My "Interesting" Day

Okay, so I know I haven't been the most dilligent in posting. Sorry for the three of you that read! So here is my update for my day yesterday. It was quite interesting to say the least.

So my day started out pretty normal yesterday: Kaitlyn (the girl I babysit) came first thing in the morning and the kids started to play while I tried to convince myself to do something productive. I started vacuuming upstairs when Kaitlyn came up crying. She promptly threw up on the floor saying she drank too much water! I had her sit in the bathroom while I cleaned her up and cleaned up the floor to make sure she was done. She seemed to be feeling fine afterward, so I let her go play and made a phone call to her mom. Her mom told me to let her know how she was after 30 minutes, and after the time frame Kaitlyn was just fine, so she stayed.

I got done vacuuming and Haden came up to tell me that Shay cut her hair! I ran downstairs to find hair all over the front room and my couches with holes in them! She had cut her hair up to her chin on one side! When I asked her why she did it she said that she wanted a haircut. Well we had a talk about who really cuts hair and who doesn't. With the couches, she said she was sorry in such a casual way that I didn't believe her. After looking at her hair a bit closer, I told her we will have to get it all cut off. She panicked! "Like a boy?" she said. "Yes, like a boy," I told her. I think that statement was enough of a punishment for her! She started to cry and say she didn't want her hair like a boy. "You shouldn't have cut it then!" I said. So after picking up as much hair as she could and sitting in time out for a while, she seemed to be truly sorry about cutting her hair, but not about the couches.

After I calmed down I decided I really did need to get the pictures on the computer from Halloween and post them. I took out my memory card from the camera, put it in the computer, and nothing happened. I pulled it out and put it back in a few times, but still nothing happened. So I opened the 'my computer' to open the files that way. The memory card wasn't even coming up. Now I figure my drive is broken. I don't know how it happened, but it did and I am sad! So no pictures for a while for you.

After scouts and Clint came home, Shay and I rushed to the nearest salon that was still open (it was five by this time). I asked if they could fit her in because of an emergency. Fortunately they did. And I thank the girl who did it, because she was the last one out and was called by home twice to find out where she was. She really did stay late for us! Shay was very meloncoly through the entire cut, but as soon as it was done she was very happy about it! She looked in the mirror and said, "See, Mom, that wasn't so bad!" Yeah, not for her! Later when she was telling Nana about the incident, Nana asked if her hair was cute. Her response? "Yes! it's very cute!" I have a feeling this won't be the last time she cuts her own hair!

So there is my day in a nutshell. I know it isn't as interesting as Phil and Tiffany's can be, but it was definitely an upheavel for me!

Exciting News!!!

Congrats to my baby sister, Kim! She has found someone to spend the rest of her life and beyond with! Jared Iverson will be inducted into our family on December 17th, 2009 after being sealed to Kim for time and all eternity in the Logan Temple! Congratulations you two! We hope your life together will be full of love and adventure!


I also need to announce the birth of a new nephew! Jacob Mark Purcell was born to Phil and Tiffany Purcell on August 8th! I know it is a bit late, but he is cute and very welcome just the same! Congratulations on the safe arrival of baby Jake!

Haden's Adventurous First Week of School

Being two blocks from the school, I walk Haden to and from kindergarten. I talked to him several time as to where to meet me, I showed him where to meet me, and I had him repeat where he was to meet me many times. So much to my surprise when I went to pick him up from his first day of school, he was gone! I found his teacher and inquired as to where he may be, she didn't know. I walked around the playground thinking he would be playing or hidding. He was gone. I talked to the secretary and she paged him. Still no Haden. In a panic, my mind began racing as to where he would be. I thought that because you can literally see our home from the school, he walked. So I went home to see if that was the case. Still no Haden.

Running back to the school they called the buses to see if by chance he got on a bus. No response. At this point I am wondering how in the world the teachers could have let him go missing!! He is a kindergartener on his first day! Aren't they suppose to keep them in view at all times?? Now please understand that my son is not the type that sits still and does what he is suppose to. He is an explorer and is not afraid of going off on his own. Do understand that I took this into consideration as my panic rose.

I told the school I would walk around the outside of the building one more time before giving them my number and checking at home once more. Thankfully, by the time I got done with my walk (or run) and got back into the office, a kind bus driver had found him. He got on a bus thinking it would bring him home. We had a very big talk about that! I then realized that everything he knows about transportation to and from school involves buses. He sees it on TV, he hears the kids talk about it, and I even took the bus daily the past two years while I was going to school. We then had a talk about WHO rides the bus and why. He hasn't gotten on since.

