Our Family...so far

happiness

2008-07-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

shawl or cape?

2008-07-18T16:13:00.001-07:00

today when I was cutting Brady's hair, he insisted that he needed a towel so the falling hair wouldn't make him "itchy." I wrapped the towel around his shoulders and showed him how to hold it tightly under his chin.

me: there, now you look like a little old lady.

Brady: no, a superhero!

duh, why didn't I think of that?

back in the saddle

2008-07-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

I ran 3 miles today. actually I had to run/walk the last .5 mile. the last time I ran was June 6th! I'm so annoyed with myself that I went so long without my daily run. I was so busy the last week of school and then it was too hot, and then blah, blah, blah... it seems like ever since school got out I've gotten off track on a lot of things that I was keeping up with pretty well. apparently I need a schedule more than I realized.
so the run wasn't too painful, but it's going to take some work to get back to where I was. I plan to run 3-4 miles at least 4 days a week. I'm blogging about it so I'm accountable to someone...YOU!
stay tuned.

little Paige Emily's blessing day

2008-07-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

welcome Paige! I was so happy be at Paige's blessing at Summer's ward in Fresno. it was my only chance to meet her, since Summer, Clint, Kaden (3), Lindy (almost 2) & Paige (2 weeks) left the next morning to drive across the country to Virginia where they will live for the next 4 years while Clint attends medical school. :( we're excited for them, but sad that they will be so far away for so long!

we love you guys and wish you the best as you start this new adventure!

Summer & Clint with baby Paige

Yvonne and Andy (friends from forever ago) were so sweet to offer hosting a luncheon at their house after church. they had a massive spread of delicious food! we felt so welcome that we stayed for hours and hours, visiting and eating. it was so perfect to get to spend that time with everyone. Kate and I came without our kids, my mom and dad were there, Heidi & Don & 5 kids, Trevor & Natalie & 6 kids, Clint's parents & several siblings, and his aunt & uncle. we were a huge group!

"at the top. I made it. thanks for the vote of confidence."

2008-07-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

that was Jason's text to me from the top of Mt. Whitney.

it's true, I had told him more than once that he probably wouldn't make it. I wasn't trying to be a terrible wife. I knew he was in good enough shape to make the hike, but I'd heard too many stories about the altitude and how sick it makes some people. I was assuming the worst. I'm happy to be wrong! Jason and all the guys with him conquered Mt. Whitney.

way to go baby!

what's for dinner?

2008-07-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

this question is bad enough present day when we have all the resources we could possibly need to make a great meal for our families. imagine how you will dread this same question if there comes a time when you are relying solely on your own food storage and preparedness items! scary thought, but it doesn't have to be!

my ward had such a great enrichment last night! it was all about food storage and cooking methods. we were asked to each bring a dish for everyone to sample that was made using food storage items. I was surprised how delicious all the food was! I got lots of great new ideas/recipes for how to use/rotate my food.

I shared ideas about bottling butter, ground beef, chicken, pork, etc. and also sealing in jars other items (dried fruit, dry pasta, chocolate chips, granola bars...endless possibilities!) that don't require a pressure canner, just a Food Saver jar saver attachment. it's so great to have these foods on a shelf, ready to use for years-- no refrigeration required.

I also demonstrated my new favorite emergency item--my sun oven. if the sun is shining, which it mostly is here in CA, then you can cook almost anything! I've made rice, oatmeal, pinto beans, banana bread, whole wheat bread, beef stew, cracked wheat cereal, and I plan to experiment with a lot more. the sun oven is like having an outdoor crockpot. the temperature can only reach about 325*, so everything takes about twice as long to cook. that's okay, because you're not wasting a ton of precious fuel, propane, wood, charcoal, etc. just to get a pot of water boiling! it's so easy to use and there are so many great reasons to have one. I highly recommend getting one...or two!

I baked this loaf of wheat bread in the round roaster that came with my sun oven using just the sunshine as a heat source! amazing! it was delicious. thanks Melinda, for sharing your awesome recipe with me.

what are your favorite food storage/emergency preparedness items or tips? please comment...

his enemy, my love

2008-07-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

while watching Amber and Sam open their wedding presents, my sister Heidi suddenly grabbed my wedding ring hand in a panic, "where's your diamond?!?" I'm like, what's she freaking out about? then I look down and...it's gone. not just the diamond either. the ENTIRE mount-- prongs, diamond, gone. what the? I'm stunned. push pause. rewind. I start thinking about all the places I'd been that day where I might have possibly snagged my ring or banged it on something. the beach, the pool, the shower, my mom's house, the backyard...it could be anywhere! any of those places, I'd never find it.

I actually started laughing. it was to keep from crying. my older sister Kate lost her entire ring years ago and my sister Heidi had lost her diamond and never found it. it's the curse of the Z girls' wedding rings! little sisters beware!

when I told Jason my diamond was gone, he was elated. yes, elated. "finally!" was his exact response. truth be told, he never really liked my diamond because it had a slight laser slip on the face that looked like a microscopic fiber. who cares, right? no one will ever see that it's "imperfect" and he purchased it at a significant discount. unfortunately, the night we got engaged I noticed it, which he didn't think was possible (I notice everything). I asked him about it the next day, (just in case he didn't know!) which was a huge mistake. he was crestfallen. the ring he'd given me wasn't perfect. he insisted that we get a new diamond, but I assured him that it didn't bother me one bit and no thank you, I loved the ring, and I wasn't trading it in! well, he's never forgiven himself for my "flawed" diamond and he has held a grudge against it for the past 10 years. he didn't even attempt to fake concern for it's sudden absence.

I knew I'd make myself crazy with efforts to search for my diamond, but I found myself subconsciously sweeping every floor in my mom's house with my eyes. this continued when I got home that night-- from my driveway, front entry, down the hall, my bedroom and bathroom...there it was! my diamond mount, prongs and all. plain as day, casually resting right there on the floor near my sink. unbelievable! too bad I hadn't prayed to find it. that would have made for a really great inspirational story!

so, my ring is being repaired at the jewelry shop this week. the guy said the saudering was broken down by chlorine. I got a scolding from the guy and the lady who work there. I always wear my jewelry when I swim! who knew?

I'll be happy when my wedding ring is in one piece and back on my finger. Jason, not so much.

one last favorite of Holly

2008-07-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

my four reasons to smile :)

2008-07-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

it's birthday time for Jenna!

2008-07-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

she's finally 6!
Jenna had a fun-filled birthday! the first order of business was put on the famous "birthday girl" crown which must be worn all day, so that random strangers can wish you 'happy birthday!' we met up with Heidi & Don and kids for a birthday breakfast at Denny's before their family headed up the coast to Don's sister's house. obviously with 9 kids at a restaurant there had to be a few spilled waters and loudy announced bathroom breaks. throw a little syrup into the mix and you can imagine the stickiness of our situation! we asked the waitress to take a picture of our group, but it turned out blurry and mainly exhibited the ceiling. that's okay, I'm pretty sure I can remember the chaos without the photo.

then it was off to the bowling alley for a very long 10 frames for the 5 of us (Holly decided to sit this one out). then the lights went black and the "cosmic" bowling started! super cool! the kids were alarmed at first, but they quickly recovered and we resumed our game.

just a side note: I got the highest score. it had nothing to do with the bumpers. I've been practicing on the Wii.

a look back at my little Jenna Lee...

