Merry Christmas!

Too much to write and not enough time. We got home and it is so wonderful. Our flights were delayed about 2 hours and the road home from Spokane was terrible, but we made it and we are so glad. Christmas was amazing and we are loaded with gifts. Tomorrow is our one year anniversary! I can't even believe that it has been a whole year. More to post about Christmas and our anniversary later. Now its bed time, or getting close to it.

Nativity project

I just have pictures of the cute Mary and Joseph that Brent drew on. He is so crafty, huh?

We wanted to do something cute for our primary class as a little Christmas gift and so we got all of the things to make a little nativity. We didn't have a glue gun and so we used craft glue for the entire project. It was insane. We stayed up until 2am making these little beauties for our class. Man, I hope they know how much we loved them. So....now here is a sad part. Really...we took out nativities to class, didn't want them to break them during caroling after church so we said we would take them around after church. That didn't happen so we were going to take them around on Monday. Well, that is FHE so we didn't want to interrupt. Okay, Tuesday we were really going to take them around. But, it was snowing like crazy and I didn't want to go out it in the snow. And....we can't even find them. ALL THAT WORK. And it was such a waste. When I find them you better believe I will take pictures and put them on here so at least I can always remember what great sunbeam teachers we are.

Okay....

This is late in coming...but, this is just a shout out to Deidra and David for bringing the most delightful cake and rolls to me and Brent. Seriously, they were amazing. I ate so many rolls! Holy wow. So, thanks you two. I'm glad to have friends like you. (There were going to be pictures, but you see, the food disappeared too quickly. Ha!)

oh yeah

I'm done! I'm finished. It's complete. No more school. Except for the rest of the semesters, but lets not dwell on those right now... YAHOO!!! Let's just bask in this moment of glory together. And, congratulate me. Go ahead.

Instead of a Christmas card...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

look here too!

I love these cards. Way to go Ashley, they look great! And, when you leave your lovely comment, please say that I sent you. It would be oh so kind of you, really. I might even send you a card if I win! :)

Go on...take a peek!

You know you want to win something, right? Then go take a look HERE. (Only don't-because I want to win it!)

all children can learn

I have the spiritual thought for my evening class on Monday and I was searching for something to share, i came across a blog that was full of wonderful quotes for educators. There were two of them that really struck close to home.

Good schools, like good societies and good families, celebrate and cherish diversity.-- Deborah Meier
I love the fact that I can help students celebrate diversity. Since my minor is TELL (Teaching English Language Learners) I feel that I will have the wonderful responsibility to cherish each of my students and to help them understand that being different is a wonderful thing.

Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or the same way.-- George Evans
Oh I loved this quote. As I have observed in classrooms and as I have been working with students, it is sometimes really hard to be positive all the time. Sometimes students just won't get something or sometimes I just won't be able to explain things. But, the wonderful news is this: we can all learn. Days are hard and sometimes progress is slow, however, everyone is capable of learning and developing. We all learn differently and we all want to improve, it just takes time.

I love the field I have chosen to go into. It is wonderful to cherish diversity and it is a wonderful reminder to know that we all do learn, differently and uniquely. That is one of the things that makes each of us great. We are all children of a God who loves us unconditionally and we have the opportunity to do wonderful things. For that I am eternally grateful.

what a friend

Great friends are such a blessing. Jill has been one of my very best friends for....forever. She spent the night one year for my birthday when we were just little kids. We fought everyday our 6th grade year over History Day, and we are still great friends. I'm sad that I don't get to see her very often since she chose dumb Rexburg...but, I still love her. Jill told me last week that she might send me a Thanksgiving care package. I didn't know if she was really going to though. Well, Deidra got home to Utah after Thanksgiving and she told me that she had a box for me from Jill. Hooray! I was so excited. I love getting surprises. Well, when I went to pick it up, it was more than I had ever expected. The box was filled with treats, a movie, socks and feet/face scrub, and even a coloring book! Jill so knows who I am, and I love that! She wrote me the sweetest card and it made me so happy. I sure love that girl. She is amazing and always knows just what I need. Thanks Jill. Thanks for being such a great friend and for knowing me so well.

