Schedules and Birds

Tonight, I had every minute planned out. I was going to get my Christmas Cards finished, and work on my 3 month supply list. Ellie came home from school with 75 ornaments that her teacher wanted me to decorate. Great, there goes half my night. Then, when Darren was leaving for work a bird flew in our front door. That's right. A bird flew in our front door! The kids squealed with delight!! At first it was fun and exciting trying to catch it. An hour and a half later, sweat drenched (me and probably the bird) we released it back into the wild. The funny thing is, that this is the 3rd bird this week that we have caught! The other 2 got into our screened in porch out back. Well, I guess you never know what is going to happen in life!

Being a girl

So this morning Paul said, "I'm glad I'm not a girl!" And I said, "why?" He said, "first of all you have to have babies, second of all you have to sit on toilets all of the time- which is DISGUSTING! And third you have to watch kids all the time. " LOL I guess he does have a point!

The Fun Continues

We Played fun games last night. The fun continued today as we made gingerbread houses out of graham crackers and candy. By about 8:30 kids were starting to get tired, and Ellie had a complete meltdown. So we ended a little early tonight. Now off to bed for me!

A wonderful Thanksgiving

Twas the night before Thanksgiving, and I was up until 2. I got up at 5:30 this morning for Black Friday. And now I'm too exhausted to even finish this poem. We had so much fun! It was so great to be with family for Thanksgiving. We had such a great time with David and Marilyn. There is just nothing like being with family. And even though we were sad Christina and Stuart couldn't come, and everyone else was in Utah together, it was great to be with David and Marilyn. It was 70 degrees outside. We ate, David took a nap on the floor. Hung out outside in the sun while the men changed the brakes on Darren's car. Had pie, and then played games. The kids LOVED the flour game- as you can probably tell from the pictures. I go to bed with my full of Love and Thanksgiving.

Stitches for Paul

Well, a couple weeks after Paul got his cast off we were back at the hospital, this time in the Surgical Center. He had gotten a sliver at David & Marilyn's tree house. It was HUGE and DEEP. We dug and dug and got most of it out. Then it got too painful, so we took him to the doctor and Dr. said it was to deep and he would need to go to the surgical center. We waited about 5 days to see if it would work out on its own, but no luck. So we took him in. The Surgeon wanted to schedule a day to knock him out for surgery. I thought, "For a Sliver???!!! NO WAY!!"How much would THAT COST?? I said to the Doctor, "Can't you just numb his hand and try and get it out?" The doctor looked surprised, "well, yes, if he can handle it and hold still." Paul said he could. Paul was VERY brave, only a couple of tears when they gave him the numbing shots. He actually watched for a little, but it got pretty bloody and didn't want to watch any more. After about 10 min. of listening to the sounds of cutting and pulling (He kept using tweezers and just pulling the tissue!) I felt the blood drain from my face and felt like I was going to either vomit or faint. The Dr. looked at me, and said, "put your head between your knees, I don't want to stitch up two of you!" I pretty much felt sick for the rest of the day. I told Paul, "I am getting a treat with you today!" 4 stitches later everything was cleaned up and we headed to McDonalds for 2 Mcflurries. Poor Paul.

Bookcase and Basement

Well, here is my bookcase- it is not all the way done. I am going to paint the back of the bottom 3 shelves. You can see my paint swatches in one picture. I am also going to add some fun Green or blue handles for the 2 doors. I wallpapered the back of the bookcase. It is sort of like a wall in my TV room. The basement of this house has been very hard to work with. I have decided to make it a very fun colorful art/darren's office room. I am also going to recover the ottoman a fun bright, colorful floral pattern- like the pillow that is already there. And make some more pilows for the couch. I am also going to paint a big colorful floral painting for above the couch to tie all the colors together. Maybe I'll try and do it before Thanksgiving. LOL.

1st Halloween in Tennessee

Well, Halloween was a success! We had a great time, and the kids got a TON of candy! Ellie was a little Dutch girl, she looked so cute in the same costume I wore as a little girl. Paul was General Grievous from Star Wars. We made his costume together and had a great time. We used 2 old sweatshirts, and I decorated the one, and he helped me color it in, then he sewed the arms on himself! Kyle was Darth Vader. The temperature was great. Was a fun night:)

Fall In Tennessee

Well, if you don't like the weather in Idaho or Utah, move to Tennessee. The weather is beautiful. Fall is actually a season! As opposed to going straight from burning hot to freezing cold in Utah. Or in Idaho from where I never felt like we ever had a summer, and then it is snowing. It's like Idaho skips Fall entirely every year. Each year I lived there it when it would start snowing I would look out my front window watching the snow. I would think, "Wait, we haven't even had summer yet! It hasn't even gotten warm here! My tomatoes are FINALLY going to start growing!" But it's too late. Winter has come. And Darren and I always have an insane urge to stock up on some sort of heating supplement, because if the power goes out in the winter- you will die! And I'm not even joking. The school policy is that they don't let the kids out of school unless it is -20 ! Yea, you heard me right -20! When I was a kid my dad would tell us you could not go outside when it was that cold or your EYEBALLS WOULD FREEZE and fall right out of your head!!! One thing I learned is to never smile or open your mouth when it is that cold out. If you part your lips the cold freezes your teeth and you get an instant brain freeze. And of coarse, you always have to make sure your nose is clean, because the instant you breeze in through your nose, (remember you can not breath through your mouth) Everything in your nose crystallizes. At least I know in 9 months Spring will come. Spring in Idaho consists of 2 weeks of mud and freezing wind. Next comes summer which is 2 1/2 months of some mud and a cold wind.
BUT NOT IN TENNESSEE!! The weather here is beautiful! Fall has lasted almost 6 weeks of beautiful warm/cool days with just a slight chill in the air. Beautiful fall leaves everywhere. I love the Fall here, can't wait to see what winter is like!

Family Pictures Fall 2010

Thanks to our good friends Aaron and Katie we got these WONDERFUL family pictures taken in our yard for free! It doesn't get any better than that! We took pictures, the weather was beautiful, the kids were good, the company was good, the husband was even good! Leaves were falling, and it was beautiful. After we had hamburgers and visited- it was a beautiful evening and I am so happy to have some beautiful family pictures!