Lots of pictures

I took the girls outside to the back yard to take some pictures (which they think is total torture!) for Christmas cards. These are some of the ones I really liked. I love the serious faces. And the goofy ones!

This is Sidney playing her clarinet. She's been playing for almost 3 years now. She really loves it. She's been first chair ever since they started placing kids in chairs. She's pretty proud of that.
Megan joined the Honor Choir where they sang at the zoo, all of the elementary schools in the district, and they sang the National Anthem at an Air Force basketball game. Pretty cool. Pretty cool.
Megan and her baritone. This is her second year playing and she loves it!


Man, I have great kids! I don't know how I ended up with such good kids! I don't know what I would do without these two girls! Merry Christmas to me!

"This one goes out to the one I love"

I love you, Chris. Happy Anniversary!

Viva la Coldplay!

Last night Chris & I went to the Pepsi Center in Denver for the Coldplay concert. We bought the tickets back in June so we thought that the day would never come! We have loved Coldplay ever since we lived in Wilsonville, Oregon 8 years ago and heard the song Yellow on the radio. Last night was the first time we saw them live and it was an amazing experience! Chris Martin is a great performer and quite the dancer. I think that he and Michael Stipe need to get together for a dance-off. That would be entertaining! I'm really glad we had the chance to go see them live.




The song that started it all...

The Ornament Exchange

I just wanted to put a quick post to give a shout out to all my creative lady friends. These are the ornaments all of my talented friends came up with. Great job girls!

Surprise!!

My dear friend Leslie was over last week helping me strip the awful wallpaper off my bathroom wall. She insisted that I take a picture of the wallpaper before it was gone forever. So I hesitantly told her where my camera was so she could take a picture. I downloaded pics off my camera and I found a little surprise. And here's a surprise for her because now EVERYONE gets to see it!



Here's the nasty wallpaper...



Thanks for your help Leslie!

Who's idea was this anyway?

So Tuesday is our Bunco get together and I am hosting this month. I decided to do an ornament exchange because I've been to one before and really loved it. Well, as I'm sitting here making my second ornament (because the first ones weren't cute at all!) and they are also not turning out the way I wanted. Not only not the way I wanted, they looked like total crap. Just ask Leslie! Luckily, thanks to Deanna's failed attempts to make ornaments, I was able to take her product she couldn't use and made it work on my ornaments (Thanks Deanna!). So I'm thinking after all of this pain and torture (endured by others as well) WHO'S IDEA WAS THIS???? I still have to clean my house and make food for this too! How do I get myself into these situations?

I've had a few requests for an Obama post, so here you go!

WAHOO!!! I'm glad he won. I know some people in this country believe it's the end of the freaking world that he won, but I STRONGLY disagree. I know he's not perfect, but I believe he's a better choice than John McCain was. I know that some people might not agree, but that's what makes this country so great. The end.

A blogging troll

That's exactly what I am. I just realized this morning that I don't know the last time I posted a comment on any one else's blog. I love reading everyone's blog and I have comments rolling around in my head about each post. I'm just too lazy to click that little button and actually type it out. I love getting comments, but I'm not so great at giving them. So from now on, I will TRY to improve on my laziness and actually contribute to others.

A quick trip to Wisconsin

This weekend I flew to Sheboygan, Wisconsin for my nephew's wedding. First of all I can't believe I have a nephew old enough to get married! Second, I was a little worried about going to Wisconsin. I've never had much desire to go to Wisconsin, but I figured because it was for a good cause I would suck it up and get on that plane. Sheboygan was actually a pleasant town right on Lake Michigan. It reminded me of how much I loved living by the water. I had a great time seeing all of my brothers and sisters (except KEITH!) It was a VERY fast trip but well worth it.


Saturday morning we went to the Kohler Design Center. It was quite a place. I saw more sinks, bathtubs, faucets and showers than I ever had in one place. My favorite part was the wall of toilets!



Check out this funky sink!



This was the craziest sculpture I've ever seen outside the Kohler Design Center. Who came up with this?????



