i copied josh and did a profile .


so this is the one i got the first time. i realized i could select a layout with more people and ran it again and got this one. just a bit different. several new ones and the % changed.



then i tried a new picture and got this. in this round i had about 5 asians. i never realized until now what it was that really attracted josh to me.

As i was running yesterday i ran past someone who was walking home from class. when i reached them they looked up and said, "good job". i wondered why. i was after all running down hill. after a few minutes it occurred to me that i was the only person running.

i have been running three times, including yesterday, when there hasn't been anyone else running. the first was a day it rained and we had a home football game. the second was during a windy snowstorm when the temp was in single digits and then yesterday during a cold rain/sleet. i also had a neighbor say i must be pretty intense to run in this weather. when i got home i told josh and his response was, "what should you do, take the day off?"

it is just funny because i have tried to get people in the ward to run with me but they wont go because i am to "intense". the thing is i don't go fast. to them i am intense because i run every other. i always chuckle when they tell me this because i know exactly how relaxed i am compared to most runners.



cute isa

My Girl

I told isabella to put her pajamas on tonight and she started whining. She said she couldn't do it but I knew she could because she has every toher night. I got out her pajamas for her and went to do this dishes. I then heard her starting to whine and cry. It would get ouder toward the end so I knew she was trying to force what ever she was doing to work. We have really been trying to get her to ask for help when she needs it instead of crying and screaming so I didn't go in. This went on for a few minutes and finally stopped so I figured she was dressed. I went into her room to say prayer and this is what I saw.



She was pretty upset when I came in and didn't want me to take any pictures but when I told her how cute she looked she agreed.




After the first two pictures she got tired of waiting for me to help and started pulling at it again.


I feel bad but a laughed pretty hard.

Isabella's First Day of School

I realize that this post might look like a copy of Matt's but is just so happens we both put our kids in preschool at the same time.

A wonderful French women in our ward invited Isabella to join a preschool co-op that her and some other mothers are doing. Isabella would be the youngest though and they wanted to make sure she could focus for the full two hours of preschool. She had a trial day last Friday and her first official day today. She really likes it and better yet her friend Eva is in the school as well.

I am very impressed with this preschool. They really focus on learning with fun activities. After each preschool day the mother in charge emails the other mothers telling them their child's strengths and weaknesses. I'm sure Isabella will be able to thrive both socially and academically. Plus it gave me opportunity to take these cute pictures.


Isabella was also asked to give the scripture in primary for the first time. She was pretty nervous but she did a great job. Here is a family picture to mark the event.

My Kid

I went into our bathroom to get ready for bed a minute ago and as i was brushing my teeth I looked down. That is when I saw it. A cup filled with what appeared to be a yellow liquid. First I thought it was some leftover juice. Then I remembered we haven't had any juice for days. I then smelled it and realized what it was. That's right.....pee. My child had taken a cup we drink out of and peed in it. I asked her about this and her response was "I just like to."

I knew this would gross josh out so I went to show him. I just walked up and told him to look in the cup. I got the desired reaction of him closing his eyes and trying to compose himself. I told him what it was and this is what he said.

Josh: Why would she do that?

Me: I guess because you just took her to the doctor and they have her pee in a cup.

Josh: All I have to say is she better be a genius.



Isa in the snow.


A cute picture from the past.

Happy Birthday!!!

I know that by the time Matt reads this it wont be his birthday anymore. Darn that time change! I figure he will appreciate it anyway. We miss you. Hope you had a great day! See you soon. Becareful:)

A glance at the past.

The Real Album

So I thought I would finish my post on a recent album I purchased. I hope those of you who aren't fans will still listen to the album even after I tell you all the music on the soundtrack was picked by Zach Braff. After hearing what Josh thinks of him I get the feeling that most guys don't really like him.

I bought this album for three reasons. First, we had been out shopping for hours and still hadn't bought anything. Second, I think soundtracks are a safe bet when you don't know the music on them because every song is different so if you don't like one band then you know the whole CD doesn't sound like that. Last, Zach Braff seems like a cool guy. Like someone I would enjoy hanging out with so I figured he probably had decent taste in the music I like. Plus I think he is cute in a dorky way so no bashing or I might have to sensor.

