The Caldwells: 3 Dudes and a Chick

Another Drew Funny

2010-11-07T15:30:00.000-08:00

So Doug was on the phone the other day with a contractor who had just told Doug he was giving him another one of his houses. This one came out of nowhere so Doug was pretty excited about it. Drew was standing right next to Doug while he was talking to the contractor. When Doug hung up, he looked down at Drew with big eyes and said, "Drew, Heavenly Father loves me!!!". Drew froze for a minute and stared at his dad for what seemed like forever then said to Doug with wide eyes, "Was that him on the phone???!!!"
Awesome. We laughed SO hard at that one!!

Yes, We Have An Announcement!

2010-11-02T19:21:00.001-07:00

Those of you who have not given up on my blog will soon discover the new addition to the left of the page......
WAHOO!!!!!

Mother's Day

2010-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

On Mother's day, my mom was in town with us. It was a great day. Earlier on for an Easter gift she sent the kids a butterfly kit to raise some butterflies. We diligently kept up with them....not that they needed much tending, but regardless, we had 4 beautiful butterflies and one physically challenged butterfly who came out all deformed, ha ha. His wings didn't grow quite right and he couldn't fly :( Anyway, so for Mother's day we had a nice dinner and invited Blair and Michelle to come eat with us and afterward we set the butterflies free. Once they were free, my mom surprised the kids with some fun gummy butterflies to eat. Kinda cute. It was a nice time and real fun for the kids to get to hold the butterflies and see them fly away.

I had to include this picture of the kids on the trampoline. Dallin had just "bombed" Ben and the poor kid ate it. He wasn't hurt but the look on Dallin's face cracked me up.

The beginning of the UPDATES!

2010-10-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been FOREVER since I even logged into my blog if you haven't noticed. I am sure nobody even looks for it anymore :) Well, I will just start posting random pictures as much in order as possible.
I went on a cruise in January and that just started the whole slacker problem of mine. I have gone from one thing to the next up until now in SEPTEMBER when things have finally started to slow down.
Here is a little outing with my mom and Drew clear back around February??? We went to the river and fed the ducks and let Drew ride around on his scooter(which has now been stolen from our front yard by the way!!??!!) The one with just the ducks in it was what I took when we were walking back to our car to leave and I turned around to find all the ducks following us in this big line down the sidewalk. I thought it was so funny I had to snap a shot of it. The picture of me and my mom was taken by Drew, the budding photographer. He got a very centered shot, what a great eye he has......

New Year's

2010-02-12T14:06:00.000-08:00

We spent New Years Eve with our good friends, Kitty and Juan. We went bowling, ate some good food and hung out. Dallin took his friend, Kaden, with us too. Drew was cracking me up because he always had a funny pose after he sent the ball down the lane. It was a good time!

Christmas Pictures

2010-01-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some Christmas pics. I know I have been a bad slacker. I'll post more soon..... The Caldwell Family on Christmas Day (will someone please tell Doug to smile)!

Dallin and Grandpa Gibson

Dallin on his new toy.

Dallin with his friends, Sarah and Matthew, breaking and eating the gingerbread house! YUM.

The Gingerbread House

Drew and Aden with Owen and Grandpa Hoxer

Linds and Jen with baby Owen

All the boys: Jared, Doug, Chris and Blair with their new big boy tools.

Grandpa Gibson playing with Drew and Aden. We love Grandpa!

Karie and Owen baby

Drew with his new Batcave!

Biggest Loser: Shishter Edition

2009-11-16T16:07:00.001-08:00

Check out mine and Lindsey's weight loss blog at www.losershishters.blogspot.com to see our competition and progress. We will post pics and tips and whatever we want! Come join the fun!

Halloween

2009-11-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Well, another fun Halloween and birthday! We had a little battle with Dallin over his costume, the bugger! He wanted to be the Scream character and I thought it was stupid so I made his Scream into that cool Scream Abduction (that I am wearing) for him. I thought it was awesome and a good compromise, but he still didn't want to wear it.....UGH! So the night before the Trunk-Or-Treat I told him I give up and if he wanted another costume, Dad was in charge! So he ended up with the Reaper :( . I had originally got the Jack Sparrow costume for him and he wouldn't wear that one either so we pinned it and made it work for Drew (which I thought turned out awesome!) Doesn't he make a cute little Jack Sparrow??!

Dallin's friends, Connor and Kayden, came with us to the Trunk-Or-Treat on Friday night. Connor is the hippie, Kayden is the BMX guy.

Here is my awesome Scream Abduction costume.....it was a big hit! The little kids around 2-3 didn't want to come near me for fear they would be taken too. Some of the real little ones were real scared and buried heads in the necks of their moms, ha ha. The adults just thought it was great and I even had someone say it was the best costume they had ever seen! Stinkin' Dallin.

After the Trunk-Or-Treat, the boys came home to count their candy and EAT it!

On Halloween we went with the Hone's and some of their friends to have pizza and go out Trick-Or-Treating. Of course we had another run-in with Dallin. He didn't want to trick or treat in someone else's neighborhood and he started freaking out that he wasn't going to get treats in OUR neighborhood.....UGH again! We caved again and left early to go meet up with his buddies in our hood and all was happy again. After counting candy, Dallin begged us to take him to Dr. Slaughters House of Terror. We have never been, but we told him he would be too scared. He started crying and saying how it was the last day to go and he has never been to a haunted house before and please, please, please!!! (Yes, he is extremely high maintenance if you haven't noticed!!) So we went along with this little plan and drove over to Dr. Slaughter's. When we pulled up and he heard the scary music, he didn't even want to get out of the car! ha ha... So I told him we would try to find this other one that I didn't think would be so scary. We couldn't find the dumb thing so we drove back to Dr. Slaughter's once again. Dallin and Doug got out of the car and walked in. I had to wait in the car because Drew was with us. A few minutes later I see Dallin's white face with Doug's arm around him walking back out of the haunted house. The little stinker couldn't take it. After all that begging to take him.....I swear. So those are the adventures of Dallin on Halloween. I hope nobody else has such a difficult child!

Dallin's Baptism-Sept. 5, 2009

2009-10-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

"And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God."

-3Nephi 11:33

I am so proud of my big 8 year old! He is such a good kid, has so much faith and is a great example to his friends. I am glad that it was his choice to be baptized and follow the example of the Savior. I love you, Dallin. Continue to do all the things you know are right and you will be on your way to living with your Father in Heaven again. Congratulations on your baptism!

Dallin and Dad before the baptism.
We went to Chuck-A-Rama after to eat with the whole family.
Everyone made the trek up to Idaho Falls to see the baptism.
Drew and Paigee
Dallin and Amanda

2nd Grader!

2009-10-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything from the first day of school or anything. Here is my big 2nd grader!! Watch out all you little girls, here comes Dallin! Takin' 2nd grade by storm.

The Big Day

2009-10-08T16:13:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a good picture of me, my mom, brother and sister when she had her baby. I haven't posted for a long time, so I have some catching up to do!

Big adoption, Big needs

2009-09-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is an e-mail I received about my cousin, Cherish, who is adopting 7 children from Africa. You can also look at her blog (in my Blog Roll under Cherish and Kelly) if you want to see pictures of the kids. I thought I would post this to my blog if anyone wants to contribute. They will need LOTS more supplies for their new additions to the family! If you are interested in donating items or sending gift cards or MOOLA please message me, call or e-mail and I will give you information on where to send things.
Karie

Dear fellow friends and family of the Newman crew,
It is with excitement and anticipation that we greet you.
The day Kelly and Cherish have been waiting for is near,
Seven children from Africa will soon be here!
If you keep asking yourself, "What can I do?"
We've added a list below so you can help too.
They need items gently used and new,
Anything you'd like to give--the Newmans will thank you!

Here's a little note from Cherish:

I did not add clothes and shoes to list (below) but I would love to have clothes and shoes, I am just not totally positive on sizes. But anything I don’t use for my kids here, I will slowly get it to Africa and Ecuador for the other orphan kids.

Dibabe age 16 size 0-4 shoe size 5 ½-6
Chaltu age 13 same as Dibabe
Tayeba age 11 size 12 shoes size 5
Sultan age 10 size 10 shoes size 4-41/2 (I think)
Gideon age 6 size 6/7 shoe size 12-13 (total guess)
Gabriel age 5 size 5/6 shoe size 10-11 (total guess)
Faith age 3 size 3-4 shoe size 7-9 (total guess)

Newman needs and wants list:

-Mp3 players and earphones (4- this is to help support their english lessons - and 40 hours of international travel)
-Vocabulary/ beginning reading workbooks (grades prek-3rd)
-Easy chapter books in both Spanish and English
-Scripture picture readers (Book of Mormon, D&C, Bible 5-6 copies)
-Regular scriptures (4 quads for the older kids, 3 little blue BOM for the younger ones)
-6 Frames 14 X 18 (black, white, dark wood) for pictures of Christ I have
-6 Small plaque/plate holders (for little sayings on art board I have for each kids’ room )
-(1) 3-year old car seat
-2 booster car seats
-Vinyl people for the back window of the van
-Poster sized framed world map (with individual countries not just continents)
-Poster sized framed map of Ethiopia (I have one of the U.S.)
-Luggage (with wheels)
-Underwear for all kids
-Socks for all kids
-Shoes for teen girls (sizes 5-6)
-Snowsuits, boots, gloves, hats
-Scout shirts (2 boy scout or 1 cub scout)
-Leap pad learning computers (2-3) I have 4 or 5 books with the software but our actual leap pad broke.
-Used but working bikes big and small
-roller blades (sizes 11-1 in kids 5 and 6 in women) I do have 2 pair in the bigger sizes.
-Round laundry baskets (4)
-Rectangle cloth bins large size (multiple colors)
-Lots of Cocoa Butter lotion (jergens or Vaseline brand quality)
-Ethnic hair care products (or a gift card to Sally’s Beauty supply)

Hygiene products:

Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Anti-cavity rinse
Deodorants
Perfumes
Shampoo and Conditioner
Makeup/beauty supplies
Hair ties, elastics, head bands
Children’s medicines, bandaids, first aid kits
Dr. Mom oils (do terra, I am just learning but very interested.)

