more relaxed. That and he followed my suggestion to button up his dress shirt one more button.

Goodbye Betsy, the Beta

Not too long ago, Hattie's Beta fish, Betty, died. We've had this fish for quite some time now and even though it was Hattie's fish, I was the one to cleaned the bowl, I was the one who made sure she fed it, I was the one who did all the dirty work. I digress.

As soon as she found out this fish had died, I swear, she screamed a scream that made me think the house was on fire. Scared the bejeebies out of me. She has a flair for the dramatic but pretty soon we calmed her down, inspected the situation, and explained that fish get old too and they sometimes just die. (actually, I think I was the one who killed it. I cleaned out the fish bowl earlier in the day and looking back, I think the water was too warm when I put the fish back in? I might have cooked the fish???)

Thinking the situation was under control, I promptly took the fish out of the bowl and just flushed it down the toilet. I swear, I didn't think anything of it. WELL...if we thought we had tears before, we were wrong. She couldn't believe I just flushed her BELOVED fish down the toilet! I was feeling awful because not only was I pretty sure I killed the fish, I just assumed she knew that when fish die, we just flush it down the toilet. That's what my dad did with all his fancy fish...right?

Moral of the story, when your daughter's pet fish dies, spend the extra time to go bury it in the back yard. It will save you all a lot of tears...

I'm going to write my mother of the year speech right now.

The 100th Day of School!

Tuesday was the 100th day of school and Neeley's class celebrated in a BIG way! All the kindergartners were asked to put 100 items on a hat and wear it to school. Here is what we came up with. Not only did she get to wear a fun hat to school, Zero the Hero came to visit her class and had them trade in their 100 pennies for one dollar!

Birthday Monsters

Westy's birthday Monster cupcakes. Now, these were fun to make.

Happy Birthday Westy!

West only a few days old and already modeling his groovy socks.

Today is West's second birthday! Whatever would we do without our little boy?!

Westy was the easiest C-section out of all of them, to my great relief. When I was in the recovery room I was inspecting all his toes, fingers and little body parts. I noticed immediately that his ears are just like Ryan's. They have a little bend in the back just like Ryan's ears.

Westy has been an entirely different experience for us. The girls taught us all about princesses, dress up, makeup, and all things girly. West on the other hand is pure boy through and through. From the minute he was born, I could always distract him with spinning his little car wheels and he would settle right down and watch them spin. West's favorite things to do are going for bike rides, riding in the stroller on a walk, throwing balls or anything that can be tossed in the air, jumping on the trampoline with all the kids, changing his clothes over and over and over again, pushing his "ganket" around in the truck, playing trucks, cars, trains, and watching Cars.

West talks incessantly. Nonstop. Again, his Father's son.

We love our little Westy. He brings such a new flavor to our family. No little boy has ever been loved on more.

We love you West!!!

Headbandz

Sally and Valoy gave the kids the cutest game and we have had big laughs playing it! The game is called Headbandz and the object of the game is to guess what your character is on your headband only asking yes or no questions. We played together the other night and I couldn't help but snap this picture. He IS such a tomato.

Change, part 2

I guess I just needed MORE change! I think I'm done now. Not much left to cut.

Reading lists

Not too long after we moved to Phoenix, a friend mentioned that she hadn't read anything in such a long time. I laughed and told that I think I had read hundreds of books that year, namely Clifford, Fancy Nancy, Curious George Books, Cinderella, etc. Hattie and I read books every night before bed, a common tradition that still continues at our house today.

I was thinking about the above conversation this past week as we visited our local library. It is one of my kids favorite things to do and we don't go often enough.

So, here is our list of reading materials we've read this last month or two.

Mom lent Ryan this book last October. When she first handed it to him it was brand new and in perfect shape. We just returned it to her last week and it was tattered, creased, and well worn. So sorry mom. Ryan, my mother-in-law Sherri, and I all read this book from cover to cover. Great read and I was so captivated by this little known story in American history.

I have to admit, I have always loved Condoleeza Rice and have always been impressed by her clarity of thought and her real "genuine-ness." When she came out with this book, I heard her interviewed her on NPR and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. She grew up in the 50's and 60's in Birmingham, Alabama and witnessed first hand all the racial tension during that time. Her father was friends with Martin Luther King, Jr. although didn't always agree with his antics. Such a great read. I just found out that she spoke at BYU last Thursday and then headed up to Park City to play at a benefit concert. (She is an accomplished piano player as well as being brilliant!) I would have loved to have heard her speak.

Ryan gave me this book for Christmas because he heard it was a classic and knew I was looking for a good book. Loved this novel and can certainly understand why it is a classic.

Hattie has read cover to cover all the A to Z mysteries she can find. She loves them all. I am looking for another series she can really sink her teeth into. Suggestions?

Neeley is becoming such a great reader! She read this classic from P.D. Eastman all by herself the other day. I was so proud of her and after she told her teacher, was invited to read a portion of it to her Kindergarten class.

Last but not least, we all know Westy is obsessed with cars, trucks, and balls. He has his favorite books that fit those categories, for sure, but we recently found a new love...animal noises! Yesterday in church, he was trying (not so quietly or reverently) to scare Neeley with his impersonation of a bear. Very scary indeed.

Something for my children....part 3

Kids, when you are serious about kicking an intensely painful cough, go to the doctor.

The doctor may prescribe you a heavy duty cough syrup with codeine, an antibiotic to treat the bronchitis and the pneumonia, an inhaler with a steroid to prevent inflammation in your bronchial tubes and also your lungs , and even another inhaler to help as a breathing treatment and to help relax bronchial muscles.

DO remember to go the doctor BEFORE you have pulled a muscle around your ribs due to your severe coughing. DO remember that this is extremely contagious. DO remember that you come from a long line of people who don't like to go to the doctor until they require four different medications to cure a cough that has developed into something more severe.

Words of wisdom.

Change

"A woman who cuts her hair is is about to make a change..." Coco Chanel

Okay, not a great photo, but a change!

Something for my children...part 2

Okay kiddos. I know that earlier I told you that to cure a cough, drink warm milk and honey. Now, that remedy is still very good. Here is an even better (and odder) remedy.

Take Vics (you know, the smelly chest rub) and smear it all over your feet at night. Then, put on a pair of socks. You will be able to sleep through the night without coughing. Trust me, it works!

5 of the funniest real estate listings of 2010

The doll is in every photo of the listing and her behavior gets increasingly bizarre as the tour progresses...

Okay, maybe not too funny if you’re an animal lover.

Truly home staging on a budget. I thought it was actually kind of sweet (if misguided) how the pair of vases “staged” every room of the house together and gave us the tour.

I’m still not sure what she’s so happy about.

Of all the crazy listings we looked at this year, this one, with scantily clad “models” lounging around in a hideously decorated mansion, took the cake.

Something for my children to always remember

A nasty chest cough can be solved with a few remedies. Warm milk and a spoonful of honey. I know it sounds so bizarre, but honestly, it works. The milk is used to coat your dry throat and the honey is a natural cough suppressant. Tristen told me she used honey instead of cough syrup and I was incredibly skeptical. Turns out, she was right! I supplemented the milk and honey with a nice dose of Mucinex, but still, I'm a believer.

Let them eat Cupcakes!

This year, Tenille gave me the cutest book for Christmas- "What's New Cupcake?" It is the sequel to my favorite "Hello Cupcake." If you haven't seen it, check it out! Here is what the kiddos and neighbors created. I love our neighbors and our creative kids.

Happy New Year!!!!