One Fine Day

Remember that movie with Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney, One Fine Day, from about 10 years ago? I remember seeing it in the theater with Steve on Christmas Eve. It was the day he proposed to me and it was the current "romantic comedy" playing for the holiday season, so we were there! Steve totally fell asleep during the show (I guess their day wore him out just LOOKING at it) which I couldn't believe! I have never been able to doze off during a THEATER movie. . .at home maybe, but AT THE MOVIES? Anyway, this is beside the point. The point is, I remember that while this movie was playing out and Michelle and George were running around in their crazy lives for one single, fast paced day, I thought to myself. . ."No way. Life does NOT get THAT busy!. . .what an exaggeration . . .come on. . " Seriously, I really remember thinking that! How funny life is to correct you when you're wrong! Now that my life really IS this movie, reenacted DAY in and DAY out, I cannot believe I ever doubted its premise! Today was just another example of the craziness, but I thought I'd jot it down for future posterity. It might not make as RIVETING a movie as George and Michelle's, but this will be proof that days really can be crazy and life really can hand you fun little moments along the way.

So. . .today:

6:30-Wake up and run around the house getting ready for school for about an hour (don't forget, retakes today. Conner totally needs 'em since he pulled his MAD DOG face in the first batch). Head to school (25 minute commute)-realize fifteen minutes in that I've forgotten an important binder and Lewis left his homework at home. Bummer. No turning back.

8:10- School starts! Time to teach those vibrant, energetic little darlings. (Side note: I realize, I have not said a bunch about this new group of mine this year. I haven't taken many pics. They are the sweetest little group of kids EVER! I am soooo lucky. We have fun in our crazy, hectic days.). Today, we had fun with some Halloween projects added into the usual mix of learning.

2:45- Get those kiddos on the bus, clean up the classroom a bit and gather up the boys. Time to head out to make it to everything else on time.

4:30- Back in town- time change makes us lose an hour coming back home. BUMMER. (There's already not enough hours in the day. . .). Once home, grab a quick bite, freshen up a bit and get Lewis dressed for football.

5:15- Head clear across town to Lin's (which by the way was the ONLY store in town willing to donate soda to our school for the carnival- LIN'S is the place to shop)! Pick up the soda and paper products for the carnival.

6:00- Drive over to Lewis's game. He can only play for about 30 minutes so we can get back across town to go to ANOTHER carnival, the ward carnival.

6:30- Leave the game and head back to our house.

7:00- Run back inside the house long enough to change into our Halloween duds and get spooky for the carnival. While home-grab the front door when it rings (and try not to think about how my neighbor probably thinks we are total slobs with all our junk laying around the living room). She just needs me to pop on over to her Bunko party for a sec. and take some pictures of her group all decked out for Halloween. I commented. . ."You guys actually look like you're ENJOYING being in those costumes!"

7:20- Arrive at the Ward Halloween Carnival and chat and play games well into the night. It's nice to mingle with my neighbors and friends who I feel so far removed from in these past two years of never being home. The boys ran around and had a BLAST!

8:10- Get those kids in the shower!

8:20- Read scriptures with the boys and tuck them in.

8:40- Plunk myself down at the computer and get this new post up, all the while, waiting for my cute husband to call and tell me his status. CRAZY, CRAZY busy day. . .but fun. Completely FINE! Wouldn't trade it! Life is beautiful! Here are some pics to go along with our day.

 

Look What I Just Stumbled Upon. . .

TASTEBOOK

Blogging is so great. How else do people discover all the great stuff out there on the internet? I guess I am just not "with it" enough to realize stuff like this might exist and go out and look for it. I just stumbled upon this great website today as I was venturing away from my normal blogs. This one came from an especially cute blog here. My mind is now racing with the endless gift possibilities and getting my disaster of a recipe drawer organized!

What we've been up to lately. . .