Housekeeping:

Laundry soap
Dryer sheets
Kirkland disinfectant wipes
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Air freshener
Dust pan and a short handled broom (for bathrooms)
Vacuum for basement

Food:

Freezer meals
Meat
Jiffy/Skippy Peanut Butter
Fruit snacks/fruit leather
Coconut oil
Cereal

Gift Cards:

Wal-mart
Target
Costco
Home Depot
Lowes
Old Navy
Justice for Girls
Kohls

Thanks so much!

My top 10 reasons to hate life lately....

2009-08-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

10. Always and forever on my list is my WEIGHT, of course!
9. We have no money.
8. Sprained my stupid ankle and it is still swollen almost 2 months later.
7. Dropped a door on my toe and it's purple-who knows if my nail will fall off.
6. Got a Urinary Tract Infection (Is that TMI?!)
5. I am dying from this spider bite and it kills to walk. In fact, it kills to sit and do nothing.
4. I forgot to buy Dallin his school supplies, school starts tomorrow, it's Sunday, and now I can't walk.
3. My Duggy is gone out of town for work so I have no help while I am in pain.
2. I have no groceries.
1. All this and the whole fam-damily is coming up this weekend for Dallin's baptism. How will I function or get anything done before they come?!

The good news: I haven't died yet.

2009-08-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Here we are lighting fireworks with Grandma Caldwell, cousins and neighbors.

Home Run!

2009-08-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

I am so far behind on posts and pictures. It doesn't even help that my camera is broken. Anyway, I'll try to do better. Here are a few pictures of Dallin and Drew at one of Dallin's baseball games.

RaNdoM Pictures

2009-07-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

The boys outside at the Hospital while waiting for their new cousin, Owen to come out of NICU.

How funny is this?? These boys had one long day and both just crashed on the floor!
Fun at Nickel Cade!
Dallin, Carson, Drew and Aden with their suckers at the Hospital after Owen was born. Talk about all BOYS!

I thought this was cute. Aden, Drew and Dallin had fun checking out the ducks at the hospital pond.

Nice Outfit!

2009-07-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

After church one day, Drew went inside to change his clothes, but only got half the way there. When I looked outside to see where he was, I find this! Have I not taught my children anything? He is riding around on his scooter with shoes and no socks, dress shirt and tie, a swimsuit and a bag on his head. It was so funny I had to snap a shot of it.

Fishermen

2009-07-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

All my boys goin' fishin'!

Pinching Your Pennies

2009-07-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

You guys, I love Pinching Your Pennies!!! Check out their website, they save me SO much money every time I shop!!! Find all the great deals online too. They are the best!

Caldwell Kids at Mickey Dee's

2009-06-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

While I was down in Utah for my sister's delivery, I got together with my Mom-in-law and sisters-in-law and their kids. It is always great to see them and let the kids play. Dallin and Drew love thier cousins! From Left to right is Dallin, Amanda with Ethan, Gabriel, Drew, Reed and Paige.

And we can't forget the "traditional" Amanda and Dallin picture. We have a million pics of these two together as they have grown up.

My Boy is Growing Up!

2009-06-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well my little boy is growing up way too fast! He finally lost his first tooth......sigh. May I remind you of the little boy that he used to be. That is a picture of him at about the same age as Drew is now. Oh, this boy is something special. He is the one who changed my life and the one who made me understand what it feels like to really love someone with all you have. Dall, I wish you would stop growing and still need your Momma like you used to! Oh, well. I can't stop it, so I guess I can just be glad that you are mine! I love you kiddo!

The Bird Chronicles

2009-06-29T13:12:00.000-07:00

So we had a little bird's nest that we found right outside in our front yard tree. For a few days we watched the birds make the nest, going back and forth with twigs, etc..

Then came those cute little blue eggs in the nest. The kids were all excited that we had birds coming soon and thought the eggs were pretty cool.

Then the eggs hatched and Doug saw the birds but forgot to tell me and the boys about it.

The next day, Dallin comes in all frantic and says the birds nest was attacked! He and his friends were all outside looking at what happened. So I went out there and found the nest torn up and two of the birds stuck in the tree. One of the birds was dead and the other was alive.

I took the one that was alive and put it in a bowl with a towel, gave it some water and put it next to a lamp to stay warm. He would open and shut his little beak and drink little droplets of water. I wasn't sure what to do next, but the little guy died about 20 min. later. I don't think it had much of a chance at living anyway, but we tried! All the neighbor kids were sad so they made a grave for him (and his brother), and buried them outside. So that is our bird adventure story. Awwww, poor birdie. He was a cute little guy.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-06-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

I don't think my camera got all the good one's, but here are a few that I thought were cute.

My mom, Lindsey, Jared and Aden all came up over Memorial Weekend to hang out with us before the baby came. We had a good time. We ate some good food, went to the Titanic exhibit at the museum, went to the park, played at Leo's Place, watched movies and got to enjoy each other's company! Thanks for coming up, we love it when people visit! I'll post more pictures when I get more.

He's Here! My new nephew, Owen!

2009-06-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well, my sister Lindsey had her baby on Father's Day Sunday at McKay Dee Hospital. My step-dad, Steve, delivered the little dude. His name is Owen Jared Ohlin. He weighed 7.5 lbs. and was 19 inches long.
We are so excited to have him here and he is really a C-U-T-E baby! So congrats to Jared, Linds and Aden for their new arrival, we love you guys!

Life Stinks

2009-06-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

I need to find something to keep me busy or I'll lose it.

More Drew-isms

2009-06-10T14:07:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Drew came through the front door and said to Doug, "My friends are here". Doug asked him who was here and Drew says, "The Jonas Brothers". So Doug asked him where they were and Drew turns to look behind him with his hands stretched toward the door with an open mouth and a look of bewilderment on his face and says, "Ugh, Right there!.....Kevin, Joe and Nick!"
Uh Dad, can't you see what's right in front of you??? Maybe we should have your eyes checked.

Another one from yesterday: I told Drew to go change his clothes because they totally didn't match and we were leaving. He says, "I'm already dressed." And I told him his pants didn't match his shirt. Then he tipped his head to the side and threw his hands up like a thug and said, "But these are my gangsa pants!"

I swear!

Sleepin' Out

2009-06-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

I am very well aware of how nasty I am in this picture, but who cares, it's a SLEEP OUT!! We had so much fun a few weeks ago sleeping out for the first time this year on our deck. The boys thought it was a great adventure, and as always, Doug was not going to be a part of all the fun. Lucky I have 2 kids to keep me entertained and do all the "fun stuff" with.
Drew was in and out the for the first half of the night and then woke up crying in the middle of the night so I sent him in to snuggle Dad in his bed. When I woke up in the morning, I found myself all alone! They both dogged me! Ok, in Dallin's defense, he says he went to the bathroom and came back, but I am still not sure. I still think I may have gotten dogged. Ah well, we will surely be trying this again. Pretty good for the first try this year. I always love the cool breeze at night and looking up at the stars, although it isn't quite as good as camping because of the lights in the city. But it is still great to be outside I think!

Birthday BBQ at the Hoxer House

2009-05-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

Pillow Fight!

Grandma and the kids making Play Doh

Grandma and the boys

Marnae and Linds-Don't you love it when people

take pictures of you while you're eating??

Dad and Carson getting the bikes going

Aden, Drew and Naomi

Lindsey and Jared

Jen and hubby Chris with Carson and Dallin

Dad and Drew on the dirt bike

We got together and celebrated Lindsey and Jenasie's birthdays the day before Mother's Day at my Dad's house. It was lots of fun and good to see everyone and let the kiddo's play. Good food, great company and we played PlayDoh Pictionary. It's always a good time when everyone is together!

And by the way, we have one obvious prego (Lindsey) and YAY, Jenasie is expecting too! Lots of little people coming to the family! Congrats girls!

Earl Update

2009-05-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well it has been several months since we posted about our little friend Earl the Squirrel. Since that last post, we have managed to make great friends with Earl. He now comes up to our back door and stands on his hind legs and hands up like he is begging like a dog. He actually is begging. He comes because we feed the little dude. But he will see us in the kitchen and come up to our door and look in until we come with the handful of nuts. He has gotten so comfortable with us that he will now eat right out of our hands like a pet. He isn't as nervous as he was when we first met and doesn't run away at the slightest movement anymore either. We can call him to let him know it's safe to come get the food. He is quite the little friend! He also doesn't run away with the nuts to eat them anymore either. He will grab them from us and sit right in front of us to eat (he used to grab and run). So here are some good pics of our buddy.

Rocker Man

2009-05-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd share these pictures. Drew has been quite the rocker lately. He loves listening to Dallin's i-pod and rockin' on his "Guitar Hero" as he calls it. His face in these pictures lets you know how serious he is when he is rockin' out. Serious business around here.....

WHY??

2009-05-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

So I had Drew potty trained a LONG time ago. Now for the past 2 months or so he has decided it is too much for him to get up in the night and go so we have had lots of wet beds and started putting him back in diapers at night.

UGH!

I am so frustrated! Why has he gone back? Not only did he start the nighttime problem a while back, but then he started randomly having "accidents" in his undies during the day. "It was just a little bit" , he says.......

DOUBLE UGH!

Then he starts getting to the toilet more, but waits until it is an EMERGENCY and is peeing as he is pulling his pants down in the bathroom leaving me with pee all over the toilet and floor and wherever it happens to land.

Want to CUSS now!

