This one was drawn by Aspen but 'illustrated' by Ainsley (7).
These next four were drawn by Ainsley.

This one was drawn by Aspen but 'illustrated' by Ainsley (7).
These next four were drawn by Ainsley.

It turned out so good. I'm working on one for Aspen and Asher, too. But there was a little bit of a learning curve with my new software. I'm hoping the other two don't take as long! I got the template from this sweet lady's blog: Little Wonders. The digital scrap-booking supplies are from Anne Lang at Two Peas in a Bucket.
I've included a scanned copy of the card (which I thought was really pretty) and a scanned image of the INSIDE of the card. See if you can read what I wrote! I'm so stinkin' funny!

Speaking of my birthday - I decided to add a list to the left of some things I'd like for my birthday. Only for the benefit of those who NORMALLY give me a gift for my birthday. Those who don't NORMALLY buy me anything can just read the list and... smile.
Here I will describe what is on that list:
Life is Beautiful - This movie is wonderful. Such a great story. The Moaks introduced us to it several years ago and I've always wanted to add it to our selection of movies.
The Wicked Soundtrack - I recently finished reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and really liked it. Since I may never have the money to see the Broadway Musical I would be just as happy with the soundtrack from it.
The Peacegiver - I just read the first 3/4 of this book online but in order to finish it they want you to buy it. I will probably buy it if I don't get it for my birthday. It is really good so far.
ShopSmart Subscription - Ashley introduced me to this magazine when it came out and I remember being highly annoyed that I couldn't get a subscription to it at the time. It was that good. Now, they offer it as a subscription and I just keep hoping that somebody will get it for me.
Real Simple Subscription - Here is another subscription that I just can't bring myself to pay for. But I LOVE this magazine. Sooner or later I'll break down and get these subscriptions but I will definitely shop around and get a good deal! NOT going to pay 20 bucks for a magazine subscription!
Tivo - Really... I just want a DVR. It doesn't have to be a Tivo. Actually, I would prefer that it wasn't because I do NOT want to pay a monthly fee. We do not have cable or satellite we have 3 channels - NBC, CBS, and PBS. That's all we need or want. But I would really like to be able to record my favorite shows on those channels - over the air - without having to worry about VHS tapes!Roomba Scooba - Any cheap older model will do. I love the idea of turning something on and leaving the room only to come back to a clean floor! We have laminate flooring throughout our whole house (which I LOVE) and I really don't enjoy mopping it ALL the time!
Roomba iRobot - From what I have read I could probably get away with just the scooba because it does vacumn up dirt before it mops but I would be just as happy with just this one. I probably need to keep mopping anyway so that I can be humbled and burn a few calories!
Pie crust sheilds - These don't necessarily have to be from Pampered Chef but I hate having to "create" pie shields with foil! It never works exactly like I want it to and they slip off too easily!
So, there it is! If you feel so inclined to get me any of these things (Dad) they will be greatly appreciated! If, however, you are not able - a simple "Happy Birthday, Steph!" will do!
BECAUSE I SAID SO: Julian is Free
Be warned: it is sad.
My friend Amber posted on her blog a while back "Deep Thoughts". I remember thinking how brave she was to open herself up like that. So, this post seems to be slightly more personal than maybe I'm comfortable with but I'm hoping that by presenting it in a slightly more public fashion will help me get my butt off of the fence. I've been struggling with my testimony for years and recently had someone close to me leave the church. I'm feeling desires to make changes of some fashion because I'm truly miserable in the spiritual realm of my life. I welcome thoughts or ideas but don't require them in order to read this post! :)
These are the headers they designed:
As we leave Amber's house we drive straight into a serious case of the fog! It was really bad. Especially as we drove over the Mississippi river. We thought it might let up after crossing the river but it did not. It got worse. I called my brother to have him look up the weather forcast in the region that we would be driving. There was a fog advisory. More particularly, exactly where we were at was a "freezing" fog advisory. Geoff posted earlier about this if you want to read it I think you will find it quited entertaining. Just to back him up for those of you who think he is full of poo because YOU'VE never heard of "freezing fog" here is a description taken from Wikipedia:
"Freezing fog occurs when liquid fog droplets freeze to surfaces, forming white rime ice. This is very common on mountain tops which are exposed to low clouds. It is equivalent to freezing rain, and essentially the same as the ice that forms inside a freezer which is not of the "frostless" or "frost-free" type. In some areas such as in the State of Oregon, the term "freezing fog" refers to fog where water vapor is super-cooled filling the air with small ice crystals similar to very light snow. It seems to make the fog "tangible", as if one could "grab a handful"."
It was crazy!
Well, we got to Hastings just in time to catch the Holly Trolley with Geoff's family. You can read about that in this previous post. Here are some pictures from our evening of caroling and riding around Hastings:
These next pictures are from the family gift exchange after the Holly Trolley. Aspen is holding a VERY special gift that each family recieved from Dawne. She had started this very special project before she passed away and Karin was able to tie up the loose ends so that they could presented at the special occasion. The gift was a story that Dawne had written about her Great Grandmother Eleanor that she had printed in book format and a hand sketched paper doll mounted on sturdy board. Fortunately, the entire story was written and all of the paper dolls were finished before she passed away. The only thing left to do was finish having them printed and adding a bow to the front (per her handwritten notes). They turned out beautiful. What a very special gift. Kent is reading Luke 2 in the following photos. It was really nice to see all of the family. The cousins were pleased as punch to see each other!
While we were there, we took the kids to visit Grandma's grave. They did really good. Somehow I don't think it has really hit them. It's hard because we live so far away and they don't get to see this side of the family very often. I, on the other hand, had a hard time. I feel the sadness creeping in on me even as I type this up. I miss her.
On our way out we stopped at Mooville farms. The best way I can describe it is: it's a lot like Braum's here in OK. Only it's not a chain. It would be like visiting the farms at Tuttle, OK. This is where I thought I had lost my camera. FYI, Geoff found my camera in the diaper bag several days after we got back at 3 in the morning at my dad's house. This was after I had purchased another one on ebay to replace it! No worries, my sister is buying it from me.
We thought that we would get out of there Sunday but the same storm that we danced through was still hitting Michigan so we decided to stay another day with the Dahle's. Here are a few more fun shots.
On Saturday morning her ward had "Breakfast with Santa". Totally fun. The kids really enjoyed it. Can't you tell?
That night was their ward Christmas party. Here are a couple of pics from that:
We got Lincoln and Asher matching shirts. Lincoln size 3. Asher size 5. They are the same age by one month to the day - Lincoln being the month older. Isn't that crazy? Lincoln is a little guy and Asher is a giant. They LOVE each other.
The last thing that i wanted to share with you is actually really funny but slightly embarassing for me. Amber and Craig are notorious for crankin' the music after a meal and dancin' their brains out in the kitchen. I think they do it in there because of the open space, the hard floors, and the big mirror on the wall so that they can see themselves! Well.... they convinced me to get in on a little of this action. I don't dance. Not because I don't like to. Because I don't know how. This statement becomes very evident as you watch this video. Amber, however, has mooovves!
We really crack ourselves up! We watched this over, over, and over again. Each time laughing harder and harder. I'm sure that you will not find this near as funny as we did but one suggestion Amber had was to watch at least 3 times only focusing on one of us each time you do. You really get to see what dorks we are at an individual level! Here are a couple of still shots that I created from the video (click on it to make it bigger - thus making us bigger fools) :
Honestly, it was a lot of fun! After we left Aspen asked me if they (The Dahle's) were like family. I said, "Yes. They ARE like family." Then she asked if they could call them Auntie Amber and Uncle Craig. I, of course, agreed. We love you guys! Thanks for the awesome memories!
This morning Andyn let me put this cute hat on her (she doesn't really like hats). She even left it on for a mini photo shoot!
Another funny thing: I read the blog by the lady who sold a pack of pokemon cards on ebay that her kids stuck in her shopping cart when she wasn't looking. Well, anyway, her latest post had me in stitches! It made me think of Geoff. He so totally would do something like this!! What I wouldn't give if Geoff could cook like Dave (Shelley's husband) or something!!!