6 months old

I love her cute face and goofy/sweet personality! Happy Birthday Jenn!

the REAL fireworks show!

2008-07-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

I must say, the 2nd show blew the 1st out of the water! it was so awesome! every year, tons of families gather at the back grass of the church and someone coordinates music to accompany the fireworks show perfectly. it's a powerful combination. I loved it! Holly was completely mesmorized even though it got really loud at times.

Happy 4th of July!

Independence Day Eve fireworks!

2008-07-03T02:41:00.000-07:00

yeah, I know. it's kind of strange, but our city has a fireworks show the evening BEFORE the actual 4th. we don't mind. we get two shows every year!

after a day at the beach and the pool, we joined friends from the ward for dessert at the park, then set up our chairs and blankets in the previously staked out location. Heidi's family and Brandi were still in town from the wedding and Amber & Sam were back from their honeymoon, so we had a great group to watch with!

Sam & Amber Lasley

2008-06-28T02:13:00.000-07:00

more affectionately known as "Samber."
what an awesome event for our family! the temple sealing was performed by Elder Brimhall who I always enjoy hearing from, we met for a luncheon at Kate's house afterward, then mingled at the reception at my parent's house for hours. it was so fun to see old friends and get to know Sam's family from Iowa. Amber and Sam were so cool and calm all day. they compliment each other so perfectly and I know they will be so happy together!
Congratulations guys! welcome to the family Sam!

pat his cheeks and give him what?!?

2008-06-15T02:07:00.000-07:00

...a great big kiss!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Josie's FIRST birthday!

2008-06-10T01:52:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking, "who the heck is Josie?!?" that's my baby girl. Holly Jo, JoJo, Josie. her name has evolved. I like it.

yay! 1 year old! we didn't really do much for Holly's birthday, but she got to devour her very own cupcake. I guess that's as exciting as it gets when you're only 1.

Happy birthday Holly Jo!

Rockin' through the School Year!

2008-06-04T01:37:00.000-07:00

the musical! Erin participated in her school production last night and it was actually pretty entertaining! she sang lots of funny songs and had a little one-liner. she loved being on stage and performing, as I knew she would. she insisted that I put make up on her. we went out for ice cream afterwards to celebrate her big night!

berry-picking

2008-06-03T01:27:00.000-07:00

we have blackberries in our new backyard! tons of them! the girls ask me everyday if they can hunt for the ripe ones, pick them, and eat them. we even made a blackberry pie! I never knew I'd get so excited about a little tiny berry, but there's something magical about picking a berry off the vine, brushing the spiderwebs off, and popping it in your mouth. I love it!

a ponytail...finally!

2008-05-30T01:15:00.000-07:00

yes! I did it! Holly's a new woman with an actual hair style! from her expression you can probably guess that she didn't appreciate the steady hands and fine-tuned skills it took for me to wrap that tiny rubber band around her 3 hairs. I guess she doesn't really care what her hair looks like. well I do.

we call it "the twirly park"

2008-05-26T01:02:00.000-07:00

because everything spins! my kids love to play here!
Happy Memorial Day!

you know you're hot when...

2008-05-18T00:54:00.000-07:00

you have to sleep with your fan positioned like this!

poor guy! the upstairs of our new house gets so hot! we can't get a cross-breeze going to cool it down at night because the windows on our loft don't open. it has seriously been 90*+ at times! it was so funny to go check on Brady in bed and find him like this, but who could blame him? the fan was on high!

sandcastle reunion

2008-05-16T00:08:00.000-07:00

so many pictures, just one post! it's too hard to pick and choose, but really this is only about 1/10th of what I took.

our annual beach house family reunion was awesome as usual. there are so many of us and we continue to grow! sadly, Wendy wasn't able to come because she was starting a new job as a seminary teacher in Idaho. we missed her! everyone else was able to come and play at our favorite house on the sand all week!

cute girls in cute wetsuits
walking on the beach collecting treasures...aka shells and rocks

uncle Derek & Brady
there are always a few kids who crash during mealtimes! I got a great video of this one!

all the nieces performed a cute song and dance choreographed by aunt Brandi for the moms on Mother's Day
my girls have the best girl cousins!
presenting grammie with her special scrapbook with our memories of her mother from all of us
talent show night

how sad that it's over for another year! already counting down the days until our next reunion!

an apple a day...

2008-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Holly really went to town on this apple I gave her last night! she spit the skin out all over, but she chomped away on it forever!

mahalo!

2008-04-28T23:32:00.000-07:00

aaahhhh! our family really needed this get-a-way!

a few favorite pictures from our week in Maui...

home is where the heart is

2008-04-07T23:20:00.000-07:00

yeah, we're moving again.
to make a very long story very short, turns out the guy we were renting from wasn't the real owner and he had stopped paying the real owners the house payments. so the real owners came after us with threats of a law suit and an eviction if we didn't pay them instead of the guy we are contracted with. we refused because it's not our problem, right? we had originally signed a contract with this guy, with the real owner's names nowhere on it, and we were going to honor it! besides, this guy was a lawyer! the owners had gotten themselves into this mess, it had nothing to do with us and there was no way it would hold up in court. what a mess! with continual harrassment, we finished out our last two months on our contract and found a new place to rent. it's smaller and we lost our breathtaking views and some great neighbors, but we really like our new house and our new landlords. the rent is less too, which helps when you don't have any source of income.

check out that stack of boxes! uuuggghhh! unpacking is drudgery!
well, at least the kids were entertained by all of the paper and boxes!

UPDATE my Great Race finish time

2008-04-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

so apparently the race results are posted online and have been updated to .00 seconds.

let's get technical...
my NEW finish time is 29:59.55
yes!! under 30 minutes! I knew I could do it! :)

the Results are in...

2008-04-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

I did it! My first 5k and I survived! It was so fun and great to be with friends. This will definitely not be my last time running competitively.
So how'd I do? My first goal was to finish faster than 30 minutes and I forgot to tell you about my other goal--no walking, just slow & steady and keep moving!
Well, I never walked and my time was...30.00 minutes.
Can you believe that??? 30 minutes on the dot! no more, no less. If only I had really run full throttle right at the end! just for a second!
next time...

[my picture is taking forever to upload, so I'll add it later]

the Great Race!