The album is The Last Kiss. It is the soundtrack to a movie of the same title. It just came out and I haven't seen it. I have read all about the movie though so I pretty much don't need to see it. It is really a remake of a 2001 Italian film called L'Ultimo bacio. From what I read the American version ends a lot happier which anyone who knows me knows I prefer.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the album. It does have some light pop music on it like almost every other soundtrack. I did enjoy the album as a whole though. I had actually only heard on of thesongs before. Most of them are mellow and some get stuck in your head and never seem to leave. I liked the fact that even though there were a few popular bands on the CD I had never heard of most of them before. I guess that is why I liked it so much. I really hate when you get a CD and all of the songs on it were singles on the radio so I am already sick of it. I also really like music that doesn't have a busy, loud sound. I prefer it to be more acoustic. This CD has a bit of both so it suits my every mood. I don't know. I am not much of a music critic. Either I like it or I don't. I'm not sure what makes me like it. I just know I want to hit the repeat button.

Great Album

josh and i were out shopping so we could spend some christmas money. i was having trouble .

nevermind. i actually can't even think right now. i'm wonder if this happens to alot of people. you know, when you can't even keep a straight thought in your head. it makes you feel a little crazy. but i don't even have time to think i'm crazy before that thought moves on making room for the next loudest. i just feel like i am rocking back and forth, back and forth. like if i keep doing that my mind will slow down. it never does though. i wonder why that is?

have you ever tried to cry. i mean really tried. it isn't very easy. usually you have to think if something sad which defeats the purpose. i try to cry to relieve stress or whatever and if i think of something sad then it just adds to my crappy feeling. i wonder why that is. i mean if you feel bad then you should be able to cry but it is like you are physically incapable.

i like to sit really still. that feels nice. it's weird because i don't get tired when i do that. it just feels good.

music feels good too. i like how it sounds but it is like i can feel it. not all music. it depends on my mood. it feels like a drug. i can feel my muscles relax and get warm.

i wonder what other people think. you see on tv all the time how that happens to someone and they go kind of crazy. i don't think it would bother me. i just wonder if i annoy them as much as they annoy me. i would assume yes.

why don't people just say what they mean? i think it would suck at first but then we would all get used to it and you wouldn't have to figure out what people really mean.

some people make me tingle. not in a sexual way. when i see them or talk to them i feel something. i wonder why?

isabella'a wishes

i thought this one was cute.


thought i would give a cute shot with all the girls. well, danielle is hiding.


i have made a wish list for isabella on target.com and amazon.com. just in case any of you wanted to get her something but were wondering what to get her. i couldn't get any one site that had everything so i had to do two. they are either under isabella's name or mine.

childhood

when i was a kid my mom had these tapes we would listen to to teach you things and build your self esteem and such. i enjoyed listening to them. i realized fairly quickly that most kids never listened to these tapes.

ok, i was watching tv. there is a new movie coming out with gob bluth where he is in prison.
i didn't think much of it until the end of the preview. there is this clip where he is sitting on the floor of his cell crying and his cell mate looks at him really annoyed. he then says this: "it's alright to cry. crying lets the sad out of you".

my head pops up when i hear this and i look at josh who gives me that blank stare i got so many other times when i told people about those tapes. what i want to know is this. how many of you know this quote/song?

Haircut

The other day after I trimmed her bangs Isabella came up up me and said "Mommy, if you keep cutting my hair it will be short like Daddy's."

Isabella and I have been having quite a few battles about her hair. If she even sees me with a brush she starts to cry and I am very gentle. I asked her if she wanted a haircut and she gave me several answers. In the end she decided no. That is until we were able to open the video of Stella drawing on the sidewalk. When I asked Isabella if she wanted short hair like Stella she immediately said yes. I thought if she was going to let me cut her hair I would try learning how to layer. In the end she only got about 1/2 inch of layers but I didn't want to really screw up and make her hair really short. I wasn't happy but didn't want to go any shorter for now. Isabella and josh like it though so I guess that's good.

I was trying to take a picture from the side but at the last minute she turned.





Here is a side shot.




Watching Fantasia




One more smiley.




I'm sad to say that we lost this hat in park city last Saturday. we haven't told Isa yet. It was her favorite.

Boring

I have decided that my life here is unbelievably boring. Isa and I go to the library every other week and do the laundry at least once a week. Other than that she doesn't see other kids much. Well, church I guess but in Boone we were always going somewhere. It's not that I am sitting at home thinking about how great it would be to have more friends. I don't really care. I actually prefer to be alone. I know, I know, it's not "healthy". It's just that I have friends, great friends and I don't really want more. I know there are people who want me to blossom and realize how great it is out here. Here is the thing. It's not. The only people I really get along with are people who hate it here too. Even then all we talk about is how annoying it is here.

