Thursday, January 31, 2008

Flashback Friday...Happy hands club


So for those of you that have seen Napoleon Dynamite you might remember that he was in the happy hands sign language club. Well that club wasn't made up just for the movie, my cousins Ashley, kerry and I were actually in one of the original "happy hands club" although it was just called the signing choir then. We thought we were so cool. The funny thing is that we totally did the Rose song that they do in the movie, the same way they do it. Our leader I guess you could say, his name is Dan Robertson, but we called him Rob, he moved from here to Preston Idaho where Napoleon Dynamite takes place and he started the Happy hands club there. He called us all the time bragging about his club and the twins etc... (the twins are in the movie) he also called me one morning saying that his girls are in the new Napoleon Dynamite movie and that I have to see it. So he is the one that I guess choreographed the n-sync song that summer does, and he did all of the same songs that we did over 10 years ago. Yes it is quite embarrassing to admit but oh well we thought we were so cool then.

And as something similar to what Michael would say on the office, " I guess you could say that we (my cousins and I) are famous because we were once in the the signing club that now entertains thousands and is famous..... He actually said on that one episode where Dwight does the public speaking, Michael says, I entertained the man that entertained a thousand men....
Anyway blah blah blah.

Another week of Flashback Friday .

Thoughts on Thursday

So here are some of the thoughts that I've had that are sort of inspiring to me they probably aren't new to anyone else but I have realized that whatever type of person you or others have pegged you to be doesn't really matter because you can change that for example, I always said that I am not a reader, I hate to admit it but I never fully read the books required for school, just read enough to get me through the quizzes etc.. but now I love to read and look forward to the times that I can....

another example is that I always hated running, but something clicked inside me and with some persuasion of my sister, now I try to find time and opportunities that I can just go out and release some of the energy I have by running and exercize.

Also I never thought I could be interested in history or politics but as I learn more I want to know more, Maybe it's just that we mature and grow as the days go by but I feel like if you set your mind to something you really can do it and enjoy it.

My sister Mandy gave me a birthday card one year that had this picture on it of us...(yikes), and all it said was "aren't you glad we get better with age?" I totally feel like we should be getting better with age, hopefully that is the case, I talked to a friend just the other day that I haven't seen in probably 8-10 years and we talked about how we aren't the same people we were in high school, thankfully, although occasionally we run into those that haven't changed one bit and that is sad but basically my thought are that whatever you set your mind to do you can do it, and nothing should be limiting us from learning and achieving our full potential.

Ok I'll get off my soap box now.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

1 to 5


So I know that I have forgotten the blogging thing lately, but I've just been keeping my head above water this last week or so. I went and tended my sisters 4 kids for 8 day's while they went to Samoa. How could you pass up a trip like that, (she is going to return the favor this summer when Ryan and I go to Nauvoo) anyway, I did ok, I wasn't sure I could do it going from one child to 5 but I managed to feed them and get them off to school, hey we even read scriptures every morning, and had FHE.

They have a fun house in Mapleton, I guess I should say a cabin, I felt like I was in the country and really not a part of the world, which was nice in a way. It was very peaceful once I got the 2 little ones to bed for naps and the rest were at school, I read and played the wii, heck I even got some cleaning done. So like I said, it was peaceful except for the wind storm which come to find out were 100mph winds, came and blew everything in their yard to pieces, I wish I had taken a picture, it was crazy, anyway that was an adventure, the house was literally howling and the 2 babies were scared, so I had both of them in my lap and I also brought the dog that is not allowed in the house in, for fear that she would blow away, and we all sat huddled together watching cartoons.

All in all I feel like I did an ok job, one thing is for sure, I'm confident now that if I had another kid I could do it which I didn't know if that was the case before. It's amazing what you can do especially when you're not sure if you can. we are definitely stronger than we think.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Mount Pleasant.


Two weekends ago we went to Mt. Pleasant with some of our friends it was so much fun even though Kate was sick the whole time she had a good time too. Here's some shots of things we did, but I'm so bummed, we forgot our camera for the most fun of all. we went snowboarding for free!. there is this cool place that you can drive up and drop off those that are going to snowboard, and pick them up at the bottom and do it again. It is a real hill, like a ski resort sort of. it was so much fun! Thanks Sam and Ginny or I guess we should say ginnys family for letting us go to their house.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Freedom!!

Ok this probably sounds crazy...ok maybe not but today I got the whole house cleaned, I exercised, showered and got ready and dressed, laundry going, dishes done... all the things you need to do especially during children's naps, but don't want to do.. Well I did it all before Kate's nap and now I can do whatever I want! I think I might eat lunch and read!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Christmas is.....