It has been AGES since I have done a post! My camera is full of pictures, I just have been lazy as can be about getting things updated on here. Thanks to my awesome husband for doing a new post and buying me even a few more days! I actually have an appointment this morning and had to get a substitute so I am blissfully home right now with nothing better to do (well, I could be folding laundry. . .) than peek on blogs and get mine caught up! So, here's what we have been up to lately. . .behind the scenes!

Quick Trip Up North to meet with a couple about adoption. Sweetest kids EVER. What a trial they are facing. They are definitely in our prayers and we are turning this one over to the man upstairs. We will see what will be. While we were up that way, we visited with Sandi, Steve's youngest sister and her family and went out to eat for my birthday. It was a RELAXING and fun weekend and a good break away from our crazy lives. These are the only pictures I took on this trip. The boys were being so cute. We were at Cafe Rio and they had finished their meals and the adults were still talking and eating. Instead of being little pests, they cozied up together by the window and kept themselves entertained just talking and people watching I guess. I thought they looked so sweet, I snapped this picture-of course, it is blurry-Conner trying to get away before I could snap the pic). I tried to get another one (Lewis trying to keep Conner contained-love it) but the moment had passed. Oh well, these pictures will trigger the memory of their cuteness!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I have a pretty cute mom. She and I have birthdays within days of each other. It has always been fun to have close birthdays. This year we went out to dinner at Iggy's and then went to her house for cake after. She had a great birthday, spoiled by her coworkers and husband and as I was leaving, her visiting teacher dropped off a huge bouquet of balloons AND flowers! I thought that was sooo nice! I've never gone that ALL out for my V.T. ladies! It was inspirational! Seriously. Makes me want to be better at remembering and acknowledging people's birthdays. As a side note, thanks to all my awesome friends, family, neighbors, ward members, co workers, blogging pals- SO many of you who wished me a HB too! It really is so nice! Especially as you get older and really don't want to celebrate that fact!~ Anyway. . .HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a great mom! You are the best!

CORN MAZE 2008! Laura started this tradition clear back in 2001, I think! I did not attend the first few, but we have been to as many as we have been able to. This year it was Laura and her boys and Tiffany and her family plus ours. Every year the Staheli family adds something new and fun to their farm festivities. We had fun doing the usual, playing in the corn and sliding down the slides, riding the fun little farm swings, practicing our roping skills and petting the animals. Then we loaded up on the truck and headed out to the maze. This year we made it through in record time! Of course, the highlight for me is the food. I enjoyed the corn chowder, caramel dipped apples and hot chocolate. This is a favorite fall tradition and nobody seems to tire of it!

GIRL'S WEEKEND!!!! I actually was able to break away and make it this year. Every year, a bunch of gals from high school and college days start emailing about plans for the girl's weekend! It is exciting the planning and scheming, knowing we will have some time away to relax and catch up. We have been to various places but Vegas is always a winner! This year, I could only make it for one day since Steve's high school reunion conflicted with the whole weekend plans. Luckily, another friend was in the same boat so we just rode back together and it was fun. However, I don't EVEN want to hear about all the fun that was had after we left! This year, it was all about relaxing and eating! We have learned from trips past that we really don't need to plan a whole lot. Just chilling in the hotel room or hanging out around a big noisy dinner table is all we need! We shopped at the cute new Town Square and hung out in the "V.I.P." lounge at the hotel (thanks Kenny for the sweet hook up!) after several restaurant stops- P.F. Changs, California Pizza Kitchen and Cheesecake Factory. We chatted well into the night and relaxed our little fannies off. Some might look at our "Vegas" get away as a little dull, but getting together with all these great gals is never a dull moment!

The shopping. . .

The "lounging". . .

The eating and NON STOP fun. . .

(K girlfriends, I obviously didn't get the best girls weekend photos. Please share the love through emailing all you got!)

