Happy Birthday to me!

One last post for the night...I promise. But don't forget to read the other 5 posts under this one. We are cancelling our internet tomorrow (hopefully, I've never done that before and I'm not sure if it will be hard or not) so I'm trying to catch up on my blogs because I know it will be awhile before I get around to doing it again.

We celebrated my birthday on Saturday since the actual day fell on a Sunday. Our friend Lacey and Ron McHargue baby sat for us (thank you, thank you, thank you). Dan let me sleep in and then he took me out to breakfast at the Old European. It was really really good. A little pricey, but I highly recommend it. It was crazy though. I don't know what was going on, but it was incredibly busy.

We spend the next two hours wandering around shopping and spending birthday money. Dan bought me flowers for the porch that I can plant. I'm really excited, and hope the weather cooperates sometime in the near future so my tomatoe plant doesn't freeze. I also got some nice serving dishes. I'm very excited about these, which I find really funny since I don't cook. But, now if I have a nice event like a baby shower or something, I have serving dishes. Wahoo. I would have taken a picture of them, but Dan was being awesome and put them away. They aren't really handy to get out, so I didn't bother. Then we picked up the kids and visited for a bit. It was definitely nap time for them, so down they went. I cut Dans hair while we watched a movie. His hair doesn't look so good. Our clippers broke and I couldn't cut his hair. I only use the clippers on the bottom, but without them I was completely lost. Oh well. Dan then studied for his finals and went to the gym. When the kids woke up I took them over to the Mickelsens so Ira could watch them while Jeniel and I picked up Beth and met Erin Wilmot and Danielle Huston at Cougar Country. This was for Visiting Teaching. Our group isn't that big, but since Jeniel is moving we invited some more people to come along. It was good to get out and spend some time with the girls.

Sunday morning Dan let me sleep in again (isn't he wonderful). Then he made me breakfast in bed. Church was definitely a struggle, but my secretary told me to go to Relief Society today and it was wonderful. I had calmed down by then so the rest of the day went well. I had a great birthday. Thanks for everyones phone calls, e-mails, and birthday wishes.

This was just too cute and I didn't know where to put it. Caden sure loves his daddy and he sure loves to read.

Bisquick

So this is why you should pay attention to your children and not waste time blogging. Or if you are going to waste time (who can blame you) this is why your computer should be in a room where you can watch your children at the same time.

The box of Bisquick was new (only used once) and the culprit looks like Caden, and while he did have loads of fun playing in it (he was covered head to toe) Kember was the one who actually started it. I was checking my e-mail and looking at some friends blogs and I heard the kids playing with something.

"What are you doing Kember"

"Playing"

"Are you having fun"

"Yeah!"

Pause..."Are you making messes?"

Pause..."N...Ya"

I had just barely vacuumed. Right when I came out Jermey knocked on the door to drop off Maeli for the morning. Well, I'm proud to say instead of getting mad, I grabbed my camera instead.

Easter

Easter was rather uneventful with Dan being gone. We did end up going to the Stake Primary Activity, the city Easter Egg hunt, and I got stuff for the kids for Easter, but didn't end up doing baskets this year. I'd love to be able to say it was because I was focusing on the true meaning of Easter and teaching my children about the resurection, but um...I was just lazy. I had fun doing Sharing Time that Sunday though. Here are some pictures of the city Easter Egg Hunt. I was just proud of myself for being able to find it.

It was very very cold and windy and Kember didn't really get the whole pick up the egg and put it in your basket. Which really confused me because she's done it a lot before and loved it. I originally intended for her to run rampid and help Caden in his section, but since she didn't get it, and the other little kids and their parents were...not...hmm...sharing? Caden didn't do it and neither really did Kember.

Oh, and at the Stake Activity I wanted to get a picture of Kember with the Easter Bunny, but she was terrified of it (the costume was a little freaky). In fact, she is still scared of the Easter Bunny. Oops.

This has nothing to do with Easter, but since Dan was gone, we ate dinner on the floor one night. It was rather entertaining and lasted a good 10 minutes.

Spring Break

I was always under the assumption I wrote about Spring Break. Since this blog is counting as my journal I feel duty bound to report some of our activities that joyous occasion known as Spring Break. Keep in mind that that was well over a month ago (beginning of March) and my memory does not serve that long, which is why we take pictures to remind of that yes, something did indeed happen during that time.