2008-04-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

tomorrow's the big day! at 7:30am I'm running in the Agoura Great Race 5k, my very first race ever! I'm so NOT a runner and I've only been "training" (besides what many people have told me with a little chuckle, I most certainly DO need to train for a 3 mile race, thank you very much!!) for about 3 weeks. yikes! what am I thinking?? I'm thinking that it will be fun and great exercise, right? my friend Rebecca gave me the idea first and now I'm hearing about tons people I know who will also be running, so it sounds like there will be a lot of familiar faces.
Jason is also running the 5k, but I told him I don't want to run "with" him. I don't want to run beside anyone I know. I don't want to feel like I'm holding anyone back or (and I doubt this will be a problem) I don't want to BE held back by anyone. I want to feel free run at my own pace, that's all. I'm sure it would be special to cross the finish line as a couple and all, but oh well!
I wanted to have a goal for the 5k, so here's mine: I want to finish in 30 minutes or less. I'm not even sure that's realistic, but that's an average of 10 minutes per mile. surely I can do that, right? thinking positive thoughts......
wish me luck and I'll post my time tomorrow.

friday & saturday

2008-03-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

friday and saturday of our spring break were fun, but unfortunately I needed new camera batteries, so I have no photos to share. Friday, my kids had a great time at "Fo-Fo Figgily's" which is a wild and crazy indoor play-place in Oak Park, for our neighbor's birthday party. Saturday, we ate lunch at the Simi Mall and shopped a little. Derek, my youngest brother, was in town from Bakersfield for the day, so he met up with us and we had fun getting caught up with him while the kids played.
That's it! Spring Break is over! We really enjoyed it and I think it was my favorite school break ever because I got to have Jason with me the whole time! I could get used to this early retirement thing...

thursday

2008-03-27T22:57:00.001-07:00

If you haven't taken your kids to the Noah's Ark exhibit at the Skirball Center, find a day (Thursday's are free!) and go! Kate made reservations for our families and we had a great time. The exhibit is very interactive and artistic. The kids had to try everything in each room! I was happy Jason came with us because we had a lot of kids to keep track of.

wednesday

2008-03-26T22:46:00.000-07:00

At the kids request, we returned to our old stomping ground and went to Simi to play at the "frog" park (verde park). Brady spent most of his time running back & forth on the wobbly bridge, Holly loved the swings, and the girls were climbing trees & pushing each other down the slides...a perfect day at the park!

tuesday

2008-03-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

Our family joined the rest of the Clinton side of the family at Gullwings Children's Museum in downtown Oxnard. It was very hands-on and really kept the kids busy for a long time! It's small enough to not lose track of the kids, but big enough to have several different stations including crafts, dress-up, fish aquariums, a live reptile/insect house, a rock-climbing wall, a play hot-dog stand, and lots of spaceship replica stuff. We had a great time and it was definitely worth returning to in the future. After the museum, we ate lunch at Pepe's burrito stand down by Silverstrand beach...yum!

SPRING BREAK!! monday

2008-03-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

A trip to Zuma beach in Malibu was the perfect starter for our Spring Break week. The weather was awesome! Brady kept throwing sand up the in the air and then running away to avoid having it land on him. He must have done it about 20 times in a row! I thought it made for a pretty cool picture.
Holly's first time actually getting to experience the beach! (last year she was a newborn and confined to her carseat) She ate a TON of sand and was very content to hang out on the blanket and watch the kids play around her.
Beach cuties basking in the sunshine!

Easter Sunday

2008-03-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday. Baskets in the morning including new spring dresses (and gloves!) for church, great sacrament meeting talks, then Easter dinner at our house with the Clinton side of the family and my dad (my mom was in Kentucky with Brandi). It was a nice day with beautiful weather and good company.
Holly snuck her first piece of candy (a SweetTart duck) while I was taking too long trying to get the perfect picture of her with her Easter basket. She loved it!

Bakersfield Weekend!

2008-03-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

The sisters had our Girl's Weekend, so of course the brothers needed a guy's weekend or "Gentlemen's Annual" as they call it. They planned it during March Madness basketball tournaments and were able to attend several games. Dad, Trevor, Ginger, Jason, and Derek...Rod missing :(

Since all the boys were crashing at my house, I had to pack up my kids and find somewhere else to go for 3 days. Thankfully, Natalie invited us to Bakersfield! The kids swam & played and Nat introduced me to the exciting world of canning meat! She did all the work and I got to come home with tons of bottles of chicken and pork! I also bottled pancake mix and Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese. I'm so glad Nat showed me how to use my pressure cooker for canning and now I need to get to work! Anyone want to join me??

Our fun in Bakersfield didn't stop there...a friend of Natalie's invited us all to a private viewing of the new movie "Enchanted" at her amazing home theater! complete with leather recliners, a popcorn machine, a candy counter, and a soda machine! It was so fun and so cool! The babies weren't very cooperative, but the other kids loved it.

On Saturday, brave Natalie helped the kids dye and decorate easter eggs. She had a very cool kit which had "foil" sheets that made the eggs look really unique.
Thanks for a super fun weekend Nat! You were the perfect hostess, like always. I loved getting to hang out with you and I hope we didn't cause too much craziness for you!

Little Green Men

2008-03-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

We were the target of a little bit of leprechaun mischief overnight! When we woke up this morning, the girls discovered little green footprints and shamrocks drawn on their faces and arms where the leprechauns had been "dancing" on them. Then we saw that the house had been turned upside down and inside out! The couch cushions were thrown around, the kitchen chairs were on the table, the bathroom towels were in the kitchen and the kitchen towels were in the bathroom, the girls' school shoes were in the microwave, and the milk had turned green! At least the sneaky little guys had thrown their gold chocolate coins around and left us with St. Patrick's Day cookies and a giant box of Lucky Charms!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We believe in being Honest...

2008-03-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

Erin and her 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Burnside

Way to go, Erin! She was chosen as Student of the Month and as a student who demonstrated the "Core Virtue" for February, which was "Honesty." She was very excited to be recognized in the school assembly today. She couldn't stop smiling! :)

the ABC's of Ginger

2008-03-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

Melinda tagged me!

A- Attached or Single? very much attached...almost 9 years married!
B- Best Friend? see above...my husband, but my sisters are a close second!
C- Cake or Pie? my Gramma's lemon jello cake
D- Day of Choice? Friday, usually date-night
E- Essential Item? my iPhone. like a tiny portable computer!
F- Favorite Color? Red
G- Gummy Bears or Worms? hmmm, neither. cinnamon bears...yum!
H- Hometown? Moorpark
I- Favorite Indulgence? Cheesecake Factory Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake
J- January or July? July
K- Kids? 3 daughters and 1 son and counting... :) woah! simmer down, that DOESN'T mean I'm pregnant!
L- Life isn't complete without? knowledge of the Plan of Salvation
M- Marriage date? May 22nd
N- Number of brothers and sisters? 4 brothers and 6 sisters, plus 11 in-laws!
O- Oranges or Apples? Apples
P- Phobias and Fears? I don't do scary movies! I can't even watch the previews!
R- Reason to smile? my family's upcoming trip to Maui!!
S- Season of choice? Summer--beach weather!
T- Tag three people? ________ insert your name here as desired
U- Unknown fact about me? I have a niece named after me--Ginger Dee
V- Vegetable? asparagas
W- Worst Habit? procrastinating!!
X-ray or Ultrasound? x-ray for a broken leg, lots of u/s during pregnancies
Y- Your favorite food? Mexican
Z- Zodiac Sign? Scorpio

Boing!