Sunday morning before we left we walked down a pier by our hotel. It was windy and cold, but it was great being by the water! This is a picture of the Blue Harbor Inn where we stayed.



A couple pics with my brother Nick. Hopefully I'll have more family pics to post soon! (my camera didn't get used when those were taken!)



The happy couple, Justin and Heather

A little help...

I am doing a Halloween program with Kindergarten and 1st graders at school and it is looking like it's too short. So I think what we're going to do is have a few 1st graders read a Halloween themed poem in between each song. I googled Halloween poems and found a few that were ok, but nothing I really loved. So I'm wondering if any of you know a Halloween poem from when you were a kid, or one that your kids are learning right now that I could use. Anything would be great. Thanks all my brilliant friends!

What should YOU be doing instead??

As I was sitting here looking at all of your blogs I was thinking about what I should be doing instead. I'm tired, I feel like crap, and my bed is full of laundry that needs to be put away before I can plop my tired body into it. So what do I do? Check my friends' blogs first! (of course!) Geez. Next week will be the first official meeting of the bloggers anonymous for all of the blogging addicts out there. So what should you be doing instead?

One to go..

We closed on our new house yesterday afternoon. It was a fairly painless procedure. Chris almost had a melt down going into that much debt, but it's for a good cause. I'll post pictures when I have more time. We are all SO excited! I can't wait for more space! We have some serious painting ahead of us. (that's what friends are for, RIGHT???) Now, I just need to drop a pound or two before Friday and I'll have a perfect week! :)

One down....

I PASSED!!! (finally)

This week is MY week!

OK, this is going to be quite a week. Monday, I get my test results (yes, I am STILL taking this stinking music test). Tuesday, we close on our house. Friday is my last weigh in for a "biggest loser" competition I have with a friend. YIKES! How do I get myself into these situations? I am a nervous wreck, but I am counting on everything going my way. (Please, Please, PLEASE let everything go my way!)

What do you love about YOUR husband?

I have come to realize more and more that I take my husband for granted. Big time! Are there things about him that drive me crazy? Always. BUT I have come to see just recently how lucky I am to have Chris. He is the hardest worker I know. He has the best sense and balance when it comes to raising our children. He is a dedicated and devoted husband. He makes me laugh like no one else. He's awfully cute too. I don't give him near as much credit as he deserves. So I'm wondering, what do you love most about YOUR husband?

The Balloon Classic

What a disappointment! We hauled our butts out of bed at 5:30 this morning and met up with the Kimballs to get to Memorial Park to go to the balloon classic. We got a good parking spot and everything seemed to be right on schedule. Then we heard the annoying announcer lady telling us that they were sending up test balloons because the wind was blowing in the wrong direction. So we meandered for a little while and then the announcement came that the balloons would be launching. A little late, but they would be launching. Well, instead of the MASS launch that they promoted, they had about 20 balloons launch. Lame, lame, lame. Oh well! Maybe next year will be more successful. It was still nice to hang out with our friends and to come home and take a good nap!

TGIF

What a glorious day! Today was my first Friday off since my kids started school and I am quite impressed with myself for everything I got done.
Today I...
*got up early and went to the gym
*went to my weight watchers meeting
*took the kids to school
*did ALL the laundry (yes friends, washed, dried, folded AND put away all in the same day)
*dropped off and picked up dry cleaning
*cleaned the entire house
*went to lunch with Deanna (my treat for getting the house cleaned)
*watched Martha Stewart (I love her show, but never get to watch it because of work)
*yoga tonight while the kids were gone
*watched what is left of the olympics

I usually have to get all the housework done on the weekend and I never feel like I have time to relax. Having Friday's off is going to make such a big difference. It's a happy day!

Back to school

Yes folks, it is that time again. Chris and I started last week but today was my kids first day back to school. I can hardly believe it. Sidney is in 6th grade and Megan is in 5th. How that happened I just don't know. It seems like just yesterday that there were 5 and starting kindergarten.Oh it's so sad how fast they grow. And HOMEWORK on the first day! Yikes!