Highlights:

-As always a 14 hour drive with two kids! This time we broke up the drive and stayed overnight in Boise. While it was very nice to do this once, I think I'd rather just get to my destination.

-Portable DVD player (thanks mom and dad...great christmas present a couple years ago, and a lifesaver I might add). This works really well unless you forget the car charger. Then you just have a screaming Kember yelling, "Movie! I wanna watch -- (insert cartoon movie name here)." I have discovered that it is much better to not bring it out at all, then to just watch a movie till the player runs out of juice.

-Yeast infection. Yep, because one of my kids always gets one right before we leave to go home. I'm not exaggerating...always!

-Dan in charge of the snacks for drive. Not my smartest idea. I thought it was a good one so I could take care of other things, but apparently he was really thirsty at the time of shopping, so we got a few snacks and a lot of drinks. We didn't bring sippy cups for the kids and the drinks that were purchased were not kid (under 3) friendly.

-Not running into anyone I knew. This always happens to me when I go home, and I'm never looking my best. So this time, I got ready every time we ventured out and low and behold...no one. Rock on.

-Convincing mom to make dad my favorite salad. She's game, and she does it (for a RS function) and doesn't like the salad at all. Oh well, it's still my favorite.

-The rest of the highlights can be better expressed through pictures. Here they are.

-Free food (well, not really free since you pay to stay at the hotel, but it makes me feel better to think of it as free). Notice, we are "All done!" And yes, I am aware I look stupid in this picture.

-Convincing Caden that the water is fun to play in. He hated it, but was eventually convinced to splash in it waist high.

-Convincing Kember that the pool wasn't too cold to play in and it would be fun to be in there with Daddy (since it was hard to have both Kember and Caden in the hot tub). I might add that I think I'm rather brave posting pictures of me in a swimming suit. Look at my inhibitions fly away. Oh, and Kember learned how to put her swimming suit on all by herself, which is why it's on backwards, but hey, I didn't have to do it.

Fire Truck #1Fire Truck #2Fire Truck #3

The morning we left I convinced Dan to let me take the kids swimming one more time before we checked out. Not such a good idea, but only because of the fire alarm, and the rain, and the fact we had to vacate the premises in our swimming suites. Yes, again I felt rather stupid. It was a false alarm, but three fire trucks showed up. Good job to the local fire department.

-Celebrating my dad's birthday. I'm not sure how old he turned...but it was something like 60, although if you look closely at the candles, there are seven. So he's either really immature, or really really old (or my family just can't count).

-Caden rides a tractor...naked of course, because how else would my children be?

-Caden discovers the joys of the ranch, and sleeps through most of it.

-We have an early Easter picnic and Aussie the dog steals my sandwich. Bad Dog.

-While we were picnicing Kember found a stash of Easter Eggs in the front yard and raids them. So much for the Easter Egg hunt. Poor Caden missed out completely. You snooze you lose.

-We try swimming one more time in Grandma and Grandpa J's hot tub. Caden still doesn't like it and manages to fall into the hot tub, which didn't help at all.

It was good to visit with both families. We had a great time. I even convinced Dan to stay a day longer than was planned, which was probably good considering the weather. We drove straight through on the way back, and it was wonderful to be back in Pullman.

A tribute to the Johnson Livestock Oak Ranch

For Sping Break we went to Utah, and we were lucky enough to go the the Ranch. I took loads of pictures, and I just thought I would like to share the beauty of it with all of you. So, here is my tribute (in pictures) to the Johnson Livestock Oak Ranch.

Now, I'm not entirely sure...but I think this was once a grainery.

This is inside what I think is the grainery. Isn't it funny how the bed is there? I'm not sure how it got there. Maybe the boys were playing house and dragged it in there from somewhere, or maybe the guy who built this place got in trouble with his wife and had to sleep out there...who knows...but wouldn't it be cool to know?

There are all sorts of old old old farm macherinery all around the Ranch. It is really cool to go walking around and find something like this. Kember thought it made a very nice place to sit down.

I didn't get a great picture of it, and definietly not at the right time of year, but this is the orchard at the Ranch. I know for sure they have peach trees, but I'm not sure what else. During the Spring and Summer this is beautiful.