Incident Number Two: Clint leaves for school at about 7:15. I have been getting out of bed about 8:00-8:30. Usually the kids are awake, and Clint is kind enough to put on a movie for them. Sometimes I really am awake, other times not so much! I know, I deserve a Mother of the Year award. On one of these days that I decided to sleep a bit longer I got a phone call. I did not hear the phone call because my phone decided to be on vibrate. I'm sure I did it, I don't remember doing it, and I usually double check before going to bed to make sure it isn't on vibrate. But it was and I missed a VERY important call!

I roll over at 8:30 to see I have a message. It was Haden's school saying he was in the office waiting for me to come and get him because he wasn't suppose to be there until the afternoon. This of course is a fact. He attends afternoon kindergarten. He decided he didn't want to wait until after lunch anymore to go to school. So he got up, got dressed, some food, and went to school without me knowing. As you probably have guessed based on the beginning of the week, I was not happy with him. I blew up. I think I scared him spitless! Well, at least he hasn't tried anything since. I just hope he doesn't try anything out of the ordinary again. I don't think I could handle it!

So a rocky start to a good thing! But life goes on, we learn, and now I make sure I am up before Clint leaves, and at the school before he gets a chance to run off. C'est la vie!

The Big Move

Much happened between my birthday and now. The biggest thing being that we moved. Clint took a job at Altamont High where he now teaches band and German. He loves it! He is hoping to take over the choir in the next year as well. It is everything he has ever wanted in a job! The move actually went very smoothly. Mostly because of my brilliance in packing and preparing! Our first trip was made mainly to get Haden registered for school. Because we were coming down anyway, we took our bed frames and anything else we could get in the cars.

Because of the lack of storage, a lot of our things were taken to the basement of my dad's office previously. Thank you Dad!!! Leaving us with only an hour of loading the truck on the morning of the move before we headed out. Of course by the time I actually got to Roosevelt (did I say we were actually in Roosevelt and not Altamont?) I already couldn't walk in my front room. A path was made from the front door to the back door. Please don't try to get anywhere else, because you would have failed!!! Fortunately because the bed frames were previously brought down and put together, we did have beds. Again, thank you Dad!!!

Now, everything is put away. We are painting the entire apartment, so there are no decorations, but it is clean most of the time, there is food on the table, and we are progressing!

The Promised Update

Okay so my update is not being done as soon as I would have liked, and I have not made as much progress on my place as I would like to brag about. Either way, I think my family and friends deserve a bit of information. Well, those don't already know and those that take the time to read. So let's start at the beginning (a very good place to start. Come one, you know you finished the phrase before I did)!

My amazing mother decided to throw me a birthday party. Well, it was a party for the kids that just happened to land on my birthday. Okay, it was a fantastic party!! With the kids in mind, the theme consisted of capes, competitions, and awesome music! Yes, super heroes do exist and they made themselves present in my home on August 10th of this year!

As the guests arrived they were stripped of their secret identities and presented with new uniforms made by super designer Kim and Nana. These capes allowed all super heroes to shed away all inhibitions about their true abilities. Food was consumed at remarkable speed, balls were kept in the air for large amounts of time, and furniture was taken apart and hauled away by the strongest of the strong!

I loved it! I had so much fun watching the kids play and spending the day with family and friends. Thank you, Mom, for planning a party for me that was truly for the kids. It makes it much more fun!!!

P.S. The picture at the beginning of the post is of Tan Girl and Bom (Kim and her now fiance Jared)

Really, really, Quick!

Okay, so I have been really bad about getting things on this, but I promise there is a HUGE update coming! We are moving tomorrow to Roosevelt for the next stage of our lives! Clint got a job teaching band and German at Altamont High and he starts next week. So once we get everything back together I will get more posted.

California or Bust!

First of all: Congratulations James and Laura! The kids and I had the opportunity to travel via van to Southern California for my cousin, Laura's wedding. It was a great trip! There were quite a few things I realized about marriage that I was too young to really understand. I hope those things will help me in my and my family's life. The drive down was really nice actually! We woke up early so as to get the entire trip done in one day. Haden fell back to sleep, and Shay was in a kind of stupor until about Provo. This made it so I didn't have to start the movies until two hours into the trip. We stopped in St. George for lunch (half way there) and Kim got to see an old professor of hers that she really enjoyed. We only stayed there for about 45 minutes to an hour to let the kids rest, then we were back on the road! The second leg of the trip seemed like it would be forever at the beginning, but it went by rather quickly compared to my first impression. Shay took an afternoon nap, and Haden watched another movie. I was surprised that they only got in about four movies throughout the entire ride there. Needless to say, the kids were wonderful during the long drive! It took us 13 hours (almost to the minute) for the whole trip. This included multiple bathroom breaks and our lunch.

