Still Nothing

Our house has been on the market since Mon or Tues and we got kicked out twice today so realtors could bring people through.

1st Time... (notice what the sign says)

2nd time...

The kid needs his own sunglasses.

So. close. to. trying. castor oil.

I'm Due Today

But... no baby yet.

So we got a consolation prize, a minivan.

And in a few hours I'm about to go get me a mama.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and things are progressing so I have hope this baby will come someday.

Just the "Friend"

We tried the suggestion below today in church... BIG improvement. Still not perfect but it's a start. Owen & Drew can make any "quiet" activity loud. I also brought a blank notebook, crayons, and a folder my mom made with pictures of Jesus. The crayons still got a little crazy (Owen would color as hard as he could trying to make the tip "melt"). So ya maybe just a pen would do the trick.

Just the Friend

Jenny H, Alabama “Just the Friend ,” Ensign, Feb. 2008, 74

My children love going to church, but they struggle to sit still in sacrament meeting. Quiet books, coloring books, snacks, and toys never held their attention for long, and they often quarreled over them. I even tried practicing a “reverence time” with them during the week. Nothing seemed to work. Finally, I stopped bringing extra activities in my church bag. Instead, I gathered a collection of past Friend magazines for them to look at after the sacrament. They can each have a pen to write in the magazines. They can also look through the hymnbook or sit quietly. Those are their options. For us, this change simplifies our sacrament meeting experience each week and helps us to focus more on the Savior.

Homepage for the Friend

Our Theme Songs

Drew: The brave little engine song
He has never sat through a TV show until now, he'll run from anywhere in the house when this Thomas song comes on.

Owen: The Transformers theme song
He's still obsessed and this picture made him really happy.

Justin: the theme song from Home Improvement
For obvious reasons... getting this house ready to sell!

Shauna: The "I want it now" song from Willy Wonka
A drink of water, massage, clothes that fit, a mini-van (don't mess), a baby... you name it.

Getting Back to Normal

This is how we rake our leaves.

The Details

The day after Justin gets home and he's already back at work! Just for a couple hours... they have to do some classes about STD's, drinking responsively, etc. for all those party guys.

Anyway, yesterday morning was soooo long waiting for Justin. We were told to be on base at 8:30 and the guys would be there anywhere between then and noon. Lucky for me Justin had his cell phone and called to say they were stuck on the airplane cause of all the lightning. He called when they were on their way and so we only had to wait 15 minutes on base. It was a way rainy day so they had tents set up with pizza and donuts. Drew loved the pizza, Owen was acting nervous and didn't want to eat. The 1st 2 busses got there at 11:30 and we watched guys come off with no Justin. We didn't realize a 3rd bus had pulled up until we turned around and Justin came out of nowhere. It caught me totally by surprise and I just started crying. Then Justin hugged Owen and he started crying too. It wasn't cause he didn't want Justin to hug him. Not sure if it was cause of me (don't think he saw me crying though) or what. But 6 1/2 months is a long time for a kid to be away from their dad and he was emotional about it. Drew didn't really know what was going on (he knows Daddy but also thinks every guy in cammies is Dad). They were both pretty quiet while we were there waiting for Justin to get his bags... just taking everything in. It was weird (in a good way) for me to be walking and not holding a kid! Justin was walking holding both of their hands :)

Justin loves his Taco Bell so we stopped there on the way home. At home we relaxed and went through his stuff. He brought Owen a carved wooden elephant, Drew a camel, and me a cool oil lamp made from pewter. We went to Target to so Owen could finally get the Transformers movie Justin had promised him. He's been saying, "Thank you that Daddy can come home and bring me Transformers with no ugly words" in his prayers for a month now. We have one of those Clearplay DVD players that edits movies but it was being disfunctional so they're sending us a new one and Owen has to wait 2 weeks till he gets to watch his movie.

If I had a nickel for every time Drew said, "Daddy" yesterday I would be a millionaire. He followed him ALL day and it was lovely. He just woke up from his nap and keeps asking for him, too. Justin said he's a totally different kid talking so much and copying everything Owen does. Owen didn't change as much to him. Owen loves Justin being here but he's still not totally himself. He asks me things to ask Justin instead of asking him directly. Still a little reserved. He didn't like it that Justin had to go into work today.

And I am still getting used to not doing everything myself... it's so nice. No taking out the trash, getting Drew out of his carseat, less diapers, and now that Justin found his license way less driving. Yay!

On a side note, I'm due two weeks from tomorrow. My mom flies in late that day so I'm requesting this baby to be born March 6th please.

:)

Owen Made Me Lunch

February 15, 2008

When I caught this hot dog in the microwave it still had
43 minutes left.

I think 1-2 had passed but I can't be sure.

"Do you want to let it cool down first?"
"Is it too hard for you?"

I was on the phone w/Justin when Owen was making this and he thought I should eat it so I wouldn't hurt his feelings. But even Owen knew it was bad and made me a new one.

My Valentines

Drew & Owen...We celebrated with heart-shaped pancakes, SpongeBob chocolates (they're no Godivas), making welcome home signs, a trip to the library for "Itchy Itchy Chicken Pocks" and to rent a Star Wars movie (I just might end up watching a full episode one day). You know, the usual.

Feb 12 - the 1st round of signs

And of course Justin, who I'll be celebrating with a few days late. He sent me these pj's... the top will fit soon enough.

Then there's Stanley aka "Bubba," my 3-year old Valentine from church who brought me a metal rose "that won't die," candy bars, and a little stuffed dog.

July 21, 2007

Now Taking Reservations

This is the best case scenario of military housing we could get in Monterey.