I am perfectly content to sit at home and clean or read. On an up note our house has never been cleaner. I only go out when Isabella starts to freak out. That is my only driving factor. Even though I want to stay inside I can't make Isa. She loves to be outdoors and with other kids so I try to go and take her somewhere as often as I can.

I guess the bottom line is that people try and tell me that I should get out and do things so I will feel better. The thing is I don't feel bad. I think I should but I don't. I only feel bad when I go out.

Here Dad.

Halloween and Everything

I have quite a few pictures to put on here. I didn't really want this blog to become just pictures of our life but it has been made clear by those who will remain nameless that that is what is wanted. So here.

Better pictures of me with my bangs.




Isabella has been practicing her bike. She is really adorable with her helmet on.



We also had our ward costume carnival tonight. My downstairs neighbor convinced me to sign up for the pumpkin carving contest when the list came to us on Sunday and then she didn't even sign up. Oh, well we had fun carving them. Josh did strongbad and Isabella picked a profile of homestar runner for ours. Well, I have never won anything in my life so I wasn't really investing anything in the contest but everyone loved it. I actually won first place out of like 12 pumpkins. I am super excited about it! Here is a pic josh took.


Here is Isabella with both pumpkins. Josh's kind of fell over.

They did costume contests for everyone. Here are some of the kids. Eva is the unicorn. The alligator is Caleb and the pumpkin is Jackson. All the kids were adorable.


Isabella really loves this little boy named Gordon. He is two years old and really sweet. It's not that he doesn't like Isabella it's just that she really really likes him and I think it freaks him out a bit. Anyway, Isa wanted a picture of them all dressed up. This picture was taken right after he had his picture taken with his cousin for 15 very loud minutes.



We also had our first snow so I went outside and got Isa a big bowl of snow which she loved.

Here is a cute one of Isa reading the comics that I couldn't resist putting in.

Pics

Isabella really wanted a picture of us. this is the first glimps at my new bangs. i will post better pictures later. i haven't had bangs in 11 years. it is an adjustment.


I got some cute new shirts while we were at the mall. i like the elephants.


We took isa to buy a new outfit for dog. she has been doing a great job potty training so we wanted to give her a special treat. she picked a pajama set with hello kitty on it with matching panties. she carried her around the mall all night. she even took her down the slide at the play area. we didn't know until tonight that dog was a girl. she keeps calling her a him though. i think she said dog was a girl so she could get a pink outfit.

Another cute one.


Isabella took this one of dog herself.

foley

democrats use bookmarks. republicans like to bend over pages.

how do you know when it is bedtime at mark foley's house? the big hand is on the little hand.

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy birthday Appy!!!

We miss you bunches. love you two.



Another one for good measure




ok, maybe one more

This and that

I had a few odd things to right about so I figured I would throw them all into one post.

first I really miss the food network, bravo and USA. I have however found a new TV addiction. We have a ton of foreign channels here and I am totally addicted to this Korean dramedy called full house. It goes like this.

boy A ( a movie star) and girl B(his clothing designer) have been best friends since they were 9. Girl B is in a relationship with boy C (executive at boy A's studio). Then comes girl D (a writer) , who through a series of unfortunate events has her house sold to boy A while she is in china on vacation. He makes a deal with her that they will have a contract marriage. It will help his image and he will let her live there as his maid.

now, girl B's relationship with boy C is really screwed up b/c he is totally self absorbed and only wants what he can't have. They break up. Girl B starts to interfere in what she thinks is a real marriage and is trying to steal boy A from girl D. Meanwhile boy C starts to fall for girl D (she writes scripts for him). He peruses her even though he thinks her marriage is real.

here is the problem. Boy A and girl D are really mean to each other most of the time but the happen to only be that way b/c they are in love with each other but think the other person is not and they don't want to be the only one.

then boy C and girl B find out A and D's marriage is fake and tell girl D and boy A that they are in love with them and want them to leave each other and "come to them" as they put it.

the thing is A and D would stay together if one of them would just tell the other how they feel.

