1 Year Blogaversary!

Wow! I can't believe it has been a year since I started my blog!

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In the beginning I was really excited, but also afraid... I wanted to begin something creative that I could use to keep my family linked to us without pushing it on them.

But nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep it going.

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I guess I made it a year, and now I am hooked. Here are some things I have learned over the past year as I blogged.

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I love that I have a journal of the things that have happened over the past year, and I hope to get it printed into a book for my birthday each year!

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I have dipped my toe into SPT's this year, but found I really don't like pictures of myself! (I might regret that later, when I want to see what I looked like without wrinkles and white hair someday, or just want to keep track of all the crazy hair changes I make... so I am trying to "get over it").

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I like having deep thoughts, even if I don't always know what they mean... sometimes it was fun just to talk through them.

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I have loved reading family and friends blogs, but found out that I could spend so much time out there searching blogs that I get over whelmed and days on end can go by before I can tear myself away, so I just stick to family and friends now... I stay away from searching other blogs... it's way wayyyyyy too addicting! So I pick and choose where I go blog reading very carefully.

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I found I love cooking blogs as much as I love cooking shows.

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I love to take pictures, but my picture taking has changed and I think more about the story than the pictures now.

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I really like having days with nothing pressing on the calendar, but they are hard to blog about.

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I have worked very hard at not just blogging the good and happy things, but tried to be real about what I blog... I want it to be a journal I can come back to and learn and grow from my mistakes too.

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I found out that I am more sarcastic and negative than I thought I was and I really don't know where I got that from, my family is not that way.

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A year goes by really really fast, and I hope I have kept enough memories with my teenager that will comfort me when he leaves home. (I might have to get more dogs).

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My Strong Silent Mysterious Man lets me take his picture more often than I thought he did.

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I hope I have as many pictures of me with my teenager, as I do of him with his Dad.

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I have been more thoughtful at keeping goals of taking better care of myself, serving others, doing something creative on a regular basis since I have had my blog to keep me accountable.

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I have gotten way better at self portraits and can even get in a sign in the background now!

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I wish my Strong Silent Mysterious Man would read my blog, it would be a neat way to show him what I am thinking without flooding him with all that talk, he gets tired of hearing me talk all the time.

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I sometimes wish I was more Strong Silent and Mysterious and didn't wear my feelings on my sleeve, but then I might not have much to blog about... a double edged sword.

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I know that truly have a love for blogging because when anyone asks me about it, I can go on and on and on and on about all the good things that have improved in my life since I have been blogging!

4th of July 2008

The majority of our 4th of July was spent in bed, resting... well coughing and hacking and sneezing mostly, but trying to get better from being so sick.

I really missed going to the parade and all the fun festivities in town.

But we did manage to get out of bed for one very special event!

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A Baptism!

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One of my husbands scouts who he has been working with over the past 2.5 years and mentoring on the guitar was finally ready for baptism. Actually he was ready and really excited about 2 years ago when his Mom got baptized.

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But his parents are divorced and his father was not ready to give permission for him to be baptized and since he was only 12 at the time... he needed that to move forward.

So finally with his fathers blessings Luke entered the waters of baptism on the 4th of July, and he asked my husband to do the ordinance, since his Dad is not a member of our church, and does not have the proper Priesthood authority. He had family there with him for his special day, his mom and dad of course, and he has a younger sister, and his grandparents on his fathers side came to be with him also, they are a very quiet shy family, but you could feel how special Luke is to them, and it was really neat to be a part of that. Our Bishop has grown very close to this kid too, and he had such nice words to say about Luke, I could see his grandmother smiling from ear to ear - I know she felt all of our love for her grandson too.

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My Strong Silent Mysterious Man was so honored and excited to be a part of this.

It meant even more to him, since he was not able to baptize our son. So he could kind of relate to Luke's Dad and sympathize with his situation. He was very comfortable with my husband since he had been at a few jam sessions and knew he and Luke had a good relationship. Luke also asked our teenager to give a talk on the Holy Ghost.

So most of our day was spent helping him to prepare that, since he only had one day notice, he was pretty nervous about saying the all right things.

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It was just a very special evening for all of us!

The teenager did a great job presenting his talk... My husband was very moved by the power of the ordinance, we all cried and talked about it together afterwards.

I couldn't think of a better way to spend my 4th of July celebration!

It will be a special day Luke will always remember as well!

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It was still warm and all of us were weak from fighting off the sickness at our house, so we came home and changed clothes after the baptism and would go get a bite to eat for dinner. When my Mom was visiting in May we found some patriotic t-shirts and got them to wear for 4th of July.

So I made the boys put them on, so we could get a picture together in them before the day was over.

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So we changed into them for pictures, and then proceeded out to grab a bite for dinner at Taco Bell... as we got out of the car, the teenager looked down and said out loud "OH GREAT, WE ARE WEARING MATCHING SHIRTS"!!!

