{HaPPy LeAp DaY!}

{See you in 2 years!}

Bryan leaves this morning for the MTC. He was so nice to come over and say goodbye to Sammy, since she won't be able to go to the MTC. As she was leaving for school she said, "I'll see you in two years!" I can't believe that is how it will be. I can't bring myself to say goodbye, everytime I hug him I try to say something and I can't, tears just come instead.

{PRoVo HiGH}

(picture by CRAIG DILGER/Daily Herald)

!!!tee.hee.hee!!! - look what I spied with my big, fat, juicy eye (as Landon would say)... Keyan in the newspaper. He is sitting in his Chinese class. Keyan's the 2nd from the left (black jacket on).

{Purchase your own Temple Clothes}

I forgot to mention a few things about our last temple outing. We were at my brother's mission farewell and Christian asks me, "Did you remember your foreign language hymn book?" I had forgotten that I was asked if I would need language cards while at the temple.

We have been told many times before to purchase our own temple clothing. I have 2 dresses that I can't wear because I have yet to have them hemmed (it stinks being short!) But my poor brother - He walks into the Celestial Room. He pulls his hand out of his pocket and makes a sour face. Later we find that his pockets had some previous users fingernails in them :( GROSS!!!

{I can SEE clearly now ...}

Ally-gator finally can see! She failed her school vision test a few months ago, but she freaked out over the thought of wearing glasses. I wasn't about to tramatize her for life over it, so we decided it would be best to ease her into it and talk about how great it will be. A few weeks ago she found an old pair of Sam's glasses and tried them on and checked herself out in the mirror. She came running to find me to tell me, "it's ok if I get glasses now, even if they make me look a little different!"

Luckily she got two pairs, since the first pair broke on the way home....go figure!!!

{Rowdy Bunch!}

20 February 2008

My youngest brother, Bryan, went to the temple for the first time. He leaves for the MTC in one week. We were all so excited for him! Now going to the temple is suppose to be peaceful and reverent, but that never seems to be the case with my family. The funniest thing to happen was while we were sitting in the chapel, Chris was asked to follow a gentlemen out. The guy told him his zipper was down, all the way down! Chris came back and told us what happened. My brother (Jason), Chris and I spent the next 10 minutes trying really, really hard to stifle our laughter! We weren't quiet by any means, it was too darn funny. Then in the Celestial room my dad got shushed. Now he wasn't being even the slightest bit loud, but apparently to some you aren't allowed to talk at all. When we left he said, "If that's how the Celestial Kingdom is going to be, I'm not sure I want to be there!" :) He was kidding of course - right, dad?!!!

{60th}

I can hardly believe it! My dad turned 60 years old yesterday. What a crazy milestone to wander across ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

(We took him out to eat at McGraths and they had a lovely fish hat for him to wear while we sang to him - Thanks for being a good sport, dad!)

{GooGLE MAPS!}

I think this is so cool - Sometime between last night and this morning google maps (maps.google.com) put up the street view for my area. How crazy is it?!!! I love it!!! The picture doesn't go all the way down my cul-de-sac, but that's my house right in front of you with the 2 vehicles in the driveway. I checked out my old house and our next door neighbors kids are outside riding their bikes and another neighbor is sitting of their front porch.

I'm just glad my kids weren't

outside picking their noses!!!

It looks like every day more areas across the U.S. are being done. You should check out your address!

If you are not familiar with it:

• go to maps.google.com
• be sure to click the street view button in the top right area of the map
• zoom into your city and any street that is outlined in blue is one that you can view in the street view format.
• an orange person will be present and you can drag and drop that person where ever you want to be (use the X below the person to make sure you drop down on the right street).
• then a window will pop up with the view of the street. You can look all around (complete 360 degrees)
• enjoy!!!

{♥♥♥}

♥♥♥HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!♥♥♥

"If you don't know what love is, just wait until Valentine's Day..." Lyrics to Ally's Valentine's Day song.

This is Landon's Valentine's box.

(P.S. Landon won best built Valentine's box @ school)

We l♥ve you all!

{Go Huskies!}

(picture by ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Monday, February 11, 2008

Front page of the Seattle Times -

Eliot, cousin Diane's son, made the front page of the Seattle Times. He's a huge Huskies fan. He is the one with the headband in the lower right corner.

{The best part of February 9th ...}

Happy Birthday Chris!

Besides the fact that it's Chris' birthday, I love that for a few short months, if you look at our ages, it would seem that Chris is two years older than me!

Ha! Ha! Old Man!!!

{Solids & Designs}

As part of trying to get our children to be independent we have always (for the most part) allowed them to pick out their own clothes to wear. We learned early on that the best way to not be completely embarrassed by them is to tell them they could wear (referring to shirts & bottoms) either -

2 solids

or

1 solid and 1 design.

For the most part this has worked well with my kids.
Landon use to say, “…but I’m wearing salted & design!”



Then along came Ally ...

(I guess she has the basics down!)

{It's hard to swallow ...}

I'm so sad...I just found out that Mitt Romney has decided to back down from his presidential campaign. I know that mathmatically after "Super Tuesday" it was going to be nearly impossible for him to win the nomination, but I was still hopeful!!! I'm proud that he ran such a good campaign, even his opponents said he's an excellent businessman and a great family man (these were before today). I hope that Republicians will be more open-minded next time around, and I expect to see Mitt run again in 2012!!!

{GO VOTE!!!}

Today is "Super, Duper Tuesday!"

Please go VOTE!!!

{New General Presidency}

4 February 2008

Our church leaders yesterday sustained and set apart President Thomas S. Monson as the 16th Prophet. His counselors are - Pres. Henry B. Eyring & Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

I had pulled out my latest conference Ensign prior to the press conference. I looked over all the men in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (which was actually 14 at the time). I thought anyone of these men would be great as general presidency members.

Since Elder Packer said at President Hinckley's funeral that the next senior apostle has always been the new prophet, we knew for sure it would be Pres. Monson. Then at the press conference, before it started a reporter remarked that Sis. Eyring and Sis. Uchtdorf were both seated in the audience. When they finally stated who was in the new General Presidency I just knew it was as it should be!

{Praise to the Man...}

27 January 2008

An hour after our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, died the news hit the airways. I love President Hinckley. I am so happy that he can be reunited with his Marjorie, although I couldn't help but be sad. It's no surprise that I cried (a lot). I didn't mean or expect to. I learned so much from him and every time I heard him talk I came away wanting to be and do better. I spent over 7 years teaching children in Primary about him and telling all the great stories from his life. He is truly a remarkable man who was inspired of the Lord to move our church forward and taught through his own example. I will miss him.