Potty Break!

Going to the bathroom at work has become quite the experience. Here are the supplies.
Yep, that is a life alert button (think Help I've fallen and can't get up!), a key and a giant mag light! We were told not to push the button unless it is really an emergency because it is a $75 false alarm charge from the Po Po. We are told to go in pairs. It is a hike around the building to the potty under the back stair case. Our office has a community potty. The problem recently is that the outside lights at our building have been off for a week, so even with the mag light it is BLACK! and SCARY! I just hold it! Or, my manager escorts me. Sad I know.

Where do I work you ask? What is my schedule and hours? Right! Like I would tell you if you don't already know. Sorry, but if I am making my potty trek in these conditions that information is classified.

This is a video I made the other night (I was a little bored I admit) but trust me my mag light was on and it was still BLACK! Last week we had a bum passed out on the grass by the men's room and we were told to ask for an escort to the bathroom. Yikes!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our family. 13 people in all. I loved the excuse to bring out all my China and polish my silver pitchers and trays. We toasted to family and health and enjoyed playing games. Johnny loved having a chance to play football with his brother in the rain. It was just a great day.

I even dressed Jaxon in his brown velvet coveralls (from my Granny). People at church the week before told me he looked like a Pilgrim! Yes he is holding an old glow stick left over from Halloween. :o) I will enjoy busting this picture out when he starts bringing girls home...

Daniel's Party

For those of you looking for party pictures here they are...

The Spiderman cake.


The Spiderman web slinging.

Eating the cake with friends.

Thank you to everyone who came. It was so much fun and Daniel LOVED having all of his friends over to his house for a party.

Twilight

So I went to see Twilight yesterday. It was just...good. Is that the right word? Maybe not. But, let's face it, it really was no where near the level of the book. I know, I know that is what people always say about a movie after they have read the book. Basically, I didn't feel the connection between Bella and Edward as I did in the book. And I think there was only one or two times in the whole movie that Edward smiled or seemed really happy. He was a little too mopey. As for the actors, almost everyone besides the main characters was sub par. Edward did have an amazing chest and Jacob is a cutie. It was just a little too dark and not as much of a heart thumping love story as I expected. It makes me want to read the book again. It makes me want to read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon again! But, that is just me. What did you think?

Where are you on Thanksgiving?

Where do you go for thanksgiving? stay home? in-laws? travel?

It depends. We live near Johnny’s family so for holidays we usually go to So. Cal. to be with my family. This year since both of my sisters will be in Nepal (Diana lives there; Jeanine & Kevin are going to visit her) my parents are coming to our house. We are also having a some close friends over as well. That evening we will go see Johnny’s family at his mom’s house for a little while because we will be in town. My dad, I am sure, will be asleep in our recliner “watching” a football game and won’t even notice we have stepped out.

If you bring something what do you bring?

My mom makes a killer pumpkin pie. I LOVE pumpkin pie and she taught me to make it like she does. I bring the pie and usually the green bean casserole. This year since it is at my home I bought the entire meal (two of them actually, one Turkey and one Ham) from Fry’s. My oldest Daniel was born on Thanksgiving, 10 days late. That is the year I started buying the meal. I had every member of my family at my house for Thanksgiving and I was in the hospital. What else was I supposed to do? Buying it makes the day so much more relaxed. I will not do this every year, but for now I am game. We supplement with homemade items that are really amazing…that way I don’t have to cook a Turkey or a Ham!

What "makes" thanksgiving dinner for you?

Spending time with family is the best part, but I love and eating on China. My grandmother is an antique dealer. She has always had amazing China. I think her napkin rings are each worth a few thousand each. My grandmother and mother started my set when Johnny and I were married. We bring it all out for any holiday. No paper products for us, we even use linen napkins and wear our Sunday best. A holiday is special so we try to set the mood. This is my China http://www.amazon.com/Noritake-Crestwood-Platinum-20-Piece-Dinnerware/dp/B0002PC7TA I LOVE IT! It makes me want to go awwww whenever I see the table set. Breathtaking.

What grosses you out?

The little hairs sticking out of the Turkey skin gross me out! I never eat the skin. SICK!

Gravy preference? Brown? Turkey? Homemade?

Whatever is available. I never make gravy so when someone else does it is great. I just don’t like it clumpy or too salty. Mashed Potatoes? from scratch? or instant?Scratch. Preferably red mashed potatoes with the skin.

Do you actually eat Yams?

NO! YUCK! No matter how much brown sugar or marshmallows they are not edible to me. But, Johnny loves them so I always make some just for him. It is a little ironic that I loath them yet they are the main source of Jaxon’s diet. I make a batch for him a few days a week.