HOORAY

I have always wanted these pictures. I finally made my mom feel guilty enough to go up to campus to take them with me. I am so excited! Aren't they so cute?! If we would have had more time, I would have gotten the poses just perfect, but I'm pretty pleased. They will do for now. :)

Happy happy day

Mary Kay party

I had a Mary Kay party and I got some free stuff. Thanks everyone for coming! It was quite fun. I did take a couple of pictures because Kyle came and was rubbing stuff all over his face. Oh what joy. Thanks for being such a great sport Kyle, you looked beautiful! :)

Good Humor

These GIANT cones are huge. Seriously. Brent and I were at Big Lots! today doing some Christmas shopping and when we were waiting in line he asked me if I wanted a treat. Of course I did! What kid doesn't want a treat at the store? So, we both got these king cones that they had. Well, I couldn't wait to eat mine so as soon as we were in the car, I tore it open. It was so messy. I was getting chocolate everywhere. But, boy, was it delightful. I swear to you I didn't touch the thing when the bottom broke off. What?! Brent told me I had better eat it quick. I could tell that the ice cream was melting so I kind of turned it a little so I could lick the bottom when it happened. The top of the cone fell off. Into my lap! Oh my gosh, I almost started to cry. I so know what a little kid feels like when they loose their ice cream cone. I didn't want to let that ruin my cone though, so I picked it up and ate it with my fingers. They were so cold! Brent laughed and mocked me the whole way home. My mom laughed at me too. They don't even know what it feels like. Poor poor me.

Tagged!

My cousin tagged me and I am so excited! :) The idea is to write 7 things you are thankful for and then tag someone else. So....here goes (in no particular order):

1. I am thankful for a husband who loves me. No matter what. I am so glad that he chose me, sometimes I still wonder how I tricked him into that.
2. I am thankful for an education. I complain about it because it is so much easier sometimes but I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and to grow. I'm thankful to be studying something that I love and I'm glad to be at a school where I can express my love for God so freely.
3. I am thankful for health for me and my loved ones. I am blessed to have a functioning body and to have all 10 fingers and toes. I'm glad to have a sound mind and to wake up each morning.
4. I am thankful for an apartment and for food to eat. It is true, our apartment is small and nothing to look at, pipes are on the ceiling and it is a tight squeeze, but it keeps us warm and dry in the winter. We don't have much extra money for food, but we have enough to eat and to fill our tummys.
5. I am thankful that Brent and I have jobs when so many people don't. Brent loves working at Staples and he is so good at what he does. I am thankful for that. I am not a huge fan of Staples, but I'm grateful for a job. I'm grateful for the ability we have to work.
6. I am thankful for family. I was born into the most amazing family who taught me right from wrong. I love them dearly. I am thankful for Brent's family and for how amazing they are. I married into a great family and I am so blessed.
7. I am thankful for light. It seems a little silly, but even at 20 I am afraid of the dark. I am grateful for the sun and for electricity to light our apartment. I am also thankful for the dark though, because I love to sleep!

I tag momma gato. HOORAY!

I miss her

I miss Grandma Jackson. She was the greatest lady in the entire world. I miss her stories, I miss her popcorn, I miss her dresses she wore every day, I miss her sweeping the floor, I miss her smell, I miss her smile, I miss her birthday cards, I miss her arm scratches, I miss her rolls, I miss her birthday cakes, I miss her snap dragon flowers, I miss her.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!

How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!

Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is thy prime.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
For every year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Thy candles shine out brightly!

Good song, right? Well, today Brent and I went out and bought our very first Christmas tree. My mom wondered why we would want such a thing since we aren't going to be here for Christmas. I think that was a silly question though. Who doesn't want to have a Christmas tree up with lights and ornaments all December long? And, if you are me and Brent, for the second half of November too! Our tree is amazing. We got it for 20 bucks at Big Lots. It's 6 feet tall and oh so green. We have multi colored ornaments, white lights, and gold tinsel. Our star is gold and lovely and we have these cute little ornaments too. Oh my, I love Christmas time!