Once there, Kim and I took the kids for a much needed pool run. Mostly to see if they can get all of the repressed energy out so we could go to bed! They didn't take too long, though. The next day was a day for us. We went to the grocery store to replenish our snacks seeing as we would be coming home on a Sunday, took a long nap, picked up my parents from the airport (my dad flew in his little plane), then headed over to the Smiths' for a casual bbq to get to know the other side of the family. It was fun! We also got to help get the flowers ready, swim in the pool, and do a lot of talking. The flowers were incredible! There was a large 'casket' piece for the center of the pool, tons of orchids for the centerpieces, and an already beautiful backyard. They place was amazing!

The wedding was held in the LA temple in a sealing room right off of the celestial room, so we all got to wear our white clothes for it. The ceremony was great and the temple grounds were wonderful! Laura also looked incredible in her wedding attire. The reception was very well done, and the dancing was awesome! I think it helps to have a little dance floor. Then it looks like it is always full :) The drive home was just as good. Kim went with my dad on the plane while Mom came with me and the kids in the car. Again, the kids were great. I don't think I could have asked for better behaved children. It must have been because we told them we would be a long time. Otherwise I'm not sure the would have been so good. But they were, and the trip was great!

Now time to get ready for the family reunion in Provo with my family this week. *sigh* a never ending thing :)

Okay, fine! I will do it!

It seems to be the running (no pun intended) trend to get back into running. So here I am, back into running. Today I ran about 3 1/2 miles straight! I don't think I have done that since high school! It was much easier than I remember it being. I think that is because I am in no pressure to do well in a race (which I NEVER did! I was perpetually last). I do enjoy running, but I will not be entering any race anytime soon. My goal: to run five miles without stopping before I move on August 15th! Wish me luck!

Mission Complete!

I got it done! I was able to dodge the rain (mostly) and get the office done before my dad got to see it. I don't have any pictures now, but I get some next year when the plants have had a chance to grow a bit more. It will be exciting to see what happens! Now on to the next adventure...moving. We still don't even have a place to live! We will get to that part come Monday when we make the trek to Altamont to find a home. Wish us luck!

Rain and more Rain

Normally I love rain! I love the feel it gives the home where everyone wants to stay inside and we all play together. But this is a mess! I have been trying to get my dad's office done, and it is getting near impossible with all of the rain! There is a little more pruning that can be done, but other than that there is only planting. With the ground to wet, that is becoming a joke! I just hope it can get done before my parents get home next week. Everyone wish for three days of dry then it can rain all it wants!

Well, it is officially over...

My work at Rudy's is done. I have successfully created the illusion that I am WAY to happy when I'm working with plants, I truly do enjoy loading a large moving van full of flowers, and I CAN make new friends. I must say that I will truly miss my co-workers from this season. Maybe it was my own attitude toward the situation, but the people this year were a lot more fun than last. Rudy's will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for teaching me so much!

To commemorate the end of the season, I hosted a little Rudy's barbecue. It was a lot of fun to see everyone for one last time, and to get to meet children, spouses, and significant others of the workers there. I think Haden and Shay enjoyed meeting the kids more than anything :) We put up the bounce house and a little tether ball wanna-be game for them, and they were completely content for the entire evening! Thank you Mom for the bounce house! It actually even entertained some of the adults as well!

One of my co-workers had a son that was celebrating his birthday, so we got him a cake and had a good time watching him blow out the candles (with the help of Haden, of course)! Here are a few pictures to mark the event (some were taken by Adee: a seven year old girl):







With that over and done, it is on to my new project: my dad's office. There is a lot of planting and weeding that needs to be done in the next week or so. My parents have gone to Europe on a little trip, and I would like the office to be complete before they get back. Kind of a little Father's Day/ 'finally done' surprise. The biggest problem being that I will need to plant about 350 perennials! That doesn't include the shrubs I will be adding! Yes, my trowel and I will be getting along quite well over the next week. I also volunteered my services at my parents' home to clean up and plant new things. Fortunately, there will be more weeding and less planting for that area. Yes, I do like to weed; call me crazy!

One Week Left

So I have one week left for work. I must say that I will really miss working at Rudy's Greenhouse. The employers and wonderful to work for, and the co-workers this year were wonderful to work with. Thank you to all for a great experience as a cap to my education. I have learned a lot from all of you about plants and my area of study.

This past week has been a pretty good one! I have been able to pack up the winter things in preparation for the move to Altamont (yes, we really are going), thus allowing more room in my coat closet for the many other items that become hidden behind its doors. There is one really good thing about moving: de-junking! Clint doesn't like giving things away (which is a carry over from his parents- they save everything), but part of me thrives on it! I love taking things that we haven't used and giving them away. If someone else can benefit from our temporary mindless splurges and our weight gain, then I am more than happy to give them the blessings. I like the room de-junking provides and the sense of cleanliness. I guess you could say that I am the opposite of a pack rat. So this week I might get to go through all of our CD's and movies to decide which we will be moving, and which will have the pleasure of becoming someone else's property. Hmmmmm....yard sale? Not likely. Too much work for me. So if anyone wants some things, let me know and I will get them to you. This is fun!

