WHAT IS THAT???

WARNING!!! The following story is NOT FOR THE WEAK OF STOMACH. Seriously guys, you DO NOT want to read this and you DO NOT want to know about the picture to follow. No really, YOU DON'T. But, I guess if you are going to stick around, I'll be happy to gross you out. Don't say I didn't warn you.

So, today was a nice, warm day so I thought to myself..."I have not done any yard work for at least 2 months. I bet there are lots of weeds/leaves that need to be picked up. I should be a responsible adult and get out there and do it." So, the baby was sleeping and the kids wanted to play on their scooters so I gathered up the rake and big leaf picker-uppers (those are the best - I'll post a picture later because you all want a pair) and we went out in the back yard. Well, I started with the leaves but started to get bored because it was annoying that they were all wet and stuck to the ground...yes, they were starting to decompose. I really should have picked them up back in November. Oops. Anyway, after a good 15 minutes of picking up leaves I decided to just survey the place so I could put together a really good Saturday "Honey-do" list for Dave. Well, something in the very back corner of the yard caught my eye. It was this:

Well, my first thought was that we had a serious arachnid problem and at any moment 30,000 baby spiders were going to be busting out of that thing. Not good. But upon further analysis what did I discover??? Yep, you guessed it, that's doggy doo doo sporting a fabulous coat of mold. Gross I know. I told you not to read this story. I really have no idea what possessed me to even post this as it is fairly disturbing but for whatever reason, I couldn't resist. I am so thankful that Dave has been faithful in his "pooper-scooper" duties. Otherwise I could have all these "puffs" all over my yard.

P.S. This probably wasn't my best choice of a topic after I haven't blogged for so long. I do hope I don't lose any readers...or friends over this. Oh, and I do hope you weren't about to eat. sorry.

Under Construction

This blog is currently under construction...the rest of the family will fit in the picture above...

Merry Christmas

Well my friends, once again I am late sending out my Christmas cards - so you will be getting New Year's cards. I just didn't want any of you thinking I had forgotten you because I haven't, and I have loved getting your cards and emails so thank you and have a wonderful Christmas!

More Graduation

Well, here is the rest of the graduation story. For about 3 years now I have been picturing in my mind what these glorious family graduation pictures would look like. I visualized my man is his cap and gown with me looking lovely by his side and our 3 adorable children basking in the happiness of the day. Well, how's this for matching that description??

Not exactly what I had in mind...no wonder everyone kept staring at us. As if we weren't spectacle enough being the only graduate with a family...we had to be a family with spazzing, screaming children.

Problem A: I managed to pack dress clothes for the kids but somehow forgot my skirt...thank goodness Dave's mom had a pair of black slacks with her or else I would have attended graduation in jeans...awesome.

Problem B: We had been running all over the place all day long so the kids were extremely tired, hence the reason Jack is wailing.

Problem C: Somehow none of us are looking at the camera. In fact, not one of us is looking in the same direction. Nice. Well, hopefully when I raid the parents cameras I will find something a little more promising.

But, even without the picture I have been dreaming about for years, it was still a great night and I enjoyed every minute.

Now for picture that I have been dreaming about for years failure #2

This picture is yet another I have been excited and planned for for several years now. But, since certain people in the picture aren't cooperating (why is he always doing that?), let me explain. This picture was to be titled "Dave's College Souvenirs." He has acquired a very lasting "item" at each school he has attended and we are all dressed accordingly. Kira=BYU-Idaho Brooklyn=BYU Jack=UNC Bradley=Fresno State (ok, Dave never went to school at Fresno State, but that's where we lived when he was born, so good enough for the sake of the picture.) Anyway, I have been so excited for this picture, but alas, I forgot one crucial parenting commandment. Thou shalt not rush the children. When thou doest rush the children, they shall rebel. Period. So, here is my memory. But, again, I am not bitter. Actually - I just look at it and it makes me laugh. So much for planning.

