Quirks

The Rules:-Link the Person who Tagged you-Mention rules on your blog-Tell about 6 quirks of yours-Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same-Leave a comment to let them know. Pay attention, as your name could be at the bottom of this post!!!

I've been tagged by my wonderful Sister in Law....Michelle. This is hard for me...I have the hardest time knowing what my own quirks are...so I asked my kids and got two contributions, I'll have to come up with the others on my own.

1- (Contributed by Zack). When I laugh hard there is always the risk that I may pee my pants. I usually have to stop what I'm doing...and stand with my legs crossed. Now this may have something to do with the six children I've borne....but it's funny to know that this was a problem for me even before my kids....Once before Aaron and I were married we went through a haunted house, he was laughing so hard and made me laugh so hard that my pants were completely wet by the time we got out of that stupid haunted house!! I was so embarrassed!! And many already know the story of Aaron and I at the yogurt shop....

2- (Contributed by Josh). I'm a computer "hog". Yes, it's true...I love to check my email. When I log the kids on the computer they all know that I have to check my email first and that could take a while sometimes. I have to write to Rebekah (we email..everyday at least once, more like 4 or more times!) We have Windows Vista now (it has AWESOME parental controls) and they don't have to have me log them on anymore...maybe I won't be the computer hog anymore!

3-I love Avon's bubble bath...I mean just love it..it has so many bubbles and you don't have to use that much to get all those bubbles! My favorite "flavor" was honey...but they discontinued it...which makes me so sad...but I also love peach and I just ordered some green apple. I, personally don't take many baths but I love to bathe my little ones in those bubbles...they smell so good when I get them out of the tub, I could just eat them up!

4-I can not stand confrontation and do anything and everything to avoid it!! I would never, ever, ever want to hurt anyone's feelings...I avoid that like the plague!! I have to say that there are some exceptions to this rule now that I've aged a bit...I can't stand bad customer service and if I feel that I've been on the receiving end of this.....I will voice my opinion, a little too strongly at times.

5-I love details!! When I was younger I had the best memory and would remember all the details of anything that happened to me. I don't know if age or motherhood has affected this...but I find that I don't remember things like I used to...I miss that! I remember I had a friend, Kate, who would never remember any details when she'd tell me a story about something that happened to her and I would feel so frustrated....I wanted to know all the details!! Aaron lacks in this department too....He'll come home and tell me so and so had their baby...I'll ask "how much did it weigh? He'll say "I don't know"...I'll ask "what's it's name?" He'll say, "I don't know". It's just frustrating!!! I NEED TO KNOW!!

6-I have a very bad habit of laughing at very inappropriate moments. I think this occurs when I'm feeling uncomfortable....like during an argument with Aaron or when my kids are upset or scared. I once took Matthew on the ride, Space Mountain, at Disneyland and he was so scared that he was doing that screaming when the sound can barely come out and I was laughing sooooo hard that I was crying and I couldn't even talk...I just kept patting him. When we were little and my sister would get in trouble I would run to my room and laugh into my pillow.....how awful I feel about that now!!

Okay...I made it through that and it was actually kind of fun. I didn't think I could think of quirks but now I could probably come up with a bunch more!! I'm tagging 6 friends, now it's your turn...Michelle W., Julie, Amanda, Marni, Jody, and Jacque

Fun Visit

Jenny and I at the
Children's Museum

Zack and I at HUHOT...a mongolian BBQ place.

Zane and Josh at HuHOT

Zane, Hannah, and Joe at Valentino's......we made Zane where his hat for the picture. ha ha!

My sister and nephew were here visiting for a week. It was so awesome that she came to surprise me. I miss her so much!! She is so loving and so giving and I'm just so thankful for her! She's the best sister anyone could ever ask for. Thanks Jenny...for all you do for me and my family! You are the best! My kids loved having Zane here and they already miss him. We went to the Children's Museum and out to dinner. Jenny and I got to go see a movie. We laughed a ton, which is something I miss so much! It was just a great time! I was so sad when it was time for them to go...boo hoo! Miss you already Jenny and Zane!