The kids are already asking to go back to school. I guess I am just a bit too boring for them. Then again, it isn't such a bad idea where they are each the main playmate to the other, and do they love to push each other's buttons! But Haden's imagination is in full swing with maps, rescue clothes, super heroes, and dinosaurs. And Shay is right on his heals with whatever he comes up with. They are both great!

Clint will be leaving for his yearly 2 week training for the Guard on Friday and will be absent for the bulk of the packing process. I guess that means I get to go through his clothes :)

Here are some pics with the new camera (please be kind, we are still figuring it out):

Woops!

Wow, I can't believe how long it has been since I posted! I know it isn't really too long, but it seems like a while to me. First off let's mention how much I love my job! I am sure some of it has to do with the company, but it is a blast to get to work with plants and to help others share in the joy growing flowers and other plants can give! Of course with my sister, Kim, there sometimes the fun never really stops! However (*sigh*) she has decided to leave me for a small trip to see Phil and his family along with her mission areas. My parents and Kim went to Boston to rekindle old relationships (can you really call it that when it is our brother and his family? Then again, she hasn't seen Tiffany for three years!), and then moved onto Ohio where she will proceed to introduce my parents to what she has been accomplishing for the past 18 months. I hope they all have a blast!

At this point we have no plans for Memorial Day. At least none that I am aware of. Clint's mom came to watch the kids while Clint worked and Kim was gone, and they may have been discussing the option of doing something without me knowing. And with Clint, there may be solid plans made that he hasn't told me about yet:) He tends to forget to tell me these things sometimes. So we will have to see what events come to pass come Monday night.

The kids are having a good time out of daycare, but they frequently ask me if they can go to school. Speaking of starting school (okay, kind of a stretch I know), but I think Clint and I have decided to rent until after Christmas when we move to Altamont. He hasn't started his new job yet, and we are pretty late in the game with getting everything in order. So we will still be renting for a while. I guess that is what you get for procrastinating! Now if we could just find some rental property.

We are doing well and loving life in the summer! Outdoor work and fun is plentiful, and the world is becoming a more inviting place with the presence of summer!

All's Well That Ends Well

So my days as a student have come to an end, and I would like to share some of the things I have learned from this life altering experience:
1: Water is essential to life (G. Schuppe- Ecology)
2: Works loads decrease significantly if the teacher has surgery (B. Varga- Landscape Management)
3: A shovel does make an acceptable gift (T. Roper- Senior Seminar)
4: Dirt requires a lot of calculations! (R. Cartee, P. Grossl- Soils)
5: Breathing helps stop the pain (E. Green- Yoga)
6: Circles can also be tress and shrubs (A. Spranger, S. Buffler- Residential Design, Basic Graphics)
7: ALWAYS talk to your advisor before you do anything! (C. Meyers- Internship)
8: Studying for a quiz while you walk to the class is not an effective method for retention. (B. Barnett)
9: You can turn in late work and still get full credit (depending on the teacher)(P. Johnson- Turfgrass Management)
10: There are a lot of botanical names! (C. Aston- Woody Plant Material)
11: There are a lot of laws when it comes to destroying pests (C. Aston- Pest Management)
12: A teacher on sabbatical while you are taking the class is a bad thing (J. McAdam- Structure and Function of Economic Crops)
13: Teachers can be very smart and still can't teach (S. Young- Fruit Production)
14: Irrigation design knowledge does not equal irrigation knowledge (Construction II- M. Borecki)
15: It can be fun to have a 7:30 class (R. Whitesides- Weed Biology)
16: It is possible to look forward to the teacher evaluations (Construction I- J. Elsworth)
17: Interest in biology can change depending on your major (K. Mott- General Biology)
18: Chemistry can start with a bang (D. Harris- General Chemistry)
19: The orientation class is NOT for transfer students, but still required (C. Meyers- PSC Orientation)
20: 50 observations can be made about anything while eating ice cream! (B. Varga- Plant Identification)

There you have it. What I have learned while spending my money over the past two year. Of course there is more, but I thought these would be more enjoyable for everyone. Thank you to all of the teachers and staff that have helped me through my schooling, and thank you to all of my friends that have supported me daily with homework and social release!