Now here is the kicker: This little turd has started running outside during the day. I think he is going out to ride his bike or play. Yes, he does do those things, but he ALSO runs outside, pulls down his pants and PEES OFF OUR FRONT PORCH! This little habit started last week at some point and he won't stop. If he can run to the front porch, why can't he run to the bathroom? Why is my child all of a sudden having this peeing issue??? Is he emotionally disturbed? WHAT'S WRONG HERE??? Any input would be great.

The Ohlin Family

2009-04-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

This is my awesome sister Lindsey, her husband Jared and thier little boy Aden (and let's not forget Owen who is currently residing in mommy's tummy). I am heading down to Utah this weekend to be with them as they go through the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed as a family. They will be endowed in Ogden on Friday night and sealed on Saturday in Salt Lake. I can't tell you how happy I am for them and their decision to do this! I know they are doing the right thing and will be blessed tremendously because of it. This is going to be an awesome day! Congrats guys, I love you!

Another List....

2009-04-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

I know this might get annoying to some of you, but I get SO excited about it! In my defense, not only am I posting this to brag, but I am also posting to entice all of you whom I love to do it too!!! I share out of love, people.

Here's what I got today:

2 boxes Kraft Bagelfuls
2 cans Pam cooking spray
1 McCormick Grill Mate's Seasoning
1 bag Gold Medal Flour
6 two-liter's of Diet Coke
3 boxes Crystal Light To Go
2 boxes Au Gratin Potatoes
6 Healthy Choice Entree's
2 boxes Egg beaters
8 cans Manwich
21 cans Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce
5 containers Betty Crocker Frosting
5 Betty Crocker brownie mix.
3 boxes Nature Valley bars
4 boxes Fiber One bars
5 boxes Fiber One Toaster Pastries

Breakdown:
76 items
Paid $41.13
Saved $161.07
Average of .54 cents per item!

And The Winner Is.....

2009-04-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Dallin!

We are so proud of Dallin. He entered the Idaho Falls Earh Day Poster Contest and WON! This awesome kid won himself a $25 prize and another $25 for his class to do something fun with! Congratulations, Dallin. We think you ROCK!

You can check out the list of winners at THIS LINK!

Speaking of contests, he also won a coloring contest the fire department did at his school about 2 months ago as well. He was the only winner out of the entire school. He must have a knack for this art stuff! Way to go, buddy!

2009-04-15T16:18:00.000-07:00

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has made a short video that explains the purpose of Mormon temples. You can watch it HERE

I Almost Don't Believe It Myself!

2009-04-14T20:34:00.001-07:00

Ok, I didn't take a picture this time, but just imagine this:

4 Bottles of Snuggle Fabric Softener (32 load size)
2 Bottles of All Liquid Laundry Detergent (32 load size)
6 Stove Top Stuffing Boxes
1 Bottle A1 Steak Sauce (We all know how expensive that is)
3 Packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
3 Containers of Cool Whip
2 Bertolli Oven Bake Dinners (Those run $6 a piece)

What would you say I paid for these things????

Would you really believe I paid a total of $8.35 for all of that????

Believe it!

That makes everything (divided evenly) about .38 cents!

Easter!

2009-04-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

Dallin woke us up at 7 a.m. to see if the Easter Bunny had come. Lucky for him he had! The boys got their treats and gifts and were so excited. Dallin got the new Didj game system and a Star Wars game to go with it. Drew got an Imaginext Dinosaur play set and a car thing to play with.
After playing with the toys and eating CANDY for breakfast, we went to search for the eggs the Bunny had hidden outside.
It was a beautiful day, so bright and sunny. I couldn't help but think of the Resurrection and think that it must have been this beautiful on that day too. Sunshine brings me joy and it made me think about how grateful I am for the Savior and his sacrifice for me and the same joy and blessings that the gospel brings me.
Anyway, after church we had our friends Amy and Trevor over for a big Easter dinner. I made a yummy ham, funeral potatoes, rolls, frog eye salad, veggies and a home made carrot cake for dessert. It was a sucess and we all ate until we couldn't take another bite! A couple of our neighbors stopped by to hang out for a little while too, and it was great having such good friends and neighbors with us. It was a great day!

Coloring Eggs

2009-04-13T11:43:00.001-07:00

We had lots of fun Saturday coloring easter eggs. Dad actually got in on this one and the boys had lots of fun with him. We decided this one was our favorite egg.

We also took the boys and Dallin's friend Chance to an egg hunt, which was INSANE! There is only ONE egg hunt in all of Idaho Falls and that made it so that the kids had to fight to get an egg and none of them were able to get one. It was a complete failure so we took them to this awesome little candy shop up the street from us and let them pick out a treat as a consolation for the lame egg hunt we took them to. I think that made them happy. Who doesn't like a store full of candy?

30 Minute Project

2009-04-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

I went to this great home fabric store the other day and picked out my fabric to make these fun door and kitchen window treatments. They took me about 30 minutes a piece and gave me INSTANT GRATIFICATION! I love projects like that where you get results fast. What's even better is that I paid about $12.50 TOTAL for BOTH and I already had rods that we weren't using. Anyway, I was proud of them so I thought I'd show 'em off. I don't do enough of this kind of thing. Hope you like!

Game Boys

2009-04-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of pictures of the boys playing a game when my mom and sister came up to visit.....too bad I don't have any with me and Lindsey in them. Oh well. It was awesome having Lindsey here, I hardly get my sister here so it was a treat!

Cake Monster

2009-04-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

So I woke up one morning to find Drew on my oven eating with his hands directly out of the cake pan! What a little gremlin, raiding the cake at the crack of dawn. It was messy, but so funny I couldn't help but take the picture.

Park City

2009-03-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went down to Park City for some fun skiing and shopping! I got a call from KSL Radio saying we won a 2-day ski package and VIP passes to the big snowboarding competition at Park City Mountain Resort. It included passes to the VIP seating area where we had the best view, tables, and they fed us a fabulous lunch. (Had we been drinkers, they had all the beer and alcohol we would want for free too).
The famous Shawn White was there (that is a picture of him about 15 feet away from where we were), along with 20 other world famous snowboarders. We got some autographed posters for the boys, and had we been "clubbers" we would have gone to the Harryo's after party free of charge too.
The skies were so BLUE and those two days were so pretty up on the mountain! We got in some great shopping, and hooked ourselves up with a sweet hotel room with jetted tub and fireplace! The tub was SO NICE after a cold day outside. It was definitely a much needed getaway for Doug and I. We never, I repeat, NEVER go ANYWHERE without the boys! We really enjoyed our time alone.

That's the story, now on with life again.....

Small purchase, BIG savings!

2009-03-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have been doing this coupon thing as you know. So far I have not received any newspapers to REALLY start, so everything I have done is with online printable coupons only, BUT HOLY COW! I can't wait to see what I can do when I have 5 or more copies of coupons to really stock up on things that we want and need. We are going to have the best food storage, hygiene storage, etc. as soon as I get up and running FOR REAL. My 5 Sunday newspaper subscription starts this week and it makes me SO excited! We have never been able to have this much food, let alone a storage of food!
I am aware of the "going broke saving money" saying, and I am tempted to get more things now than I would normally get, but I am also considering how much I save and how much of the fun "extra's" I can get by not spending money elsewhere.
Like for instance, I normally wouldn't buy a tooth whitening kit but have always wanted one. Not only have I saved so much money on groceries, but I now know how to save half price or more on the whitening kit. So my thinking is, I DESERVE THAT WHITENING KIT, right? I think I earned it, and when I can get it for half price or less than the normal price, I think I should. What do you think???? I welcome all your opinions on this one.
So, here is the latest example for today's purchase. It may be small, but I did great!
Bought 3 jumbo packs of diapers, 12 rolls of toilet paper and 4 tubes of toothpaste (oh, and a package of sour patch kids for Dallin's friend who got hurt).

Total spent: $21.39
Total before coupons: $61.65
Total SAVED: $40.26

Had I not bought the candy, it would have been an even $20 paid. So there you have it, folks. I am telling you now, JUMP ON THE TRAIN- IT'S WORTH IT!

Drew's Funnies

2009-03-04T13:01:00.001-08:00

My sister in law, Tricia, has a post about my brother in law, Dave, on her blog. Just FYI, Dave has longer hair and a full beard. When I went to Tricia's blog, Drew says, "I know him". I asked him who he thought Dave was. Drew looks at me with a very unsure look on his face and one eyebrow raised and says, "Is he John the Bath-tist?"
I'm glad I have a place where I enjoy posting these silly daily things that the kids say. We will always be able to look back and read this stuff and laugh....as long as the world doesn't come to an end, that is.......not sure these days, we may not have much time......
Ah, well, enjoy it while it lasts!

Dallin's Darndest

2009-03-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

Ok, the subject matter is not funny at all, but what he said made us laugh SO HARD the other night.
We had heard through the grapevine that this awesome guy in our ward/neighborhood has had his cancer return after a being given a clean bill of health not too long ago. He is the dad of one of Dallin's good friends and the dad of two of my young women. Anyway, we had not mentioned it to Dallin because we didn't want things to be said if they weren't supposed to be out in the open yet, if you know what I mean.
So, Dallin comes home from his friend's house this weekend and told us that his friend told him that his dad's cancer is back. We talked to Dallin about it a little and asked if his friend had given any more details. (Who knows if he gets things straight anyway, being 7 years old), but Dallin said it is a different kind of cancer this time. We said, "Oh really? Did he tell you what kind?" So Dallin said, and very seriously might I add, "No, but I know that last time he had HAIR CANCER". (You know, because he went through chemo and lost his hair!) How funny! Kids are hilarious! The things they come up with.
So, since you are now reading about this, why don't you all include Dallin's friend and his family in your prayers. The Lord knows who you are referring to.

Love this dance from Beat Freaks!