I love him

I love him a lot. Isn't he just the cutest?

I'm thankful for funny things

Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because
it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the
road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation
and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the
road...

SARAH PALIN: Because by golly, I was gonna shoot
his sorry liberal butt for blocking my view of Russia!

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I
personally helped that little chicken to cross the road.
This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right
from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the
chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really
isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the
chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the
chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is
either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground
here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you
can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing
the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that
chicken. What is your definition of crossing?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken
cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross,
and I was misled about the chicken's
intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We
need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this
chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the
problem on this side of the road before it goes after the
problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is
help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on
his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is
having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so
bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his
mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm
going to give this chicken a car so that he c an just drive
across the road and not live his life like the rest of the
chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe
here is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have
access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because
he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he
walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent,
hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which
way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the
Farmers Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a
certain level. No little bird gave me any insider
information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he
cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but
why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay!
Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why
they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken
is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay,
too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this
abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with
seemingly ha rmless phrases like the other side. That
chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain
and as simple as that.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the
chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken
crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a
few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for
the first time, the heart warming story of how it
experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to
accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross
the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world
crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008,
which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file
your important documents, and balance your checkbook.
Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2008. This
new platform is much more stable and will never crash.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the
road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

Dr. Pepper

I am thankful for Dr. Pepper. It may seem a little bit silly, but it was just one of those days. I have class for 5.5 hours tonight and I'm sure it will be a drag. So, on my way home from working on an assignment today, I stopped to get myself a pop. And it is joyous. And it will make going to class seem just a little bit easier. So, here's to you diet Dr. Pepper. I love love love love love you. Thanks.

I'll give it a shot

School has really been getting me down lately. I feel like it has been a waste of time, money and a whole lot of effort. I don't feel like I am learning nearly as much as I should be/would like to be. I am putting in the effort, I really am. I promise. I just don't feel like I am reaping the benefits like I should be. It is really frustrating to me as a student who really tries to learn and to be attentive. However, all of this negative attitude has got me thinking. I feel like I need to try to get out of this 'slump' for lack of a better word. So, in order to do that I am going to write some things I am thankful for. I am going to try to do this regularly. I think if I can just remember all of the things I have to be grateful for, then maybe the bad things won't seem so bad. At least that is what they used to teach me in Young Womens. I might as well give it a shot right?

One thing I am grateful for is wonderful teachers that I have had. (Fitting, right?) I guess I have never really thought about how blessed I was growing up when it came to the teacher department. I could probably count the number of teachers I have had that I didn't like on one hand. And the huge number of amazing teachers totally makes up for that handful. I guess a huge part of me wanting to go into education is the fact that I have had such wonderful examples. Yesterday in one of my classes, we were having a huge discussion and I wasn't budging in my opinion on a topic. This girl said, "Wow, you must have had some really great teachers then cause nobody else thinks like that." And, it is so true. If I could go back and thank each one of them individually, I would in a heart beat. My teachers helped me to achieve great things. (At least, I think I turned out pretty great. Ha!) If my teachers now could just teach me to be like them, I will be an a-okay teacher.This is making me feel better already...who knew? Since today was a really bad day, I am going to do one more. I am so very grateful for my dad. He is one of a kind, really. I don't know what I did in Heaven to be given such a great dad, but I'm sure glad I did it. I used to say that I wanted to be just like my dad. I wanted to be an OR nurse and do everything just like him. And he was so excited. The day I decided that I thought education would be more the route for me, I was so afraid to disappoint my dad. But, guess what? He wasn't upset at all. He was so excited for me and told me that I would be great. And I believed him. My dad has always believe in me, more than I have believed in myself I think. I'm thankful that he has faith in me when I don't always have that. He always tells me, "Just keep going Bug. You can do it, I know you can." They are the greatest words of advice. Thanks Pop. I sure love you.