What about cranberries?

In my mom’s amazing candied pear dish, yes. Other than that I only like them dried. They are too sour.

Pie? What is a "must have" at every Thanksgiving dessert table?

Pumpkin & Pecan. Johnny would swear it is not Thanksgiving unless he has a slice of him mom’s cream cheese pie. He suckers her into making him his own by playing the “it’s my birthday” card.

Pies? From scratch? Or store bought?

Filling from scratch, crust from the store. I can’t make a pie crust from scratch to save my life!

Whipped cream? From scratch ? Cool whip? Or from a can?

Light Cool whip.

I would love to hear what you love about Thanksgiving, please share!

Obedient kids...for once!

Last week my boys and I were playing in the front yard. Mostly I was cleaning out the car, but they were riding bikes with the neighbors until the other kids went into the street. The neighbor boys are 9 and almost 7 so they are a lot older then my kids. Daniel actually listened when I told him to remember not to go into the street. He and Jaxon were so great! Daniel sat down on the curb to watch the other boys and Jaxon followed. It was even more perfect because they were wearing matching shirts...so cute. I was so proud of them for listening. They sat on the curb never going into the street looking longingly at the older kids.

Once again...ignore the 4 sizes too big Transformer shoes. They are the bane of my existence. Daniel loves them but he trips where ever we go. They are like clown shoes. He always asks for them.

Finger Painting

Daniel was born on Thanksgiving so we have always tried to have his party the week before to keep his birthday and the holiday separate. This year he wanted a Spiderman party. Going against my better judgement we are having the party at home rather than at the park. A party at home is so much more work! You have to plan games and entertainment rather than just the food. You also have to clean the house. Ugh!



I saved a few desk boxes from work for the party. Since the party is Spiderman I want to have the kids protect us (not fight) from the villains. I traced Daniel on the cardboard and made a really sad version of Doc Oc and the Green Goblin. Then we finger painted. At the party the kids will spray the villains with Spiderman's web (silly string).


Please ignore Jaxon's diaper in the front yard as well as Daniel's 4 sizes too big Transformer shoes, and focus on the huge smile on Daniel's face. He was so happy. Jaxon was having a blast too. He liked it so much he sat in the red paint!



After we painted we went inside to cut their shaggy hair and clean up. Promptly after a good cleaning and new clothes Daniel decided to take the baby powder container and decorate the freshly cleaned house. He made sure every picture had a squirt of baby powder on each person's eye and that the TV was properly covered with baby powder as well. And just for fun Jaxon needed a few squirts of baby powder as well. Let me tell you I was so happy to come out and find my freshly vacuumed green carpet covered in baby powder. At least the house now smells nice.

Please ignore the snot...it is never ending!

Our Perfect Days...

This past week was just amazing. Johnny doesn't have work on Tuesdays so Sunday and Tuesday are my favorite days of the week. Tuesday this week we worked out at the gym, went to the Family Fun van at the park. Ate lunch at the park and played on the toys. Then both boys took excellent naps AT THE SAME TIME which means I took a nap too, with Johnny by my side. He is like a furnace and kept me all warm and snugly. I love Johnny keeping me all warm and snugly! It was perfect. My boys, all three of them were wonderful on Tuesday. That night we had dinner and games with some friends. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.

On Wednesday we went to the zoo. Again, the boys were wonderful. Daniel didn't run off and he didn't have any potty accidents while we were there. Did you know they have the most WONDERFUL family bathroom behind the carousel at the Phoenix zoo? If you are ever there you HAVE TO check it out! We saw lots of animals. They all seemed to want to put on a show, the elephant and giraffe even walked right over to where we were. We saw the stingrays, fed the ducks, watched the baby orangutan put a sheet over his grandma's head and sucker punch her, fed crackers to a stray peacock, and saw two 100 year old tortoise mate. Yep MATE! About two feet from my babies they started making some of their own. Daniel kept saying "Hes hurting it" whenever the tortoise would grunt. Have you ever heard a tortoise grunt? Not something you easily forget let me tell ya! Jaxon had a blast with the animals on the farm. The goats in the petting zoo were just his size. He ran from goat to goat squealing with glee. The only two scares I had in the petting zoo were when Daniel goosed a large goat under his tail with a petting zoo brush and when Jaxon slid in a muddy goat pee filled bog. It was lovely. I smelled of goats the remainder of the day and so did he. My amazing sister-in-law Sabrina is always a wonderful zoo companion and we were able to eat our sack lunches together in the shade while the kids climbed all over the tractors. Perfect. That is the only work for it. (Sorry no pictures...my camera batteries were not cooperating). When we got home my boys once again took glorious naps AT THE SAME TIME which means I got a nap too! Yeah me!

