10 Things Tag

10 Things Tag
A new tag! I think this tag is interesting. I always like getting recommendations from people. It's fun to see what you use or love.


Name 10 things in each category that you use daily and/or love:

In your fridge/kitchen:

1. yogart - my kids go through the stuff like candy
2. cereal every morning
3. Clorox kitchen clean up - It's hard to see stuff on my counter - so I make sure it's sanitized
4. 2-3 new dishrags everyday
5. my broom and mop
6. skinny cow icecream sandwiches - a must have
7. for Porter - it would be ranch dressing and habanero sauce - he puts it on everything
8. gallons and gallons of 1% milk (Porter needs something to rinse the habanero sauce down with)
9. IKEA's colorful plastic cups, bowls, spoons and plates - they are like $1 for a package of 6 - and they are the best - I highly recommend a trip to IKEA just for them
10. my kitchen scissors - I have like 3 pairs - you never know when they will get dirty or go missing


In your bathroom:

1. my flat iron - I don't think I could function without this - well I could but I would look freaky
2. my boars head bristle 3" round brush - another must have
3. my boars head bristle ratting brush (Yes Anne - you know the one, if I get you again for next Christmas I will see if I can get you one from my hairdresser - I don't know where you can buy them) - and yes this is a MUST HAVE
4. biosilk
5. really good shampoo and conditioner - I hate the cheap stuff - right now I'm using Joico
6. my MAC foundation stick
7. Venus razor
8. Dove soap
9. Versace bright crystal perfume - it's light and fresh so you can wear it everyday
10. Mac creamwash- for my face


In your house:

1. my gym bag - Porter got the guy to throw it in when we signed up for our membership and it's like a hundred bucks - and it's the best bag I've ever had
2. my van (the garage is part of the house)
3. my vacume (Jacqui - I'm so jealous you have a dyson - that's the one I want - so yes I am coveting)
4. my T.V. - I love to watch the news and sometimes be really lazy and sit in front of it after my kids go to bed
5. my front loading washer and dryer - they are the best - you can load so much stuff in them - like 2 normal loads
6. my house phone and my blackberry - or should I say 'crackberry'
7. Porter's laptop
8. our fireplace
9. cross-cut shredder - I hate junk mail and credit card applications - you think they could save all of the forests if they banned junk mail
10. the toilet


On your bookshelf/bedside table

1. Stephanie Myer's collection of books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse
2. the new book I'm reading: Three Cups Of Tea
3. a smelly candle - you never know when that comes in handy
4. a loaded gun - just kidding - just seeing if anyone is still awake
5. Jane Austen's collection of books
6. all of my earrings I wear on a regular basis - which is only like 3 pairs
7. Our sunday school lesson book - Porter and I teach the 15/16 sunday school class
8. The Book Of Mormon Made Easier book by David J. Ridges - It is an awesome book - very helpful with my lessons
9. My camera and videocamera
(there's only 9 - I can't think of anymore things)


With the kids:

1. their coats or jackets
2. their bookbags
3. Tanner takes a zip lock bag of a collection of about 5-6 toys everywhere he goes - and the toys change on a daily basis
4. Jake takes his pocket knife with him - and leaves it in the car when he goes to school - and carries it with him most other places - and puts it on his dresser every night
5. kleenex
6. luckily I don't need any diapers - I've been diaper free for over a year and I don't think I can go back
7. Courtney usually brings a book with her
8. I always bring a book with me so I have something to do during practices
9. something to do with soccer - balls, bags, uniforms, socks, water bottles......
10. a lot of times Darby goes where the kids go - carpooling for school, soccer practices, the park, grandma's house


Well, that took me a lot longer than I thought it would!!! I tag anyone that wants to do it: Anne, Emily, Alice, Skip, Angie, Elizabeth - a few suggestions (I think everyone else has all ready been tagged by Jacqui). Don't feel pressure - actually it was kind of fun to think about it and it gave me something to blog about - I've been out of ideas lately!

Winter blues...

Well, I'm actually adding something to my blog. I need to get with it! I'm sure by now everyone's given up on me and stopped checking my blog - but I still love you fellow bloggers out there! This winter is really getting to me - I am ready for Spring. I know we need all the moisture - but there has been a storm almost every other day! Come on! But there's hope - the sun came out today and it was so wonderful!!! I think the temp reached into the high 30's (never thought I could be so excited about that)! Lately, all I've wanted to do is lay on the couch in a warm blanket and read a good book. Kind of boring - but it's just been so blustery outside!



Not a lot to report - I've hardly taken any pictures lately - but here are the highlights:

Tanner downing a Cheescake - and believe it or not - it was Porter who let him do it! I came out one morning and this is what Tanner was having for breakfast! YUM!
Tanner was so proud of himself for the crown he made at school and the tower he built!
Well, this is where some of our time has been spent - Courntey had to invent and build a machine for the scince fair at school. (Don't you just love projects like this!) Porter and Courntey spent a lot of time working on it. I'm really glad Porter is good at this stuff - it is not my talent! She came up with the idea and Porter helped her. It turned out pretty cool (and dangerous of course)! She named it The Exploder and it launches tennis balls - or other things -for your dog. It works good- it can launch them across the street from our porch!Here's the finished project:
Ready........Aim.........FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!
She also had to make a big poster explaining everything - it turned out really cute! (That's where my talent comes in.)They celebrated Valentine's day in Jakes class this week because they go off track on Monday and will miss Valentine's day. Jake made the best box! Jake loves to make these little surf boards with penguins on top. He had a whole drawer of them in his room - so we decieded to put them on top of his box. It was sweet! He got lots of love notes from little girls - he was so cute about it - he said he's not making up his mind on who he wants to marry until he gets older! Smart boy!