2009-02-27T21:32:00.001-08:00

Ok, I watched "Beat Freaks" on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew last week. They had the coolest performance ever! I love these girls, they are so stinkin' awesome! (Can you tell I'm a wannabe?) Anyway, they are first up to dance on this episode, you gotta watch.......! (And before you hit the play button, scroll down to the bottom of my blog and pause my playlist music!)

MTV Shows

Snowmobile Trip in Island Park

2009-02-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

We took a little weekend trip a few weeks ago with the youth. We had a few cabins and 13 snowmobiles to ride while we were there. We stayed up SO LATE on Friday night playing games and hanging out. Most of us went to bed around 2 or 3 a.m.. About 6 of us stayed up til about 4:30 and by that time we were so wired we were laughing at everything. It was a great time! Hopefully we will get a chance to do it again, I think we will. So here are a few pics of the fun!

Earl the Squirrel

2009-02-25T15:08:00.000-08:00

We have had a little friend coming by our house for the past week or so. We named him Earl. He comes by when we are hanging out in the kitchen, usually in the morning. He first arrived when Aden was here last week and we fed him some of our pina colada pancakes. We threw him some cheerios yesterday and today he scored some almonds! He isn't a dumb little guy because he isn't bringing his buddies, he's just getting everything for himself. He shows up all alone and will even scratch on our window to get our attention. He still gets a little nervous if we get too close, but he will run up and grab a piece of food, then run up our deck post and munch on his food at the top of the post. This is a pic of him today eating an almond. We are glad Earl comes to visit, he creates a lot of excitement! Doug says he is just a squirrel trying to get a nut just like the rest of us!

My feeble first attempt ROCKED!

2009-02-21T18:50:00.001-08:00

Ok all you "couponers" out there, I have finally joined the club! This was my first attempt, and a very thrown-together, not-well-planned one too. In my opinion, the savings will only get better as I learn more and have more time to prepare. My sister-in-law sent me an e-mail today with some information about the coupon thing and I looked around online for a while and made an attempt at it this evening. I wanted to try it right away just to show myself it is worth it, and it is!!! I didn't buy a ton because I didn't have a ton of coupons to begin with. All the coupons I had were one's I found online today. I then made myself a list and a plan as to how to buy this stuff to save the most money with the in-store sale at Albertson's. I think I did a great job considering my inexperience and lack of more coupons.
SOOOO.......I am sure you want to know what I spent on this and what I saved, right????
Here goes:

Total actually spent: $24.82
Total before coupons: $90.81
Total SAVED: $65.99!!!!

Thanks, Tricia, you are right......IT IS WORTH IT!
I have much more to learn, but now I know I can do this and that it is WELL worth my time!

Grandma and Aden's visit

2009-02-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

My Mom came up for a few days this week to do her Africa presentation for the YW. She also brought Aden with her to play with the kids. We had lots of fun and it was great having Aden here too! Here is Drew playing with her souvenirs from Africa.

It is great to have the opportunity for the kids to play together. The first night Aden kept saying, " I just want to go home", because he was in a strange place. But by the last day, he didn't want to leave! I am glad he was happy here with us, we love him!

Creepy Coraline

2009-02-14T20:08:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to go see this movie for Valentine's Day today......and we loved it! (Well, Doug didn't, but we will talk about that in a sec.) Dallin and I thought it was great! Keep in mind, we love dark and wierd things. It was almost magical in a freaky and scary way. Anything that is dark or out there is usually something I will like. It was real cool that it was in 3D too. That made it much more fun and exciting in a dark show. There were a few things that I didn't like that I thought were somewhat inappropriate for a children's movie. #1- Coraline said "Oh my God", which I did not appreciate at all. #2- There was a part in which an old lady was dressed in something you might see a woman in an ADULT FILM wearing-which makes it inappropriate for kids and also quite disturbing.
All in all, I thought it was great and I liked the spooky story line.
Doug on the other hand didn't like it, but he isn't amused by a whole lot anyway. He does not appreciate the dark stuff, and the story line was just too creepy for a kid's show in his opinion. He said the words "creepy" and "eerie". But, he said the 3D effects were awesome and he really liked that part.
So, see it if you like, I think it is just different and interesting enough that it is worth checking out!

Out to Lunch

2009-02-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a pic of Dallin, Drew and Aden with Grandma. Lindsey and Jared met me and Doug and my mom for lunch at the Bistro on 25th street over the holidays. I just thought this was a cute picture, the looks on their faces are hilarious! It must have been "brown day" because everyone has brown on. Oh, and........love the hat Mom!

Our Eventful New Year

2009-02-06T15:26:00.000-08:00

Well, nothing special, but this is how we rung in the new year.....Dallin sleeping and Drew won't go to bed. We did have our own fun putting glasses and a hat on Dallin to take this picture, but when he saw it the next day he WAS SO MAD AT US!!!! He wants me to erase it, but I think it is too great not to! (I know, mean mom) Such excitement at our house!
We did go out to dinner and took the kids and one of Dallin's friends to a movie, so it wasn't all boring. Then I had to go take a shift as a chaperone at the stake center in the middle of the night for a dance. Good times.....

Husband Tag

2009-01-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

1. Where we met: My work at Standard Optical in Roy. Ha ha, he couldn't get away!

2. How long we dated before we got hitched: Met in June or July and we were married by the end of January.

3. How long have we been married: 8 years as of 2 days ago!

4. What's my favorite feature about him: Physically, I like his big shoulders. Otherwise, how funny he is!

5. What's my favorite quality about him: He is such a hard worker and would do anything for me and the kids.

6. What's his nickname for me: It started as Karie, went to Keddy, then to Teddy, now it is just plain TED.

7. His favorite color: I really don't know. Maybe red??

8. His favorite food: Anything I make.....ha ha, yeah right. More like anything his MOM makes! He does love chocolate shakes with oreo or reese's PB cups. He is a Roast Beef and Potatoes kind of guy.

9. His favorite sport: He loves football. Luckily I have been able to get him down to like one game a week (after 8 years!) But he also LOVES Jazz basketball!

10. Who said the L word first: Probably me. He was like freakishly scared of me or something. It took him a LONG time to really come out of his shell and let loose.

11. First kiss when and where: I don't know when.....maybe like 3 or 4 dates into it. It was outside his car in front of my Dad's house. Sorry Dad if that is a bad thought for you.....

12. Favorite couple thing to do: Anything without the kids! We never get away from them!!!! (not that we don't love them)

13. How many kids: 2 boys and no fetuses, or feti as my sister pointed out to me. Maybe a fetus in the future though!

14. His hidden talent: Well he has so many.......Ummmm don't you all wish you got to see the kinds of dance moves I get to see at home!? I'd have to tell all the ladies to BACK OFF if they saw that. No, in all seriousness, it is just plain HILARIOUS!
15. His age: 31

16. His favorite music: Just about anything....country, rock, pop.

17. What I admire most about him: How much he loves his family, what a good Dad he is, and how hard he works for all of us. I also love his even temperment and as hard as I might try, he never gives in to fighting with me (except the rare occasion). But that is saying something if you won't fight with me!

18. His favorite pastimes: Looking at guns (ugh!), watching sports, relaxing in his bed, hanging with his fam.-he is just a homebody.

19. Will he read this: He has no idea what I put on the blog.

Tag: Katee, Marnae, Danika (if she ever gets on), Lisa Peterson and Katie Kammeyer

5 for 5

2009-01-27T09:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we just found out that my sister Lindsey is having another boy! We are so excited for her! That will be 5 out of 5 between me, Lindsey and Blair. Funny isn't it? But we all just LOVE little boys and they fit us. She is very excited so CONGRATULATIONS LINDSEY AND JARED! We love you guys!

Frontrunner Adventure

2009-01-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas, my Dad and Marnae took the whole family on a fun outing to Gateway Mall to go shopping.

We took the Frontrunner train from Roy to Salt Lake, which was such a fun adventure for all of us. We have never gone on it before.

Dad and Marnae gave us each a bunch of money to go shopping with and set us loose on the mall when we got there.
Once we were done, we met up to have dinner and show each other what we bought! It was so much fun, I wish we were able to spend more time together! Thanks for the fun time guys!

Christmas Day

2009-01-24T10:44:00.000-08:00

We spent the afternoon and evening with Doug's family. We opened some great presents from Grandma Caldwell, ate great food and mostly played Guitar Hero with the whole band. It was lots of fun!

I thought it was pretty cute with the kids all lined up like ducklings next to Grandma while she handed out presents. They just love her!

Christmas Morning

2009-01-24T10:29:00.000-08:00

We spent the night on Christmas Eve at my Dad's house and woke up Christmas morning to find that Santa had made it with our boys' presents. Carson, Dallin and Drew were up extremely early!

Drew got the red motorcycle he wanted, and Dallin got everything he wanted!

I thought this pic of Drew with his stocking was adorable!

Christmas Eve 2008

2009-01-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve was such an enjoyable time! We spent it at my Mom's house and she always goes the extra mile in making it special. We had some great food, opened some presents, had some of the kids sing, read or play instruments, and even rounded up some costumes to have the kids act out the story of Christ's birth.

Such cute kids....from L to R is: Katie, Matthew, Johnny, Preston, Jackson, Ben, Avery, Drew, Dallin and Aden. Yes, we are male dominated in our family.
Paul, Jared and Lindsey

Doug, Sheldon and Blair messin' around online.

Jared, Michelle and Alisa getting some grub.
The kids had so much fun playing Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Wise Men, shepherds and angels. They had to take turns with different costumes, it was great!
Looks like they spotted the star....Dallin's face is hilarious! What a fabulous actor he is!
Matthew sharing his musical talents!

Dallin singing us a christmas song.
Drew reading everyone a story.
Grandma had so much fun watching all the kids open their presents and the kids LOVED what they got! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

More Wheelin'

2009-01-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

I come home for lunch one day to find Doug playing with Dallin, Drew and some of the neighborhood kids out in the backyard on the four-wheeler. What a great Dad he is!