2008-03-10T17:08:00.000-07:00

Look at those springy curls! When Aunt Brandi is in town, she's always ready to orchestrate an extreme makover. Erin was lucky enough to have Brandi work her magic on her heavy, straight hair that I never do anything with. Brandi wrapped it in a billion sponge rollers perm-style and in the morning Erin was transformed into Shirley Temple! It was pretty funny and quite a change! By the end of school it had relaxed a lot. Erin said that she got lots of compliments from friends and teachers. Super cute, Erin Kate!

Girl's Weekend 2008

2008-03-09T23:47:00.000-07:00

I look forward to it all year, counting down the months, then weeks, then days. Now it's over and it was fantastic. I loved it all...the laughing, the crying, the talking and talking and talking! That pretty much sums it up! I loved having a few days with my sisters and my mom. We did whatever we felt like from hour to hour...something that never gets to happen in real life! (frankly, getting back to real life afterwards was pretty rough!) I was lucky enough to be the hostess this year, but my sisters came from all over...Washington (Heidi), Kentucky (Brandi), Idaho (Wendy), Utah (Jen), and California--Bakersfield (Natalie) & Fresno (Summer). My mom and Kate live within 10 minutes of my house. We missed Amber who teaches high school in Utah. She's never been able to attend! Let's hope she'll make it next year. We were able to have Monica with us for Friday night dinner at the mall and for a drop-in on Saturday evening. That accounts for everyone! It's so fun to be together. I always learn so much from my sisters' experiences that they so willingly share. They are women I trust and admire. The love and support I feel from my sisters is so comforting and a great blessing.
(sigh) Only 11 months and 3 weeks until our chat fest resumes...

We were so happy that Gramma Z was able to join us on Sunday evening! It was a great visit. She has such a sharp memory! Prompted by a few questions from us, she was able to relate her memories of growing up during the Depression and her experiences as a child. She is overflowing with so many stories and so much background information about our ancestors. It was fascinating and I was thankful that we were able to capture her memories on video. I know the recording will be valuable as the years go by and we really need to do this again!

All I want for my birthday is a job.

2008-03-04T23:33:00.000-08:00

sorry Baby, I can't help you with that, but I'll make you some cupcakes with blue frosting! how's that? happy 31st!

Mammoth Snow Trip!

2008-02-23T22:47:00.000-08:00

Oh, we had so so much fun on our trip to Mammoth! Our friends, the Gredings, have a family cabin and we were lucky enough to be invited up for a few days along with two other families. There was no snow on the roads when we arrived on Wednesday night, but then it snowed non-stop after that, and contined even as we were leaving on Saturday afternoon! It was so incredibly beautiful outside! I spent a lot of time staring out the window at the amazing view of the mountain and the snow-covered trees. The boys went skiing/snowboarding and the ladies stayed close to the fire inside with the kids, venturing out occasionally. Our last day there, we put Erin and Jenna in an all-day ski class. It was so cool to see them all dressed up, complete with goggles!
Here are a few favorite pictures out of the billions I took. I am just now noticing that Holly and I didn't make it into a single one! :(

Thanks for an amazing snow get-away Dave and Rebecca! We loved it!

Oh sweet mystery of life at last I've found you....!

2008-02-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

That title was for all of my fellow "Thoroughly Modern Millie" fans! Sing it girls!
I got tagged to answer these questions about my significant other. What a perfect day to reminise about how it all began...

What is your hubby's name? Jason, but I never call him that…it’s mostly Baby, Babe, Hon, or Daddy
How long have you been together? Married 8 years this May but we started dating in the fall of 1995.
How long did you date? Almost 2 years—1 year before his mission and about 10 months after he returned.
Who said I love you first? Jason
Who is taller? Jason by a foot!
Who is smarter? Jason is book smarter, but I’m pretty good with the stuff we need to know for raising babies. We balance each other well!
Who does the laundry? 99% me (He did two loads last week.)
Who does the dishes? 100% me
Who sleeps on the right? I always sleep on the side closest to the door/baby, usually the right side.
Who pays the bills? 99% Jason. I pay my Gap credit card bill myself.
Who mows the lawn? Jose y sus amigos…???
Who cooks dinner? 100% me
Who drives when you are together? 100% Jason
Who is more stubborn? Jason
Who kissed who first? He says it was him, but I remember it being me. I wanted to hurry and get over that “first kiss” akwardness!
Who asked who out first? I invited Jason to a young adult dance in Camarillo. Soon after, I asked him out to dinner at Woodranch with some friends. He threw up on the 10 minute drive home…it was awesome. I thought he would never want to go out again, but we started dating after that!
Who proposed? Jason
Who has more siblings? I do—4 brothers and 6 sisters. He has 2 sisters.
Who wears the pants? I’d like to say Jason does, but I’m sure he let’s me have my way more than I realize.
I love you Baby!

I'm tagging Shannon, Heidi, and Poppy.

100 days!

2008-02-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

Jenna has been in Kindergarten for 100 days! Her teacher sent a note home asking the parents to have their child dress up in something 100-ish for their celebration, but I guess I took it a little too far...Jenna came home and said she was the only one with marker on her face and kids on the playground kept staring at her. oops! The best part is that I unknowingly chose a non-washable marker so no matter how much I scrubbed, her eyebrows stayed pink for days! hee hee!

Jason gets to sleep in!

2008-02-07T22:45:00.000-08:00

hey, in case you were wondering...it's official. Jason got layed off today from his job at Countrywide. yep, it finally happened. we're not too worried about it and he's got a few months of severance pay to find a new job, so it's all good. I bet he won't miss hitting the snooze button 3 times at 4am...

Lady Liberty

2008-02-04T22:30:00.000-08:00

She's much cuter than the real thing, don't you think?

January birthday bash

2008-01-28T22:04:00.000-08:00

We had a great night celebrating the birthdays of Grammie, Luke, and Brady (we missed you little Ginger, Nicolette, and Jen!) at Kate and Mark's house. With such a large family, we have to do a once-a-month birthday party. Brady was happy to be the center of attention again!

Brady sandwiched between cousins Tyler and Carson (almost 2yrs). They're twins...obviously!

little girl's letter

2008-01-27T22:33:00.000-08:00

Erin and I stayed up late together tonight because there is no school tomorrow. She handed me this note with a pencil drawing of me and her with grass, flowers, and sunshine...

Dear Mom,
I love you ever so much. I know you cannot hold onto me forever, but I wish you could! I am growing old. And I am starting to be a young lady. But you want to know a secret? There is one thing I will never grow out of, being my mother's little girl!
Love,
Erin

Erin was 5 in this picture. My tiny 4lb 10oz preemie baby girl is turning 8 this year! When she was born early I wished she would hurry and grow, but now I wish time would slow down just a little!

Roy G. Biv...

2008-01-27T21:57:00.000-08:00

...the colors of the rainbow. I learned that in my Physical Science class at the Salt Lake Extension of BYU. Isn't this a gorgeous picture? It had been raining for days and then "ta-dah!" a massive rainbow appeared! I called my girls outside to check it out and they were very impressed. Rainbows are so beautiful.