School Days

I, along with many, was celebrating the first day of school. Megan, Matthew and Josh had their first day last Wednesday and Zack's first day was last Thursday. Josh and Zack started Seminary on Monday. We are so blessed to have a gal in our ward teaching from her home this year and she lives around the corner from us..so the boys can walk. They can get a little more sleep which is nice and I don't have to drive them to seminary across town in the church. You Utah people are so blessed to have it right in school!! My boys are up at 515 am showering and getting ready to be at Sister Abbott's at 6am. I've been trying to get up with them so I can run while they are there and then I take them, along with another girl to school for their 7am classes. The 7am class is optional here...most kids start at 8...but Zack is wanting to get as many classes done now as possible so he can enjoy his senior year and Josh has marching band for his 7am class. All of the kids are liking school. Matthew is in 5th grade and is my only child in elementary this year. Joe will start kindergarten next year. Megan is in 6th grade and is now in Middle school. We went for the back to school night and her hardest thing was opening her locker. I made her try until she had opened it by herself 3 times. She wanted to give up and just carry her books all day....I wouldn't let her. After her first week she told me her locker mate still could not open the locker by herself and had to have teachers come and help her.....I asked her if she was glad she figured it out before school started and she was...it's always nice when mom knows a little something...LOL....
It's been nice being home with just the little ones. Yesterday we went to the park and then to the library. I know one of these days they will all be at school...but right now I just can't imagine what that will be like. All I can say is....YAY FOR SCHOOL!!!

SURPRISE!

So, yesterday my sister called and asked me to check and see if the package she fed exed had come. I looked out on the doorstep and told her "nope...not here yet" and then.............. SHE WALKED AROUND THE CORNER!!!! I was screaming and jumping up and down....Zack came running upstairs because he thought someone was stabbing me or something.....I was so surprised and so excited to see her! I haven't seen her in 8 months! She loves to surprise me, so I suppose it shouldn't have been a shock to see her walking right up to my door...but it was!! She and Zane are staying for a week and I'm just so happy! Yay for me!

My BEAUTIFUL daughters

My friend Stacie took these wonderful pictures of Megan and Hannah....they turned out so good~!! Now I have to pick some to put up on my wall....there are so many good ones!! Thanks Stacie..you are so talented! Now I need to have you take some of my boys!

This is the face Hannah makes when she is trying not to smile.

Check it out

My friend Stacie is an up and coming photographer and she took some cute pictures of Hannah...check out her blog, just click on The Powers in my list of friends. I think they turned out sooo cute! I can't wait to see all of them!

8 Things

I've been tagged...
In honor of the Olympic start date of 8/08/08

8 TV Shows I Love to Watch:
The Office, Lost, Project Runway, Shear Genius, Ace of Cakes, American Idol, The Today Show, Reruns of Malcolm in the Middle....I am Lois!!
8 Restaurants I Love:
We so rarely eat out at a sit down restaurant anymore....There's a burrito place here I love called Oso Burrito...yum!, Chili's, Rumbi Island Grill (when will they come to Lincoln?), Chipoltle, Famous Daves, Red Robin, Sweet Tomatoes..(we need one of those here too!), and Del Taco (don't have those here either!).
8 Things that Happened Today:
I woke up Josh and Zack to take them to play rehearsal...Zack looked right at me and started yelling in his sleep that they don't have a schedule today....ha ha...I gave Hannah a bath, I took the boys to play rehearsal, I went to several garage sales looking for backpacks for Matthew and Megan...I found one for Matthew, I took Matthew to get school supplies, Laundry...laundry...and laundry.
8 Things I am Looking Forward to:
School starting...4 more days!, Aaron's store getting a new assistant manager (he doesn't get a day off until this happens, it's already been a week), Going to San Diego for Aaron's high school reunion, losing more weight (I'm at 25 lbs lost), being able to run for a full hour without stopping (I'm at 35 minutes), Someday being able to go home to Utah and visit my family and friends (don't know when this will happen..boohoo!), School starting...and did I say...school starting?
8 Things I Love about Summer:
I really mean this...I love it when my kids are out of school...just about as much as I love it when they go back! We miss year around school...., sunny days, garage sales, vacations, swimming, kids being able to play outside, running outside, bbq's.
8 Olympic Events I Want to See:
Swimming, Gymnastics, Diving, Track, volleyball, gymnastics again, biking, opening/closing ceremonies.
8 Things on My Wish List:
pay off all medical bills, pay off Aaron's school loans, new clothes, a massage, happiness for my kids...which means they should stop fighting so I can be happy and therefor they will be happy, a pedicure, moving back to Utah, a clean house.
8 People I Want to do this Same Thing: Julie, Michelle S., Michelle W., Stephanie, Debbie, Alison, Amanda, and Sarah

Countdown

ONLY 8 DAYS TIL SCHOOL STARTS!!! I CAN'T WAIT!!!

The Large 3-9

I had another birthday come and go. I was sick with this horrid cold I've been fighting for over two weeks now! It was just like any other day...nothing special. I'm 39 now...one more year til the BIG 4-0! Thanks to my friends for wishing me a happy birthday....it was so appreciated! I got the funniest card from my sister and a really good one from my dad too. I had the best chat with my sister in law, Michelle. My kids let me lay in bed finishing my book. Aaron got me a cool blue cover for my phone. I guess there were many special things about my day...I just needed to remember them.

