Monica (3 yr, 9 mos) and Leah (9 mos) Pictures

Do I even need to say anything???

Happy 28, Ryan!!

For Ryan's birthday today, I made him my version of Garcia's Huevos Locos. The house smelled sooo yummy! For dinner, and I am so mad I forgot my camera, but I took Ryan to Tucanos and Dad came and joined us for the fun. I wish I could have gotten a picture of us all there, especially when they sang the birthday song REALLY LOUD! But then we had some friends waiting for us at the house to have an EXTREME Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream cake. I was so pleased with the outcome. It wasn't anything fancy, -- at all. But it was yummy! I chose Nutter Butters for my cookie crust. Smith's Reese's Ice Cream, Extra Creamy Cool Whip, and then topped it with crumbled Reese's cups. It was so rich, but so yum!

So thank you Nick, Candace, Joel, Holly and kiddos for finishing off the day with ice cream and friendship! We're so glad you came to help make Ryan's day special!

Guess Who Got a New Calling?

Most callings, it seems, are for our own learning and growth as we serve our brothers and sisters. But every once in a while you get a calling that is right up your alley. That's how Ryan feels about his new calling.

He is soooo excited about having been called to be the new Varsity Scout Coach! This morning, he tried on his old Boy Scout uniform. All I gotta say is, I hope our Young Men are prepared to have fun doing stuff that is NOT basketball! We're talking rapelling, confidence courses, camping, mountain climbing, wilderness survival, physical fitness, etc. Ryan is as innovative as it comes to thinking outside the box. I am excited for him!

A Few Posts in One...LOTS of Pictures!

LEAH- is crawling now. Everywhere. A couple cheerios that were at the edges of the couch that the vacuum didn't get...she got them first. EW! But she's still alive, so I think we're ok. On the bright side, they were only there since Monica was munching on them during her morning cartoon. No worries! I made a video clip for posterity. At exactly 8 months, one week, six days and 11 hours...(just kidding, I don't know the exact time.) Leah crawled without laying down before she reached her goal.

Here she is now...so proud of herself!

MONICA- has a new obsession. Hopscotch. Or, as she calls it, Hop Hooey. (Maybe Hot Poohy?) Either way, she got the idea from Tigger and Pooh. SO, today after Ryan and I finished raking the rest of winter's dead leaves, we cleaned off the concrete slab and I drew her one ULTIMATE HUNDRED ACRES HOPSCOTCH COURSE. She loves it! It was the first time in a long time that she couldn't stop giggling while I was drawing it because she was that excited.

The course. It has 63 squares!

Monica and Lumpy. For those who have not seen the new Tigger and Pooh movies in the last 5 years, Lumpy is Roo's new best friend. He is a heffalump.

"Thanks for noticin'." Monica and Eeyore.

"Oh d-d-d-dear!" Monica and Piglet.

"My friends, Tigger and Pooh, we're always there for each other."

Or- as Monica sings it- "MY FRIENDS! Tigger and Pooh, na na na where is the Tigger?"

It works.

Per Monica's request, I went back today (3/21) and did Rabbit and Darby.

RYAN- has been working hard at school but has reached a fork in the road. He recently submitted his application for a job with the FBI. This is a job that he could directly use his experience in the Army. So keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer for him that his application will see through the entire process and if it be God's will, that he gets this job. He is so ready to start his career, and I can't think of anyone more qualified for this job. As I was helping him type it all out and word it just right, I had the awesome opportunity to hear more of his experiences in Iraq. I will admit, most of them brought me to tears, but it helped me to understand more fully this man at my side. I love him SO MUCH! He is the bravest and strongest person I have ever met.

As for ME I am keeping busy being Mom. Leah's forays into mobility and Monica's growing independence keep me on my toes. I do have a little bit of spare time because (thank you Heavenly Father!) the girls take a nap at the SAME TIME, so I get almost two hours to myself everyday. So I have been reading, writing, quilting, composing, and blogging in my spare time. I couldn't be a happier mom. I have genuinely good kids and an amazing husband. I am surrounded by wonderful family members I get to see on almost a weekly basis. To channel some Chandler Bing -- Could I BE more blessed?!

It's All About ME!

I seem to be in the mood for these this week. I just saw I was tagged by Steph this time.

