by request

Hi mom, here's the pics. Melissa, your work is beautiful and I hope you don't think I ruined it!I call this "crazy-go-nuts" painting. No, I haven't contacted Strong Bad for the copyright.

P-D Yo!

Here's Carter and Tate jammin' at the play date.
Eric says Tate looks weird, but I think it's hilarious! Look at the brows--he's totally into whatever he's singing.

I've been Got!

First, I just wanted to show off Tate's toilet art. This is how he occupies his time while I'm in hair and make-up. Don't think this was the first try. There's much picking up and switching from drawers to counter to toilet before he get's it just right.

Now, all of you pranksters out there. Well, that's even making the big assumption that anyone even read this! I need your ideas on how to get back the 14 yr. old hooligan who got me good yesterday. I was sitting with grandma, when I got an exciting phone call from 102.7 KORD, the country radio station, asking me a math question to win $1000 dollars! It involved a snail and a well and how many days to climb out if he goes up 4 ft. daily, but drops 2 ft. nightly. The well is 10 ft. deep. Well, I'm thinking it's a trick and that either this is a prank, or the trick is that a snail can't really climb vertically. But, I give it a go and blurt out "5 days" when I'm told I have 10 seconds. The man says that I'm wrong and when I ask what the answer is, he says he's on the air and can't say. So, I'm left wondering if I just threw away $1000! I called a friend who was at a playdate and one of the other moms tells me that it's 4 days. So, I'm losing sleep last night thinking, "How could I be so dumb! Of course it's 4 days! We could've won a lot of money!"

Then today, the mom who was at the playdate and figured out the answer called for a recipe. And oh, by the way, her husband told her upon his return from a scouting camping trip that one of the boys took his phone and made prank calls! Argh! I was super relieved to know it was fake and that I never had a chance at being super-duper rich =) Now I can sleep. Except for...how to get him back?

weekend update

We took a swell trip to LaGrande this weekend

to visit Nana, Papa, Uncle Eli, Gabby, and Jonas (above). When Jonas saw me he exclaimed, "I know you--we played the banana game!" I was confused until I noticed Apples to Apples in the game closet. Anyway, I gave him the camera and here's some evidence that he's all boy:

The first shot he takes is of Charlie's hiney!

Here's the other half of Debbie's new dog, Charlie. He's pretty cute, but best of all, he can run fast and walk on his hind legs for a bit!

Only because I still do whatever mom tells me to

Travis, mom said you don't eat your vegetables, so I have to tell you this. Tate won't eat vegetables and I occasionally steam them and put them on his plate hoping he'll give in someday. So, I put some reheated brocolli on his plate and he just mashed it with his spoon and continued to eat his cereal. I chowed down on the remaining green stuff. It was so yummy. Oh man, I think I got in some zone because the next thing I remember, the broc was gone in my dish and I looked at Tate's tray and his was gone, too! I checked his seat and the floor and it was nowhere to be seen. So, he must have finally eaten it and there was much rejoicing to be had.

In which I chase the Tookers around in his Tiny Robe

the Move

Some folk are putting Valentine backgrounds, but we've got some John Deere action here in honor of g-pa's tractor that you can glimpse a bit here.

The back porch.

Last week we moved across town! We're renting grandma's house and it is glorious!!! We love the space and quiet neighborhood full of aunts, uncles, and grandma! This here is a picture of Uncle Dave installing child's locks for us. I asked him to show me how and he just did it all. Uncle Dave-- thank you, thank you, thank you! Our old ward's elder's quorum also helped haul all the heavy stuff and we soooo appreciate their help, too.

Before we moved in, we repainted the interior and installed wood flooring and new plushy carpets. We are feeling spoiled and living it up for as long as we're here =) We're unpacked, but haven't finished all the little projects like area rugs, curtains, and pictures on the wall. I'm only going to put up curtains on the sliding door area by the dining room. Shana, you requested pics, and I know you're good at decorating and everything creative. So, you and anyone else with opinions, feel free to give me tips on how to decorate! Now, on to the pics...

Main area

messy master bedroom-note the two outfits I had out for Eric to see when he got home
Penny's had 75% off sale and we got his outfit for $10 and mine's from another store on sale for $15. Suh-weeeet!

Main area again. I don't know yet what to do with this area.



Tate's room

You should really just come see the place. And stay a while because now we have a guest room!