One Thursday we love the free Carousel rides at the mall. Daniel picks a different animal every time and it is never the one I expect it to be. Since the weather was absolutely perfect we packed our lunch for the 3rd day in a row and ate next to the fountain at the mall. I met a very nice elderly man who I see frequently with his grand daughter. They attend all the same free kids events we seem to attend. He and his grand daughter are so cute. Daniel and Jaxon love to stick their feet in the fountain there at the mall. I hurry and rush them up to the fountain and we make as many footprints as we can before the security guard can kindly remind us that sticking our feet in the fountain is not allowed. Am I teaching my sons to undermine authority at this young age?

Once again. Perfection. This week really was heavenly the majority of the time. Despite the missing glue stick Daniel seems to have absconded and the pink chalk covering my garage door I think my boys and I have found a nice rhythm.

This past week I was able to enjoy some truly joyful moments with my children. I realized that this (right here and now) is what being a mother is all about.

Election Day 2008

This scripture has been on my mind all night.

Mosiah 29:27

And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hiterto visited this land.

SUPERHEROES

Our two boys were Superheroes for Halloween this past weekend. Daniel was Batman and Jaxon of course was Superman. Daniel asked to wear his costume so much the past few weeks Halloween was a little anticlimactic, he didn't even want to wear his mask or cape. The cape because the dog would chase it and tackle him to the floor, and the mask because it made his face sweat. We specifically selected the Superman costume for Jaxon because it had no coverings for his face and it made his eyes look even more blue than usual. Over the past few weeks I have been "flying" them through the house and teaching them about how real superheroes don't fight but protect the people around them.

My parents came to visit from southern CA for Halloween weekend and my mom's birthday. My dad of course was the supplier of everything Daniel could possibly want. When he refused to eat breakfast my dad took him for doughnuts. When he wanted to have juice my dad loaded him up. My father takes his role of Pauna (grandpa) very seriously. My mom (Mumzie) on the other hand is the epitome of patience. She never flinched when both my boys stuck their heads in the shower with her. She would read to them and both my parents took the boys to the park and on walks. I love it when they visit. They really do spoil us.

This year it was fun that Daniel actually understood how to get candy. He took his trick-or-treating very seriously. He would say "that house next" then run off to the next door. He said his trick-or-treat clearly and always said "thank you". It was so cute. Jaxon followed faithfully behind his older brother. He would go to the door and point at the decorations. We didn't have a bag for him to collect candy because Johnny would have eaten it all since Jaxon could not. He never stayed at one door long enough to get te candy anyway. The one sucker we did let him hold he ripped through the paper and went to town on the tootsie pop. Once we realized what he was doing we of course took it away to keep him from getting sick. He screamed as if his life were over. It was so sad. That was probably the greatest thing he has ever tasted!

Daniel was so excited he totally peed his pants half way through the neighborhood. After that he wanted to ride in the stroller and we carried Jaxon. Daniel said he didn't want a rash on his booty. It was a little frustrating but totally cute. We made our way home and had a great night together as a family.

New Mexico Update

We know we are loved because so many people ask us when we are leaving...wait, that didn't sound right! We know we are loved because so many people are concerned for our future.

Johnny spoke with the lineman union this week and found out that he has moved from the #3 spot to the #2 spot on the waiting list. What does that mean? Same as before! We could get the call any time in the next week or month or year. When the time comes we will only have one week (or less) notice. They will call when the work picks up, which is expected in the near future.

Pray! That is what we are doing. We are praying that we will get the call soon because all this waiting and not knowing is killing my sanity. I don't like being in limbo. A few good things have come from waiting. We have decided that we are going to try living in a trailer (yes that is what I said, a travel trailer) so that the boys and I can be with Johnny no matter where he moves. Otherwise we would only see him once a week or maybe once a month depending on the job. It would be like choosing to be a single mother. Our kids are not in school yet, so if we move with him we will have each other and save a ton of cash (a ton of cash would be a good thing). I think it will force us to be a super close family too. Close in a lot of ways: physically close with the limited space in a travel trailer (we will step on each other's toes, but there would be less to clean), but also emotionally and spiritually close because all we would have is our faith in Jesus Christ, His plan for us, and each other. I might go crazy but I just might absolutely love it. I think I am willing to take the risk. Now we just need the call, a signed contract...and a travel trailer. I am thinking 25-30 feet with a slide out and maybe bunk beds in the back. Of course it would have to be under 6K pounds loaded so we can pull it with the Expedition. Wishful thinking...