This is an outhouse. It's probably makes you wonder about me, but this is one of my favorite things at the ranch. I think I like it so much because it reminds me of the history that had to go on way before my time. Can you imagine using an outhouse (now, I realize it wasn't all that long ago so no one take offense okay)? It definitely makes me thankful for indoor plumbing.

I just thought this was beautiful. There is a little ditch or something running, well, everywhere, and I guess it was just cold enough to do this. Amazing! No, those are not flowers...that is ice.

This is a little tree house the guys (and when I say guys I mean Dan, his brother and all their guy cousins) built when they were little. Kember didn't enjoy it so much, but I enjoy thinking about Dan when he was little and playing at the Ranch.

Now, this isn't the greatest picture, but if you look closely you can see a pasture on the left, the horse corral on the right and the ranch house in the center. There's a lot of history behind that ranch house. I didn't get a picture of it, but further off to the left (if my directions are correct, and they might not be) is an old old chicken coop. I tell you, it is the coolest thing ever. If you ever get a chance to explore it, I recommend it.

Well, anyway, I wish I would have thought about doing this before we came home. There are a lot of neat things I just don't have pictures of, and each season brings its own beauty to the ranch. These pictures definitely don't do it justice.

Tagged

This is my first ever tag. In fact, I was going to write a blog about how I've never been tagged before, and then, there you go. So, here it goes:

Where did you go on your first date?
Our first date was set up by his cousin Dave (thanks Dave). We went swing dancing in American Fork...or one of the Fork towns. Never being good at directions I have no idea which one. Then we went to the park and the cops came...oops. Dan also stole my flip flops and hid them. Shameful flirting...shameful. And then I didn't see him again until...4 or 5 months later.

How long have you been together?
Oh man...is it bad that I don't know? Umm...I think we were married in 2003 so I guess we are going on 5 years. Hey, look at that...five years and we still really love each other! Rock on.

Who eats more?
What a silly question. Dan of course. He appreciates food more than I do. Food to me is just something that has to happen. Food to him is an experience.

Who said I love you first?
Neither of us remember. That's kind of sad. But I'm going to say that he did, just because he should have. Oh, I remember when he told me in German (he didn't mean it, he was just teasing me because he didn't think I knew what he was saying...little did he know. He got scared when i found his Dad's german/english dictionary).

Who is taller?
Again a silly question for me. There are not many people shorter than I am. Dan is definitely taller, although I don't realize by how much unless I see a picture. He likes it when I wear really tall shoes. He says its easier to kiss me that way :)

Who sings better?
Dan. Which is really distressing to me since I grew up thinking I could sing. It wasn't until high school that I realized I really couldn't. He doesn't sing though. I have to drag him to choir on Sundays.

Who does the laundry?
Me, although not really willingly.

Who pays the bills?
Dan. Unless it requires that a check be sent in. Then I do it. But if it can be done on the computer Dan does it.

Who mows the lawn?
No lawn to mow...but when we had one I did it because we could borrow his grandpa's really cool riding lawn mower.

Who cooks dinner?
I'm going to say me, but Dan would disagree. I didn't say I cooked it every night, but I do cook a little more than he does. Not much, but a little more. He's a better cook by far. It probably has something to do with the fact he actually likes food that isn't bland.

Who drives when you are together?
Most definitely Dan. I am not a good driver (and when I met him he wasn't really either, but he would never admit it). On our long trips to Utah I drive very little because he likes to be in control. He's gotten a lot better at driving by the way. Once he had to start paying his own car insurance and realized that tickets up it he got better.

Who is more stubborn?
I am for sure..when I care about what I want to be stubborn about.

Whose parents do you see the most?
Dan's.

Who kissed who first?
Definietly Dan. I'm not brave enough to do things like that.

Who proposed?
Dan proposed, I brought up the topic first. He needed a little encouragement. Thanks Scott!

Who is more sensitive?
Hmmm, well probably me. But Dan does surprise me sometimes.

Who has more friends?
Well, we have the same friends so....neither?

Who wears the pants in the family?
He thinks I do, and I think he does. It's a perfectly matched relationship.

And now I'm apparently supposed to tag someone, so I tag mom and Karen. Can't wait to read it!