I'M DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Cement Factory and Homecomings

As is a tradition in Tremonton when a missionary comes home, Clint and I had the pleasure of accompanying my dad to the cement factory to add to the structural support of the outer walls. For those of you who do not know what in the world I am talking about let me explain. Right off I-15 between the 900 N exit in Brigham City and the Honeyville exit there lies an ancient ruin. This ruin has, over many many years, become the cornerstone to announce love notes, thoughts, graffiti, and the frequent arrival of missionaries. This is done through a lot of paint! This fantastic ruin is called the cement factory; simply because it use to be a factory that produced cement. Creativity at its finest, I know. When Phillip came home, my family proceeded to the cement factory to participate in this tradition. After winding our way through the hills and over uncharted roads (for us anyway), we proceeded to the fences. Of course this area is fence off with a "No Trespassing" sign marking the outskirts of the area. But who really pays any attention to these anyway?

After climbing over fences, fallen parts of the building, and up stairs that seemed questionable to cross, we made it to the front of the building. Dad reached and reached to paint the largest welcome home on the wall only to realize on the way home that the welcome back we had created appeared no bigger than a hand written note on standard paper. Needless to say, it was very hard to see. This baffled us seeing as we (we meaning my dad) reached up as far as possible to ensure it was huge! So Phillip came home (in the dark mind you) and didn't even get to see the trouble we went through to ensure he was included in this timeless tradition.

So here comes Kim home. Another chance to redeem ourselves with the whole Phillip incident. Dad looked through the old paint from past home improvement projects to find a lot of shades of off-white. So he treks his way down to the local hardware store to get a darker shade to stand out against the mountains of white my parents have acquired. He returned home with a reject. It was a gallon of paint that was mixed incorrectly and set aside to be discarded. Needless to say, it was quite obvious why it was discarded. We opened it up to expose a brilliant shade of muddy brown.

So off we go to continue the tradition that was once thought to only be a requirement once in the life of our family. By this point the rain had subsided and the sky was getting darker by the minute. After getting bundled up in coats and gloves, Clint, my dad, and I jumped into the truck with the tallest ladder we had, two gallons of paint, two paint rollers complete with extensions, and a variety of other supplies to make this work. After arriving to the end of the road we got everything out and began the trek.

The very first obstacle we encountered was but three feet in front of the truck: a fence. Not really a big deal. Clint and I slid the items we were carrying through the gate and proceeded to climb over. Now I haven't really climbed a lot of gates or fences, but I guess my dad was in a bit more of a hurry, so he decided to face the barbed wire fence instead of the metal gate. Yes, he got caught. Quite amusing really because that doesn't happen a whole lot to him. Granted he doesn't really climb over barbed wire fences daily. After breaking free, the trek through the mud began.

The mud there was a combination of clay, silt, and A LOT of water (it had been raining all day), so we slid, sunk, and slugged our way through to the crumbling building where we found some scary looking stairs to climb and many other obstacles to make our way through to the side. Because of all of the rain, there was no way we would be making it to the front where we left Phillip's mark, so we stopped at the side. There, next to other masterpieces, we began painting. As we painted, we discovered what was truly holding the cement factory together: paint. There was about a good inch thick layer of paint that had begun to peal. This of course made our job harder, but still fun.

After the white was applied we (we of course meaning Clint and Dad) began to apply the lettering in the brilliant brown my dad had acquired. Yes it had begun to rain again, yes the white was still wet, and yes the brown ran all over! Even after a grand attempt to fix it, there was still a glorious stream of brown running onto the base of the building.

As Kim was brought home the next day, a close look at the damage from the rain was observed: it looked quite Gothic. At least that is the description I pinned it at. You can decide for yourself. That is, for those of you who are still reading it. Long winded, I know, but worth every bit!

WELCOME HOME, KIM!!!

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter to one and all! I hope this day for you is full of reflection, enjoyment, family, and of course candy!!!! I say this as my children are currently eating treats for their breakfast. Yes, I am the perfect mother. But if there is candy around, there isn't a small chance that I can get them to eat something else. I guess I could have fed them before the baskets, but it is a holiday for me too, right? Okay never really. But I am feeling kind of lazy today. Oh wait, that seems to be every day! I need to get my act in gear. Now off to get in gear...maybe.

Okay, I've been tagged. Here it goes:

I was supposed to post the 6th folder and 6th picture and then tell about it and tag 6 people.

This is a picture of Shay taken in July at my mom's house with her new water slide. You know, one of those blow up ones. She really did not like the water! Mom thought it was because the water was cold, so she was nice and heated some water to put in. That didn't help a whole lot! We did finally convince her to play in the little pool at the bottom of the slide while Haden enjoyed running up and down! It was a fun day.

I tag Shannon, Emily, Amy, Katie M., Kim, and Chelcie

Happy Birthday, Shay!

We had a lot of fun celebrating Shay's birthday yesterday! Both my parents and Clint's parents and my Grandma were able to come! It wasn't very exciting, but the kids had a lot of fun and the adults got in some good conversation time. Shay got her first bike this year. Last year she and Haden got into a lot of fights over who got to ride his bike, so this year they each have their own! Now if I could just get one then we could all ride together!