Quilt give away

But don't enter. So I have a better chance to win. Thanks!

50 facts you might not know about Barak Obama

Since he will be our new president next year, I thought I would post these facts about him. Brent found them some place on line. Enjoy.

• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics

• He was known as "O'Bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball

• His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili

• His favourite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini

• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father

• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed

• He has read every Harry Potter book

• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali

• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream

• His favourite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars

• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia

• He can speak Spanish

• While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had sports channels on instead

• His favourite drink is black forest berry iced tea

• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn't

• He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia

• He can bench press an impressive 200lbs

• He was known as Barry until university when he asked to be addressed by his full name

• His favourite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

• He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister's fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived

• His desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy

• He and Michelle made $4.2 million (£2.7 million) last year, with much coming from sales of his books

• His favourite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck

• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee.

• His favourite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees

• He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing on their first date

• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker

• He doesn't drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol

• He would have liked to have been an architect if he were not a politician

• As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and cocaine

• His daughters' ambitions are to go to Yale before becoming an actress (Malia, 10) and to sing and dance (Sasha, 7)

• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside

• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal

• His house in Chicago has four fire places

• Daughter Malia's godmother is Jesse Jackson's daughter Santita

• He says his worst habit is constantly checking his BlackBerry

• He uses an Apple Mac laptop

• He drives a Ford Escape Hybrid, having ditched his gas-guzzling Chrysler 300

• He wears $1,500 (£952) Hart Schaffner Marx suits

• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes

• He has his hair cut once a week by his Chicago barber, Zariff, who charges $21 (£13)

• His favourite fictional television programmes are Mash and The Wire

• He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service handlers

• He was nicknamed "Bar" by his late grandmother

• He plans to install a basketball court in the White House grounds

• His favourite artist is Pablo Picasso

• His speciality as a cook is chilli

• He has said many of his friends in Indonesia were "street urchins"

• He keeps on his desk a carving of a wooden hand holding an egg, a Kenyan symbol of the fragility of life

• His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan government

I applied...

...for a new job at a charter school in Draper called Channing Hall. A lady that I go to school with works there and she told me about the opening. My schedule right now would be kind of hard for a job like this, but it seemed like a really great school. I am hoping that something opens up for me soon if not this one.

I did wear my lucky necklace that my dad gave me. I wear it whenever I need a little bit of luck. Maybe it worked this time?

Jesus wants me for a SunBEAM

A sunBEAM. A sunBEAM. I'll be a sunbeam for Him.
We are the sunbeam teachers in our ward and we always have lots of fun on Sundays during class. The kids are really great. Sometimes they can get a little bit crazy and a little bit wild, but they are only 4 so it isn't like we didn't expect it. Every week we have done a little activity with coloring or making something. Last weeks lesson was about music and how it can make us happy. So, Brent found a bunch of pictures online of different instruments and we all colored. Brent colored the left over pictures and I took a picture of him and his beautiful creation. He told me all about how he used a bunch of different colors to make the brownish color just right. Didn't he do such a great job? I'm so proud of him!

haha

This is pretty much self explanatory. Basically I am AWESOME!

My Hero

Okay. So, sometimes my mom is kind of, um, shall we say, silly? Here is the story and the reason for the silliness today.

I was getting ready to leave for my class today I was taking one of my folders out of my school bag. And I got the worst paper cut in the entire world. Seriously. It was bleeding all over and I had to wash it in the sink and it got the sink all red. And it hurt so awfully! So, I texted my mom as I was walking to school and told her about it. She started telling me about how I needed to be careful because it was almost Halloween and there could be vampires around that could smell my blood. So, I told her how scared I was getting and how I couldn't even believe it. She told me that I needed to check the bushes. Then I told her that a huge badger ran out at me and that it had gross, scary teeth. She didn't believe me at first, but eventually she did. Can you even believe that? My mom believed me. She thought a huge badger ran at me. And the huge badger had scary teeth! Hahaha. I laughed forever. So, I was telling Brent about this and he was laughing at my mom, too. He told me to tell her that he was out hunting the badger to protect me. So, what did we do? Dress Brent up and take pictures to prove it to my mom. Brent was such a good sport. I married the cutest kid in the whole entire world. He so wanted to protect me from that monster of a badger that my mom thinks ran out at me. Haha! Oh I sure do love him!

