Football fever...

I think with football season under go... "the teenager" has to go find a way to vent some of his penned up energy! Luckily our little Taylor is always eager to oblige...

They run and play... but she really wants the ball...
And he doesn't even play fair.

Hey that's holding, you can't push her head down like that!!!!

Even when he cheats, she can still out run him....

And "break his ankles" (sorry for the wording patz... that's what the kids call it when they can out maneuver someone).Now bite him while he's down... and get that ball!

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I love it when these guys get to playing really hard like this.... it's so fun for the puppy, and since the teenager has never had any little brothers or sisters to beat up on or tease, he seems to enjoy taking it all out on the dogs. But they are all able to hold their own with him. She was growling and barking at him the whole time.

At the end of the day, none of them will sleep in his bed with him, no matter how much he begs... I think they just remember all the cheating and teasing he does to them. Plus if they can get in and find a spot to curl up on our tempurpedic... why not right?

Visiting Teaching...

I really wish over the years I would have documented all of my visiting teaching partners from church. I think I remember most of them, because I almost always become great freinds with them along the way.

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I hope that is the case this time... Meet Alison... aka Sister Bishop (she is our Bishops wife)! She is also Mom to one of my "blogger girls", and also to one of my Young Women in our Ward. I have known her almost since we moved here, but never had an opportunity to work close with her, only admired her from afar (and never ever noticed how BLUE her eyes are!!! wow she had beautiful eyes!!!).

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I am really looking forward to getting to know her better and really hope she becomes one of those great friends that I never ever forget. I will try not to be too glomy and clingy, and run her off. But I love being vt companions already!!!

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So here is my new beginning at documenting my vt companions from here on out... what a great place to start!

Ink ~ Shmink....

I wasted almost my whole day yesterday in between all the work I had to catch up on, dealing with ink cartridges for my printer.

Unfortunately this isn't the 1st time I have had to do this.

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It's so ugly, black smudges every where, even when I am trying to be careful!

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Then the printer doesn't recognize the new cartridge, then the next new cartridge won't prime, then the next new cartridge primes but the page is totally blank when it prints!!! ARRRGGGGG!!! Returning all of them, and now spending my time on research for a new printer... Laser vs. Ink jet... it's quite a controversy out there in the Internet world. I will go see what consumer reports says and go from there.

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Ink Shmink!!

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I did take time out to run go get my haircut, but didn't get a picture of me and Katie because I forgot my camera, and today it looks really weird and feels super short, so I am not sure I want to do a picture now.

Childhood Friends...

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man had a blast from the past yesterday.

His dear friend Bill Harp came to see us. The poor guy probably thinks we never pay attention to him... my husband keeps asking him how's Oklahoma, and I say Missouri, he is really living in Arkansas. (oh dear, they probably felt some of the affects from the hurricane and I didn't even ask about how that went; they really probably think we aren't paying attention)

He brought his dear wife and his mother... it was so fun to see them all.

His mom hadn't seen my husband since he was in the 8th grade or something crazy... she said she would have never recognized him. I think he hasn't changed a bit from his kooky pictures. (don't you think in that picture of the two of them, he has an eighth grade look on his face? How cute is that.)

They were sharing some crazy stories, I wasn't sure I wanted my teenager to know about his Dad. But Bill showed us a slide show on his laptop of some of the good things he is doing through his church, helping the handicap go hunting. As he shared about each picture, you could tell he is all about good works these days. And I am so thankful these two boys have finally outgrown their "wild boy" antics.

I made my Korean Chicken recipe, and as always it was a big hit. One of these days, I will run across someone who doesn't like it. But I am guessing from the near empty dish (I think even this last piece has a bite out of it?) it isn't this crowd.

This does my heart good, I am always afraid someone might not like my food. My husband tells everyone he taught me everything I know about cooking... so it kind of puts a strange message in their head from the get go.

We were sad to see Bill and Michelle leave this morning, but they needed to get right back on the road. It was so great to see them, we love them and hope to make a trip down there way in the near future. Right after we buy a gps system to find Oklahoma, or Missouri or where ever it is they live? (he he he)

Recovery from "Girls Week"...

I am determined to stay on my feet and not drop into a hole feeling sorry for myself and being all lonely without the "girls" today (like I did last year).

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So I got up, did my walking this morning.

My Sister emailed me with a great name for my goat!

Who has been singing to me, and keeping me in great spirits all morning.

Meet Abby (Abigail) Goat!

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Rudy is pretty far under his covers with the cooler morning temperature, and especially with Abby singing away... "high on a hill"! He wasn't into the yodeling at all, but still in his usual fine mood.

My girls on the other hand... they are a mess! Taylor either wants me to hold her in my lap.... or go play in the mud with her outside. Either is fine, but nothing in-between will do.
And this face... trying to work, with this face looking up at me all day!

Good Grief Charlie Brown!!!

Could they be missing Aunt Lynn and Nene any more? I think we are all feeling the same way inside.

But no time for feeling low around here... we have more company coming today!

Yipee! We are really excited to finally get to have one of my strong silent mysterious man's childhood friend and his wife and mom come by on their way to Washington. We have been trying to hook up with them over the years several times with no success. I hope today is really going to be the day.

Weekend with the "girls"...

Friday we took my Mom to go see Mamma Mia!

So Fun!!!

She kept asking why both of us had seen it and still wanted to go see it again?