it is just killing me because it is obvious to be that boy A and girl D are perfect for each other but they are both to stubborn. I broke down and read the episode summaries through hen end but they don't tell you what happens, just a teaser. I have decided to wait until next Thursday to watch again because each episode is 1 1/2 hours long and I am getting way to attached. I can't wait to know what happens.
for anyone who was really confused by my description of the show you can read for yourself on azntv.com.


the other thing was something isa said the other day when we were driving home. josh was giving me a key to our storage unit. isa wanted one but we only had two so I gave her the little key ring it came on. She said it was her ring and was happy I heard this.

isa: I lost my ring!!

me and josh: what?

isa: I lost my wedding ring and now I can never get married!!! sob, sob, sob.

me and josh: silence, then laughter.

i got dinner at subway tonight and told the girl everything but cucumbers and olives. i then look away for about two seconds and look back to see her dumping 3/4 of a cup of olives all over my sandwich. what the freakin' hey!!

Here

So I have been here for almost a week. The reason I haven't posted is, I'm not sure what to say. My gut is literally telling me this is not home. I am so sick by about 3 pm every day that I just lay on the couch. Please no "maybe you're pregnant" comments. I'm not. I am really trying to convince myself this is normal but I know I don't deal well with change. This is probably the biggest change short of getting married and my body doesn't like it. Isabella and I have been cleaning mostly. She is sick with something and has been for a couple days so we can't really go out even if I knew where anything was.

I think I still felt "safe" when mom was here because until she left it was all still optional in my mind.

We got some cute pictures while she was here.


Here we are walking to campus. We brought he stroller for Isa to ride in. She refused.


Here they are having ice cream at the creamery on 9th


We walked over to the Provo temple for family home evening. Isabella really liked the fountains. We had to take some group shots.


Isa with mommy and daddy.


And of course a funny face.

Pretend Stella

While we were in North Augusta a couple of weeks ago Isabella spent quite a bit of time in the pool. While I was fetching her toys on one occasion I came out of the water to hear her say "sit right here Stella". I asked her who she was talking to and she looks at me like I am stupid or something and says "my friend pretend Stella". I thought this was adorable and videotaped her playing with Stella in the pool for a while. I figured she would forget about it after a while but now two weeks later pretend Stella is still around. She comes everywhere with us. Sometimes she is small enough to fit in your hand and sometimes she is Isabella sized but Isa doesn't go long without talking about her.

On one occasion she asked Katie to hold her but then looked at her and said " but don't eat her" with a concerned look on her face. Like Katie makes it a habit to eat small children.

Isa has even started blaming things on pretend Stella. If I catch her doing something bad she will say "It was pretend Stella" "or Stella and I were only pretending". It is so cute I have a hard time disciplining her for things.

Movie Review

Josh and I recently changed our movie pass from in-store to online. I have really enjoyed it because we get three movies at a time instead of one. We recently watched a movie I really liked so I thought I would tell you about it.

It is called Shattered Glass. I don't know if any of you remember a story back in 1998 about a guy named Stephen Glass. He was a writer for The New Republic magazine which is famous for finding new young talented writers. Stephen was famous for really great stories. Everyone loved him because he was always really nice and always tried to please. Well, it ended up that he made up over half of his non-fiction stories and gets busted.

the cast includes, Steve Zahn, Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen, peter Sarsgaard, and hank Azaria. What is really neat is that it is very accurate. They got as many of the real life people to help with the script as possible so they could stay true to life.

I think what I find so amazing about this movie is Steve reminds me so much of several people I know, some more than others. I have always wondered how those people function in the world and this gave me a look. Of course in the end he gets busted but at first you kind of feel bad for him. It gave me that release and satisfaction of being able to nail every liar I have know that hasn't been caught yet. Even though I knew in the beginning that he was a liar I still wanted to believe him. When people start digging into his stories you start to believe all his cover answers. I mean he goes to great lengths to make it seem real. Even when it is obvious that he made up all these lies he still wont deny it so you think that you are wrong because surely he would admit it at that point, but he wont. I mean the guy is totally what I like to call a "pathological pretender". The "60 minutes" interview on the special features is very comical. They have interviews with Steve
Glass and his editor along with some co-workers.

In the end the real guy ended up writing a "fictional" book about a pathological liar journalist. Hello! That isn't fiction, it's called an autobiography! Even now he can't tell the truth. It's really good, you should see it.

Yes, I'm Bitter

Since this blog was originally established for me to complain about things I thought it was high time I did.