FLAG FOOTBALL SEASON in full swing! I'm really proud of our boys this year. They are both smokin' up the fields each week. Conner is the amazing touchdown king and Lewis is a flag pulling maniac! I tried to snap some photos at Conner's last game. I could never get him when he was actually making the touch downs. One week, we were sitting right at the end zone and he came running along victoriously-it would have been the PERFECT picture! Of course, I didn't have my camera that time. Oh well, I am not worried. He is amazingly fast and I'm sure I'll get the photo op again! I really want to catch the memory of him turning to us, after he's made the touch down, and give us the thumbs up! It is awesome! I need to bring my camera to Lewis' game this week too. I don't have any pictures of him in uniform yet. They both just look so cute with their huge jerseys and those flags! Anyway, we have been getting quite a bit of football in lately. Good times!


SO. . .That is where we have been lately. Hopefully, once Halloween is over (um carnival etc.) I can get back to my regular blogging regimen!

Happy Birthday Stephanie

So far I have been the silent partner in this whole blog game, but I wanted to take the reigns this once and wish Stephanie a Happy Birthday and list 5 things that I love about her (not in any order) and tell the world why she is such an awesome wife! Just so you blogging professionals know, this is completely out of my comfort zone and I don't have a very good idea how to do this.
#1 Stephanie is the absolute best mom in the whole world. She stopped teaching to be home with our boys and taught them preschool along with other kids in our basement, which was custom built to allow her to do this. As a result, both of our boys are fabulous readers, and have done really great their first few years of school. When I first met Stephanie she was teaching at my mom's preschool. All of the kids there absolutely loved her and I knew right away that she would be awesome! She has lived up to my every expectation and has exceeded my expectations in the mom category.
#2 She is a blast to be around and laugh with. It is so fun every night to watch something funny together on T.V. or play games or read something and just laugh.This is pretty much a nightly tradition. It is a great way to unwind and put an end to the crazy days that we have as educators.
#3 Stephanie is super supportive. Stephanie is so awesome. She left the confines of her own home and a thriving business to travel 25 miles every day across state lines to bail out her husband who wasn't able to find a kindergarten teacher at Beaver Dam Elementary. Every day she wakes up early, gets our kids ready ,and jumps into our car, eats breakfast and puts on her make-up on the way to school. She has not even complained once about doing this. She is a great teacher and works her little tail off to do everything she can to make the school thrive. In addition to what she does now, she supported me the whole time I got my masters degree and my administrators certificate, both of which took me away from home for long periods of time. She cheered me on as I delivered pizza for Papa John's in the evenings, worked summers doing tile, worked for Beacon Home Medical, and the many times I taught summer school. She was never embarrassed or disappointed that she didn't marry someone rich or famous. I could have never accomplished everything that I have accomplished without Stephanie and her support.
#4 Stephanie is beautiful. I don't know what to say about this one without sounding cheesy or weird. So I will just say that Stephanie is gorgeous and a lot of people who see us together are probably wondering how did he get her?
#5 Stephanie is non-judgmental and very forgiving. This is such an awesome characteristic. She never holds grudges. She forgives me and anyone else quickly when she could very easily be mad or offended. She just lets things roll of her back, smiles or laughs and moves on.

Wow! I think I did it? Blogging is pretty hard work. Not that it was difficult at all to choose 5 out of the many things that makes Stephanie great. But, it just took me a while and was hard. Kudos to Mindy (AKA: "Word to Your Mother" blogging queen) and to all others who take the time to post things for everyone to enjoy. And Happy Birthday to the coolest girl ever!

P.S. I have no clue how to put pictures on a post, so you will just have to look back into the archives!:)

I KNEW I was forgetting something. . .

Ya know how I just did a post about "Stuff I keep Forgetting to Post"??? Well, my sister just reminded me of the OTHER thing that I was forgetting! I was supposed to do a tag for her awhile back. I am a HUGE believer that if a tag is sent my way, I need to do it! So here goes. . . (and sorry I forgot):)

GREAT EIGHT!!!