After the show, she realized why we were both so excited to take her, and go see it again.

We even went and bought the soundtrack to the movie... so we could dance and sing some more! Love it!!!

We shopped... what's a girls weekend without some shopping?

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Saturday, we got up early to go do the Women's 5k Walk... and it was pouring down rain, complete with thunder and lightning!

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We drove into the city anyway, thinking it might clear up... yeah right!

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As we approached the areas to park, indeed there were thousands of women in rain coats, tarps and garbage bags walking towards the starting line.

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I had to make a decision whether to walk or not?

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I had been sooooo sick just last month, was I feeling healthy enough to go out and get drenched in this rain? I wanted to walk so badly, but even over the past two days I had been feeling the effects of bad air quality and coughing and having to use inhalers. I was afraid. I knew in my heart if I got soaked to the bone, I would be too seseptible to get sick again... I can't get sick, not again!

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So sadly, I dropped my Sister off near the starting line and me and Mom drove to the finish line at the park and waited for her in the dry car.

(We literally dropped her off... I know it looks like I only slowed the car down and pushed her out from this picture... but I did stop. he he he)
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Here is the view of the race from the finish line, going accross the ridge. Only 1.2 miles to go from here... Sis called from the ridge, and we think that she is here in the Orange.

I had to get out and brave the wet to go meet her at the finish line for a picture!

After the race we came back home, to get her dried out.

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And I left for a meeting with my Stake Leaders.

We were so very blessed to be taught by our General Young Women President, Sister Dalton from Salt Lake City, UT. And by Sister Thompson from the General Relief Society.

They were amazing, and it was a wonderful way to include more really good girl stuff in my "girls weekend".

My Mom and Sis left Sunday morning. I miss them already. But I have some wonderful great memories to keep me going until the annual celebration next year.

(note to self: Do not miss your hair appointment on Tuesday!!! Yikes!!!)

Thursday with my Mom and Sister...

Thursday, we went for our morning walk, then got ready for a busy day out.

First we stopped by a cool outlet home decor store. It's all the big rave amongst the local ladies. They have new stuff in all the time so their stock rotates every week, it's super cute stuff, and they have great prices.

This week they had a really large amount of Fall and Halloween decorations.

I love this stuff, but I have to be careful of how much I bring home, a girl can get carried away you know. So I try and just look for things I really really love and have to have, and just blog about the rest of the cute stuff that is just neat and fun to look at.

The music notes were really fun, but my Mom and Sister decided I could paint this on my wall behind the guitars instead of buying the metal sculpture.

So there you go, just in case I didn't have any projects on the shelf to do.

I loved the Moose... I think I have a thing for them. These were made from pieces of bark, and one day when I have my log home... I will buy me a moose like this to occupy a shelf.

I saw more Halloween stuff than I needed to in a year... The acorns were very cool... but a girl doesn't need anymore reminders on the shelf that she is a nut case. Fun, but Pass on these too...

My Sis found some really pretty bead garlands in an aqua marine blue color... very pretty! I got some in an amber color to wrap around some battery powered candles I found. They reflect the light and are beautiful.

Now, let me not mislead you that this was a casual shopping experience... we were in this tiny shop with 500,000 (okay that is a slight exaggeration) of our newest best girlfriends. You kind of have to put on all of your patience before you go shopping here. It's wall to wall girls everywhere you turn, grabbing and snatching and eeewing and awwing at everything, and trying to push their way through the crowd to get to something they saw and couldn't live without, before someone else gets a hold of it 1st.

So when you think you've seen everything you need to see, you get yourself out for some fresh air. And then there is more outside.

I liked the big acorns.

And the metal pumpkins.

We made it out alive... and went on down the road to the Women's Fitness Show...

Caught a great view of the Capitol from the parking garage...

Last year we got out picture made with Jared from Subway, but he wasn't there yet... his big debut would be on Friday.

But we did get to see some of the Biggest Loser cast...
Marty and Amy...
They travel around now and tell their stories and inspire people all over the world now... what a job!
Here is my sis spinning for a prize from the Minute Rice booth...

One of the booths was cake decorating... not sure how these fit into women's fitness?

But they sure did look cute.

Oh speaking of cute... Look who I found performing on center stage.

Our little towns mayor's daughter singing and promoting her new cd. I guess all the talent runs in the family.

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Then we made our way out after tasting all the non fat yogurt, protein bar samples, string cheese, and chocolate non fat milk, with our bags full of freebies and goodies; over to a local bistro downtown.

It was such a fun place, and we got a kick out of the boys behind the counter. They were working so hard... doing a great job getting the hoards of people through the line.
Don't these turkey and cranberry sammies look yummy!

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Then my Sis HAD to go to Cabela's... she didn't want to disrespect anyone in Idaho by not being able to say she had never been there!

Plus, after my SIL's hilarious post about this place last June (if you haven't read it GO NOW, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $100 DOLLARS, it's too funny)... my Sis didn't want to miss out on any of the reindeer fun she read about!

And we have proof... here she is!

And we didn't miss the big ugly catfish either.

I had to document the moment... the last time she was in town, we had to go into Costco for their non-fat swirl yogurt almost every time we came within 12 miles of the place. Even if we were going the other direction... she would ask "are we near Costco, I'm having a craving for yogurt"!

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So she got her fix. She has them at home, but claims if you eat them by yourself they are not as healthy, as if you eat them with someone else (half the points). So we shared one!