Are you 6 or 16?

(Photo by Kim Anderson)

So when my Mom was here we asked Little D how school was and he gave the usual answer,"Fine". Then we asked him who his friends were.
He named a few and then said, "Oh and Isabella" I was trying to figure out who she was when he followed with, "I'm going to marry her!"
Mom and I both started laughing and then I asked him why he was going to marry her.
He said, "Cause she's so cute!"
We were still chuckling and said,"Oh, O.K." We told him that since she wasn't a member he was going to have to baptize her so he could marry her in the Temple. He said," I know."

Then fast forward to Yesterday when I asked him how Isabella was doing. He says with a sigh,"Oh, alright." Then there was a long pause. Then he said,"I think she has another boyfriend".
I asked why he thought this and he says,"Well, she doesn't do anything with me."
I asked what she was supposed to do. (wondering what the girlfriend responsibilities were for a 1st grader)
He said,"Well when we get to chose partners she always chooses someone else! She never picks me!"
I told him that it would be fine and that he had a lot of years before he could marry her. Then I thought that I really needed to go volunteer so I can find out who this girl is.

Little A asked if she was a "Kissy Girl" (which is what Little D normally calls girls) He said."No that was last year when I was in Kindergarten."

Vacation to Montana

The Bride! (My youngest Sister Sara)

We're back after a long trip to Montana and Oregon. We went because my sister was getting married and you cant miss a sisters wedding. We went up a week before the wedding to help with the prep. Unfortunately I was not of much help.

The first day we were there Little D got sick with a fever and a little cough. It only lasted a day but then Little A got sick. Still no big deal. Then I got sick and it was no 24 hr fever thing. Apparently I had Strep Throat. For about 3 or 4 days I had a fever that would come and go. A sore throat and fever so bad one day that my parents even almost took me to the hospital. I could barely talk. My Dad gave me a blessing and sent me to bed. The next morning I felt much better but still wasn't 100 percent. But my throat was better and that was the worst part. I felt bad for my Mom because in the midst of planning a wedding she had to take care of me and my 3 kids. But she was able to pull it off and everything was fine.

Here they come as we threw rice in their faces!

I didn't think that Big J would be able to make it since he was over in Washington for work, but his job got done just in time and on Thursday he caught the train and rode through the night. He was only in Montana for a short time he got there on Friday and flew back to Bakersfield on Monday. But I was glad he was able to come.

The bride looked so beautiful! The reception at the church was decorated so well. 2 of my Moms sisters came a few days before the wedding to help and Oh man! Things would have been so bad had they not been there to help. With me sick and Mom overwhelmed it was so good of them to come and help. I hope they at least were able to enjoy themselves a little.

After the wedding was over and we had all somewhat re cooperated the kids and I went over to Portland with Mom. We stayed there for about 5 days and then Mom traveled home with us. It was a long drive but we mad it. It was nice to have my Mom here even if it was only for 2 days. She got all her Christmas shopping done for the kids so now she wont have to mail them down. Now I just have to store them until Christmas. It made me want to get all my Christmas shopping done right then. It would be so nice to have it all done by Thanksgiving.

Well sorry there isn't more about our trip but at least I blogged something. I'm still trying to get back to normal from being gone and being sick. Now I can blog about more fun things. Like funny things that kids say. Stay tuned.....

P.S. It was fun to see all our family and friends while we were up there! I hope that it wont be too long before we can come up again. But you know.... you can come down here too! :)

Nothing a little Fabric can't Fix!

So my good friend Megan and I were talking the other day and I mentioned that I was looking for a Double Jogger Stroller. She said that she had one that had been sitting in the yard for a year or two and that I could have it if I wanted it. I was like, "Are you sure?" She insisted that she didn't need it and she did tell me that it probably wasn't in the best shape after sitting in the sun for so long. But still I was interested so I went and checked it out. Sure enough it was a little faded and the buckles had basically disintegrated. They fell apart and all that was left was the buckle. She rinsed it off for me and I took it home.



After staring at it for a while I decided that it wasn't too bad. I was thinking that all it really needed was a new tire (because one of them looked like it had melted)and to make a shade thing. I was thinking about making a shade for it when I thought that if I did that then it would just look silly because the shade thing would be bright and the rest would have been all faded. So then I started wondering if I could make a slip cover of some sort for it.

After looking on the Internet for on and coming up empty handed I decided that I would just have to do it myself. So I went to Walmart and bought some canvas type fabric and some straps for the buckles and came home and went to work measuring and cutting and measuring and fitting. It was tricky but I finished it!.



And here it is! It is far from perfect but hey it works, right? And I still have not finished the shade part but the hard part is done. The shade thing should be easy. And as for the tire that looked like it had melted. Turns out all it needed was a new tire tube. I have to thank Megan, not only for giving me the stroller but for getting the buckles out of the trash for me! I am excited to get out and start running!

