Cuz He's Kool

How lucky am I to have such a cool kid?

I am so grateful for my "second chance baby".

I'm pretty sure I blew it with my first three - 

Rydge is like a re-do.

He was my best friend for the first five years of his life.

Then he started school and I wasn't so cool anymore. :(

I love my baby and all the joy he brings.

He says the GREATEST things!

Like: Shum-bob (for Spongebob)

&  how he is so tired of

all the girls saying he is SO CUTE! 

I am grateful for my Rydger!

He Trusted Me

Today I am grateful for a couple of specific things.

The first is....I don't have to teach RS again for three months.

!!Phew!! is what I say to that. 

 I'm sure there are a couple RS sisters 

in the congregation that would concur.

But today my heart overflows with humility and

appreciation to my Father in Heaven for

trusting ME with four of His precious spirits.

 (Pic taken right after we moved to WA in 2004)

They are little blonde angels and 

I love them with all of my heart.

I have messed up so many times and in so many ways.

We are learning together. Patience is required on both sides.

But with Heavenly Father at the helm - I have 

NO DOUBT we will conquer!

   I love you, sweet peeps!

My Hot Babe

My lover in action.

I was finally able to take a pic of his face

today while he played stake softball.

#6 - I am so grateful for this man!

He puts up with WAY more crap than any man 

should have to put up with from a wife.

 My Spencer makes me happy.

I tell him something he does bugs me and he changes.

He CLEANS the house. How awesome!!??!!

He adores me and my babies.

He supports me with my heavy load.

He is my BFF.

Besides all that he is ToTaLlY hot-stuff!

So grateful for ya babe! Love ya!

I'm straight up grateful!

This is Desi. I'm ever so grateful for Desi today.

She is a therapist, a magician, and just dang sweet.

She listens to me whine about my yucky hair 

and manages to remain positive

and not slap me.

She magically erases my gray and SOMEHOW

forces my hair STRAIGHT! 

(with a little help from Paul Mitchell)

I heart Desi.

 I'm giddy. 

Straight hair.  No gray.

Wish she could work her miracles on those 

face and neck wrinkles....

8 am - 10 pm

I had this fantabulous idea about what I was going to be grateful for today...then life happened.  I left the house at 8 am to drive kids to school and was in and out - never sat down ONCE until now at almost 10:30 pm.  (except for lunch with my gal pals which I am tOtAlLy grateful for!!!).  

Amidst all the running around town for a plethora of reasons, trying to think what clever thing I could share with you, my one blog reader, it suddenly hit me in the face how grateful I am to be so involved in so many things.  How grateful I am that my kids have friends, and are getting a great education, and play sports, and instruments, and that I too can get a great education and serve in the church, be a mom, and wife.  I'm so grateful to be a busy momma.  My life is filled with GREATNESS.   

Today I'm thankful for my busy GREAT life!!

Blessing #3

(this is NOT my leg)
As I got in the tub to get ready for the day - I sighed loudly as I realized that my legs were in dire need of a shave.  

Then I realized it's only 55 degrees outside! 

It is NON-SHAVING SEASON!!  

Hallelujah! 

I am so so so so GRATEFUL for this cool

beautiful fall weather!! (And long pants season!)

Loser Cruiser

Meet BIG RED, 

or The Loser Cruiser as she is more commonly 

referred to around here.

This beauty is what I'm most grateful for today.

 I should be embarrassed - but honestly - 

Big Red has been there for me!

She has a few quirks...

Her handles have broken off

FOR THE SECOND TIME

since we've owned her.

(Scratches just add to her unique beauty!)

 The back protective covering ceases to protect.

It was destroyed by backseat yahoos.

Now the puffy chunks of filler entertain those same 

backseat yahoos.

Not photographed is the chipped windshield (and 'chipped' is a bit of an understatement). More like an intricate 

seven pound spider's web.  

Another favorite among carpoolers and my kiddos is the back rear sliding door.  The 'protective' covering is falling off and you have to perform a little 'tap tap' maneuver before and after entering by said door.

I love ya BIG RED!! 

I'm Grateful...

I have so much to be grateful for so I thought I'd take this opportunity like half of FACEBOOK users are doing and blog about something I'm thankful for everyday this month.

This first one was easy!

I'm so grateful for my Kyle.

He has a smile that lights up a room.

He has a heart of gold.

He is a CHEATER.

See photo below.

I was honored to win first place in our wards

 chili cook-off this past weekend.

However, my chili really isn't THAT good, so I had my suspicions as to how in Hades I could have won.

I paraded uneasily around in my apron at the trunk or treat, knowing in my gut I didn't deserve the honor.

Sho'nough - my sweet Kyle fessed up and told me 

that he had cast more than his share of votes 

for the Best Chili award.

Thanks, little man, for your loyalty. 

I'm thinkin' our next FHE will be on INTEGRITY.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Fall baseball is OVER.
It has been so fun to see Rydge
literally "catch" onto the game!
Significantly less dancing in the field,
chewing on his glove,
& finding bugs in the outfield.

His fellow AWESOME Braves!
(Rydge is BY FAR the smallest
fella on the team...
we call him the Rydge-it)

Rydge receiving the "Game Ball" at his last game...
Three hits (every time at bat)
and a SWEET pop-fly catch!!
Go Buddy! You totally deserved it!

Best Coach EVER!!!
Thanks, Elizabeth!!!
(no game is complete without black eye
sunguard and a Gatorade mustache!)

How precious is this?
Rydge is Coach's little shadow.
Great season, bud!
Can't wait til Spring! :)

Hallow-wicked

I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating.

I am such a dork.

I just don't get Halloween.  Purpose, please?

It's wicked stressful to me.

Could be the absence of a single creative 

gene in my body.

CoStUmEs - it's like a swear word.

Could be I'm clueless about make-up application

 just for everyday use on myself. 

Much less fancy Halloween style.

Could be that someone with as 

little self control as I have

is tempted beyond what I am able 

to withstand surrounded by

CHOCOLATE EVERYWHERE!

Hurry up November 1st.

That is all.

Little Brain

I think my brain may be too little 

for all of these

FACTS

The Failed Experiment

Some hope filled part of me thought that

if I left everyone's crap on the stairs 

those little people of mine 

would get tired of walking past it

700 times a day

And they might just put it away!

After two weeks here is the result:

FAIL.

They just pick out what they need,

add new crap, or just.leave.it.there.

Creative Conference

I only break out the scrappin' stuff twice a year...

during General Conference.

I made a bunch of Halloween 

cards and these little treat sacks.

Hey visiting teaching ladies...

now you know what your goodies are coming in!

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

For those of you who know and love Spencer
you're fully aware that he is the 
YARD NATZI.
Because of my adoration for said Spencer, I woke up on Thursday and decided to do him a great service 
and mow the yard.
Sweet me.

BACKFIRE!!

I didn't realize the mower was on LOW 

and I gave our grass a serious buzz 

and in the process choked up the lawnmower 

so that it worked no longer.

I only made about two laps around...

The pictures don't capture my handiwork
nearly as beautifully as it appears in real life.

That's what I get for serving...no more of that.

School Spirit

Ty getting ready for the Klein Homecoming game.
Atta Boy.