BJ's & Pinkberry with Fruity Pebbles (yum!)

2008-01-24T22:15:00.001-08:00

Thank goodness for true friends who aren't SO worried about what other people think!

Friends that allow themselves to:
-be real
-admit weakness
-ask for advice
-say "I'm having a bad day"
-say "I'm having a bad week"
-tell the truth even when (especially when!!) it's not pretty
-wish for 2 minutes of quiet alone time and not feel guilty about wishing for it! (or hiding in a dark bathroom to actually get it!)
-admit mistakes
-confide fears and worries
-talk about struggles and hard times
-share true feelings

I feel safe with my true friends. I love feeling like I'm not the only one who isn't perfect and cheerful all the time! Doesn't everyone need friends like this?!? I am so lucky.
Thanks girls, sure love you!

Brady's Spiderman 3rd Birthday

2008-01-23T21:43:00.000-08:00

If you ask Brady how old he is, he'll always say, "um...six!" But no, he's only three. If you ask him about his birthday, he will refer to the event as his "Spido-man" birthday. He is getting so big and so is his personality! We love our little boy. Happy birthday Brady-boy!

Welcome Lilia DeVonne!

2008-01-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to my brother Trevor's family. This tiny girl with the chubby cheeks is their 6th child and 5th daughter! She was born the morning after Grammie's funeral. We all like to think that Grammie brought Lilia's spirit to their family.

There is Sunshine in my soul today

2008-01-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

That was the opening hymn at Grammie's funeral service today. It was the perfect choice for the occasion. This is going to sound really strange, but her's was the best funeral I've ever been to. I really enjoyed it. Did I cry? Of course, but mostly I found myself smiling as I listened to the speakers share their thoughts and memories of Grammie. She was truly an amazing woman as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

I will miss her but I know I'll be with her again.

My little family

My BIG family!

How awesome is this picture of the 13 of us?? I love that we were all able to be together.

See what you did Grammie? You raised your only daughter right.

I seriously have the best family.

Ferris DeVonne Clarke

2008-01-12T22:42:00.000-08:00

...otherwise known as Grammie. My dear Grammie passed away on Friday evening in my Mom's house where she's been living for the past year. I'm so grateful that it was a peaceful, not traumatic, experience for my mom. My mom says she can see in her mind's eye Grammie's last moments--she can picture that my grampa, who died over 5 years ago, came to get Grammie and she happily left her body to join her sweetheart! How beautiful. My grandparents have such a unique love story and their reunion must have been so sweet.

Of course I mourn her loss because I'll miss her, but I can't help but feel excited that she is with Grampa and other loved ones in a state of rest and beauty. She has waited a long time to be there...she was 87!Richard and DeVonne

-taken at my parents wedding reception in September of 1967

Sunday Afternoon

2008-01-06T22:23:00.000-08:00

Erin's New Year Song

2008-01-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

...coming soon!! I promise you'll be entertained, but I'm waiting for the video from Wendy. Check back later.

I usually dread a windy day, but...

2007-12-31T21:40:00.000-08:00

...not when Aunt Wendy is in town! She showed my kids how to tie an old sheet around your waist and then raise your arms, holding the sheet corners...instant parachute! They had so much fun getting yanked around the backyard by the ridiculously strong winds. I tried it too and it was really hard to hold onto the sheet, but I could not stop laughing!Hold on guys! Yes, Brady's sheet was tied around his neck. Not the best idea, but he couldn't really get the hang of it anyway.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T20:56:00.000-08:00

This is the traditional late night picture that marks the moment

when I can breathe a sigh of relief and start getting excited for what's to come!

We had such a nice, quiet, slow Christmas morning. I loved not feeling rushed and staying in our pajamas and playing with new toys most of the day! It was the perfect way to spend Christmas with our little family before heading out to the slightly bigger family gathering at my parent's house that evening.

Great Gramma brought See's Toffee lollipops to share with everyone...yum!

Doin' the Wii Dance

2007-12-25T01:05:00.000-08:00

I captured my girls "boxing" with our new Wii game system. Check out these moves! You can hear Brady coaching "Punch him in the tummy!" and Daddy's warning to "scoot back, Erin!" (They came dangerously close to whacking the TV several times!)
Click to play the video.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Can we eat it YET?

2007-12-24T00:28:00.000-08:00

Ah, Gingerbread houses. My kids love to make them, then DEVOUR them! It's so funny to watch how my kids, especially the girls, meticulously place each gumdrop and peppermint disk to decorate the perfect little candy house, admire their work, pose for a few pictures, then when I give the okay, they pluck away like vultures until there's nothing left but a sad little frosting crusted shack. Gotta love it. What could be more fun than playing with candy and then getting to eat it??
On Christmas Eve, Aunt Tricia had about 12 of these little graham cracker houses constructed and waiting to be loaded up with the perfect assortment of treats: gummy bears, froot loops, candy canes, mini kisses, pretzels, red hots, and more! All of the grandkids loved having a house all their own to create and eat. Thanks Tricia!

Finally, with Aunt Wendy's help, the kids got to make the Gingerbread house from the kit my mom had given us weeks earlier. It turned out cute, but the roof kept sliding off. Oh well, it didn't last long anyway...delicious!

Christmas Dresses and Pajamas!

2007-12-23T23:56:00.000-08:00

My three Christmas-y girls! Red is my favorite color so I love their dresses. I wanted to include Brady in this picture too, but he literally had his shirt unbuttoned before we'd even left the church!

The tradition continues! Doesn't everyone get new pajamas on Christmas Eve? These cute pjs are courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Clinton and they're so soft & cozy!

O Christmas Tree & Good Memories

2007-12-17T22:02:00.000-08:00

We assembled our faux Christmas tree a few days after Thanksgiving, but the poor thing has been waiting patiently to be fluffed and adorned for weeks now! We finally got around to decorating it for Family Night tonight. Brady had fallen asleep early and Holly was in bed, so it was just me and the girls pulling out and hanging ornaments while Daddy looked on. It was so nice to be able to decorate the tree without interruptions. Our tree is beautiful and it is officially Christmas at our house now!
This year I got a 4 foot tree for Erin and Jenna's room and they were thrilled to be able to decorate it with all the ornaments I didn't need for our main tree. They think they're so cool to have a Christmas tree in their room! And it's PINK!
Every year Erin enjoys digging through the box of ornaments and hearing about where each one came from, who it belongs to, who made it, etc. Tonight she told me that she loves decorating the tree "because of all the good memories it gives you." :)

Holly is 6 months old!

2007-12-10T21:36:00.000-08:00

Holly, (aka Holly Jo, Holly May, Tiny Girl, Little Shnookum, Shnook, Holly Jolly) is 6 months old today! I am so enamored with this little baby girl! This is my very favorite age.

For Family Night we surprised the kids with an outing to the mall where it "snows" little clusters of bubbles every night at 7pm. They loved it! It was freezing outside, but they were jumping and dancing around so much, they stayed perfectly warm. After the snowfall, we visited the Apple Store--a favorite of Jason's AND the kids, then we took them to see Santa. The night ended with hot chocolate (due to a tired baby, we got it 'to go') from Red Robin. Fun stuff!