I thought I'd take a few moments to write about my feelings on getting older. It's funny how I just don't feel that old. I remember when I thought 40 was old and now it doesn't seem all that old to me at all. I still feel young. There are tell tale signs of my age though...the wrinkles around my eyes and the wrinkles starting along the side of my face (I'm none too happy about that, by the way!!). I'm getting bunions on my feet...eeeuuuuwww! I have teenagers~! I'm getting more and more gray in my hair...(thank goodness for dye) :) There are some very good things that come along with age, though. Knowledge...hopefully. Wisdom..again with the hopefully. I like to think I've become less judgmental of others along my journey. If I said I wasn't a bit nervous or even scared of growing old I'd be lying. I worry about my health and hope I can stay healthy for my sake and my kids and grandkids sake. It scares me to think I may become a burden to my family one day. But all in all I just don't feel all that different than I did 20 years ago...I'm still me with all my strange idiosyncrasies...I'm still too sensitive (but I'm not as sensitive)....I still worry too much about what other people think of me (but not as much as I used to). I still avoid conflict but am more able to stand up for myself. Growing older isn't so bad. I look forward to the next 39 years!!

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were? ~Satchel Paige

The curls are gone :(

Joe got his hair cut today. I am going to miss all those sweet curls. He just came up to me and I took his little face in my hands and said "You look so different little boy"...and he replied with "do you still know me?"...oh how I love that sweet little boy!! He makes me laugh all the time!

Today

Mondays always seem to be so stressful, but today was stressful to the max! This morning I was up and out the door with Josh, Hannah, and Joe with me at 820am. We went to Park Middle School where Josh had left his saxophone for the summer...*sigh*. We got his saxophone and then we drove to North Star High School where I dropped him off to practice for marching band. Then I drove across town to take Hannah and Joe to gymnastics. They had a blast and I got a little chatting time in with other moms (always such a good thing for me). Then we were off for home, where I fixed lunch and was again out the door to pick up Josh at 1230. I brought him home continued to make my lunch...sauteed cauliflower and broccoli over wheat noodles (I'm down 23 lbs now..woo hoo). At 145 I was out the door again to take Zack to work (Cold Stone..yes...very dangerous, but I haven't caved yet...only had some sorbet a couple times). I came home and read Zack's copy of Breaking Dawn (mine has not arrived from Amazon yet..)...then at 330 Matthew and Josh and I were out the door to take Matthew to get his cast on (he picked orange)...where we found out that there is a possibility they may have to go in and break his arm to straighten it out (a buckle fracture is bent, not broken)..his is too bent...*another sigh*. We are going back to check it in a week. Then we were off to take Josh back to North Star for more band practice (he has band practice all this week two times a day (can you say gas..gas...gas)..yet another *sigh*. We went from the High School over to Aaron's work (it's really close) to show dad the orange cast..then I got Matthew an ice cream and I splurged and had some onion rings..(my weakness). Then we were off to pick up Zack at work at 600pm. Next stop Walmart for a few items...then home again, home again jiggetty jig. I walk in the door and Joe runs up to me and this conversation ensues...

Joe: MOM, I CUT MY HAIR (much enthusiasm in his voice)
Me: Where? (I honestly could not tell where because of all those curls)
Joe: right here (a nice big chunk right in the front!)
Me: it's a good thing you are getting a hair cut tomorrow

A while later I'm down here checking my email and I hear Zack yell upstairs "Mom...Joe cut Hannah's hair too!" Now I'd seen Hannah and had not noticed any hair missing. Joe was downstairs with me our conversation went something like this....
Me: Joe, did you cut Hannah's hair?
Joe: Yes....
Me: Why did you do that? We just had her hair cut on Saturday.
Joe: Her hairs were growing again
Me: (stifling a laugh) Well, you shouldn't cut Hannah's hair or your hair! That is not okay!!
Joe: Will you not be my mom anymore now?
Me:...Laughing out loud now...Oh Joe, I love you..I'll always be your mom...
Now you might ask...where was Megan when all this hair cutting was happening...I wondered the same thing...she was right in the living room...watching Finding Nemo with Joe and Hannah...how miraculous that Joe could watch TV and cut hair at the same time without Megan noticing......and yet one more *sigh*. I found the hair in my bathroom and the scissors used??? Those tiny tiny scissors that come in the tiny tiny sewing kits!

I made bagel bites for dinner with some grapes...I'm so tired and I'm just waiting for bed time now...hope we make it through the rest of the night...

Look what I made!

I made this for Megan and Hannah's room and I was so happy with how it turned out. I really lack in the decorators area...I really would like to have a nicely decorated house but I just have no clue what to do...I don't have that touch that so many of my friends have...but I've found that with these vinyl sayings you can do so much and make something look really cool without spending a ton of money.