The Russians Are Coming - Part 3

So many pictures, so hard to narrow it down. Above, Uncle Sam gives magic carpet rides.

Below, Aunt Allyson gives pedicures.

Owen, too cute the way he eats his hot dog. He eats the dog right out of the middle of the bun. The bun is just a handy holder for him.

Just one of the many fun meals eaten at this table.

Kristy and Emily
Eating ice cream
Zac and Sam

More food.

One Saturday, there was a shindig at the park we went to. It was to celebrate the one year anniversary of Lauren's Chiropractor's office opening. She is also a friend of my mom and Lauren and invited the whole fam.

Steve, Zac, Sam, Baron and Teresa

Sam and Baron

Park? What park. Meh...we'd rather play with grandmas ipad.

Z, S & T

Allyson and Baron

What would a gathering be without a little Magic Sam?

Click here for the Russians Are Coming Part 1

Click here for the Russians Are Coming Part 2

Monday Morning Musings - An Island Oasis

TA DA!

It has been a long, long time coming. But at last the time has come. We now have a genuine mostly finished island in our kitchen. We (and by we I mean Steve) put the drawers for the island together last January or February, I really can't remember. Then we waited many, many months, until the 4th of July to be exact, to have the surround installed. And HOORAY! HOORAY! We finally got our counter top about a week and a half ago. Our kitchen looks like a for real life actual kitchen. I am so excited. The other side has stainless steel drawers, which at the moment do not have handles. But I am sure if you give us another half a year or so, we will have those too. And another HOORAY! Because my bar stools that I bought are just the right kind of ugly. I found them at DI (a local thrift store) and they are old, but they are in perfect condition. And they were only $8 each. I saw them and then I debated for about 15 minutes as to weather I should buy them or not. I thought they are just ugly enough that they might look awesome in my house, but they are just ugly enough that they might just be ugly. Then after 15 minutes of internal debate, I finally said, "Hey dummy! They are $8! Just stinkin' buy them and if they work, they work. If they don't, you're not out that much." I am so glad I finally worked it out with myself because I LOVE them.

Last Monday, our family had the opportunity to go to a care center near our neighborhood to do a Family Home Evening for the residents. We played a matching game with the Prophet and Apostles to help get ready for General Conference. The kids loved being there and interacting with the residents. They even asked us yesterday, when we were watching Conference on TV, if we thought they were watching it over at the care center. I was glad to know they were still thinking about that experience. They want to go back and visit again soon.

Can I just say, right now, there is nothing like sitting in a quiet dark house at 11:00 at night, when your husband is still at work, and hearing a loud bang against the house, right outside the room you are in. Then hearing the sound of something screeching like it is being attacked. Because that is exactly what is going on right now and I am just a little freaked out.

But on with the post...

The other day we were waiting for my mom to arrive at our house because she was eating dinner with us. We were in the kitchen and I saw her van pull up in the driveway. I said to Addy, "Addy! Grandma is here!" To which she replied, "Hallelu-la!" I have never heard her say that before and it was so cute. We all started cracking up.

Flashback/Flashforward Friday - Itchin' For Stitchin'

Flashback: October 2008

The Day Of The Stitches

Yep. I remember that day just like it was yesterday. Two trips to the ER within hours of each other, ending up in seven stitches a piece. If you want the details of that day you can click here.

Flashforward: Almost October 2010

The Day Of The Almost Stitches

This poor, poor little baby. She has been to the hospital far too many times in her little life. Last Thursday, we added to that list of hospital visits. We just got home from pre school. She had a friend over and they were upstairs playing and I was downstairs making lunch. I heard a crash. I heard crying. OK, right now, at this point in the story, you are going to be horrified at the kind of mother I am. But that's OK. You can judge me if you want. Just know that in the Bible, it says not to. So I heard the crash and the cry. And I kept on making lunch. If I stopped what I was doing and ran every time I heard a crash or a cry, I would be stopped and on the run ALL THE TIME. Usually the crying stops within a minute and life as normal resumes. But after a minute, the crying didn't stop. And I remembered that I had someone elses child here and I should probably go and make sure everyone was OK. So as I was making my way up the stairs, Addy was making her way down. And I about freaked when I saw her face, covered in blood. I couldn't even tell where the blood was coming from, there was so much of it. Fine. I admit it, I am a bad mom. Sigh...

I cleaned her up, decided she probably needed stitches, loaded the kids in the car, returned the friend to his house, and made my way to the hospital with poor little Addy strapped in the backseat. I wished so much that I could hold her crying little body in my arms while I was driving. The doctor gave me the option of stitches or glue. She said the stitches would require putting her in a papoose to stitch her up. I still have nightmares of the last time they had to do that to her and I think she does too, because when I told her we were going to get stitches she freaked out. So to save us both the drama and trauma, I chose option #2, the glue. Here she is enjoying the spoils of her torture session:

What did she do to create such a huge gash in her head? She was showing her friend her "Dangerous Tricks", for which she is famous. She is always doing "Dangerous Tricks", which usually aren't so dangerous. But this time they were. She was in the guest bedroom jumping from one bed to another, when she fell and hit the side table. I told her that she could NEVER do dangerous tricks again, that she could only do SAFE tricks from now on. So the next day, she had all her friends on the stairs and she was explaining to them that she could not do dangerous tricks for them, she could only do safe tricks. It was so cute.

But it didn't last long. Later that day, we were at my mom's house and she was in the back yard playing. She was trying to climb over the fence so she could play with the kids next door. She cut a huge gash in the palm of her hand from the top of the fence. When Steve carried her around to the front yard and showed me her hand with the blood pouring out of it, I thought I was going to pass out. I just couldn't take any more blood and trauma. Oh Addy, I just don't know what to do with you.

PS: Because I haven't already said enough. It really is Sunday, October 1st when I am posting this, but I really really meant to post it both on Friday and Saturday but I never could find the time. You understand, right?

The Russians Are Coming - Part 2: Come Together, Right Now, Over Me

It's the music we were raised on. The soundtrack of our family. It's in our genes. It's like a day in our life. Whenever we've had a good morning or a hard days night, and we want to come all together now, and all we need is love, or it's someones birthday, or if we just need to fix a hole where the rain gets in, we need a little help from our friends, or wanna hold your hand in the strawberry fields forever, across the universe or if you wanna besame mucho. Either yesterday or when I'm 64. If you say you wanna revolution, or you love me do. Eight day's a week and yesterday. Even if it's just for the benefit of Mr. Kite or Eleanor Rigby or Lady Madonna or even dear old Prudence. I don't even know what I'm saying anymore and it's getting kinda outta hand so I'll just get on with the post now.

It's like this. Our family LOVES the BEATLES. Like ob la di, ob la da, kinda love. And Kristy, she's gotta ticket to ride and she's leaving home and we couldn't just let her and her kids start down that long and winding road and go back to the USSR without a little revolution. I mean, Help! So we had us a little Beatles Rock Band party one night. It lasted for hours and Honey Pie, with a little help from my friends, we twisted and shouted all night long.

Helter skelter, I'm gettin' on my own last nerve, so I can't Imagine what it's doing to you but they're just flying outta my head, so I'll just shut up now and give you the pictures.

Flashback Friday - Uncle Sam's Gettin' Hitched

Yep, he did it. My brother went up and got hitched last night. We are all excited around here. We are excited to add Teresah to our family. And we are excited to plan a wedding. My girls are completely giddy. Congratulations Uncle Sam!