Banana Bread Anyone?

2009-01-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

Here are my cute little delivery boys all bundled up to take our neighbors some hot banana bread. Who wouldn't LOVE opening the door to their sweet little faces? (I guess the sweet bread is a bonus too!)

Our Special Visitor

2009-01-20T15:31:00.000-08:00

Before Christmas came, our boys were so excited to find such a special visitor at our front door! This is our new friend, Carl, who works with me. He plays Santa for ward and family parties, so he made an extra little stop one night just for my boys.
Drew was SOOOO serious about telling Santa what he wanted for Christmas as you can see.
Dallin is such a cutie, he loves seeing Santa and enjoys everything about Christmas.....especially all the lights. It was lots of fun and excitement just before bedtime. Thanks Carl!

School Program

2009-01-20T15:21:00.000-08:00

YES, this is my son! He cracks me up. The people sitting next to me were just busting up when he did this.
These are some pictures of Dallin's 1st grade Christmas program. They were cute little reindeer and I had lots of fun listening to their cute songs. Dallin is getting so big!
That is his wonderful teacher, Mrs. Plum, on the floor leading the music.

YW in Excellence

2009-01-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics of our YW in Excellence program.
This is me and my buddy, Danika.

These are the awesome women I work with in YW. L-R is: Emily, Amy, Danika, Me, Brianna and Marilyn. We have lots of fun!

Ward Christmas Party

2009-01-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

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Our ward celebrated Christmas with an evening in Zarahemla. We traveled from afar to listen to the ancient prophets testify of the Savior Jesus Christ. (The boys were pretending to be stripling warriors
We wore simple Book of Mormon attire and the "Marketplace" had an abundance of food to replenish us from our long journey to get there.
). The kids had activities and were even given their own brass plates to make their own personal records in the record-keepers tent.

There was dancing and music and prophets and unbelievers taunting prophets in the marketplace.

This was a very creative and fun time for the whole family. Definitely the most enjoyable Christmas party I have been to!

5 Things Tag

2009-01-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago...
1. Working as a Dental Assistant
2. Having lots of fun!
3. Going to Weber State
4. Playing soccer
5. Gaining an unwavering testimony of Jesus Christ

5 Things on my to do list...
1. Shop for new glasses
2. Make appointments for Doctors (I just got insurance)
3. LAUNDRY!
4. Grocery shopping for Dinner Club
5. Work, work, work.

5 Snacks I Love...
1. Ice Cream
2. Cookies
3. Brownies
4. Anything with Chocolate
5. I am going to get diabetes.....

5 Things I would do if I was a billionaire...
1. Buy a bigger house and hire a maid.
2. Take my whole family on vacation!
3. Buy each of my family members and my Aunt Terry a house and pay off their debts.
4. Buy all the toys....boat, sea-doo's, 4 wheelers, snowmobiles.
5. Buy a cabin to get away any time we want and enjoy spending time with family there!

YAY!

2009-01-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

I just got myself a new computer! I am so excited since our last one was born when Dallin was born so it is very old school. I'm just glad that our high speed internet will actually act high speed now! OOOOhhh, and this slick looking flat screen monitor is all sorts of cool for us, we have officially moved up in the world. Thanks to all those who donated to the Caldwell family fund at Christmas to make this happen! He he, love you! I feel like I am giving an acceptance speech....

Dinner Club

2009-01-06T17:37:00.000-08:00

So I started doing this dinner club with 3 other families in our ward and I am LOVING IT! It is only day 2, but we are just thrilled! We got together and figured out what day of the week each of us wanted to take, set some guidelines, exchanged dislikes, put together the menu and what time dinner will be delivered, and voila! We have dinner every night of the week delivered to our door except for when it's my day to cook, then I deliver dinner to the rest. We know exactly what is coming for dinner the whole month in advance. It makes the shopping easy and best of all, the rest of the days, I DON'T HAVE TO COOK! Plus, doesn't it always taste better when someone else cooks?? I sure think it does.
So, for all you other folks, I would totally recommend doing this. It is the best, and if you are like us, you won't be heading to the dollar menu at McDonalds every other night, he he....chunky Caldwells.

2009-01-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share these beautiful pictures and what the artist has to say about each one of them! You can ALL win a FREE signed 8x10 print of your choice (out of the three prints), by copying and posting to your blog or website this whole post! After you post then send an e-mail to David (contact@bowman-art.com) with your website or blog address telling him you posted it and that you read about this offer on my blog. Also send him your name and mailing address and he will send your signed 8x10 print of your choice. David Bowman: has had a passion for art ever since he could pick up a pencil. He loves creating images of the Savior that inspire and uplift. Along with his Christian fine art, David has also written and illustrated a series of scripture storybooks for children titled "Who's Your Hero". Check out his website at http://bowman-art.com/indexFineart.htm to see more of his precious art.

"Innocence"

The Savior tells us we need to become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God. I've often wondered what it is about little children Jesus loves most, and I think its their innocence. They are clean slates, seeing the world and others through untarnished eyes. Their hearts are pure, without the baggage of cynicism and self-doubt. In this piece, I've tried to imagine how a child would act upon meeting the Master for the first time. Without reservation or inhibition, I think he would simply want to play with Him. He would be at complete ease, allowing his pure little heart to soak in the love and laughter of His pure, infinite heart. Its no wonder Christ delights in these little ones and sets them up to be our examples.

"Security"

One of the greatest human needs is a sense of security. In all aspects of life, we naturally gravitate towards anything that makes us feel safe. In this piece, I wanted to convey a sense of complete peace and calm like only the Savior can provide. It's a security that allows us to rest assured, without fear or worry, when we put ourselves trustingly in His arms. Little children have that inherent kind of trust in their parents, so it's fitting that the man and girl who modeled for "Security" are actually father and daughter. They generatedthe exact feel I was looking for.

"My Child"

This piece conveys an intimate, up-close-and-personal feeling of the Savior's love. Notice how all the lines draw your attention and point towards Jesus' face in the center. I chose the name "My Child" because the only thing that could compare (even remotely) to Christ's compassion for us is the love of a parent for his/her child. This image is also intended to put things in perspective. Above all, we are God's children first. He allows us the privelege of experiencing parenthood for ourselves and we are entrusted to be the mothers and fathers of His children here on earth.

Mountain Juice and Presidents

2008-12-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

So Doug went to the grocery store the other day and bought some Mountain Dew. When Drew got in the fridge he said, "Mom, can I have some Mountain Juice???". It's funny that he thought that's what it's called.
Also, as he has been watching us wrap presents, he says things like, "Are those presidents for me?" and, "Is Santa going to bring me some presidents?". He is silly. Just thought I'd share.....

Not so "thanks" giving.

2008-12-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

Well, everyone else is writing about it so I thought I would put in my view on our, let's say, "eventful" Thanksgiving. In response to other things that have been said, here is where I stand...
I think I am harder on my family because I care about them. I want the best for them and a lot of the time I expect them to be better than they are because they know better. I am feeling very anxious about the state of the world these days and have a real sense of urgency about everyone in our family's spiritual well-being. It is nothing to take lightly or to put off for another day. I feel like I am the only one in this family who puts importance on church attendance, service and obeying commandments. I know we all have weaknesses and make mistakes, it is a part of life. Everyone knows I am at the top of the sinners list, but I am trying, and it hurts that nobody else seems to care. It just kills me because I know each and every one of our family members has a testimony whether they know it or not, and some still continue to make unwise choices for their lives. I am literally afraid of where we will stand in the last day and I don't want to be without any one of you when this life is over. Losing even one would hurt more than anything. Now is the time to be better, to become stronger, to decide who's side we are on and to live like we actually want to be together forever. So, I'm sorry if it is hard to hear, but that is how I feel. I just hope you all know how much I love and value each one of you.

Tag, YO

2008-11-30T17:09:00.000-08:00

One word tag

1. Where is your cell phone? Room
2. Where is your significant other? Bed
3. Your hair color? Blondie
4. Your mother? Sweet
5.Your father? Funny
6. Your favorite thing? Family
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten
8. Your dream/goal? Skinny
9. The room you’re in? Dark
10. Your hobby? House
11. Your fear? Family
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Millenium
13. Where were you last night? Caldwell's
14. What you’re not? Sexy
15. One of your wish-list items? Money
16. Where you grew up? O-town
17. The last thing you did? Eat
18. What are you wearing? Mismatched
19. Your TV? Big
20. Your pet? Drew
21. Your computer? Slow
22. Your mood? Thoughtful
23. Missing someone? Mom
24. Your car? Dirty
25. Something you’re not wearing? Underwear.....he he
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Fun
28. Love someone? Definitely
29. Your favorite color? Turquoise
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Yesterday

I tag whoever reads this.

Halloween, Trunk or Treat and Birthday!

2008-11-21T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it is kindof late in posting these, but I thought everyone might want to see the kids' costumes and what we did. Dallin was a ROCKER and Drew was a SOLDIER. They both felt so cool, it was funny. My Mom was here for halloween and she had this cute mask she bought. She made me this yummy dinner I requested and also a pumpkin cake roll for dessert! Ooh it was so yummy, I hardly ever get that. She went way out of her way to make my day special and make me feel loved, so thanks Mom, I'm glad someone loves me (and I am glad I have you!).

We also went to the Trunk or Treat at our church and we had lots of fun! We hauled all of Dallin's friends from our neighborhood with us and I hope they all had a good time. I think they did. They are awesome kids!
We took some pictures of the kids collecting candy and playing at the carnival.

And here are the most beautiful young women I have ever seen! I especially like the shirts......ha ha, I bought them. They are all such awesome girls and I love them and am so proud of their testimonies and activity in the church. They are such an example to me! All in all it was a fantastic B-day. Probably one of the best in recent years. I enjoy being with my family and seeing how excited the kids are and how big they are getting. Dallin just took off this year without me and ditched us for his group of friends. What a big kid he is becoming. I love him.

