Thursday, August 21, 2008

Vote for Bree!

Ok, if you haven't already done this, its not to late!

My sister Bree has a photo in the contest at 5minutesformom.com. PLEASE go and vote for her photo-- vote for Bree!--it is #8 Buhtafly Wings and its the cutest picture of my niece and nephew in goggles! Thank you!!! Now, go vote! Hurry! And feel free to spread the word, we really want her to win! She needs a new camera!

Pig Bowl!


I've been meaning to post this cute pic...Bryn and Marley before they cheered at the Pig Bowl (Sheriff's dept. football game & fundraiser for youth programs). They got to participate in the half-time performance with their Champion Cheer team. It was super fun, and they did a great job for their first performance! Bryn LOVES all things cheerleading right now. Kyle and I watch her and think she's definitely in her element. I'll try to post a few more pics and maybe even some video! haha!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Warning! Be careful who you tag!

Well I learned a lesson this morning...when tagging be more specific about what "tagging" means! Apparently the message I left in the comment sections at .Lovebug. and His.Beloved letting them know they'd been tagged took on a new meaning at 12:11am!

Check it out... .Lovebug.

Now I need some creative ideas to "tag" them back...anyone?

Monday, August 18, 2008

My friend Charlotte tagged me! Thanks for that! haha! I actually think i've done this once before, but thought maybe I could try and come up with some new material.

Rules Once Tagged:

1) Link to the person who tagged you.

2) Post the rules on your blog (copy and paste 1-6).

3) Write 6 random things about yourself (see below).

4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post.

5. Let them know they are tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6) Let the tagger (who tagged you) know when your post is up.


Randomness about me:

1. I love Mint 'N Chip ice cream...but only the green kind, if its not green its no good!

2. I HATE ants! I think I did actually use this one before, but it just needs to be said again! They really creep me out.

3. I like my closet to be unorganized and messy. Its easier for me to keep track of my stuff this way, and it bugs Kyle.

4. I don't like to go to bed at night with a sink full of dishes. FlyLady taught me to shine my sink and I think there was some other stuff too but that is all I remember.

5. Kyle makes the best coffee in the world, and I purposely make it bad so that I don't have to.

6. I can spend hours online reading random blogs, but finish a book that isn't Twilight related is out of the question.



Okay! I tag: Mom, Melissa, Marci, Kendra, Heidi, and Kimmy!

Friday, August 15, 2008

Where will you be 11-21-08?

I know where i'll be! Twilight (the movie) will now be released 3 weeks earlier! Yeah!! I'm so excited, it will be here before we know it!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

We miss Mars & Kelly!

Our students left on Friday the 8th. There were many tears from all of us. It was so sad to say goodbye. Kaelyn kept asking Kelly, as she was quietly sobbing in the car, if she wanted to stay. She just kept shaking her head yes. So when we get to the Church where the bus was meeting them Kaelyn says while crying, "Ok Kelly you stay here with us, Mars can go home to China". haha.

I was surprised for the tears. Kelly was always so quiet, and not confident enough in her English to try speaking to us much. So I was never really sure if she was doing alright and enjoying her time with us. I'd ask her, and she would just smile and nod. But I didn't think she fully understood what I was asking most of the time. haha. She and the girls did bond pretty quickly and wherever they were Kelly was for the most part. And now the girls really miss her.

Mars was quite a loud character. He was certainly full of life and worked hard at it enjoying it to the fullest. He loved food even more than Garret, and we never thought that possible. His feet would hit the floor in the morning and he was not only "starving" but he was very concerned about what was for lunch and dinner that day. Aside from hotdogs, I don't think I ever made a meal he "loved". His response while eating dinner was always the same, "I do not like".....and we'd tell him to not eat it then and he'd reply, "I do not like...but I eat". Sometimes even eating seconds! haha!

I know Mars did enjoy his time with us! He has this deep belly laugh that was infectious. He would attempt to wrestle with Kyle and get laughing and then we'd all be laughing. And even though we had some challenging moments with Mars he was a blessing to our home for 3 short weeks.