Ok - now for a few great pictures. While I was there I arranged to meet up with a few friends. I tried to catch them all for a picture, but of course missed a few, so here's what I got. We miss all these fun people. Kids sure do grow up in 1 1/2 years! It was so fun to see the ones I got to see - wish I could have seen all my good Greeley friends.

L to R: Jack, Sedra, Bradley, Brooklyn, Barak, Kristin, Madison, Kara, Aury)

L to R: Austin, Kaitlyn, Bradley, Brooklyn, Brandon, Eric)

***Just a side note***

Check out Dave's graduation gift.

My parents thought we could use a more "family-friendly" vehicle. Minivans are so yesterday.

(Truthfully, my dad just had a momentary lapse of sanity and decided that this would make a lovely rental car...I didn't even want Dave drive it at all - hello! Can we say "let's crash it and double our already overwhelming student loan debt!")

What's up Doc?

The day we have been waiting 6 years for has finally arrived! Way to go Dave!

Here he is at the sign - sayonara UNC!

Here's Dave's other home - Gunter Hall.


Dave did not appreciate me making him wander around campus in his cap and gown to take pictures. He was sure that everyone was wondering who the goon was that was enjoying his graduation robes a little too much. But, like the good man he is, he stood out there freezing to death wherever I wanted him to. Lucky for him, it was quickly getting dark.
Many more pics to come...

He's Done!

I just want to post a quick note to say that my new life has officially begun. I am no longer married to a student! Yay for me and a great big HOORAY for Dave. There will be plenty of graduation pictures and things to come but I am just so excited that I just had to share the wonderful news!

Why do these things have to happen at the quietest moments??

Last night Dave had to fill his YM leader duty and direct traffic for a Christmas concert at the church. This concert is a pretty big deal, so directing traffic requires flashlights, walkie-talkies, and the works. I tell you this by way of background for my horrifically embarrassing experience today. Here it is. We managed to make it on time for our 9:00 meetings, but just barely so we were sitting in the very back on the metal chairs which doesn't really bother me because my little people are loud and distracting. Well, just as we are sitting down Dave notices that there aren't enough deacons to pass the sacrament so he runs off leaving me with all 3 kids. Scary? Yes, but nothing I can't handle. Well, as they are passing the water Jack walks over to give me something and suddenly Dave's church bag starts "screaming" VERY LOUD white noise. Well, I am holding Bradley and trying to scramble to figure out A) what is making that horrific noise, and 2) how do I make it stop? Well, I find the source...those rotten walkie-talkies from the traffic ordeal. Dave brought them to church to return them but didn't happen to turn them off. Since they aren't mine, I don't know how to turn them off and every second I am in there feels like an eternity. So here's how it all went from there. Plan A was to quickly look for a power switch, but since there were 4 walkie-talkies in the bag, I wasn't sure which one/ones were making the noise and I certainly didn't want to turn on the ones that were actually turned off. So Plan B was to try and smother the sound with Bradley's blanket. No good. I then started to quickly formulate my plan of quickly getting all 3 kids and the dumb bag out the door without tripping over a kid or dropping Bradley. Thankfully the lady next to me held out her arms to take Bradley so I could run the "screaming" bag to the foyer. Once I get it out there I figure out which 2 were making all the noise and turn them off. I then look up for the first time and I kind of start into my nervous laugh. The people in the foyer found in quite amusing, as did a few people back in the chapel. I am waiting for them to open the chapel doors again when I realize that I just left my 2 and 4 year old in there unsupervised. (I think this is the only thing that gave me the guts to walk back in there.) Well, that could have been really bad and would have made this story 100 times better, but lucky for me, the kids did fine without me, including Bradley who was thrown into the arms of a stranger. It was pretty embarrassing, but I got a lot of laughs and a lot of people hunting me down to find out what in the world was in that bag. I think the red color is finally draining from my face and I hope that I have now had my "really embarrassing loud moment during sacrament" experience. Everyone only has to have one, right?