Jason and I just happened to be at the mall in time for the snow show on our Friday night date. We ran into Kate & kids and she took this picture of us.

Snow Day in Southern CA!

2007-12-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

Check out our "Winter Wonderland" next door! Our neighbors had a party and decided to create a snowy scene in their front yard...very cool. The snow didn't melt because of the cold weather we've been having, so they said the neighborhood kids were welcome to play in it until it's gone. We had so much fun! Those of you who live in snowy areas are probably thinking "Big deal!" but my kids have only played in snow once before. We busted out our sand toys and they did it all -- attempted snow angels, threw snow balls, ate the snow, etc. Keep in mind that this was day-old manufactured snow, so it was very icy and hard, but my kids didn't know the difference! No complaints, just a perfect winter playground!

Be mine.

2007-12-02T22:37:00.000-08:00

Be happy.

Be silly.

Be mad.

Be sad.

Be surprised!

Be friends...

Happy Birthday Grampa!

2007-12-02T22:14:00.001-08:00

We love our Grampa!!

(yes, even Holly. she was just feeling a little grumpy.)

10 of Grampa's 31 (soon to be 34) grandchildren

gather for a closer look at his birthday gifts.

Christmas in Bethlehem

2007-12-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Our ward Christmas party was set in old time Bethlehem and this is my attempt to dress Jenna and Brady accordingly!
The party was very well done and really kept with the feeling of the time of Christ's birth. Dinner was herb chicken, lentils, cheeses, olives, pita bread, fresh & dried fruits, and Fig Newtons (hee hee!). The program was a re-enactment of the nativity story with all of the familiar hymns being sung by the audience. I really appreciate the time put into planning such a memorable evening that started off the Christmas season with our thoughts on the Savior's birth.

My BrandiRae Original

2007-11-25T23:06:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have commented on my cute new purse, no, you cannot buy it in stores. This is my BrandiRae original handbag, made specially for my birthday. Isn't it so cute? And functional too, with 3 inside pockets and a snap closure. I LOVE the fabric she chose. My sister Heidi got a super cute tan and blue design. Thanks Brand! I am always so impressed by your sewing skills! Oh, and that's my cute new wallet from Jason's mom. Love it too! It was a good birthday...

These are days to remember...

2007-11-24T01:26:00.000-08:00

My kids are in heaven with Grampa and their cousins on the ranch!

It just doesn't get any better.

I'm THIRTY!!

2007-11-23T01:07:00.000-08:00

birthday lunch at Dakota's with Jason's mom and sisters

birthday dinner at Chili's

My birthday celebration at my parent's house was the day after Thanksgiving,

thus the pumpkin pie birthday cake!

November birthday girls: Hayley, Ginger, and Isabelle

In both of our families combined,

Jason and I have 11 November birthdays!

Daddy and Holly

2007-11-23T01:01:00.000-08:00

Giving Thanks for Family

2007-11-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

A few favorite pictures from our wonderful Thanksgiving holiday...

San Francisco Birthday Trip!

2007-11-22T23:07:00.000-08:00

I really wanted to do something special for my 30th (gasp!) birthday. When I say "something special" what that really means is a long romantic retreat with my husband to a tropical location where we could just soak up the sun and lounge on the beach for hours. Well, presently, I am lucky enough to have a little baby girl that I'm crazy about and she's pretty crazy about me too. Leaving her was not an option. Consequently, I had to sacrifice a few key adjectives of my "something special"-- good-bye to long, romantic, tropical, and lounge.
I'd never been to San Francisco and it turned out to be the perfect choice for a quick trip with it's close location, famous sights, and great restaurants. We did a lot of walking around with Holly strapped to us in the baby pack thing (apparently we were quite a spectacle because everyone walking by us stared and pointed, no kidding!) and we got pretty good at the public transportation using trains, buses, and taxis. We did have some rainy weather one day, but I was just happy it wasn't too hot because we were outside the majority of the time. One of Jason's high school friends, Tim, lives just a few blocks from where our hotel was. It was fun to visit with him and it really helped to get advice and recommendations from a "local."
a few places we went:
Union Square Mall (8 stories tall! see picture)
Ghiradelli Square ice cream shop (yum)
the Golden Gate Bridge (two days in a row because the first day it was so foggy we couldn't see it AT ALL even though we were walking on it.)
Pier 39 at Fisherman's Warf (Jason had the clam chowder in a bread bowl and I opted for the chili)
The Stinking Rose famous garlic-obsessed restaurant (even ordered the garlic ice cream for dessert...would not recommend, but at least we tried it!)
I love that Jason and I don't stress about cramming too many activites into our days when we're vacationing. We didn't have any time schedules or much of a plan. We walked out of our hotel room each morning and let the city dictate what we'd do that day. It was so enjoyable and I was captivated by the city itself. I had no idea it was so "New York-like" just on a much smaller scale. The architecture and the history is amazing. It was an ideal way to get away for my birthday with a baby. Holly was such an angel. And why wouldn't she be? We held her ALL DAY! I really appreciated the time to give her our undivided attention without other interuptions or distractions.
Thank you for a memorable 30th birthday honey! I promise we'll be baby-less for our 10 year anniversary, and that'll be the time for long, romantic, tropical, and lounging...start planning!

sisters

2007-11-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

Another reason to love this house we're renting...

2007-11-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

I saw the OCEAN from our house this morning. I was literally standing on our backyard grass taking this picture. The realtor and our neighbor told us we would be able to see it on a clear day, but I didn't really believe it. Today was clear because of the wind, and there it was!
If you enlarge the picture by clicking on it, you can see a boat beside that big telephone tower. Now if I could just catch a glimpse of some dolphins swimming by...

Let Me Clarify

2007-11-14T23:46:00.000-08:00

I have gotten some feedback about my #4 below that makes me feel like I should take a moment to explain a little bit better.
To be blunt, what I'm saying is that I'm selfish. I know I am a selfish person. I am happy to take, receive, benefit from, other people's talents and abilities, but I'm unwilling to take the time or put in the effort to be the "go to" person in return. I don't know why I am that way. I guess I don't like the responsibility of giving advice or being a mentor. For me, it is stressful. Besides that, I can barely handle my own everyday stuff and I don't want to take on more. That's why I hide in the background and avoid seeming like the right person to ask. Does that make me totally crazy? Yes, and selfish, like I said.
Don't question how genuine I am in my compliments. I mean what I say. Everyone deserves to be praised for things they are good at. I really do need A LOT of help in a lot of areas and by being vocal about my appreciation, I am hopeful that people will continue to be willing to be UNselfish with what they have to offer. My life is full of talented, capable people who are willing to share even if they don't "want" to or live a busy life. I want to be like that. This is an invitation to ask me to do stuff for you so I can practice stepping out of my comfort zone and give back a little. See, there I go asking for help in yet another area of my life that needs improvement. (sigh)
Maybe I should have never written what I did, but when I was considering what makes me "me" it was something I thought about and wanted to put into words. I'm glad I did. It has helped step back and learn a few things about myself.