Most of you know I'm sure (since everyone constantly reminds me) that I am trying to have another baby and have not done it fast enough for the general public. The fact that people some how think I have any real control over this fact is not what I want to complain about. What really kills me is that everyone I see is having a baby. Now, there are certain people that I am very happy for. I cannot however be ok with not being pregnant when freaking Brittany k-funk is having her second, poor little suri cruise (say that fast, sound like anywhere you know?) is being ignored, and big lips and instadad are having "the most beautiful baby ever". HELLO, PERFECTLY GOOD UTERUS RIGHT HERE!!!!

And just as a warning, don't give me any of that "it will happen when it is meant to happen" crap I've had enough.

It's all a blur

Sunday started like any other and staying that way until right after nap. Isabella woke up and josh and I went in her room to play a little. She started dancing around but then stopped and said her tummy hurt. She has been saying that a lot lately so I didn't pay much attention. a few minutes later she and josh were on the bed and she started coughing ad gagging and all the fun began. She threw up once then and we thought it was over. She proceeded to throw up for the next 28 hours. I had never seen her do this before so after the first night of throwing up I called the doctor to see if I should bring her in since she couldn't keep anything down. They said yes so I made an appointment and waited for josh to get home. (he was at the grocery store). After a while I started to worry that he wouldn't be back in time and called my sister to come get us since it was snowy and she has 4wd. She of course, being a wonderful aunt, came and got us. That day I spent 6 hours in the doctors office so the could run tests and observe her. By the next morning I she was obviously dehydrated so I brought her back in and spent another 2.5 hours.

In the end we have no idea what was wrong with her. They said "something was going around" whatever that means. She is still a little droopy but can hold things down and we all spent the night in our won bed last night which was nice. Well, she did come in there for a little while but went back eventually.

A little too soon

I was driving up to the cabin today and Isabella said something I was hoping I wouldn't hear for a few more years.

as I was driving I hear her say "mommy, I need my pacifier, pacifier" this means she wants two pacifers. I tell her she doesn't need one. She replies with " yes, I need two pacifiers" so I say that she is a big girls and doesn't need a pacifier unless she is going to sleep. She then pops out with " I'm not a big girl........you don't love me anymore". That's right, she has already used that line. I think I was at least 6 or so before I pulled that one. I don't think it had the desired affect though. I started laughing.

Do It Because You Love Me!!!!!

It has come to my attention recently that Arrested Development is not everyone's favorite show. Can you believe that!?!? I have been trying to drum up some extra viewers for tonight's all new episode and I am constantly getting the response that they don't think it is that funny! I of course am appalled by this and try my best to persuade them but in the end there are still some people not convinced. That is why I come before all those who aren't already "sold" on A.D. and say, DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME!!!! I mean, wouldn't it just be easier to turn on your T.V. and pass along to word to watch then to listen to me continually complaining about the show getting canceled? So please, just help us out and do the right thing. In the words of my younger sister Katie "it will make me happy!"

A Night In The Life

Ever since I had Isabella I haven't been able to sleep all night. It is just some weird mom thing I think. I wake up at least twice a night wide awake and have to check on Isabella. Well last week was not different. I woke up went in there and checked to make sure she was still breathing and then I leaned over and put my hand on the bed to give her a kiss. Her bed felt wet so I touched her to see how bad she was sweating. She sweats a lot. Well to my surprise she wasn't sweating at all so I lifted my other hand. That was when I saw and smelled it. Vomit. That is right I stuck my hand in someone else's puke. For a split second I wondered if she could sleep well for the rest of the night if I left her in it. Then I realized that as a mother I couldn't do that. So I woke her up and changed her sheet and clothes. I then made her comfortable and told her that if her tummy hurt to call me and as soon as I got out the door she yelled and started gagging. So I spent the night downstairs on the couch with my daughter watching "baby jack attack". What fun.


on another note. I heard this conversation from the kitchen last night.

Josh: Isabella, did you poop?

Isa: nope.

josh: you know Isabella, daddy poops everyday, it's nothing to be ashamed of.

A Little Angel

While Josh has been working nights Isabella and I have been doing family scripture study at night. Now that josh is home he sits in and we read out of Isa's little kid version of the scriptures. They condense and simplify the scriptures and add pictures to go with the story. Tonight as we were reading there was a picture of Christ. I stopped and asked Isa who it was. I realized just how sweet she is when she looked at me and said "It's Jesus. Jesus loves me." how adorable is that?