Our house was so quiet when we returned home from dropping them off. Titan was out to greet us, he spent the past 3 weeks hiding from Mars. Mars chased him around the house wanting to "hit him" whenever he'd come out of hiding. We had the remind the kids that yelling wasn't necessary in the house, since the noise decibel was so loud around here for 3 weeks they just got used to being loud.

We had so much fun with them, visiting the capitol, hiking at silver creek falls, floating down the creek at the farm, picking berries, art festival, walking around downtown Portland, olympic games in the park, visiting the fire station, photo scavenger hunt, swimming at the pool, and lots of shopping! Our 3 weeks were jammed packed full of fun outings and adventures and we are so thankful for our time together!

Bryn picked up some Chinese and now is ready to learn the language! Joyce, one of the teachers with the students, told me that her accent is very good and she spoke very well. When I'd attempt to speak Chinese it was usually followed by many giggles from the students. So i'm pretty sure I wasn't saying it even close!

Not really knowing much about the Chinese culture or its people, this really opened our eyes to an area of the world we may not of otherwise been interested in. But now Kyle and I are ready to plan a trip to China! Although my reason would be to learn more about the history, people and bring home a baby! haha! Not sure if Kyle is on board with that plan though! hehe! He'll come around!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Happy Birthday Bryn!

So Bryn's birthday was just one of the many crazy things we've been kept busy with the last few weeks. But I didn't want it to go unmentioned! It was a great day, we had her party at the park with lots of little people in attendance. She wanted a mad scientist theme party, that was a hard one to work with but I think we pulled it off. She requested a cake that looked like a brain, I did my best. haha. We had a few games that were science related...one was build a tower using toothpicks, tootsie rolls, and gummy bears and Bryn judged 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. And we made Brynee Boo Goo for all the kids to take home. Grandpa and Dad did the mento in diet soda experiment for all the kids to enjoy, that was wild! It shot up high in the sky! And then we ended the night with the giant slide and some baby shampoo for soapy slippery fun! Bonus the kids all smelled good after the slide! It was chilly though so the slide didn't last long before the kids were to cold. She was very excited to get her first American Girl doll, Mia! Grandma and Grandpa got her the matching jammies for her and Mia and she's worn them just about every night since! Grandma Ramsay made her a bed set to go on the bed that Kyle made for her and she loves it! Mia sleeps in her own bed right next to Bryn. So here is a slideshow of the party, enjoy! I just can't believe that my little baby is 7. Its nuts. They just grow to darn fast. She's still the "baby" of the family but she certainly isn't a baby. She's 7 going on 17. Have to be careful with this one...she loves all things "teen" and we definitely aren't ready to go there!

Friday, August 8, 2008

So much to post! So little time!

Ok, so i'm so far behind...we've been doing so much lately! I want to post it all, but that will have to wait until this weekend when things slow down a bit. Our Chinese students leave today, there will be many tears. We've had such a great time getting to know and love them all. I'll post much more about our experiences, fun, and Brynee boo's birthday! But there was one small exchange yesterday in the car between Bryn and I that I just have to document!!

It was just her and I...Garret was with a friend for the afternoon and same with Kaelyn. We were driving home and she was quite upset about not being off somewhere with a friend too, you know life isn't fair! She protested, "I hate being a single child!" Translation, I want to be off at a friends house playing, not stuck home alone. Anyway, as funny as that was it wasn't that part that was the best. She was quiet in the backseat for half the ride home then out of nowhere:

Bryn: "Mom I don't want to get married."
Me: "why not?"
Bryn: "Do I have to get married?"
Me: "No, but you have to be married to have kids."
Bryn: "I don't want to have any kids either then."
Me: "Why not?"
Bryn: "I want to have a job instead. I want to work when I grow up."
Me: "Really, what job do you want?"
Bryn: "I want to work at Petco!"
Me: "Well you can do that while you are in high school, or even college"
Bryn: "No Mom I want to work there for a very long time!"

Good to have goals I guess. Petco? haha!