I have a lot on my plate

And I just can't seem to eat it all. It seems that all of my classes are just getting to be crazy busy with readings, study guides, projects, assignments, practicums...the list could go on and on and on. I just seem to be getting swamped. I feel that I just am losing my go-get-it attitude for school lately. I really think that Thanksgiving break needs to come. Right. Now. Here are just a few of the things that are on my list of things to do. It is going to be in a list of what I have to do for my classes, because that seems like what is the most pressing thing in my life. (And, should that really be so?) Just a warning, this isn't going to be too exciting. But, since this is for my own records, I suppose someday I will want to remember this 'relaxing' time in my life. Ha!
-My ELANG class we were supposed to have a test a couple of weeks ago. However, we haven't covered all of the material yet so our test has been pushed back until next Monday. It is during class, so I don't have to plan extra outside of class time, which is very nice. I have a huge assignment due on Wednesday and on Tuesday I am getting together with my friend Becca from class to work on that. I have tons of reading to do before that test and we just keep getting more and more infomation. It feels that it is just getting pushed down my throat and I just have to get it. But, do I really?
-Monday night I have a CPSE class. (Counseling Psychology and Special Education) It is all about Applied Behavior Analysis and there is a whole bunch of work for it. The study guides are seriously a big beast. They are so intense and I don't even understand everything. We are also doing a project where I am observing a student. I have to do a bunch of work with them. I am also going to have to go back to the school so I can get some baseline data of his behavior before my intervention. This little boy is off task all the time and I am going to have to try to do something to get him on task. Man, its crazy.
-My Tuesday class is the only class that I don't have homework in. It is my technology class and I am so so glad I don't have homework! It is crazy nice.
-Wednesday is my assessment class. And it kind of drives me crazy. I'm not really sure why, but it does. I think I juse tell like I have been doing the same thing in that class over and over. It isn't super hard or anything, it is just annoying.
-Thursday I have two classes and they go from 4:00-9:30 pm! I can not sit still for that long. Seriously. My first class is something about effective teaching strategies. I feel like I keep getting more and more confused in that class. I think I have it all together, and then things just fall apart. We are working on Direct Instruction lessons right now. They are lesson plans that have a script basically. I have to write exactly what I will say, when I will say it and I have to do it like 3 times for one lesson. It is just so much work that is so monotonous. It just feels so boring to do that homework. I like what I am learning, it just seems boring so I don't want to do it. My other class on Thursday is for my ESL minor. I don't think that class would be nearly as bad if it wasn't so darn late. By 7 when it starts, I just want to be home. In pjs. Watching The Office. There is a lot of work for that class and a lot of work that seems to be common sense.

On top of all this school work, we are stressed out about where we are financially because our hours are getting cut back so much. We don't have enough to pay rent and to get food. So it either has to be one or the other. Thank heaven for moms and dads! Thanks mom and dad for helping us out. We appreciate it more than we can say! Love you!

Now after complaining about life for that little rant, I can't say that I am not extremely blessed. And I can't say that I don't love life. The Lord is truly watching out for us. I do know that. He won't make me suffer more than I am capable of. Right now I feel that I must be capable of a whole lot. I know things will work out for us. We will make it through. I mean, how many college married students go through their lives without a little struggle financially? I love the things I am learning, really. I am juse getting a little bit weary of all the hard work. It will pay off. It will pay off. It will pay off. (I just keep telling myself that!) We really are blessed.