RULES:
1. List these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

1. I am happiest when I am involved in a project. Whether it's planting a seed and watching it grow (or die, as in most cases), arranging a hymn or composing an original tune, writing a chapter for a novel, or painting something to go on the wall...it makes me happy.

2. I used to be embarrassed to pass gas in front of other people. It doesn't embarrass me so much anymore, unless it's an NAD (Noisy AND Deadly) but I try not to out of courtesy for other people.

3. I have the deepest love and affection for the flag of this country. After having sacrificed so much for it, I can't hear the National Anthem without shedding a tear. Part of that love came from living overseas, and to be honest, I would move back to Europe in a heartbeat. There are amazing things to see there, but the US flag will always stir emotions deep in my heart.

4. I am sort of a klutz. I once missed the bus to go home in middle school because I was trying to clean out my backpack before the bell rang and dropped everything in class all over the floor. So I gathered it up and ran out to the bus. As I was crossing the last door jam thing, I tripped over the floor stop and dropped it all again. Everyone on the buses saw me and my bus wouldn't wait. Another time at home, I totally ran through a glass entertainment center door and it shattered all over me. It had just been cleaned. In college, I missed a step coming down a hill and totally tumbled headfirst onto the sidewalk right in front of a frat house. My first memory of Germany, I fell facedown on the cobblestones into the snow in front of a bus full of soldiers. I hadn't slept in over 30 hours. My jet lag that time was AWFUL. And yet another time, a little more recently, I totally biffed it at Target. I don't think their floors are even.

5. I cry at everything, and I do mean everything. A beautiful piece of music. The Biggest Loser. Wheel of Fortune. Monica telling me something sweet. Monica being a terror. Leah saying, "ma ma ma ma." Leah hitting herself and wailing. Stories of generosity. Ryan thinking he's joking and making a fat joke because he really doesn't think I'm fat, but I'm wearing my fat pants and they are tight. Ryan talking about his war stories. Funny movies. Sad movies. Romantic movies. Pride and Prejudice. Harry Potter. People Magazine. TV Guide. EVERYTHING. I'm pretty good at laughing at myself, though.

5. I'm a terrible poet. The only ones I can do are the ones that go,

"Once there was a guy named Pete,
who had horribly smelly feet.
He was resting one day,
when he heard someone say,
He should cover those toes with a sheet!"

6. I can't wait to go back to school. I would love to get a music degree, but it requires a LOT of time. So an English degree is what I am going for now. It's easy to do online, and I love to read and write ALMOST as much as I love to play the piano. So I'll go back for the music degree when my youngest is old enough to be in school. I am headed back for English this summer!!!

7. I love to play the piano or just listen to relaxing music (Enya, Lex de Azevedo, Yanni, Yo Yo Ma, Ottmar Liebert) IN THE DARK! It's my form of therapy. Of course I can't do it as much now, with kiddos, so I'll have to download it to my mp3 player. But it is like emotional/spiritual freedom. Usually, we don't like the dark. Darkness generally represents evil and danger. But in this case it blocks out the world. It blocks out the chores that haven't been done yet. It blocks out that bill that just came in the mail and it's more than you expected. It allows me to concentrate and meditate on something I want to think about and analyze from every angle. Then, when I turn on the light, I feel fresher and can attack the bill and the chores with renewed energy.

I tag Cristine Holtgrewe, Cassi Willoughby, Amanda Farrow, Eowyn Langholf, Jodi Blake, Christina Taylor, and Patty Hobbs Goodson, even though Nate is usually the blogger.

Monica, the Hairdresser

I thought this progression was so funny!

1. Monica combs Leah's hair.

2. Then she shows Leah how she looks with the mirror half of the brush.

3. Leah likes what she sees.

4. Leah shows off her 'do.

AND...For anyone who doesn't believe that Leah actually smiles (because in person, she is a very serious baby) I present the next picture.

Ryan was playing peek-a-boo around the kitchen/dining room wall and Leah got a huge kick out of it.

AND... for anyone who doesn't believe she makes a sound, (because in person, she is really quiet and content to watch things around her) I present the following video.

We have some funny girls!

FUN STORY:
Ryan took Monica to the Walmart in Rio Rancho last Friday to check it out. We think it might be closer than the Walmart by Cottonwood. Since Monica loves the scooter at Nana and Papa's, Ryan thought he would check out the price and see about getting one for her. Well, he decided he would let her choose - the toy she was playing with, or the scooter. She didn't pick the scooter, she picked a...