Blogging is cheap therapy.

I'm "IT" and you could be next!

2007-11-12T22:17:00.000-08:00

There's a game of tag going on and I got caught. I have to tell 6 little known facts/weird, quirky things about myself. Please still be my friend even after I tell you these...promise? Here they are, in no particular order...

1. I think feet are disgusting, including my own and especially my husband's. I CANNOT stand when someone puts their bare feet near me or on me. I can hardly touch dirty socks when I do laundry. I would NEVER give someone a pedicure. I only clip my children's toenails after they've been soaking in the bathtub and only because it is absolutely necessary. Funny thing is, I LOVE baby feet. They're so soft and playdough-y. I'm always kissing Holly's feet when she's laying on my lap. Go figure.

2. I never make my bed. Correction: I never make my bed in the MORNING. Just lazy I guess. However, I HAVE to straighten the sheets and blankets before I get in bed at night. It bugs me if they aren't smooth and even. Sometimes I accidently wake up Jason (who goes to bed hours before I do) because I'm tugging at the blankets that are tangled under him. See, he falls right into the bed that's in the same messy state it was in when we woke up. Somehow, it doesn't bother him.

3. I can only drink milk if it is ICE cold. I don't like the TASTE of milk, I like the COLD, refreshingness of it. To get it to that perfect state of icy coldness, naturally, I add ice. Yes, I know it's cold right out of the fridge, but it does not maintain that temperature for long. Ice is the solution to this problem. Thank you Dad, I learned this from you. A glass of milk with a brownie? 3 ice cubes & milk. A bowl of cold cereal? 4 ice cubes, milk, and say, Grape-nuts. Some people think it's disgusting, I think it is delicious and a must. No ice, no milk. Try it sometime.

4. I like to keep people's expectations for me low. I don't want to let on how talented, creative, and able I am. I like to ask a lot of questions, seek advice, and give praise for other people's abilities. It makes them feel good and appreciated, and this also puts me in a "student" position where I get to learn from those who take pity on me and want to help me. I'm not saying that I'm exceptionally proficient at a lot of stuff, but I'm better than I let on. You don't believe me, do you? Man, I'm good.

5. This one is dangerous. Being in a car is an instant sleeping pill for me. If I'm the passenger, not so bad. When I'm the driver, it's torture. I would NEVER take a long road trip alone. Even on a short drive, like picking up my girls from school, which is only about 10-15 minutes, I get extremely drowsy and can hardly keep my eyes open. I've never gotten in an accident, but I've had several close calls. It's scary and annoying.

6. I secretly enjoy children's TV shows. I sit and watch them with my kids. I love "That's So Raven." It cracks me up. I love "Arthur." It's so clever and funny. I've even watched it without my kids! Am I really admitting this? Oh well. I sing along with "Pinky Dinky Doo" ("yes sir-roonie, posit-toonie..." Sing it Winks!) and the Berenstein Bears' theme song. I like "Miss Spider," "Oswald," and "Little Bill." These are all sweet and slow and nice. I DO NOT like obnoxious and over-the-top-silly cartoons (Spongebob, for example), nor do I let my kids watch them. Watching TV is bad enough without that extra over-stimulation. Anyway, now you know my secret. I know, I'm easily entertained.

Well, do you feel like you know me a little better now? Maybe too much information? You have to still be my friend. You promised.

I get to tag 3 people now. Heidi, Kate, and Melinda---TAG, you're it!!

There is NO Crying at Disneyland

2007-11-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

That was our family motto yesterday at the "Happiest Place on Earth:" NO crying. It sort of worked.

Our recipe for some quality family time:

Combine an ample amount of Halloween candy with a very late night.

Add waking up early and the excitement of a surprise trip to Disneyland.

Mix together two determined, yet skeptical parents.

Toss in a couple of bickering sisters.

Vigorously stir in an almost 3 year old with a tendency to bolt at full throttle with no warning.

Gently fold in an innocent 5 month old who simply wants to be held all day long.

Just for good measure, add a pinch of terrified moments, including but not limited to: sobbing, cowering, and begging to get off, on rides that resulted in uncontrollable giggling LAST year.

Sprinkle with "It's a Small World" unless it happens to be closed for Christmas decorating,

and serve with the parade that never was.

Enjoy!

But hey, it was fun. Really. I bet it will be even more fun the next time we go...when our kids are teenagers.

Halloween 2007

2007-10-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

Here Comes the Sun

2007-10-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

How amazing are the colors of this sunrise? 6:30am and I'm outside taking pictures because a display this brilliant must be documented. FYI: this has nothing to do with the fires, just a particularly beautiful morning. It's really too bad we're just renting this house...

Erin's Teeth

2007-10-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

Before & After

The Waiting Room

2007-10-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

The dental assistant called our name way sooner than Erin would have liked. She was having too much fun creating crazy characters out of her reflection in this wavy mirror at our pediatric dentist's office waiting room.The mirror kept her busy and relatively quiet, minus the necessary sound effects for certain faces and short fits of laughter for particularly silly reflections. Might not be a bad idea to get one for her room. I'll have to look into it. (hee hee, pun intended!)

My New Best Friends

2007-10-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

Aren't they gorgeous?? (sigh)

Way too much fun with a wig.....

2007-10-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Holly Makes A Splash

2007-10-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

And one more.......

2007-10-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Sunrise on Monday morning

Smoky Sunday

2007-10-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

This is what we saw as we walked our home teachers to their car on Sunday. It was 2pm, but so dark and eerie outside! We figure the smoke came from the Castaic/Piru fires.

This picture doesn't do justice to the brilliant orange/red of the sunlight filtered through the smoke. The kids were in awe of it!

Cheese Anyone?

2007-10-20T23:05:00.000-07:00

Brady wanted cheese. He was digging through the fridge and reaching for my bag of grated cheese which I didn't want him to have because I really don't like cleaning up little shreds of cheese from the table, the floor, and the bottoms of my socks. I handed him the 2"x 2" remnant of the block of cheddar cheese that was wrapped in plastic wrap. He took it to the table. I heard him chuckle. "Somebody colored on my cheese Mommy." Colored on your cheese? Oh dear. That can't be good. I hurried to the table. Yep, it was nice & green with mold. There was a neat semi-circle missing where Brady's little teeth had already taken a bite. Are you gagging? I was.

"Holly stop kicking!"

2007-10-18T07:30:00.001-07:00

My Montage 10/17/07

Poor Brady was trying to get Holly's sock back on and she was just not cooperating! If you can't tell what he's saying, it's mostly "Holly stop kicking!" He was so determined...

Click on the photo to see the struggle.

Howdy Jenna!

2007-10-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

I love my little Jenna girl! She earned this hat at school for reading minutes. Super cute, Jen!

Mother of the Year

2007-10-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

I had to make lunch when we got home from church today. I put Holly into the exersaucer and, since she didn't protest, forgot all about her. Much later Jenna pointed out that she had fallen asleep in it! My poor neglected 4th baby. Truly an award-winning moment for me.