While in New Mexico for Christmas we did lots of fun things so all my recent posts are all the things that "Christmas is" or was for 2007.
We got to go on a date with all 3 couples with no kids, we went to cold stone then the mall it was fun and a little bit stinky for those who were there you'll understand what i mean.

Christmas is waxing...

We waxed steven and jay's backs must have been great fun for them.

Christmas is swimming...

We went swimming at the aquatic center, some like to call it the navajo bathtub, but we still had fun, here's ryan and kate swimming togther.

Christmas is dancing...



We spent a lot of time on the wii this Christmas, and the most fun was Dance dance revolution, so much that we got it for ourselves.... we even got Frank and Kim to do it.

Christmas is Hearts punishments...


Ryan, Jay, Frank, and Uncle Steve play hearts when they get together and whoever loses has to do a punishment this time it was Frank, he got a swirleee in the toilet. Come to think of it, whenever I see them play he is always the one who ends up with his head in the toilet... :)

Christmas is gingerbread...

We made Gingerbread houses, Ryan and I copied malia and made an igloo, Jay and Jen made a castle, Samantha and Steven made that cute house, and grandma and grandpa made an outhouse.





Christmas is Fondue...



Christmas eve we had steak fondue, cheese fondue and of course the chocolate fountain, it was great.

Santa!!

Santa came a.k.a. Grandpa Frank or Intimidating Santa (you'd have to experience Ryan's dad as Santa to know what I'm talking about but trust me it is intimidating) Anyway Santa came Christmas eve after fondue dinner and Kate got a candy bar from him. She sat and munched on that butterfinger for about an hour the next day she loved it.

Christmas morning!


Grandma made me some special Christmas jammies and i was happy most of the time but sometimes I cried cuz I wanted to play with everyone elses toys...

Friday, January 4, 2008

Flashback Friday




In our first ward Ryan and I were called into the young men and young womens and i loved it and Ryan did also until he was made the Scout master and to make a long story short that is one of the driving factors for us to look for our house that we live in now:)

During that time we were able to go on the pioneer trek to Martins cove. As far as grasping the difficulty of the trek the pioneers experienced I don't think the kids or ourselves got the full gist of that. ( we had nice mexican dinners and cold drinks, cheesecake for dessert etc etc... so we weren't really living like Pioneers we were totally spoiled-I'm not complaining-) but the point of the trek was to gain an appreciation for what the pioneers went through. Anyway, the day that we were actually going to go into the cove where the pioneers found cover from the snow and cold (many died and it was a difficult time for them) that day there were many other stakes and wards going on the tour as well, so it was somewhat like herding cattle through. There was a part that we stopped and had a little fireside just before we entered the actual cove, we sang and our bishop spoke and it was a neat experience to bring the spirit, and just as we got up to go into the cove one of the boys in our "family" (the youngest of the young men, brand new) had to go to the bathroom but it was about a mile down from where we just came. Ryan said he would take him and that was the last we saw of them for about the next 3-4 hours. They missed everything the cove, the sweetwater river crossing, lunch the womens pull and the neat experiences. Coming from my side of the story I felt a tiny glimpse of what the women might have gone through losing a husband or a child, whether it was to the conditions or the mormon battalion, so I just had to carry on without my husband (so to speak).

Ryan's side on the other hand was a little different, he headed back to the bathrooms mind you we were outside and they could have just gone in the bushes but the boy didn't want to and unfortunatly he didn't make it and peed his pants. Ryan being a 3rd grade teacher was a little more sensitive to that than perhaps other leaders maybe so i'm glad that he was able to help him. They were gone so long because they walked 3 miles all the way back to our camp and changed clothes etc etc.. Then 3 miles back to the starting point and then tried to find us.

Later that evening back at our camp Some of the elderly missionaries at the site came to visit our camp and heard that Ryan and the boy didn't get to go into the cove so they took us on our own personal tour just us three. And they took us in their golf cart the sun was setting so it was so beautiful and peaceful and I'm totally not exaggerating the second we got out of the cart and started up the stairs into the cove it was like a wall was in front of us of the spirit it was so strong and not just for me Ryan described it the same way, and now talking to others they had a similar experience. The missionaries talked to us in the cove and explained that that was hallowed ground and defined that as when something is named hallowed it means that the Savior has been there, we definetely felt that that evening. So the trek itself was fun and memorable as far as a trip goes but the part the really impacted us was that evening experience in the cove when we got to go by ourselves and spend as much time as we wanted there.