Also, here is a book review I wanted to add to the Halloween post:
Snappy Little Halloween by Derek Matthews

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
We have had this book since Dallin was little, and we absolutely love it. It was Dallin's favorite and now it is Drew's favorite too! I have to read it to him like 5 times a day. All the other "Snappy Little" books are fantastic too. Best pop-ups ever! I just ordered the Christmas one on Barnes and Noble.com for $5.95 as a bargain book. They will go fast at that price I'm sure so hurry and get yours! Aren't I a great salesperson? They should hire me.

View all my reviews.

Grandma Hoxer's Funeral

2008-11-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

My sweet Grandma Hoxer died last week. She was healthy as a horse so it was quite the shocker. She had a headache all morning but apparently went tap dancing, then went shopping for a car and when she went to leave again, she got in her car and never pulled out. She had suffered a major aneurism. A neighbor noticed her hunched over in the car and called an ambulance. When she got to the hospital she was pretty much gone. They had her on a respirator until the family all arrived.
Once everyone got there that could come, they met with the Doctor. He said there was nothing that could be done for her and the family made the decision to take her off the respirator and let nature take its course. She actually started breathing again when it was taken out, which was a surprise. Her heart kept beating for like 4 more hours or so and she finally quit breathing.
The funeral was great (I think). My Dad asked if I would speak and give a tribute to Grandma. I was glad that they asked me, I was grateful for this last chance to do something for her. I wasn't as close to her as I would have liked to be, so it was very sad. But, I do have to hand it to Lindquist Mortuary.....I have never seen anyone look that great in a casket! She looked absolutely fantastic. Her skin color looked great and there wasn't much makeup caked on. I was totally impressed. It just looked like she was laying there. So thank you, Lindquists, for that.
My cousin, Abby, read the obituary. My sister played the violin, there were several musical numbers, and me, Marnae, Jenasie, Lindsey, Abby, and and Marnae's niece, Amy all sang a couple of songs. Amy and my other cousin, Starlene, accompanied with the flute and piano-they are so talented. Grandma would have loved it.
Grandma loved music the most. Most of her funeral was just enjoying the music she loved. The good news is that we have a testimony that we will see her again and that our family is sealed for eternity. It is very sad, but having a knowledge of the gospel definitely helps. I want my Dad to know I love him and I am so sorry he is hurting right now. I hate seeing him so upset, it just breaks my heart. I wish I could make it all better, but I love you dad!

It WAS very nice seeing the whole family again and experiencing a spritual time with them.

First Snow of the Year

2008-11-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

Dallin with his friends, Brock and Sara, making snow forts for "battle".

Welcome Benjamin Elijah Hoxer!

2008-11-09T13:33:00.000-08:00

Here is the newest member of our family! Blair's wife had his baby on Sept. 26 and it was just such a great experience being there with my little bro.

What a special little baby he is, we are so happy to have a new cousin and nephew. We know Ben will grow up to be strong and smart and healthy. We love you Ben!

Happy Birthday Drew!

2008-11-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

Here are some belated birthday pictures of Drew's birthday.....

Skipping Rocks by the River

2008-11-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

One Sunday afternoon we took a drive up to the South Fork area to have a picnic and enjoy the beautiful Snake River.

We had a fun time playing around in the water....it was freezing!

Doug was showing Dallin how to skip a rock in the water and Drew found a buried car.

We ate some lunch, went exploring and had a great time.....Dallin even got caught off guard by a big snake that was about a foot away from him!

Apple Pickin'

2008-11-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

We finally have pictures to put up! I am a little behind, so you will be seeing things from the past few months that I am posting. Anyway, this is us picking apples from our apple tree.
Once we got all the apples picked, we worked hard making applesauce and canning it!
The boys had fun picking the apples, and had even more fun smashing the apples with the grinder and seeing all the "guts" come out.
Our applesauce turned out yummy and it was a fun time with Grandma Kammeyer!

Dallin's Darndest

2008-11-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

So last week was the Primary Program, I'm sure you are all aware. Dallin had a speaking part that we practiced over and over and over. When he got to the pulpit to say his part, he did fine until he forgot Elder Uchdorf's name. He stood there blank with an embarrassed smile on his face for a second then says quietly to himself (in the microphone so everyone could hear), "Oh, what's his naaaammmme?" and the whole congregation busted up laughing. Then someone came to his rescue and he proceeded with the remainder of his part. When he was finished he puts his mouth right to the microphone with a big old smile and says, "OK. BYE BYE!" real loud and that just topped off the whole thing. I was laughing so hard I was crying and my face was SO red! People around me were laughing and looking at me to see my reaction to that one.
Then while they were singing "Called to Serve", he was marching like a soldier the entire song. Then when it was finished, he stops marching and gives a big salute at the end.
After sacrament people were just cracking up and coming up to us and saying thanks for having Dallin here to give them a good laugh for the day! I just said, "Leave it to Dallin to entertain everyone". What are we gonna do with that little stinker?

CONGRATS LUIS!

2008-11-02T15:04:00.000-08:00

My cute sister Lindsey announced Friday that she is expecting another bubba! Here is what she sent everyone via text message. Blair thought it was just her Halloween costume. But HOOORRRRAAAAYYYY! Can't wait to see the little monster!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

2008-10-31T16:37:00.003-07:00

Well I am no longer in my 20's! OLD!

Why I Can't Vote for Obama

2008-10-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

SERIOUSLY!!! How can so many people be so blind in this country?!?!?! There is too much scary information about him and people either don't see it or don't care. To me this is a simple sign that represents many problems we see with Barack Obama and his character. I just don't get it. But, according to the media, he will be the next Pres. and this country will deserve everything it gets for being so uninformed, unpatriotic and having such terrible morals! I am definitely not saying I am perfect but I am also not running for President either. I am also not trying to be judgemental. However, I do have that right to judge who I think should lead this country, which is what we are asked to do when we vote.
Now, I should have posted this one a while back and didn't, but I think people need to get a good idea of what they are voting for. Just the description of the partial birth abortion makes me want to puke. Please read the entire post, I completely agree with it all....
And that is my soap box for the day.

Why I Can't Vote For Obama - Huntley Brown-Truth!

Summary of the eRumor:
An email from Christian music artist Huntley Brown stating reasons why he won't vote for Barack Obama.

The Truth:
Huntley Brown is a popular Christian music artist and he told truthorfiction.com that he wrote this email to some friends who were inquiring if he was going to vote for Senator Barack Obama.

Brown said that he wasn't asked if he was going to support the GOP candidate, John McCain, and that this email was primarily directed at his opinion of the Democratic candidate. He also told us that he has problems with both candidates but the differences he has with Senator McCain pale in comparisons with the ones he has with Senator Obama.

Brown did not write this email to influence public opinion nor did he expect his response to be forwarded to others which resulted in wide distribution of his opinion on the super information highway. No matter the outcome of this election, Brown told us, that as a Christian, he could be counted to support the President in prayer every day.

Why I Can't Vote For Obama
By Huntley Brown

Dear Friends,
A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an e-mail with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before but its worth repeating..
First I must say who ever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.
Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness.
I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means he leads I follow. I can't dictate the terms he does because he is the leader.
I can't vote black because I am black I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first black second. Neither should anyone from the other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I wont be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I know Jesus and accepted him as Lord and savior.
In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning to name a few wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.
We need to follow Martin Luther King's words don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I don't know Obama so all I can go off is his voting record.
His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.
NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)
To beat Ted Kennedy and Hilary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing.
Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.
There is a reason planned parenthood gives him a 100 % ratings.
There is a reason the homosexual community supports him.
There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc loves him.
There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the supreme court.
There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill.
There is a reason he voted No on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.
There is a reason he voted no on partial birth abortion.
There is a reason he voted no on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.
Lets take a look at the practice he wanted to continue.
The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedure
A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps.
(Remember this is a live baby)
B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.
E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.
God help him.
There is a reason Obama opposed the parent notification law.
Think about this you can't give a kid an aspirin without parental notification but that same kid can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.
There is a reason he went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.
Obama tells us he has good judgement but he sat under Jeremiah Wright teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wrights sermons. I wonder why now?
Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28 v 19 - 20 Go and make disciples of all nations. This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you, talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?
Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenants that said they have a
1. Commitment to the White Community
2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community .
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.”
Would you support a President who went to a church like that?
Just change the word from white to black and you have the tennants of Obamas former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.
This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discovered he went to a racist church. The church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.
A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandate. It does not matter if its a white church or a black church its still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.
Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book A Black Theology of Liberation. Cone once wrote: “Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him.
Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?
So what does all this mean for the nation?
In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing judgement.
Read 1 Samuel 8. When Israel asked for a king.
First God says 1 Samuel 8 v 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
Then God says
1 Samuel 8 v 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king
you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."
Here is what we know for sure
God is not schizophrenic
He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God.
Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.
For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say Father based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion.
He might have to nominate three or four supreme court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you.
I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this.I know I can look the other way because of the economy.
I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends.
Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,
1 Whose value system should be placed on the nation.
2 Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?
Blessings,
Huntley Brown

Take a long, hard look......

2008-10-22T16:42:00.000-07:00

http://nohussein.org/

Go to this site and take a good look. I have said it before, but there are a lot of things people really need to be informed about if they are thinking of voting for Barack Obama. So many things about him scare the pants off me and just going over the list makes me queasy. Maybe you know these things and maybe you don't, but make sure you know who you are voting for before you vote!
Anyone who is a Christian can clearly see that the things he stands for do not go along with what you believe about the Bible or Jesus Christ. This should be a no-brainer for anyone of Christian faith! Vote for things you believe are right, people!!

I knew who I was before I was finished.....