8 TV shows I love to watch...
1. The Office
2. Mad Men
3. Flip This House
4. Designed to Sell
5. Um. . .we are never around a T.V.
6. We only get like ten channels. . .
7. America's Next Top Model (I know. . .guilty pleasure-so intriguing the life of a model!)
8. What Not to Wear

8 favorite places I love to eat...
1. Cafe Rio
2. Pasta Factory
3. Chili's
4. Applebee's
5. Olive Garden
6. Texas Road House
7. Taco Time (I love their veggi burritos with the sunflower nuts)
8. Bajio

8 things that happened yesterday...
1. I told a child in my class that if I saw her with the tape dispenser in her mouth again, I would have to send her home. This kid eats EVERYTHING!!!! Oh the germs!!!!!!!!
2. I died my hair purple (um, the purple was not intentional):(
3. I changed a flat tire (or at least got it started) on the side of the freeway. Luckily Steve was just minutes behind me and came to my rescue. He was towing our kids and two teachers and they volunteered to change cars with me so I wouldn't be late for my purple hair appointment (I should have just canceled the appointment).
4. I read a book to my class, part way in English and part way in Spanish, and those kindergartners (all of them speak Spanish fluently) thought I was hilarious! They were laughing SO HARD at me (with me)!
5. I ate a Pizza Factory salad-yum!
6. I read with my boys and helped them do their homework.
7. I watched Lewis play football.
8. I planned and prepared for today's school day.

8 things I most look forward to...
1. Having another child.
2. The last day of school!
3. The holidays!
4. LAS VEGAS with girlfriends!
5. Tranquil moments of pure free time and no guilt!
6. Spending time with my two boys and their dad
7. 2:45 every afternoon
8. Seeing those kindergartners read and speak English all on their own!

8 things I love about fall...
1. The changing leaves
2. School
3. Halloween
4. Thanksgiving
5. Cool, fresh breezes
6. Seeing family and friends
7. Wearing "warm weather" clothes
8. Burning spicy scented candles

8 things on my wish list...
1. A garage full of cabinets and storage units-NO visible clutter!
2. A completely FINISHED yard that actually looks good and functions
3. A baby
4. No visible lines or wrinkles on my face
5. A mani and pedi
6. To live in a world where everyone sees eye to eye
7. More space!!!
8. To be content with all I have and how I look.

8 People I am tagging...
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. Anyone else who wants to.

Fourth File, Fourth Picture

Tagged again. I like it though; makes me blog stuff I'd never think to myself. This time, I was asked to go into "My Pictures" file and open the fourth folder. Then I was asked to open the fourth picture and talk about it! Here goes. . .

How awesome is that? A HALLOWEEN picture! My fourth file was ALL family photos we used for our adoption collage, so any of them would have been great pic. choices (non embarrassing). I am just thrilled that it worked out to be a festive, Fall picture. This is how we dressed up back in 2006. It just worked out that the boys wanted to be pirates and how EASY is that to pull together for parents?! Awesome. This year, we will be hodge podge again. Lewis will be the Joker, Conner is a clone trooper (Star Wars), I will be a witch again and who knows what Steve will throw together? It is fun to look back on this ONE Halloween where we were all coordinated and put together. Super fun!
K. I'm tagging. . .Jen (I'll keep buggin' you until you follow through), Kristi, Lindsay G., Erika, Marianne and ANYONE else that could use a quick, new post. Have fun!

Stuff I Keep Forgetting to Post. . .

#1. My friend Wendy, who used to be a Stampin' Up demonstrator, is getting rid of some of her inventory. All sets are $5 each! Click here to check it out!

#2. My neighbor is friend's with the artist Al Rounds and he is doing an exhibit, demonstration at her house on October 18th. Everyone in the community is welcome to come to this event. Click here and leave her a comment if you'd like more info about this. Here is an example of one of his beautiful paintings. . .


#3. I was "Husband Tagged" and I already did it awhile back, but I will repost it here so it can be enjoyed again! K. I hope that is all I am forgetting. Hope so!

Husband Tag!