She Is So Cute!

This post is about a book that my mother used to read to me when I was a kid called Where Did The Baby Go?


I really loved this book so when I moved out I took it, along with others, with me. I have placed all these beloved children's books in Isa's room for her to look at when she gets the urge. Well, she got the urge to read this one and has asked Josh or I to read it to her every time she goes to bed or even when she just wanders in and sees it.

The book is about a little girl who finds a picture of herself when she was a baby and asks her mom who the baby is. Her mother decided to give her hints to make it a learning experience as all good mothers do. She sends her daughter through the house looking for traces of the baby. As the little girl looks places and finds no baby she says "Where did the baby go?" This is when Isabella chimes in with "I don't know!" It took me a little while to realize what she was saying since she had a passy in but when I did I laughed out loud. Since she has turned this in to an interactive book it doesn't really have the desired affect of making her sleepy. She does enjoy it though so we read it anyway.

I was going to post a picture of the cover but I can't find one on the internet and my scanner wont work. Sorry.

To Matt and Mary Ann.

I am really OCD so sorry in advance. In your video where you are eating the figs and Mary Ann says it reminders her of the creature from star wars you are talking about two totally different creatures. Mary Ann is referring to the monster they land in while running away from the empire fighters in "The Empire Strikes Back" and Matt is talking about he sand pit creature in "The Return of the Jedi". And the fourth little pumpkin says "lets run and run and run".

Get Out Of My Freakin' Way!

I have been a licensed driver for 8 years now and there is something that I recently noticed about certain other drivers on the eh road. Something I like to call "comfort speed". My theory, which I think hold especially true in Boone, is this. There is a certain speed that drivers feel comfortable driving. They cannot mentally make themselves go faster than said speed unless they were gong to die and even then they would probably just freak out and stop. This can be very annoying when the speed limit is say, 45 but the person in front of you has a maximum speed of 35. I wonder if they even know what the speed limit is or if they just hang out around 30-35 and hope they are going the speed limit. Can they not see the sign? Or is it that they just don't care? Either way these people should be pulled over and have their license taken away for obstructing traffic.

another one of my driving favorites are those people who forget they are driving. You know what I am talking about. You are behind someone and they gradually start to slow down. But, as soon as you start to pass them they go "oh, crap I'm driving" and then speed back up. This one particularly bothers josh since he is a big cruise control user.

I try not to hate anyone but most of my close friends and family know I hate stupid people. Not people who have real learning disabilities but those people who think there is nothing going on around them. It is like thy forget there are other people in the world try to go places or do things. Which is why when I run into these forgetful or comfort drivers I want to rear end them right off the road in to a ditch and dope that evolution is really true.

A Little Laugh

Dad and I were chatting during our run the other day about The Bear. He has been trying to contact the race director to ask him about some stuff and he hasn't been returning his email or phone calls. Well, dad decided to give it one last try and the guy actually answered.

After talking to him for a while the guy stops and says "oh, you're the guy causing all the commotion!". Dad had no idea what he was talking about to he asked him what he was referring to. The guy responds with "the grandfather mountain official had a heart attack when the saw you come over the last hill with that baby stroller. I am having a special meeting with them this afternoon to discuss it and see about putting restrictions on the race. No one has ever even attempted that before!"

Dad and I got quite a laugh from this. After talking to him for a bit longer it would appear that my dad will be the only one ever to run the bear with a jogging stroller. GO DAD!

Uncle Matt

I received a wonderfully spontaneous phone call from my brother in Lebanon this morning. We talked for quite a while and caught up on things. The only problem (other than matt is so far away) was that Isabella wasn't very happy that she needed to be quite and could not have any mommy attention while I stood by the window to get good reception. Well, when we were done talking Isabella asked who I was talking to. I should say that we have only a few recent pictures of Matt and the family but I cut out the picture they sent in their family newsletter a few years ago and let her have it. She loves to point out the little girl (Stella) in the picture and then she babbles about how Matt and Mary Ann are her daddy and mommy. When I told her I was talking to uncle Matt she got pretty excited and started saying "unga ma" which is the best she can do for uncle Matt. After talking about him for a while she decided that she waned to show off her artistic talent by drawing him some pictures. Here they are Matt, with love from Isabella.