2008-10-18T19:23:00.000-07:00

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!
YOU'RE A JACOB!
You’re down to earth, easy to please and people usually enjoy your warm company.
Although you form lasting relationships, those closest to you can be put off by your
stubbornness and temper. You can also be annoyingly persistent, but you are loyal
and would bravely defend those that you love.

I think it describes me to a T.

Big Nothin'

2008-10-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would say sorry to all those who like to look at new pictures on my blog. My camera cord is acting wierd and I can't get it to connect to my computer. I ordered a new one and same thing. Not working. So, until I figure it out there won't be pictures (unless I take my card to Wal-Mart and get a CD or something-which may or may not happen anytime soon.) So there. That's the update.
Peace out!

One of Them and One of Us

2008-10-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

I got this e-mail from my grandma and I thought I would post it on my blog. I quite liked it, so here it is:

One wonders: What did Sarah Palin ever do to inspire the rage and bile that exploded on her selection by John McCain? What is there either in this woman's record or resume to elicit such feline ferocity?

What did we know of her when she was introduced?

That she was a mother of five who had brought into this world a baby boy with Down syndrome, thus living her Christian beliefs. That she was a small-town conservative who had risen from mayor of Wasilla (Pop. 9,700) to be governor of a state twice the size of Texas.

That she was a reformer who had dethroned an Old Boys' Network by dumping a sitting Republican governor. That she had taken on Big Oil, taxed the companies and returned the money in $1,200 checks to every citizen of Alaska. And that she had cut a deal with Canada to build a pipeline to bring natural gas to her fellow Americans.

And, oh, yes. She was "Sarah Barracuda" -- a fierce high school athlete, a runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, a Feminist for Life and lifetime member of the NRA. Introduced by McCain, she praised Hillary Clinton and pledged to finish her work by smashing through the glass ceiling in which Hillary had made 18 million cracks.

What, in any or all of this, is there to justify the feral attacks within minutes of her introduction? What had she done to cause this outburst? Answer: absolutely nothing.

No. Sarah Palin is not resented for what she has done, but for who she is: a Christian conservative who believes unborn children are gifts of God, even those with birth defects, and have a God-given right to life.

Normally, the press is reluctant to rummage into the private lives of public servants, unless their conduct affects their duties or they preach virtues they hypocritically do not practice.

Yet, no sooner was Palin introduced, than the media went berserk over the news that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. As one in three births in America is out-of-wedlock and Hollywood celebrates this lifestyle, why did The New York Times and The Washington Post splash this "news" on page one above the fold?

How does Bristol Palin's pregnancy disqualify Sarah Palin to be vice president? Why is it even relevant?

They did it because they thought it would damage Sarah Palin in the eyes of a Christian community they do not comprehend.

So out of bounds was the media that Obama, in an act of decency, declared Palin's family off limits and reminded the media that he was himself born to a teenage single mom.

If one would wish to see the famous liberal double standard on naked display, consider.

Palin's daughter was fair game for a media that refused to look into reports that John Edwards, a Democratic candidate for president, was conducting an illicit affair with a woman said to be carrying his child and cheating on his faithful wife Elizabeth, who has incurable cancer. That was not a legitimate story, but Bristol Palin's pregnancy is?

Why did the selection of Sarah Palin cause a suspension of all standards and a near riot among a media that has been so in the tank for Barack even "Saturday Night Live" has satirized the infatuation?

Because she is one of us -- and he is one of them.

Barack and Michelle are affirmative action, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard Law. She is public schools and Idaho State. Barack was a Saul Alinsky social worker who rustled up food stamps. Sarah Palin kills her own food.

Michelle has a $300,000-a-year sinecure doing PR for a Chicago hospital. Todd Palin is a union steelworker who augments his income working vacations on the North Slope. Sarah has always been proud to be an American. Michelle was never proud of America -- until Barack started winning.

Barack has zero experience as an executive. Sarah ran her own fishing fleet, was mayor for six years and runs the largest state in the union. She belongs to a mainstream Christian church. Barack was, for 15 years, a parishioner at Trinity United and had his daughters baptized by Pastor Jeremiah Wright, whose sermons are saturated in black-power, anti-white racism and anti-Americanism.

Sarah is a rebel. Obama has been a go-along, get-along cog in the Daley Machine. She is Middle America. Barack, behind closed doors in San Francisco, mocked Middle Americans as folks left behind by the global economy who cling bitterly to their Bibles, bigotries and guns.

Barack has zero foreign policy experience. Palin runs a state that is home to anti-missile, missile and air defense bases facing the Far East, commands the Alaska National Guard and has a soldier-son heading for Iraq.

Barack, says the National Journal, has the most left-wing voting record in the Senate, besting Socialist Bernie Sanders. Palin's stances read as though they were lifted from Reagan's 1980 "no pale pastels" platform. And this is what this media firestorm is all about. –Pat Buchanan

Big Week!

2008-09-27T19:56:00.001-07:00

Well this week started off with me starting my job. Drew also started preschool and daycare at Koala Kids Academy at Melaleuca. The first day wasn't too bad actually. Drew did fine going to school and my first day went well......very busy. This week I figured out what I was in for at these apartments. Aparently the old manager was not doing her job (which is why she was fired). There is so much work to be done and things that were never done to begin with that I will be playing catch up from who knows when plus do the current work. It is a HUGE mess there. Anyway, at least I am the rescue insead of the one that made the mess.
Tuesday was the same only I had YW right after work and dinner. Doug and the kids came with us because it was a combined activity with the boys and they wanted to come. We hauled everyone's bikes and took a bike ride around the river and it was great! Afterward, one of the girls wanted hot chocolate so we went through the drive through at Starbucks (don't tell!). They have this awesome caramel apple cider that is like drinking a hot apple pie! That was my first time ever to Starbucks, but I'd have to say they make a good drink (not coffee!!). The rest of us had caramel hot chocolates. Mmmmmmm.....But we ended up getting home kindof late for a school night with little one's so it was a long and tiring day.
Dallin has had this wierd thing going on that is way too long to explain so I'll just say he was up the ENTIRE night long on Wed. night with diarrhea and a huge throw up at the end. He has had random wierd things going on all week with last Saturday night throwing up all night. So I was up most of the night with him on Wed. and then had to get up and go to work. I took Drew to school and he finally figured out by Thursday that we were going to leave him there all day and did not want to go! So I spent over 30 minutes at school trying to calm him down and make him feel better before I left. I was already exhausted so that just made me break seeing him so upset. I was almost sprinting to the front door to get out of there before I started bawling. He was screaming when I left, reaching his arms out to me and saying, "Mom, please don't leave me! Don't leave me!!". How are you supposed to take that kind of guilt?! Especially when you don't want to leave him.
Now that I am working, I can't just up and leave for Utah anymore. My sister, Jenasie had her wedding shower on Thursday night that I had to miss......sorry Jen, I love you! But congrats anyway! (I know, I suck)
Then Friday morning Doug woke me up around 6 a.m. telling me that Blair was at the hospital with his wife, Michelle, and that her water broke around 1 a.m.. Yay, he was having his baby! So I got up then to get ready so I could visit them before I had to go to work. I am the only one on Blair's side that is here in Idaho Falls, so I wanted to be there.
Dallin's doctor also wanted a STOOL SAMPLE because of his wierd symptoms this week, so he finally had a BM that morning so it was also a rush to fit taking poop to the lab within the hour, getting ready, getting Drew to school, getting Dallin out the door, going to see Blair at the hospital and getting to work......all before 9 and Doug needed me to put a check in the stinkin' bank too.
It was the same ordeal with Drew at school that morning too, only this time I didn't make it out of there before I broke down. I felt like an idiot crying. It was one of those that you just couldn't control and I tried to hold it back as much as I could while talking to one of the teachers there, but when I got out those doors and to my car, I just lost it. It felt like I was completely abandoning him. It was not this hard with Dallin when he went to daycare. This is bad.
So I get to work. Same old shniznit. Tons to do. Then at lunch time I had to go get Dallin from school because he wasn't feeling well. I had to call in with a sick kid for the rest of the day because Doug was in Island Park......too far away. Luckily I was able to be there when Blair had his baby.
That was the highlight of the week, of course! Oh, Blair was awesome! I was so dang proud of him. He was so good with Michelle, a great cheerleader and so supportive and loving to her. It was Blair in his best moment yet if you ask me. When that baby came, he was so happy and got all emotional. I can tell he is very excited to have his little man here. They are naming him Benjamin Elijah Hoxer. He was 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 inches. He was adorable! What a great moment being there with him in all his glory! I was proud. It is so touching seeing a little baby that was just in the presence of Heavenly Father. What a spirit that is there!
So my Dad and Marnae and my Mom came up too. Mom stayed the night at our house and was able to be here for Drew's birthday, which was today!
Drew. What a big boy he is! He turned 3 today and now I am going to cry again.....here we go. I don't like my babies growing up! He is so precious and small and happy and loving. They just don't stay that way forever. But, I am so proud to have him as my son and I love him with all I have. So happy birthday, Drew!
He got a fun package in the mail from Grandma and Grandpa Hoxer. That was so exciting for him! He also got a John Deere truck with a trailer that carries a tractor. (Same kind of thing he always wants......he likes those things the best). He also got a real cool Step 2 train table with a train that also has a table cover that they can use to color or do activities on. It is perfect for him and he loves it! That was courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Kammeyer.
So, needless to say, it was an exhausting week and I am pooped! Going to bed......
I'll post pictures as soon as my camera will cooperate with me!

Did you know the Caldwell boys could do this???

2008-09-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

I always knew my boys were talented, but this tops it all!

Here is a tribute to my Dad and Marnae.......doing what they do best!!!!! (As Doug would say, "Larry 'Dancey Boots' Hoxer")

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Working.