Worst case..So lets hope for the best.

Justin FINALLY got his orders and reports mid-June. Yay!

So all you fair-weather friends and family can start planning your trips to visit.

I would like to give a shout out to our non fair-weather friends and family (meaning those that actually have visited us here in the last almost 4 years): Mom, Christian, Brett, Linus & Sara, Paul & Robyn, Sarah & Tamir, and Ned & Mary's family.

Ya, ya I know you all MEANT to.

Foot Locker

We got one of Justin's foot lockers from Iraq today.
I was hoping Justin smuggled himself home inside. But nope!

Just clothes.

That made some good dress-ups.

Owen said he wanted to "dress up like a man."
But after he had those pants on he was an alien.

It's Bad for Us Anyway

So it doesn't matter that Drew dumped an almost full Sam's Club sized bottle of oil all over the floor and carpet.... right?

We are off to a good start.

2 days later...still have an oily carpet! It doesn't look that bad but whenever I step on it I end up with oily feet. I don't have much hope since the towels I used to wipe up the mess went through the wash and are still oily. So my solution is going to be a rug to cover it up.

Week in Review

· 3 days of Preschool

· 1 Pinewood Derby (wore Tan Shirt for 1^st time, looked hot)

· 1 New Beginnings Talk

· 1 Batch of Cinnamon Rolls (for New Beginnings Talk)

· 1 Scout Training Session

· 2 Game Nights (Settlers is Back)

· 1 more Project waiting for Justin (bedroom ceiling fan won’t turn off, if the light is on… the fan is on and it’s winter)

· 1 Ward Chili Cook-Off

· 1 Doctor’s Appointment (baby and I are doing well, they won’t induce me (was induced both times before… what’s going into labor like?), doctor happened to be LDS)

· 1 Fall in Public (holding Drew, right after walking into commissary, too painful to be embarrassing)

· 1 Scouting for Food Door-hanger Drop-off Activity

· 1 Funeral Watched (cried at Pres Hinckley’s empty seat and casket, saw Uncle Loren singing in Tab Choir)

· 2 Haircuts (gave Owen & Drew them myself, used scissors AND clippers, no buzzes involved)

· 0 Pictures Taken

The North Star

When I led Primary music in Mesa right after we got married, we learned a song about President Hinckley called Constant as the North Star. That song keeps going through my head today. In many of his conference talks President Hinckley referred to that star (sometimes as other names like the Polar Star) and told us to be steadfast and immovable like it. I'm sad that President Hinckley passed away! I'm sad that I won't get to listen for the star references in his talks anymore. I'm happy that he's with his wife in Heaven.

Here's the chorus from that song:

Be constant as the North Star that shines for you and me,
Anchored in the gospel with pure integrity,
Steadfast in your service to God and fellowman.
President Hinckley has shown us that we can.

Photo Booth

This obviously isn't the best picture of us... but I look better in this picture then I did in real life last night. Those Chuck E Cheese photo booths work some sort of magic. So next family portrait, I think we're going to just head over there and buy $10 in tokens.

How Owen Likes To Eat An Orange

Like a grapefruit.

And I like to eat grapefruit like grapefruit. Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of grapefruit. And it KILLS me to pay for it when I grew up on it for free from Grandma's backyard. Same thing goes for oranges that are free from my parents backyard.

So right now I'm mad at all you AZ people w/your free citrus just laying all over the place.

I Have A Dream

That to celebrate my day Shauna, her kids, and some friends will go to the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium. And that the aquarium will offer free admission in honor of me.

Do I Look Good in Tan?

They don't mess around here... my 1st Sunday back to church and I got called to Cub Scouts. I'm excited, except for the uniform.

Not Quite Freshly Fallen

We made it home!...To a backyard covered in crunchy, faded leaves that have probably been there at least 2 months. But they're still fun to play in.

We were also welcomed with a counter full of groceries, homemade chili, homemade cookies, and Dove chocolates on my pillow thanks to good friends here!

Other things you might care to know:

It's like 70 degrees! (I know someone cares about that, maybe Grandpa?)

The flights went pretty well... only ONE layover, Drew had his own seat, Owen had a new transformer, we had a working DVD player, and we got ice cream during the layover (that got extended by 1 1/2 hours). All that made up for 2 less-than-nice people we met on our way.

It's weird having our own space again. I feel like I'm playing house and I'm so disoriented... nothing works like my mom's! Microwave, water pressure, broom.... it's all wrong!

Justin gets home around Feb 19.

I'm still due March 5.

And we still don't know when we're moving, just that it will be sometime between May-August.

Saying Goodbye Stinks

So does my $9 thrift store luggage (far left) I needed for all the stuff we acquired.

My Pretty Things

I like looking at all your pretty things so you get to look at mine!

We had a little girls lunch today at Tia Rosa's (my last good Mexican food for awhile) and my friends got baby Sally such cute stuff. Here's some of it...

Designed by Lindsey, handmade by Rosie (her mom)

Handmade by Debbie

Maybe not so much pretty as funny. But this one makes me laugh.

My pretty things are thanks to these girls...

Me, Jessica, Becky, Katie, Ginger, Lindsey, Debbie
(Ashley - not pictured)

Taking Down Christmas Decorations

Wait this is the only one I have to take down!

Happy New Year!

Homemade Belts

12/30/07

Thanks for the cool belts Uncle Paul!

The Trouble With Amazing Jake's

12/28/07

It's too dang fun. So little kids like Owen don't want to stop playing to go to the bathroom. And then they wet their pants. (That hasn't happened in about a year)