Haden also had a really great primary activity yesterday! It was all about super heroes and missionaries. They even had the missionaries there to help out with it! Haden was super excited when he got there, and he came home as Fast Boy!

Drat! Spring Break is Over. Hurray! Only Six More Weeks!

So today is the last day of spring break and it was wonderful! I hope you all had as good as a week. It did start out a little iffy though. Last Saturday I was a good girl and got my research paper rough draft done for tomorrow and even got my mom to proofread it for me! Double hurray! Sunday came and went with nothing unusual, and Monday came without much excitement either. I didn't do any homework like I should have, but that is now done. I also got a lot of reading in on Tuesday, but that night I got a call from Rudy's saying they needed me back! Hurray, more flowers! I have to tell you the house with the 1500 flats of pansies looks and smells great! We have even had a few orders for them already. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Wednesday morning Haden woke up early with an ear ache, so before I took him and Shay to school I made an appointment to have that looked at. I wasn't at work for twenty minutes when the daycare called and told me Haden had thrown up and I needed to come get him. I brought him home and he slept the rest of the day. I did wake him up every once in a while to have him drink something, but right up to the doctor's appointment he slept. I was actually worried he wouldn't sleep that night because he was feeling better by the end of the day. But he did. The doctor mentioned that he could have thrown up because of the ear pain, but I wasn't worried too much about that. So there is my first day back of the job!

Thursday went smoothly. Haden was feeling better and Shay never did get sick, so I got in a full day's work. It was great to be able to plant again. We did the same thing on Friday, but we made up the baskets. All of the bosses (yes, there are a lot) seemed pretty stressed out about how much we had to do, but it sure seemed like we were moving pretty fast. Thursday we got one (and a little bit more) house full of planted flats, and Friday we got about 1000 baskets planted. Of course last year I started in May, not when all of the planting was being done.

So there is my week! I clean the carpet in my front room yesterday and spent way too much money on some slip covers for my couches. And now it is today!

No one can deny that I am brilliant!

So without my 7:30 class I have most of Tuesday and Thursday open. To keep the kids and the daycare consistent, I have been dropping off the kids at nine everyday even though my fist class is at 10:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. With that time, I have decided to go to the gym on campus. Yesterday I continued to the gym, did about 30 min. of cardio, and then proceeded to lifting. I was limited on time by this point, so I decided to only work my arms.

When I got to yoga at 10:30, we were all told we were going to be doing a lot in Down Dog, Tripod, and a modified Side Plank. Needless to say, I didn't last very long with my arms. I was shaking, hurting, and downright exhausted! I guess I learned my lesson, and will now no longer lift before yoga. At least, not work my arms. I don't know what the effect will be if I stick to my legs. Maybe I will try that tomorrow:)

New Determination

So I usually hit midterms and decide that I have worked hard enough for a little while. I then tend to hit a wall and have no desire to do anything school related. This semester I think I hit that a little early. The good this is that I have now decided that I will start my paper for my Senior Seminar today than wait until the last minute to get it done (the rough draft is due in three weeks). I guess we will see if that really happens or not.

Haden spent the weekend with my in-laws. I have to say it was a little weird. I took Haden to daycare on Friday morning and then didn't see him until about six last night. Needless to say, I missed my baby boy! Okay, he is five and not really a baby anymore, but that doesn't really matter, does it?

Anyway, Shay and I had a good time with girls' weekend (I sent Clint down with Haden for the weekend). First she was quite upset that she didn't get to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. She even told me she didn't like me :( But then we made brownies, rented movies, and had McDonalds for dinner. I think she liked me then, but was still wondering when Haden would be coming home. Yesterday for church, Clint took Shay to a baby blessing (I was playing the piano for RS) and came back for sacrament. After the sacrament we went back to the home of the new baby (Clint's cousins baby) and had something to eat and socialize. We ended the night at my mom's for dinner where Haden and Clint's parents joined us. It was quite the weekend!

So I didn't know what to do with myself at church, I didn't have any super hero dinosaurs to protect me, and Lip Smackers found the way into my home this week. I guess that is quite enough for one post.

Midterms

Deja vu! This is the title of my first post! Well then, here is goes. This will be my last midterm ever! Hurray for me! Of course, with this midterm it also means the end of my Irrigated Soils class. Yes, it is all about irrigation, yes, it is a bunch of math, and yes, it actually wasn't that hard. Which of course makes me very happy seeing as it was a seven-thirty class. I think the kids are a lot happier also. They can wake themselves up and they actually get something in their stomach before we leave. Don't panic though, they have been getting breakfast at school, now they just get two breakfasts. I really think it help with their attitude. Shay's personality really depends on how full her stomach is. If she is ornery, give her something to eat and she is usually great. But I am sure most kids are like that.