We laughed so hard. Here he was on the 4th of July - 16 years old being dragged around by his parents in matching flag shirts!

I will have to add that to our list of most embarrassing moments for the teenager!

It wasn't intentional, but funny none the less!

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Somewhere in time, you do transition from being the embarrassed teenager to getting a kick out of your own embarrassed teenager!

I could feel his pain (because I remember all too well the embarrassment of my parents), but it was still really funny!

So here we all are on our back porch watching fireworks until the mesquitos starting eating on me... then I was back in bed for the night!

Happy Independence Day!!

Cousins in town...

My husbands cousin Troy is in town from Ohio with his wife Connie and their two dogs, Captain and Rufus!

We got to go by Aunt Fays and visit them for just a short time on Tuesday night, they had just driven in from Montana.

Aunt Fay has two dogs, Harley, and Precious... so with all four it was a dogapalousa!

But really fun to see them... Troy is a big fisherman, so I am sure there will be another big catch to report over the next few days while they are in town.

Happy 16th Birthday...

June 30th 2008

Happy Birthday to the Teenager... Sweet 16!

Since the teenager already got his golf club and lessons for his early birthday (remember I was pouting), I had to really work and try to make it feel like his special day without just spending money on him.

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So I had come up with a few solutions, but he still ended up with two meals eating out! Quite spoiled!!! But we had a fun day.

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As it started out, I had to go into the city and pick up a new motor for our irrigation pump for our neighborhood. Yes, the fun never ends.

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So we were trying to figure out what else we wanted to do since we were in town.

I still LOVE going into the city!

So I let the teenager pick... and no big surprise he wanted to go out to eat lunch!

So we ended up here at PF Changs!

He got the cutest waitress, Jessica, that was all into the excitement of him turning 16.

She was a golfer too, so they had lots to chat about!

His Papa is always asking him to send a picture with a cute girl... so here you go Papa!
It was fun to have this time alone with him to talk and let him know how much I enjoy being with him. I know these times are definitly far and few between as he grows into a man, so it was precious to me.
His cute waitress kept telling him he would get to pick out a dessert on the house for his birthday, so to save room for it.

Obviously, being the growing boy he is... wasn't too impressed when the double fudge chocolate cake he was craving and saving up for... came in a shot glass.

Cute but not very practical! I was laughing when I saw the look on his face when it arrived. Priceless!!

Then we went to the dollar movie and saw "Horton Hears a Who", some parts were really funny, very Jim Carrey, we were totally cracking up, some parts were just too cute, very Dr. Suess, and some parts were so dumb, we almost got up and walked out.... it was going so well. They really should have gone back to the editing room one more time.

When we got home and Dad came home from work, we had a scavenger hunt for him. The point was to give sentiments with candy and a few small presents to let him know how much he is loved and give him some insight into his value and worth in our family, and then to give him a clue to the next prize... leading him to end up in his bathroom which I had gotten a new shower curtain and towels in some more manly colors, since he had been living in pink and girly colors for litterally 16 years.

... in the beginning we almost had to give him every single clue, and he wasn't even reading the sentiments!!! uggg teenagers!!! he was really spoiling it... like he was only in it for the presents....

And then I had to put up with all the riffing between the boys... sorry about the rude comments on the video, one of these days I will learn how to edit them out. Boys!

Of course the birthday picture... with both of my boys and the traditional chins in the air shot trying to be the tallest...

And here they are with their feet actually on the floor... yes Dad I think he finally passed you up!

He makes me look like I am sitting down....

That evening Dad wanted to take him out to dinner, so he chose the Japanese Steak house... and his favorite chef didn't dissapoint. The egg spin, the flaming onion volcano and the shrimp toss! It was really fun and super good food too!

And a Happy Birthday Cookie... (it was hard to top the double fudge chocolate cake in a shot glass, so I went with the giant cookie).

HAPPY SWEET 16!

WE LOVE THIS KID!!!

#33 in your program, #1 in your hearts...

Saturday June 28th 2008

Tri-Cities Fever comes to Boise!

Our nephew, Tali Ena plays for the Tri-Cities Fever, and Saturday they played against the Boise Burn. So my husbands sister called to invite us to go with them to the game. We were so excited!!!

She has been trying to get us to come visit them for family get togethers, and go to games... but we have yet to even meet her husbands kids. We love him and know all about him through Debbie and Pat, they are so proud of their kids. And the teenager has followed him as he has played college and professional football, he even has him set up as a player on his playstation game. So we have fondly claimed him as "our nephew", or the teenagers "cousin"... but hadn't actually met him in person until Saturday. When they arrived into town, we went out to dinner at our favorite bbq rib joint.

Pat, Athey(sp? Tali's wife), and Debbie (I promised I wouldn't paste a bunch of pictures all over the Internet of my sis n law... sorry!... she hates getting her picture taken, but she was such a good sport... and this one turned out really cute.... so sorry, I am not to be trusted with pictures).