The One That Got Away

2007-10-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks, the girls have been begging me to let them fly their kites. Unfortunately, it just hasn't been windy enough. Finally, a few days ago it became very windy. The girls grabbed their kites, we quickly assembled them, and with hardly any effort, Jenna's cheap-o Strawberry Shortcake kite was flyin' high. Erin's was more complicated with two handles of string and, to her disappointment, it was really hard to control, even with Daddy's help. She was sad, but not nearly as sad as Jenna became when her kite escaped her grasp & was whisked away out of sight! From the backyard, we could see her kite way down below, caught in the brush by the golf course. Jason took the kids for a walk (while I was inside untangling a massive knot from the "better" kite's two strings & super long tail) trying to rescue her kite, but it's pretty hard to get to the green if you aren't golfing. Later in the day it blew onto the green & before long, we couldn't see it at all. Sorry Jen!

This collage of pictures tells the story: Jenna & Brady admiring the kite in flight, Jenna realizing how far away her kite has landed (her hair is a good indication of how windy it was that day!), the distance from our backyard to her kite (which is just below the tree in the center of the picture), a close-up of the runaway kite.

Note to self: next time, buy several of the cheap-o kites, just in case, and don't even bother with the more fancy, but pretty much impossible, dual string versions.

Ginger's New 'Do

2007-10-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

Time for a change! Shorter & less layers...much better!

Thanks Jena!

photos courtesy of Erin Kate

Vitals

2007-10-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

Holly had her 4 month check up today. She weighs 12 lbs. 14 oz. and she's 24 inches long. She is in the 40% for both weight and height...by far my biggest baby at this age and she's really not that big!
Everything looks good with her developmentally. She does have a small hemangioma in her underarm area. It was just a little red streak when she was born and has now grown some and become a little bit raised. The pediatrician said it will probably be gone by the time she's a year old. I'm not concerned. Yet another Z quirk manifest in one of my children!
No pokes today--I haven't done any of her immunization shots yet...I'll probably start them when she's 6 months. I'm just hesitant even though I know most babies are totally fine, including my own older kids. My ped. is totally cool about it and I appreciate that he skips the lecture.
So, all in all grandbaby #31 is doing awesome! I'm getting excited for grandbaby #32. Nat, am I invited for her birth?? :D

Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies

2007-10-04T14:15:00.002-07:00

I hosted a Pampered Chef cooking show last week and the consultant made these ridiculous brownies...very easy & so good! Kate was there and had them warm; Mom was reluctant when I brought her the leftovers & she complained about their richness as they quickly disappeared, piece by piece. I didn't have them with ice cream, but yum...that would be my ideal splurge!

Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies

12oz package chocolate chips
18-21oz brownie mix, plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup salted mixed nuts, divided
40 Rollos
vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375'F. Chop 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips. In large bowl, combine brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and 1/4 cup brown sugar; mix well. Fold in chopped chocolate; pour batter into jelly roll pan, spreading evenly.
2. Chop nuts. Combine half of the nuts and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over brownie batter. Bake 20-22 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut 16 Rollos into quarters. Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips; spoon melted chocolate into ziploc bag; set aside.
4. After removing brownies from the oven, immediately press remaining 24 Rollos evenly into brownies. Sprinkle quartered Rollos and remaining nuts over brownies. Trim corner of chocolate-filled bag; drizzle chocolate evenly over brownies. Cut into squares; serve warm and with ice cream, if desired.

A Whole Lotta Nothin'

2007-10-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

What's new around here? I know you're dying to know...
Jason still has a job at Countrywide...for the time being.
I went to join the local gym today, but the start-up fees are so outrageous, I'm rethinking. Speaking of working out, I'm making Chicken Milano and garlic bread for dinner tonight...yum!
Erin is making her best effort to kick the nail-biting habit. Wendy can tell you, it's not just her fingernails...yeah, nasty. She still has two orange bottom teeth, but she has a dentist appointment tomorrow...I'm hoping the plan of action is veneers.
Jenna's name was mentioned at Back to School night as one of the students in Kindergarten who is starting to sound out words...yay! She comes home everyday with most of her food still in her lunchbox since my little slow-poke eater barely gets through one item (usually the least nutritious one) before they are shooed out of the cafeteria & onto the playground. Yes, she obviously doesn't have the speed-eater Z genes in her.
Brady won't stop talking. Didn't I used to complain about him NOT talking? Well, I didn't know he was going to sell me out all the time! The other day I secretly threw one of Jenna's school papers in the trash. Brady saw me do it. Jenna, who would have been heart-broken since she thinks I should save any paper she has taken a pencil to, did not. Brady, standing nearby, asked, "Mom, why did you put Jenna's homework in the trash?" Trying not to panic & knowing that "Shhh-ing" him never had any effect, I had to act fast. Jenna was within earshot, but not paying attention to Brady, who was already loudly repeating his question. Before he could ask a third time, I used my best distraction technique..."Hey Brady, do you want a treat?" It worked! He forgot what he had witnessed and Jenna was spared the details of her ill-fated worksheet.
Little Miss Holly is so well-behaved. She never talks back or gives me dirty looks. She is always happy to see me! She doesn't fight with any of her siblings & even has an ability to diffuse a tense situation just by cooing. She never complains about what's on the menu at meal time & she happily eats all of her food & always wants seconds. It's so nice to have such a sweet baby around!
Well, I guess it's pretty obvious...NOTHING is happening around here! And I mean that in a good way. If anything really exciting happens, besides the upcoming dentist appointment of course, I'll be sure to let you know..........

Bullseye

2007-09-28T22:53:00.000-07:00

Found in Erin's 2nd grade classwork about "My Town"...

Question: What do you like best about your town?
Erin's Answer: I like to go to Target.

Crazy Face Contest

2007-09-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

Jenna wins!

But we've seen that face before.....

Meet Jane and Baby Emma

2007-09-21T22:10:00.000-07:00

So...should I be concerned or is this simply the result of having two older sisters who happen to have these dolls that they don't play with anymore, both of which Brady insists on having in his bed each night and at times will carry around or bring in the car to accompany him in his carseat buckles -- which must be awfully tight and uncomfortable, but he's willing to make the sacrifice -- but has been warned that he CANNOT under any circumstances bring with him into a public place? He's just practicing to be a champion Daddy, right??

Front Row Seats

2007-09-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

What little boy wouldn't love to sit and watch an asphalt paving crew right from his own driveway?? Brady was mesmorized by the big, loud machines, the smell of the hot tar, and the steam that would rise off of it as they smoothed it out. We sat together and watched the whole process. The workers seemed to appreciate having a captive audience. They smiled and waved at Brady. One man even honked his horn, much to Brady's delight!

Ranch Adventure

2007-09-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

Who wants to ride around the ranch on the "MULE"?!? My kids, that's who! They usually go on an "adventure," as they call it, with Grampa, but he wasn't home today, so Grammie stepped in for the fun! No school today, so we stopped by for a quick visit. They always love to be at the ranch, being entertained by Grammie and Grampa! If only they didn't get SO dirty.... :)