On a happier note, we hung these up a long time ago. I love how our wall looks! It looks pretty cute don't you think? Yeah yeah...ignore that ugly vent thing in the corner of the picture. Don't judge me! :) Now you can all love our apartment. Without seeing all the ugly parts of it. Ha!

Punkins

So, almost a week ago (yeah, I fail at this whole blogging business, I know) we went over to Kevin and Stacie's to carve some pumpkins. We didn't start our grand adventures until about 9:00 and I was already sleepy. But, we did have glorious time carving away. I pretty much was an expert at getting all of the goop out of my pumpkin. I really miss the days where dad would do that part for me and I could just watch. But, I did a pretty rockin' job on my own. And, I even helped Stacie cause hers was so grossy. So, as great of a cleaner outer I am, I wasn't so sure what to do for my pumpkin. Kevin was making Yoda. Brent was making a pirate. Stacie was making The Joker. And I was still just sitting there. Looking at my pumpkin. Waiting for inspiration. Well folks, it never ever came to me. So I made a bat. A plain and simple, see the candle through the hole bat. But, it was basically the most amazing bat you ever did see.Brent and his pirate. He even made it have a little scar. I was so proud of his artistic skills!

Here it is folks. It is my bat. Yep, you could totally see the candle right through the hole.Kevin and Yoda. His was by far the hardest pumpkin to carve. But, very impressive.And here is Stacie and her Joker. It was pretty cool. I'm impressed.

Here are some more pics of all of our pumpkins. Some lit up and in their full glory. And some not lit up, but almost just as fine.

Ouch

So, Brent and I have been sick for the last....forever it seems like. I am too tired to post a bunch right now about that since I just spent forever on that last trip down memory lane...but, here is a picture of Brent's arm. He had to have his blood drawn when he went to the doctor and this is what it looks like now. (Don't worry Jeannie, he is doing better now and his arm isn't hurting too much!!)


PS-It is almost my 100th post! Hooray for me. I'm not sure what I have been posting about, probably meaningless stuff. But, I want to do something super. Something exciting. Something grand. But, the problem is...I don't know what that would be. So, I need your help. Yeah, YOURS! Give me ideas! I would do a 'give away' but I have nothing to give. I just need some good ideas!! Come on. I know you can do it!!

Rice Balls

Great Grandma Viv was all sorts of funny. Some of the things that she did or that she said were just the funniest. She was the sweetest lady though. One of the sweetest in the whole world. I was telling Brent all about Grandma Viv the other day and we were both laughing so hard! I thought I would write a few of my very favorite memories.
-Grandma Viv had the funniest sneeze. I don't even know how to describe it. It wasn't a real sneeze. It was more like a little puff of air that would come out.
-Grandma Viv had the most amazing hair. It was never grey. It was always this red-ish color of brown. And it was so spongy. Everytime any of us every saw Grandma, we would pat her hair. It would go down to her head and then it would just sponge right back up to its original spot. She used so much hairspray, it was incredible.
-Grandma only drank royal milk and she would only have a glass of water if it had 3 ice cubes in it. Royal milk is 2% and we always had skim milk at home. So, whenever Grandma came, it was time to buy the royal milk. As for the ice cubes, she would always ask for a small glass of water and then right after, guaranteed, she would ask for 3 ice cubes. 2 was just not enough and 4 was just too many. Oh yes! And grandma loved her toast black. If toast was like anyone else ate it, she said it was just warm bread. So, I always had to put the bread down like 3 times before it was dark enough for her.
-Grandma Viv was a great cook. Her cupcakes were to die for. She would always have some treats in the freezer that was in the garage. And we always had to go through the garage to get to the house, so we could see what kind of treats we would be able to have before we even saw her. Cookies, cupcakes, rice balls....everything was so yummy.
-There was this gumball machine that was always on the counter at her house that always had gumballs in it. There was also this little can full of pennies so you didn't even have to use your own money to get a gumball. Also, a little tiny picture of Chris was taped to the penny can. I'm not sure why....but it was there. For as long as I can remember.
-One summer, I stayed in Raymond to watch Erynn's kids while she was having Chemo and whatnot. And I stayed at Grandma Viv's house everynight. Well, when I would get home from Erynn's in the evening, we would sit down and watch some TV together. I would just be getting into the show, when there would be a commercial. Well, Grandma didn't like to listen to the commericals so she would put the TV on mute. And she would just watch the tv. And, when the show came back on...she wouldn't turn the sound back on. She would just keep watching the show in mute. When I would ask her if she was going to turn the sound back on, she would say that she didn't want to hear it. So, she wouldn't. It was funny sometimes, but other times when I would miss the climax of the show, it was kind of annoying...haha.
-One last memory before I get to the point of this trip down memory lane....In the garage there was this feezer, that has been previously mentioned. Well, by the freezer, there was this big white cloth that was on the ground. It was always so clean and it was always in the exact same spot. Well, I was convinced, I am still convinced that that white cloth was covering a hole that trapped children. I never, ever stepped even a single foot on that white cloth. And, guess what? I am still alive. She never trapped me. I don't know why in the world I thought it was a trap, but I did. I do. It's kind of weird...