2008-09-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

So I got a job. It is at Palisades Park Apartments in Idaho Falls. I am the Manager. I start on Monday the 22nd. I don't have much to say, but I thought I would post that I got a job. Fun times.

2008-09-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post the pictures we took tonight for young women's. We split into teams and had a picture scavanger hunt. We had a list of things we had to do or things that had to be in the pictures we took.
We had to have one of the girls making funny faces, one with a cowboy hat, one in or on a grocery cart, one with ducks, one on a trampoline, one on a slide and one in front of a flagpole
My team was Megan, Kandis and Ali and we had a blast driving around town as fast as we could (and running a few stop signs along the way-not on purpose!). We made a couple of wild U-turns too.
We did some running to get to some of the spots and do you think I could keep up with them??!!
I think we got some great shots! I'll post the other "cheater" team's pictures if I get them.
We called them cheaters because we thought we had to actually have real ducks in the picture, but they took a picture in front of ducks on a shower curtain! Our team went clear out to the river to get those REAL ducks. Makes for a better picture though!
Since we called them cheaters, they called us losers. I guess if the shoe fits.......
Well, it was lots of fun and hopefully you all enjoy the pictures! In case you are one of the girls, look up on my blog archive, there are some youth conference pics too!
That was fun guys!

Grandma Caldwell's Visit

2008-09-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to have Grandma Caldwell come up for a few days just before school started. She brought Dallin's favorite cousin, Amanda, with her so the kids could spend some time together.
It is always nice when Grandma comes. The kids adore her and Doug and I especially love having her cooking skills here! She made this fabulous apple dessert one night. (I know, what kind of host am I anyway having her cook?!?) But she is so much better than me!
I like to have her in the kitchen with me because she has so many good pointers and usually teaches me several tricks I never knew before. Heaven knows I need it!
Anyway, one evening we took the kids to a park here that has this big grassy hill. We got some ice blocks and let the kids go down the hill on the ice and they loved it!
It was a little hard for them to balance on the blocks, but I think they still had a good time. Doug loves having his "Momma" here, he is definitely a mommma's boy. We all love her and appreciate everything she does for our family and all the love she shows us! Thanks, Carol!

More of the Darndest......

2008-09-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple more funny things Drew said just today.
First was this morning when we were in the bathroom. I was getting on his case for something and he says to me, "Mom, you need to control yourself". Ok, seriously? I can't believe he said that to me! What a little bossy man!
And just now he says to me, "I kissed Nae Nae all night long"! What the heck? Nae Nae is what we call his little cousin, Naomi. Why in the world would a two (almost 3) year old be doing talking about kissing his cousin? And all night long? Where would he get this idea? I am really going to have to watch this one......

Trained!

2008-09-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

Drew is officially potty trained!!! This was easier than I thought it was going to be. I haven't really been pushing to have him go in the potty on a regular basis because when I did try, he didn't want to. Because he was so uniterested I haven't put my heart into it until this past week.
Last saturday night, Doug and I went to the dollar store and picked out a ton of cheap little toys and some small candies that we put in a "surprise" bucket that Drew could pick from if he went potty on the toilet. When we got it home and showed him, he didn't really get it.
Naturally he wanted the toys and treats so we told him he could only have one if he went potty on the toilet. Well, he wanted to go right away! Sure enough, the next morning he remembered the "surprise" box and asked to go potty again.
We didn't even have to remind him at all from then on out. He was trying to go like every 15 minutes at first just to get the surprise, but I'd rather him go often than not at all! He is now just going when he needs to and it has been a wonderful week for him! He only had one accident the entire week, which I thought was great. We are now entirely comfortable letting him wear his "big boy undies" all day. He has even had a couple of dry nights too.

When he goes though, he expects that treat. Now, how to get away from giving him a surprise every time he goes potty.......? I didn't really think of that, but I'm sure we will figure it out. I'm just glad we don't have to buy diapers anymore!

I am

2008-09-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am..

i am: always tired
i think: as little as possible
i know: a lot of random things
i want: to be skinny
i dislike: stupid people
i miss: having fun
i fear: losing one of my kids
i feel: like a zombie most of the time
i hear: Drew crying upstairs
i smell: like my Guess by Marciano perfume
i crave: sweet things all the time
i cry: not very often
i usually: read at night in bed
i search: for my keys on a regular basis
i wonder: if life gets any better or if I will just have to keep "perservering"
i regret: too much. I feel guilty about everything imaginable.
i love: my family and friends
i care: about other people's feelings
i always: clean my house
i worry: about money
i am not: motivated
i remember: when life was simple and people didn't dissappoint or hurt you.
i believe: I have a purpose, I just don't know what it is.
i dance: a lot less than I used to.
i sing: with the radio or to my kids at night
i don’t always: do what I know I should be doing
i argue: when I am angry
i write: on the blog
i win: random contests I enter
i lose: my mind almost daily.
i wish: I had a passion for something
i listen: to kids rambling or crying or singing all day long
i don't understand: why Doug isn't blessed more
i can usually be found: at the gym, in my bed, playing tennis or at church
i am scared: of what my mental status will be in ten years
i need: to go to therapy haha
i forget: to return movies on time
i am happy: being with my husband!
I tag: Katee, Katie, Kristina and Cherish

High School Tag

2008-08-27T15:42:00.001-07:00

1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes, as everyone knows. I went to dances and dated different guys here and there, but I was basically married to one…..
2. What kind of car did you drive? The “Eagle”. It was an Eagle Summit, like from 1989.
3. Were you a party animal? Not really, I went to the parties, but they were mostly full of drunks and I was not a drunk. Besides, being on Tigerettes and Cheerleading you weren’t supposed to be there or you could get kicked off the team. Lucky I was involved in that to keep me at a distance.
4. Were you considered a flirt? Some would say so! I got my flirt on with some lucky ones!
5. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? I was in Choral Edition a few years and sang in the choir my senior year.
6. Were you a nerd? I don’t think so.
7. Were you on any varsity teams? Drill Team and Cheerleading
8. Did you get suspended/expelled? Oh boy, yes I did! It was a funny story, I’ll tell you about it sometime. If you went to school with me, you know the story. It was headline news!
9. Can you still sing the fight song? I’m sure, I just don’t know which song you are referring to. I still have them all in my head somewhere.
10. Who were your favorite teachers? Russell, Mason, Wilkey (cuz he loved me), and my best seminary teacher, Bro. Pack!
11. Where did you sit during lunch? Not in the lunch room, that’s for sure. I bet I could count on one hand the amount of times I stepped into the lunchroom. Not cool.
12. What was your school's full name? Ogden High School
13. School mascot? Tigers (Orange and Black)
14. If you could go back and do it again, would you? Yes. I loved high school. Most fun time of my life!!!
15. What do you remember most about graduation? Just that my friend Kris sang a solo because she is the bomb! I remember our Senior All Night party more. It was lots of fun. I remember me and Tommy Aardema danced our pants off to try and win the swing dance contest, which we didn’t. So I won the single dance contest and got like $50!
16. Where did you go senior skip day? Not sure there was such a thing…..?
17. Were you in any clubs? I might have signed up for a few, but I never went. I don’t know the point?
18. Have you gained some weight since then? Yeah, I am trying to double my weight.
19. Who was your prom date? I know Jim Wilson came with me to at least one. (He was the boyfriend who was already graduated- I had to beg because it wasn’t cool to go back to a HS dance.. He came, so he must have really loved me!) I think I went with Jeremy Dickamore my senior year, and I can’t even remember the other one.
20.Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? I’m old. We had it last year and it was lots of fun to see everyone!

So there you have it. All about me 11 years ago.
I tag Stacy, Alison, Lindsey and Katee

First Day of 1st Grade!

2008-08-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

Here he is....our big boy on his first day of school today! He happens to have the best 1st grade teacher (so we hear), but not many of his friends from last year are in his class with him. I guess he gets to make some more friends! We are so proud of our sweet little Dallin, I know he will do great!!!

Dallin's New Room

2008-08-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it has taken FOREVER but we finally finished Dallin's bedroom. We basically did an entire re-do of his walls. We got it done this past weekend just in time for school so he could get himself organized again. There are still a few small things to do in there, plus add some more decorations and a window treatment, but it is basically done. Doug did a fantastic job with the molding and the idea was all his. I have to hand it to him, it looks great! I, of course, did all the painting like I always do! We had to take off the old chair rail and baseboard, fix all the bad spots, completely re-texture, prime and paint then put up the new wood all around. Pain in the butt but it was worth it. Dallin says he has the nicest room in the house now. It is a good one!

Tagged!

2008-08-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

3 Joys- My Family, the Church and tennis (at the moment).
3 Fears- One of my kids drowning, anyone dying, losing my mind!
3 Goals- Duh, lose weight, lose weight and lose weight.
3 Current Obsessions- My blog, The Secret Life of the American Teenager (I know, lame), and Tennis.
3 Random Facts- I wish I could go back to dancing again, my back hurts and I have been painting all week.

I tag Katee, Stacy and Kristina!!!

PARTY IN IDAHO FALLS!

2008-08-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

We went down to Utah last week to move Blair and his wife Michelle up to Idaho Falls with us. After he got settled in last week we went to this summer fair-type thing they have every year up here.

It was lots of fun. They had concerts, giveaways, booths, those blow up slides and mazes, an outdoor movie at dusk, and the best part of all was the BMX bike stunts. They had these guys doing some sweet tricks on bikes! It was a blast and the kids loved the bike stunts!
There was food and vendors, even horse carriage rides. And all of it was free! Good times. Here are a few pics of us. Too bad I didn't have my camera with us for the bikers, but oh well...

So that night when the concert was going, Drew was coming up with some serious dance moves. Here is a sample of the kind of stuff he was pulling, but it is nothing compared to what we actually saw. The best part was the look on his face like he was a serious rocker.
And yes, he DID pull a Michael Jackson!!!