So midterms mean the beginning of the end! I can't believe the first half of the semester is already gone! I now have eight weeks until I can consider myself a college grad!

FREE STUFF!

YOU ARE AN INSTANT WINNER ON THE DRAPER GAME SHOW!

I got this from Adam and Amy's site. I hope everyone enjoys this!
The first FIVE people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while)
4- You have no clue what it's going to be.
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it! Sounds like fun, right?

Here we go again.

So, I have actually been debating for a while as to what I would say. I even got on and started at the blank page and had nothing to write. So here I am trying to say what has been going on in our house. This will be a bit easier seeing as yesterday was Valentine's Day.

Clint was working yesterday on the day shift so it was just me and the kids. We actually had a lot of fun! I decided not to put a restriction on the candy and allowed them to make themselves sick. But at least the candy is gone and we don't have to argue about it! I also decided that since they were going to eat all of the candy, there was no point in cleaning up the house. That was kind of a mistake. Now the house is a HUGE mess and it is Sunday. I hate having my home a mess on Sunday; it seems to clutter up everything else about the day. But there isn't much I can do about it now. But we had fun! I gave both of the kids Valentine's books, of which Haden's was a beginning readers book. You know the ones with common words as pictures. When I got done reading it to him (with his help), he told me that he knows the little words (the pictures) but not the big words and asked for my help with them. Now he can read (or repeat) most of the words on the first four pages! It makes me happy to see that he wants to learn.

I took the kids to the mall to play after Shay's nap, and they really enjoyed themselves. One of the other mothers there mentioned the playarea was the best thing the mall could have done because shopping could be done and the kids don't get too bored. She seemed quite surprised when I told her I didn't even come here to shop, just to let the kids play. I would think that would be expected on a snowy day and an indoor playground. I must say, I do that quite often in the winter. How else will I get my kids to wind down after all of the sugar? At least, I thought it was a good idea.

100 Random things

I stole this from my cousin's blog. I hope I don't put anyone to sleep with my boring life!


1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited Hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to Disneyland
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo-- More than I can count!
11. bungee jumped
12. visited Paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. seen in person the Statue of Liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. slept on an overnight train-- in Paris (never again!)
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch-hiked
23. taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or a sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen Niagara Falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an Amish community
36. taught yourself a new language--does French in school count? It is very limited.
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen Michaelangelo's David
41. sung karaoke
42. seen the Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. visited Africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. received a prestigious award
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud
54. gone to a drive-in theater
55. been in a movie
56. visited the Great Wall of China
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited Russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies
62. gone whale watching
63. got flowers for no reason
64. donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt
73. stood in Times Square
74. toured the Everglades
75. been fired from a job
76. seen the changing of the guards in London
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the Vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in Jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire Bible
86. visited the White House
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating--Okay, so I did watch or participate in the killing of a chicken, but I was present!
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone's life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the Alamo in person
96. swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee
100. learned to play an instrument--Piano and flute (and the recorder in elementary school)

That's it for me! Are you still awake?

HELP ME!!

So I have now been named the Relief Society Enrichment Leader for our ward. Not a big deal, right? Not on a calm day, but my normal days consist of school, work, kids, house, and husband. Our ward is also getting back into doing Enrichment once a month. I tried to talk to the RS president about that, but I'm not so sure she understood my concerns. I guess I will have to push the issue of only four a year. Then again, I am not really planning on being here much longer than August. I really hope they don't mind that. They don't seem to. So here is my plea: I need ideas. I need help.

My other issue for the day is keys. Now Clint and I don't have any spare keys to the vehicles in the house. Mostly the van because it would cost us about $60 for a copy due to the microchip that is placed in the newer keys. Because of this, my keys were locked in the van this morning. Clint had left for work long before I realized this. So in order to get to my morning class on time, I grabbed the kids out of bed, got them ready and bundled, and ran to try to catch the bus. By this time I had already decided that I wasn't going to get the class on time, but we missed the bus. So in a frenzy, I called a friend and classmate of mine and asked that she would also be late for class and come and get us. She picked us up on the side of the road, took my kids to daycare, and carted me to school. All with only being ten minutes late for class! Way to go, Amber!!! Thank you so much! Not only that, but she then hauled me back to the daycare to pick up the kids at the end of the day and drove us home. She truly was a lifesaver this morning.

Fortunately the rest of the day went quite smoothly. It was a better day for all.

An Update.