She has been practicing tracing hands. I "helped" her a bit with the one that looks like a hand. Then she traced mine.


This according to Isabella is an eye. She has been fascinated with eyes lately. I'm guessing that is the pink part and the orange and red are decoration. She wouldn't tell me and seemed hurt that I couldn't tell;)

Oh The Power!

Well, I am officially released from nursery. For those of you who don't know, I asked to be released in April sometime and I just got out. The reason I finally did get released was because our branch president offered me the calling of Young Women's President. Yes, you read that correctly. He asked josh first and josh gave me the heads up. It is a good thing he did too because I would have said no if I had not had time to think about it.

I was really scared at first and I still am at times but at least I have some power now and can straighten out another program. After I gave into my fate and accepted that I would probably never get out of primary I decided to clean up the program and get it running the way it say to in the manual. I actually had a parent pick up their kid from class one Sunday and after I gave them the handouts from the lesson they said "you mean there is a manual for this class?". They were pretty much feeding the kids cookies all day. So much to some parents dismay I fixed the program. Now I have young women's to get back on track. Don't get me wrong, the members up here are nice enough. They just happened to live here all their lives and are very stuck in their ways. Their answer is to change church programs so they are more convenient or fun for them. When corrected they say "oh, we are only a branch we don't have to do it that way."

Even though we only have six baptized members on role and only three active I am hoping we can get things straightened out. I have some really good counselor and was pretty surprised that they were called so fast. It can take weeks or months sometimes.

My plan is that since Josh is in young men's and I am in young women's we can just take over and make our own little branch. I bet it would take the stake about a year to figure it out;)

Josh did a pretty long post of the bear so I wont bore you by talking to much about it. We were pretty worried that the rain wouldn't stop but in the end it wasn't so bad. Just a little bit of rain in parts. We had a little trouble with the canopy since a little over a mile was gravel road it was pretty dumpy and the joints holding the plastic popped out a few times but we were able to fix it pretty quick. Isa did really well until we got to the last 100-200 yards of the race when she got really scared because the winds were so strong. The wind was really disorienting and I was glad to be in the hot tub later. It got really cold so I was very chilled. Katie was great and drove up to the finish line and sat there for two hours waiting for us so she could take our picture and so we wouldn't have to ride the shuttle bus down to our cars. We got really cool shirts too. Here are some pictures.

Here we all are back at the cabin after the race.



Here we are showing off the cool bear on the back of the shirt.

How Ironic

I just spent quite a bit of my time on a post called "luck of the Irish" in which I told a story about Isabella and how her luck was better than mine. I was starting to not believe in luck but then something happened that reaffirmed I have no luck whatsoever. My computer freaked out and deleted my whole post picture uploads and all. That just sucks.

Ever since I was a kid I have never won a drawing. I am not making this up. Even when my Uncle Brian died and all the cousins got to pick a t-shirt of his I was last(he has really cool fire work shirts). Well Isa and I went to a fundraiser for the playhouse and they had drawings for little stuffed cows, a t-shirt and some playhouse passes. I put Isa's name in because my friend shiree made me but I figured she would have my luck and not win anything. I was very wrong however because she won the coolest prize. The cute t-shirt. She fell in love with it right away because it had a cow on it and she loves animals. She wore it there, home , to bed and tried to wear it the next day. Luckily I convinced her to wear her tiger shirt in stead. Poor cows, they will always be second best to tigers.

She got pretty upset when I interrupted the care bears to take her picture.


Then she got frustrated when I wanted to take more.


Finally I just took one of the shirt so everyone could read it. Pretty cute huh?

Support Our Walmart

I always have to laugh a little bit when I see those "Support Our Troops" magnets or stickers on peoples cars. Do they think that by putting that on their car they are actually supporting them? In actuality you are supporting walmart. They took your money right? You boosted their business right? Why then doesn't it say support our walmart? Because that wouldn't sell. Do you think they are giving one cent of that money to the troops? I personally don't like walmart. They support quite a few things I don't. I also find their founder to be a lying jerk. I guess that in reality I am laughing to keep myself from rolling down the window and yelling about how stupid these people are. What good does this sticker/statement do? Nothing unless you have stock in walmart.

Don't try to get on here and say people put these on their car to show moral support. That is just dumb. What person would really say they hate the troops? It's just kind of understood that we support them. I can only figure that they are trying to make it look like they do something more than the rest of us when in reality they aren't.