This is our weather for today. I thought some of you might find this somewhat interesting. Say...some of you people in New Jersey!!!! (Reason #492 to move back south!!)
OK, one more post then I'm going to bed!
I snapped another picture on my phone of one of the several posters that are hung in the hallways and library of my kids' school. Mainly because I found it hard to believe! The picture is hard to see but you get the idea:
Read here if you care to know the brains behind this campaign! ::shaking my head::
I hate snakes! They just creep me out. Even harmless ones. I came across this picture on my phone that I forgot that I had taken. It's Ainsley holding her class' pet snake! ::shiver:: Heebie Jeebies!
By the way, update on the other heathen creature (the mouse) in my home. When we got home from my dad's he was dead on a sticky trap. Woo hoo!!
If you have time you should read this funny story a friend of mine wrote about his encounters with a mouse in HIS house. Click here.
Just one more thing about this snake thing. A while back I read about a game called Snakes & Ladders. I had never heard of it but since then have actually played it with Sidney Dahle. What really intrigued me was block #26. Take a look:
You may have to click on it to blow it up a little bigger. That guy is totally whipping that kid! Makes you wonder what the lady in block #36 is doing! Print Page
That has to be one of my all time favorite commercials. I've been known to shout this phrase while in the vehicle with friends. Mostly just Shelley and her crazy Caravan!
I searched unsuccessfully on the World Wide Web for the clip or even just a picture to no avail! But what's better than real life? A couple of weeks ago as I was pulling up to the grocery store I noticed lots of emergency vehicles in the parking lot. Well, this is why:
I took the pics with my phone so they're not fabulous but you get the idea! Apparently, this little old lady pushed the gas peddle instead of the break when pulling into a parking spot. It made me think of the "Punch it, Margaret!" commercial! Funny stuff! Print Page
As we're checking out at the grocery store today Asher says "Hallelujah!" (with the H silent) and then says, "Mom, that's Spanish. I can speak Spanish." I smile at him because I think he's totally cute and then I notice that there is a Hispanic man standing nearby. He keeps saying it over and over! The man must of understood him a little because I noticed a slight smile on him!
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This is a picture of normal tonsils (as rendered on wikipedia) :
This is a picture of Asher's:
This is the best picture that I could get. On the left side is the enlarged tonsil and the uvula is as attached as it looks. Print PagePrint Page
It's the time when everybody decides THIS is the year! They are going to lose weight! I imagine that Geoff and I are among those throngs we just haven't officially announced it. But for those of you who HAVE announced that you're in the running I thought that you might be interested in this website: MyPyramid
It's the new Food Pyramid that the government came out with a few years ago. I like because it tells me how much of each kind of food I need. Shelley and I talked about how people should make small goals to start out with. Like getting my full servings of vegetables each day. I think that I will start with that. I haven't been very good lately at getting all my vegetables in. Or drinking at least 8 cups of water each day. That's another one that I've slacked on. So, if I take it easy I think that I will be more successful.
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