Early Birthday for Big J

So It was officially Big J's Birthday yesterday. But he had to go to Washington for work so we celebrated on Thursday. I labored all day to make his requested cake, from his Grandmothers Recipe. Its a very time consuming recipe in that you have to mix by hand and sift it 3 times.

Now I don't know how important those 2 things are but Big J wouldn't let me do it any other way. I have made this cake only one time before so I didn't have all the kinks worked out. However I did, after the last time making it, go out and buy a sifter. This helped the process a lot! I also only have one 9 inch round pan which gave me the perfect opportunity to mess it up. After the first layer was done cooking I was too impatient and tried to take it out too soon and it just crumbled up! So then I was upset because who wants only a single layer cake? So I grabbed the box of chocolate cake mix that I had in the cupboard and made that too. So now It was only half homemade.


I had the bottom and the top layer dark chocolate cake mix and the middle was Big J's Grandmas recipe. The frosting was also homemade and then I put some white chocolate shavings on the top and sides. It turned out OK I guess but it wasn't all the "Greatest Chocolate Cake ever" which his Grandma's recipe is. (according to Big J) Little A watched me put the candles on and when she saw the 3 asked when he was going to be 4 like her. I thought that was cute.


So I hope that you had a great birthday Big J! We love you and are grateful for all you do for us. We are so blessed to have such a kind, hardworking, self-less Father and Husband.

Big J's New Calling

So Big J is now the new Ward Clerk! It was a total surprise. It was also a surprise to hear what that entailed. We went into the meeting thinking it was something to do with Stake Mission Prep or Elders Quorum. They said a lot about how he gets to see and know the inner workings of the Bishopric. They also said that when the Lord wants to tutor one of his children he gives them this calling. They said a lot about trust and confidentiality and how he couldn't share details with me (which I knew and expected) but that he could share the feelings and testimonies that would come from this calling. I knew that he would love to give me a hard time about the fact that he can not share details. So I told them about how he ALWAYS says that he can't tell me things because I am not in the "Circle of Trust"! They all laughed. No doubt I will hear that a lot in the coming months. He was sustained and set apart today and the outgoing Clerk was more than happy to pass the keys and get him "logged in" to the computer today after church. So there you have it.

Ice Cream Creations!

I have probably talked to most of you about the creation that I make when I go to COLD STONE. Even though I am sure that I am not the first person that has made this creation before I think that It is SO good. Some people that I tell about it are surprised by the combination. I am always like really? And then tell the that they have to try it. Most people say that they will but I doubt that they ever do. Anyway, I have been trying to come up with a good name for it for a while.

Having said all this, last night Big J and I went out to Cold Stone after the fireside at the Stake Center. (Given by Pres. Carter on Power Tools for Faith) And after we were stunned by Big J's new calling. (Pay attention on Sunday) While we were sitting there I thought of a name and I couldn't believe that I had thought of one so easily. Now that I have it I can't believe that it wasn't one of the first that I tried. Because naturally when someone goes to name something they automatically try to mix the words of the things that they are naming.

The name is Razzoreo. And from that you might guess that the 2 main ingredients are raspberries and Oreo's. Yes when I go to cold stone I have them take French Vanilla ice cream and mix in raspberries, oreos and sometimes nuts. It has just the right amount of chocolate to vanilla ratio and the raspberries give it tart and sweet. So you have Chocolate, Vanilla, Tart, Sweet, and if you add nuts then the salty of the nut and the crunch. What more could you ask for? It is the perfect Ice Cream Creation.

And now that I have made a whole blog about it I am feeling a little silly but oh well. Its good and maybe just maybe I'll tell Cold stone about it and they can put it on their menu. Its a far reach but who knows!

***Cheyenne Update***

So It has been 2 weeks since we brought home Cheyenne. She has been a great dog so far. The first week I was a little frustrated with her because of the potty training. But now I think that we have that mostly under control. I still don't trust her at night so I keep her in her cage. I don't know when you are supposed to trust them enough to leave them out all night.

The kids just love her and she has become much more active in the last week. Little A wants to be in charge of her all the time and she tries to make her do things, which earns her a little growl every now and then. At least she has stopped trying to carry her around everywhere.



We have been able to teach her how to play ball, so that is fun. I was beginning to worry that she would never learn but she does pretty well now. Although she has a very short attention span. Everyone that meets her asks about her and says that she is so cool. All I can say is I KNOW! She is totally different. She has a look about her that make you think that she wouldn't be fun to pet but she is totally the opposite. She has fattened up just a bit. When we brought her home she was so bony and it kinda worried me a little bit. But now when I pet her I cant feel her bones as much. So that is good.

Now I am just wondering what I am supposed to do with her when we go to MT for my sisters wedding. I think that I want to take her with us but I am still trying to figure out if that is reasonable or not.