This one's for you Anne...

I didn't even realize how long it's been since I've blogged anything!!! This month has gone by so fast - like supersonic speed!!! I guess time flies when you are having fun (or something like that)!!! Well, the big news for me is I finally got my smile/teeth fixed!!! It's been a long time in coming - and I LOVE LOVE it!!!! I go around smiling at everyone - and they look at me like I'm crazy - but I don't care!!! I love having a really nice smile! ;) I can't tell you what a difference it makes for me - it's life changing!!!! This picture is not too close up - so I don't know if you can see my teeth very well - but they look so good! I feel like a movie star!!! ;)

I just love this picture with Jake and Darby!!! Jake loves to snuggle with Darb's! They took a long nap together.Oh Wil - we miss you already! Porter's brother Wil went into the MTC last week! These pictures were taken up in Wyoming at his farewell! He is going to the Texas, Fort Worth mission. The funny thing is is his mission president is a good family friend of ours - their son is one of my brothers best friends! Small world!Courtney and Wil! Life goes by so fast - if you can believe it - I started dating Porter when Wil was Courtney's age! Look at him now - he's going on a mission - I feel like if I blink again Courtney will be his age before I know it! Jake (with his funny smile) and Wil!Power ranger (Tanner) with Wil! Tanner will be in Kindergarten when he gets home!We love and miss you Wil!!! He is going to be such a good missionary!

Christmas

Okay - all of my kids have strep - but I've got a movie on, a dose of Tylenol and antibiotic down each of them - and I finally have a minute to blog! Christmas morning was so so much fun, my parents came over at 6:30 a.m. to see all the action! Sorry there are like a zillion pictures - but Christmas morning is they day I take the most pictures! I love Christmas! So here it goes......





Here they are after they opened up their Christmas Eve p.j.'s: (never mind it was like 11:45 p.m.)

Christmas morning:


Tanner got another dress up!!! He really was excited - I just don't think he liked the helmet thing!

Courtney got a bunch of American Girl doll stuff and pet vet toys!

Jake got everything you could shoot and Transformers!!! We had several major dart gun wars Christmas morning! Santa even brought a dart gun to Tanner and Courtney - I think so they could protect themselves!

I re-did Porter's missionary pictures for him for Christmas!

Grandma helping put batteries in everything! I think you need a team of about 10 people to get the toys out of the packages and batteries in. My dad spent all morning going from toy to toy! And let me tell you what - Transformers are not for dummies - they give you a step by step instruction sheet with over 50 steps!!! Are you kidding???

Tanner got a new car so he can keep up with Courntey and Jake this summer!

Darby loved her new bed!!!

Christmas dinner!

The day after Christmas we went up to Wyoming and spent a few days there. We had a lot of fun - the kids love playing with their cousins!!! We wish we got to see everyone more often!

Grandma Cynde made a blanket for Courtney! She loves it! Her little cousin Baylee wanted it too!


Aunt Anne with her new pewter bowl from me!Aunt Emily with her new pewter dish from Porter! Porter and I got this new beautiful clock from his parents!
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

2008 ....it's going to be great!!! Right?

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone along with another year! Time seems to fly lately! The kids and I have all been sick - so I've lost the last few days. All I've done is hold Tanner on the couch - well - more like both of us passed out on the couch - to sick to do anything else. Now Courtney and Jake have fevers too and Tanner still wants me to hold him all day! Needless to say - all my Christmas decorations are all still up and my housework - and laundry - are stacking up! Last night when Porter walked through the door - I locked myself in my room and took about a 2 hour bubble bath - which I think helped me feel a little more human! I even went to work today - I didn't feel great (downed some Tylenol)- but I needed to get out of the house! And my kids got to pass out on grandma's couch today! So hopefully everyone will feel better soon and I can download my Christmas pictures, blog about them, and get on with life!

I do have to say - Christmas was so fun this year! I swear, every year just seems to get better and better! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

Arrrrrrrgh.......

Tanner turned 3 on the 15th!!! It's crazy to me that he is all ready 3! They grow up way to fast!!! I love that boy so much! I asked Tanner what kind of party he wanted - I thought it would be cars - but he wanted a pirate party!!!! And boy did we ever have a pirate party!!!

I love my kids birthdays - I love decorating the house, making their cake and planning the party! I think I decorated so much for his party because his birthday is so close to Christmas -I wanted it to be special for him. I tried to move all my Christmas stuff aside and make it feel like his birthday!

My mom and I made him a sword birthday cake! I made the cake and cut it into the sword shape. My cute mom decorated it with the frosting and did an AWESOME job! She had the hard part!!! It looked so good!!!! Thanks mom!!! I sent everyone on a treasure hunt through the house - from the basement up to Tanner's room! Every clue led to something a pirate would wear - like eye patches, pirate vests, jewelry, swords, hats and of course gold! So when we were done with the treasure hunt everyone looked like a pirate!

Here are all the pirates - now ready for the party!At the end of the treasure hunt I had Tanner open one of his presents which was a pirate costume! Tanner is so into dress-ups right now! You never know if his going to show up as spiderman, batman - and now he can be a pirate too!

He also got a red Power Ranger to dress up in!!! He has not taken it off since his birthday - literally!!! Every where we go - he's a Power Ranger- and proud of it! He'll walk into a store or a room of people and announce that he's a Power Ranger!
Tanner snitching the cake while we were playing games!

We all played pin the patch on the pirate! Tanner got it right on the pirate's eye- but he was peeking! It's okay - it was his party!

Then we played musical islands! (Yes, everyone was a really good sport with all of my games)
Happy birthday Tanner - we all love you so much!