First of all, my dryer died at the beginning of last week. I was so sad! It was a hand-me-down from Grandpa Baird (my mom's dad) when he moved out of his house and has served us well for the past five years. I will miss it. The good thing is that I did get a new dryer out of it. I must say I am amazed at how much lower to the ground the drum is for only being a little bit bigger capacity. It is something that I will have to get use to. Now if I could only get the washer to die. No, not really! I need my washer! It was quite interesting to get reacquainted with the laundromat though. I was surprised at how much it cost me to do one week's worth of laundry. I had about $21 and still didn't have enough to get my clothes all of the way dry. If I would have thought a bit more about it, I would have washed my clothes at home and only took them there to dry. Then I wouldn't have spent as much money. I think I just wanted to get it all done in the hour. That is the best part about a laundromat!

I have my first test of the semester coming up on Wednesday, so yes, I really should be working on getting ready for that instead of posting, but I thought everyone deserved to hear all about my life instead! Aren't you all so lucky! The test is in my soils class and is open note. It is really just a bunch of math. It has irrigation planning and soil moisture content and all of that fun stuff. Did you get all of that?

In all of my efforts at finding an internship (which there wasn't any), I did not have any luck. Then today during my luch break a get a phone call from Rudy's Greenhouse. I did some seasonal work for them last year. They were offering me a job for this season starting tomorrow! It really is the perfect job for me. The work is pretty laid back up until May for Mother's Day. I will be getting flats ready to sell in the spring. Come May, I will be helping pull those flat out for wholesale orders. The owners are really great, so if anyone wants to come and see me while I am working then feel free! This first part will be mostly sitting down kind of work, so I could use the people to chat with! Can you tell I am really excited? This is about the time of year I get pretty antsy to get planting, and now I get to without the imminent death of the flowers. Hurray for me!!!! I will have to take some pictures of all of the flowers when they are in bloom about April. It is quite the sight to see.

Anyway, that is me for another week. Enjoy yourselves and don't work too hard.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

We had a lot of fun celebrating my mom's birthday. When the kids and I went to get the stuff for the cake, they both wanted so much on it we would have to have a cookie sheet size cake! But they each got to pick one thing to put on it to make it more personal. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my other round cake pan, so Mom got a heart-shaped cake. It still tasted great!

I am not knee deep in my semester with one more drawing class, a irrigated soils class (irrigation scheduling: translation, a lot of math!!!), and a yoga class that is just for fun! I didn't realize how hard yoga really is! Of course that could be just for me being in the great shape that I am. Clint is still working at ATK, Shay is getting sick again (why her so much more than Haden?), and Haden is loving his new preschool class! Which is really great! We had a bit of trouble with his teacher last semester. But they moved him into the pre-k class, and he loves it! I can just picture him in Miss Amy's class :)

I hope everyone is having a great winter, and may the moisture be plentiful!

School? What School?

I must say, when my mom called and asked if I was ready for school about the Wednesday before, I was in shock that school started so soon! I guess I have been waiting for my last semester for so long that I didn't think it would ever come. Needless to say, I wasn't ready. But now, a week into classes, I might finally be ready! Yes, it did take that long. It isn't that I don't like taking classes and all of that, it's just that I don't enjoy waking up my children at six in the morning in order to get to a 7:30 lecture. At the first of the semester they actually like it a bit, but that doesn't even last until mid-terms! Who can blame them really?

Haden loves going to school! He especially likes his new class. He has been moved up to the fives classroom, and they seem to understand his energy quite a bit more. That is really helpful! Shay likes school, but she didn't start asking to go back two weeks prior like Haden did. I am really happy that he loves it so much. It makes my job so much easier. It will also make is easier for when he goes to kindergarten next year. Are my kids really that old!?! It doesn't seem possible.

Anyway, I hope all of those who are attending another semester get through everything just fine. Good luck to you all! At least I get to graduate this May!!!!!

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve was not too eventful. Clint had to work, so I went to my parent's house for the night. We let the kids stay up as late as they wanted (with the expectation that they would be ornery the next day), and Haden asked if he could go to bed at about ten. I was impressed that he was willing to ask for that. I half expected him to just fall asleep. After the kids were in bed, Mom and I watched a movie while Dad sat in the Lazy boy fighting to stay awake. He has never been one to stay awake later than 10:30, and that time gets bumped up now that he isn't thirty anymore. He was a very good sport about it. At ten we got a "Happy New Year" phone call from my brother. No, his clock wasn't set wrong or anything. He and his family are in Boston going to school. He was quite witty when he commented he felt like we were living in a different year. Hahaha.

When midnight hit Mom, Dad and I watched the neighbors shoot off illegal fireworks. It is something they do every year, and it is fun to watch them open the new year that way. We didn't stay up very long after that. Does anyone remember when we could stay up until four without any problem? I can't believe I could ever do that! Then again, I guess that is what kids do to you. But they are worth it! Have a great new year, everyone!