Tagged by Deanna...

Ten Years Ago:
1.) Megan was born.

2.) I was going to school full time as a music major.

3.) We were living in Las Vegas.

4.) Chris was going to school full time and working full time too.

5.) My brother Nick graduated from high school and moved out to Vegas with us from Ohio. (horray for free babysitting!)

Today's to do list:

1.) Drop off and pick up dry cleaning.

2.) Acrylic album class with Alicia at Archivers. LOVED IT!

3.) Dinner and bowling with my brother Lynn and his family.

4.) Work out at the gym.

5.) Get the laundry started.

Places I have lived:

1.) Milan, Ohio

2.) Fayetteville, North Carolina

3.) Idaho Falls, Idaho

4.) Rexburg, Idaho

5.) Las Vegas, Nevada

6.) Wilsonville, Oregon

7.) Cutchogue, New York

8.) back to Las Vegas, Nevada

9.) Colorado Springs, Colorado

If I were a millionare:

1.) GET OUT OF DEBT!

2.) Stop working till my kids graduate.

3.) Pay someone to wash my hair every day. (It feels SO good!)

4.) Hire a professional chef because I hate cooking.

5.) Pay for a Girls' Weekend with everyone on my blog list

Snacks I enjoy:

1.) Popcorn

2.) pretzels and yogurt (yes, together)

3.) Fruit

4.) Chips and Salsa

5.) Guacamole


And there you have it. I hereby tag Yvonne, Julie, Robyn and Tara.

My funny girl

Megan cracks me up. (on a regular basis) I went to download the latest pics from my camera onto my computer and there were a few surprises!

There were about 15 other pictures on there that she took of herself. Who knows? Maybe we have a future photographer in our family!

Good news! Good news!

So after my whole dramatic story of taking and failing the music test twice I was sure I'd have to wait to teach music till next year. Then I got a phone call. The principal at the same school I'm the librarian at called me on Tuesday and asked if I had registered for the next test. I told him I hadn't because I was in no hurry to take it again because I couldn't do anything till next year. Then he told me to register and take it because he talked to the district HR and told them that he wanted me as the music teacher. They gave him the OK and I am officially the new music teacher. I take the test again next Saturday (Aug. 2nd). Here's hoping I can take it and pass it and FINALLY be done with it! But I was just SO happy! I get to work 4 days a week and make more money! How is that not a dream come true? I've been in the music room all week cleaning and organizing everything. The kids start on Aug. 11th so I have just about 2 1/2 weeks to get ready. Thank you, Austin and Reagan for you're continued prayers! And no, Alicia, this has not been an elaborate plan to get out of camping! I am so excited. Thanks, folks, for all of your love and support!

Three words...

Go see it!

My husband's BRILLIANT idea...

Chris' birthday was last week and we decided to go up to Denver and hang out there for a couple days. One of the BEST things we did was a scavenger hunt at the mall. He picked a mall that was close to the hotel we were staying at and one that none of us were familiar with. He looked up a map of the mall online and came up with this list...

*Buy one piece of jewelry for under $5
*Buy a kitchen utensil for under $5
*Buy a hot pretzel or cheese on a stick (you must sit and eat the whole thing)

*Get a birthday card for your sister
*Get a Pottery Barn catalog signed by a manager
*Get a brochure from the Apple store
*Buy a bouncy ball
*Pick up a pamphlet from Guest Services
*Get a picture of you wearing a dress


*Get a picture with the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory bear

*Have your picture taken in front of

-an elevator


-an escalator


-a fountain



-Macy's, Dillards, Dick's and Nordstrom



(we have the other pics, but you get the idea!)

*Buy one piece of sporting equipment under $5
*Write down all the stores that begin with the letter J


So we divided into teams but the girls had to do everything. We were just there to hold their purchases and to take their pictures. They got one point for each thing they could check off and a point for every dollar they had left over. They had an hour to get it done and $20 in cash. We had SO much fun! He does have great ideas every now and then! Gotta give him credit for that! :)