What is his name? Steve
How long have you been married? In just about one month, we will celebrate our TENTH big year! We are going on our first cruise EVER to celebrate and we cannot wait!
How long did you date? GEEEEEZ. Our dating/courtship was such a soap opera. It went on for over a year and was completely crazy and intense and exhausting! It was definitely meant to be though. After going through all that, you know you're in it for the long haul!
How old is he? 32
Who eats more? Might be a toss up. He definitely eats healthier.
Who is taller? Steve for sure. He is actually the perfect height for me. I don't have to kink my neck to look at him when we hug/kiss!
Who sings better? He would say I do, but let's be honest, neither of us would ever win American Idol.
Who is smarter? We all have our different "areas of expertise." I would say he is, on paper (especially trivia-my heck he knows EVERY unimportant fact possible), but I am a quick thinker, problem solver type.
Whose temper is worse? Probably mine.
Who does the laundry? Actually, that is all Steve right now. We take turns with the two worst chores; dishes and laundry. While he's better about getting the laundry clean, dried and put away, I am much better at making it look nice and tidy. So, even though the laundry is kept up, the kid's drawers are a disaster (Lewis' clothes mixed in with Conner's), and sometimes my socks and shirts end up in the kids' room. But, you gotta love a man who is willing to help out and can actually seperate the darks and the lights and remove stains! Yep. He's a keeper.
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I guess it is Steve, now that I am thinking about it.
Who pays the bills? Definitely my penny pinching Steve!
Who mows the lawn? The maintenance guy (I wish I could talk Steve into a "cleaning lady" too).
Who cooks dinner? We are pretty equal with this task. Seeings how we both get home at the same time, we usually work together to get dinner on the table.
Who drives when you are together? Steve, almost always (how else would I get my makeup on?).
Who is more stubborn? Haha. That's a funny question. We are both so stubborn it isn't even funny!
Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Steve. But I am faarrrr better about NOT holding grudges.
Whose parents do you see the most? It's about equal.
Who proposed? Steve did. On Christmas morning. Wearing his jammies and his sister's new ski hat. And with most of his family staring at us. Classic Steve.
Who has more friends? We have both been lucky in the friend department. We are both pretty friendly and make friends easily. I'd say it's a tie.
Who has more siblings? Steve wins with his seven sisters!
Who wears the pants in the family? Steve would probably joke that I do, but we all know that isn't true! He wears 'em and he's good at it! He keeps our family clicking!

Our Awesome Neighbor

We have the coolest next door neighbor EVER!

She moved here from California a few years ago and once Steve learned that she taught school, he snatched her up to be a part of his staff. He has often said, "what would we do without Carolyn?" She is the bomb! She is the reading coach at our school and helps the teachers stay on track with everything the state reading program asks us to do. Not only does she keep everything afloat at school, but she is the best at EVERYTHING else she does too. She's one of those gals that has major power tools in the garage and knows how to use them! Some of you might beg to differ, but check out all these reasons why we think she is the numero uno, COOLEST neighbor ever!

She drives a Mustang convertible and lets us (or the high school cheerleaders) ride around in it with the top down!

She always has EVERYTHING we don't, so she's
our "go to" neighbor when we're all out of something.She and her sister give our boys gifts on all the major holidays and birthdays!

She knows how to do EVERYTHING and has helped
us with a gazillion little projects. I only have pictures of these few examples:

(Um, she whipped up those trees, signs and mural in next to no time!
She is fearless and everything always looks good)!

She "Martha Stewart's" everything she touches!

She VOLUNTEERS to watch our kids so Steve and I can have "date night."

She hires our kids to do odd jobs for her while she is away on her many travels and then pays them super good money for their work!

Um the queen mother of them all. . .she landscaped the side of our house (including installing a drip system and a hand-made bird house) at NO COST to us! She said she had been "thinking about an idea" (translation, she was tired of looking at our un-landscaped side yard) and we said-GO FOR IT! She apparently needed to invest in some projects like this for tax

write offs, but we totally got the better end of the deal!

So, I think it is quite clear. We really do have the BEST neighbor! And, today is her birthday so Happy Birthday Carolyn! We think you're the best!!!