The ribs were so good... even Pat the rib King liked them.... and he was eating really good until we started talking about the game, then he couldn't eat anymore. Proud nervous Dad, it was really super neat to see him in this way. I had always picked up that he loved his kids and was really close with them, but to see it in action, was cool!

I think part of it is their culture, but part of it, is just who he is.... what a good example, my boys can hang out with him anytime!

Here we are... one happy family!

And here is the teenager looking on at the game...

Even more thrilling... he wears the same number as the teenager #33!

(the teenager picked it early in his baseball playing days because his Dad's number was always #3, and 33 was the number of days Jesus walked on the earth, so it was something very meaningful to him). We didn't get a chance to ask Tali why he wears the number #33 if it was chance or chosen?

He is 6'5" and I had to giggle everytime the coach leaned over to give him a new play, he was standing on his tippy toes and still only made it up to his shoulder pad with his mouth.

Here is Jacob with Tali's wife watching on....

My strong silent mysterious man and his sister!

He caught a t-shirt thrown up by a cute half dressed sexy cheerleader... I was teasing him, that he must have been flirting with her during the game to get it thrown right to him. But it doesn't matter, we can't wear it anyway, it's a Boise Burn shirt, and duh... Tri-Cities Fever Rules!!!

The Teenager and his cousin, his hero... finally together for an official picture!

I asked the teenager what he thought about the experience afterwards, and he said he was most impressed by how Tali conducted himself on the field. No bad language, he didn't get angry or throw a fit at a bad play, or a bad call. He was calm cool, collected, and composed. The other really impressive act was after the game when some of the players from both teams came together in a circle in the middle of the field and took one knee and had a prayer together. That was cool!

He was truly a good guy and a good example and role model for the teenager.

It was such a fun night, we were so grateful to be with our family and had such a fun time at the game. It was definitely a night to remember.

The teenager and his bff...

The teenager had some fun with his bff (best friend forever... this is just a joke at our house from the commercial about text messaging on tv... I guess boys don't really have best friends... dudes just hang out).

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But these two are pretty good friends, their birthdays are just 7 days apart, so they have been able to stay together in their sunday school classes as they advance.

Of course their favorite past time... video games! These two have spent countless hours doing this together... but this is their first time on the new futon... looks like it fits well.

I think I really want a Wii, so they will get up and get moving while they play video games.

... a game of golf!

They both played their best games ever!!

While my strong silent mysterious man caught up on his sleep for the week... and Morgan stayed watch so no kitty cats would get him in his sleep!

Fish On!

At the end of my husbands work-a-thon last week, with many many hours on end working, even a few all nighters... he gets invitied to go fishing.

He asks me if he can go (I should be really really grateful for just the request alone... after talking to the captains wife, he just said Im going... and didn't even ask her opinion or get permission at all)... I have been on this side of this question before.

I am the bad guy if I don't let him go... so of course, what am I going to say!!!

(I hate being pointed out as the bad selfish wife who won't let her husband go have fun) Go... go fishing with your buddy, have a great time!!

I tried not to have an attitude, or murmer that I had not seen him much all week!!!

But I pretty much wear my feelings out there on my shirt sleeve, and I am the QUEEN... well the princess of guilt (my mom is the queen... sorry mom! one of those goliaths we live to overcome right? it's hard when it comes down generations and generations and generations).

It took some working through before he left. I tried to be more understanding that he really wanted to go, even though he was really tired.

And he tried to be more understanding that I had not seen him much, and really missed him and wanted him to be home.

So when I shouldn't be taking it personally that he wasn't leaving because he didn't want to be with me.... (yes, sometimes a girl just wants to hear it, as silly as it sounds when you say it outloud).

Then I had calmed down and come to some terms that I could be happy for him to go have a good time on a boys night out!

I am sure he was thinking, "why does it take her so long, couldn't she just feel this way from the beginning?", sorry but this girl just has to work through the process sometimes.

So here are some pictures from the big catch!

(and the captain and my strong silent mysterious man)

He was a 7 foot stergeon and in our state you can't take them out of the water, it's just catch and release! So if you want pictures of them, you have to get in the water with them.

Back to Blogging...

Today I am going to attempt to catch up on my blogging... at first, life was just spinning out of control, and I was sooooo busy, I just was too tired at the end of the day to blog, and up early hitting the ground running the next day and not taking time to blog before each day began.

Then... I got sick. Sicker than I have been in a very long time.

Oh, I am not a good patient when I am sick... the moaning and groaning, the short temper, the snapping at anyone and everyone I love. It's not a pretty sight.

Today I am at least able to get out of bed, but still pretty sickly.

It just stinks to be sick on the 4th of July!!

We have had some amazing fun memorable times this past week and I want to blog about them so those wonderful memories don't fade away, and I can keep a precious part of them with me forever.