SO...the point to this longer-than-I-had-planned post is that I went to this Canadian store awhile ago so I could get some Macintosh Toffee that grandma used to make her rice balls. I was determined to make some because they are so, so easy. Like 4 ingredients easy! And they are so delightful. I made some and I am pleased to say that they turned out pretty well. They aren't as lovely as grandma's were and they probably didn't turn out quite as yummy, but it was my first try so I think I should have an excuse. Here are a couple of pictures...see, I have some work to do on making them prettier. But, thats okay.....I think she will forgive my first attempt.

Its been a long time...

It feels like I have been sharing the story about how Brent took me on my very first date and how we were friends through high school and how we got married! And, it has been very, very exciting for me. Since we are probably the cutest couple in the entire world, I thought I would post a picture. I think there might even be more to come about this magical date later! :)

October monthly special

Attention everyone! This is October's Monthly Special. And, it was really quite fun after I did it correctly. After looking at it, there are some things that I don't like too much and there are pictures that I wish wouldn't be there and I wish I would have used other ones. Or I wish I would have done other colors so it could go in my living room if I print it off (when I have money for fun stuff like that!). But, it is my first one, I saved the template, and so I can make some more whenever my little heart desires it! But, for my first one, I am pretty proud of myself. It is fun to use Photoshop again since it has been so long since my senior year. But, looks good huh?

Look at this!

Hey! Everyone! Look at this fantastic quilt that you could win. Only, don't do it...cause I would really love to win it! So, I just thought I would put it here. Cross your fingers and hope I win it!!

Once upon a time...

...there was a cute boy. His name was Brent. He liked to smile pretty for the camera.
A beautiful girl, named Carolyn, fell madly in love with him. She also liked to smile pretty.
She wanted to take a cute picture with this boy Brent, but he had other plans. He decided to make a really, REALLY pretty face.So, she got really sad. And it looks like he chopped off her neck. Maybe he did?He took another one of the two of them and it turned out pretty cute.Maybe they could get a cuter one though? But, if Brent could make faces, so could Carolyn.Brent saw her face and he started to laugh really hard. She laughed with him and he took a picture of their laughter.
Carolyn then decided that she could just make no face at all. Just a blank stare while Brent smiled pretty.
Here is a good one. Now Brent and Carolyn are both looking so lovely with their smiles.
A bunch of other nice ones were taken, and they really were nice, and then Brent decided to be a bandit. A bandit?Brent's bandit phase ended quickly when he saw the look on Carolyn's face. Maybe he shouldn't be a bandit. So, they both decided to look surprised!After surprised came Brent being a duck-bill dinosaur. What a darling little dino!After some kissy pictures, and some other lovely pictures, they decided to end on a kind of okay, run of the mill, they will take what they can get, kind of picture.