Life Contemplations

So, I've been thinking periodically about my life and the choices that I've made in it (I've also been thinking about how I start everything out with the word "So" which is rather annoying, but I just can't help it. Even now I know I should change the sentence, but can't bring myself to do it...sigh). I find it rather humorous that all growing up I had this image of what I was going to be like when I was older. I was always married with heaps of children, my house was immaculate (yes, I know that surprises all of you, but remember this is an image in my head...not reality), I was involved heavily in PTA or some other worthy cause (is PTA worthy? I have no idea, but when I formed this thought PTA got in there somehow), when my kids got home from school I had fresh baked cookies for them, they were always clothed. My children were not going to run around naked. They were well brought up in the gospel and I was basically just super-mom. Dinners, lunches, and breakfasts were always done. Laundry,while always a work in progress, was taken care of. Bills were paid on time, and my husband was exceptionally happy that he could leave all of this to me. Oh, and I always looked great and put together, which is hilarious to me because when has that ever been the case? I love my PJ's. Anyway, I find this all very funny that I just excepted all of this to happen. I hate cooking, grocery shopping, finding my kids sock so they can wear their shoes so we can go outside (Why can I never find them? How hard is it to locate two pairs of socks?). My house is always a disaster, even after we clean it it doesn't look clean. The laundry is piled up on my washer and dryer separted into three baskets. Two of which are clean clothes that need to be folded and put away (which never happens) and one is dirty, with more dirty clothes not in a basket but on top of the machines and on the floor...not to mention all over the rest of the house. I very seldom get ready for the day unless I know I have to go somewhere, which because I hate finding socks doesn't happen often. My scrubs are the outfit I wear the most and my hair is always pulled back in a ponytail just to get it out of the way. I don't make cookies because then I would have to clean the dishes used and my sink can't handle anymore dishes because it and the surrounding counters and dishwasher are already full. So, how did this happen? What happened to being super-mom (Although most of these things, while necessary, are not the responsibility of a "mom"...she normally and stereotypically does all of this, but "mom" to me suggests caring for children)? Is there some reason that other people have it all together and I don't? Is there a reason that I had this image in my head? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, whining, pouting, or any thing else (although I am quite good at those). I'm just contemplating why I always thought my life would magically change once I got married. I guess that was my own version of a fairy-tale. Well, instead of my idea of a fairy-tale God has blessed me with two beautiful children, who even though they are seldom put together, they are happy, and healthy, and curious, and a million other wonderful things. God blessed me with a wonderful husband. Dan may not understand my lack of cooking/cleaning skills, and he may wish that it was different, but he does understand that if he wants it done, he needs to do it, and he also understands that I need encouragement in those areas, and sometimes gentle shoves in the right direction. God has blessed me with great friends that make it so nothing seems so terrible. We love it here and are blessed in our associates. God has blessed me with a great family...both mine and my in-laws. I love them all and they are very supportive and helpful, and fun. God has blessed me with a testimony of the truthfulness of His church, and my role in his plan. So I guess when you get right down to it, my life may not be what I thought it would be, but I'm thrilled with what it's turned out to be.

It smells like a cow

So I really am potty training now. Kember is doing pretty well most days, but we are a long way from being potty trained. Anyway, Dan did some surgery on a cow today (Fridays are apparently surgery days, who knew?) and he has to go check on the cow periodically throughout the day. I asked him if he could take Kember along since she always wants to go with daddy and he thought that would be fine. So, when she got up from her nap I told her that she needed to go potty before she left. Dan was a little worried about this, and really, who can blame him? But doesn't it defeat the purpose of telling her no more diapers except for when she's sleeping, and then to keep saying, "oh, and now, and now and...now" Anyway, off they went and she waited until a good time to tell daddy she needed to go potty. He said that while she was on the toilet (I really shouldn't be blogging this, but it was so funny to us) he heard a little sound and asked if she pooped. "No, I toot" she says. And then she said, "It smells like cow, Daddy!" Where in the world did she learn that from? Dan asked me if that was something she's said before or that I taught her. No, I didn't teach her that, and no she's never said that before. I guess she was just really overwhelmed at what a cow really smells like. She had a good time though.

It's a Miracle!

Kember is actually asking to wear clothes now! Wahoo! She even woke up from her nap crying because she wanted a shirt on, and once I gave her her shirt she was crying for pants. Go Kember!