Hoopa-Loop!

I think it's so cute how she says it that I always pick up the hula hoop and ask her what it is. She likes to throw it around her waist, watch it drop and then swing her hips. Funny girl!

Tagged by my sis...

6 Picture tag.

Here are the directions:

Open up the 6th picture folder on your computer.

Post the 6th picture in the folder and tell the story of it.

Then tag 6 of your friends.

Christina tagged me a few weeks ago and I am finally doing it. This picture comes out of my "For Grandpa" folder. We were trying to take a picture using the timer setting on our camera so we could give a recent picture for my Grandpa's Memory Book. The book was of all his kids and grandkids (and their kids) to help him remember who belonged to who. Needless to say, this picture did not make the cut since Ryan's head is cut off and Monica's eyes were closed. But, hey, I looked pretty good! Seriously, what was I complaining about back then???

My lucky 6 that I tag are....

EMILY ABBOTT

LESA MILLER

MONICA MCBRIDE

KRISTEN TAYLOR

BECKY MELTON

SHAUNA KEMSLEY

You may say, "Oh no, you di-in't!" But oh yes, I did!

Co-op Anxiety

I joined a babysitting co-op this month and I am really excited to get started. The idea of having a safe place for my kids to go when I need it is really encouraging. I'm also excited because I think it will give me the opportunities for adult interaction throughout the week that I might not otherwise get, as people bring their kids over to play. And my shift is only one day a week for four hours?? Seriously, why didn't I consider joining sooner???

I am a little anxious though. Monica is MOSTLY a good sharer. And she is MOSTLY a good playmate. But I worry about her being mean and trying to take a toy away from someone else who just discovered how cool that dormant toy really is. And I worry about her not listening and trying to get away with things just because her friends are over. I know I will just have to stand my ground, and if she crosses the line, she'll have to do timeout in front of her friends and be embarrassed. I'm sure it won't be nearly as bad as I think it will be. Monica will probably share really well. And she probably will listen.

Because she really is a good girl!

George Edgar Tucker

Emily andChristina, I'm copying these pictures from you because my computer's CD drive doesn't work to upload a picture of my own.

Last night I had the opportunity to be with my family as my dear Grandpa George left us to be reunited with his sweetheart, Grandma Angie. Or, as we sometimes called her, Grangie. He fought a long battle with Alzheimer's and is now freed from the body that wouldn't work any longer. I will miss my sweet, kindhearted Grandpa. There were a couple times he had to pick me up from school and take me to piano lessons across town. He taught me to wave my fingers and "use my magic" to change the lights from red to green. He would tell me just when to wave my fingers and miraculously the light would change! He was also really patient with me when I didn't know any street names. My directions were more like, "Turn after the Dixie Chicks billboard and go left." Grandma Angie and Grandpa George always called me on my birthday, and special holidays, while I was living in Germany. He was so smart and Christina is absolutely, right. He made us all feel special. And when I got married, he always told me what a good pick I'd made. So I'm adding to Christina's blog...


"To flat cat pancakes, Twinkies, IBC root beer. To a man that always knew how to make the girls and women in his life feel special. To dancing girls and John Philips Sousa playing at the loudest volume the poor speakers would allow. To yellow roses marking the birth of each of my children and to the wonderful legacy of a family that this great man has left here on Earth.Give Grandma a big kiss for me."

"To Sally Harmon classics renditions, faraway birthday calls and light-changing magic. To baking powder on bee stings, generosity in a pinch, polka dancing around the living room and balls of fire. I love you Grandpa!"

Monica's First Temple Trip

Our ward's Primary had an activity at the temple this past Saturday. They gave the kids tours of the grounds and told them all about the temple. Ryan took Monica for her first trip to the temple as a daddy/daughter date. I told him to take pictures, but it was so bright outside he couldn't tell the camera was set on black and white! So here are a couple of my favorites.

Afterwards, Ryan bought Monica a CTR ring (CTR stands for Choose The Right) and took her out for some Keva Juice Smoothies. I am so proud of all she remembered from the trip. We drove by the stake center yesterday and Monica said, "That's a church. But that's not the temple."

Bow-tiquing

I've been bit.

By the bow-maker's bug!

And I want to make a rainbow set of bows for all the girls in the family. The problem is I am getting better and better at them and want to keep them all! This weekend I had a fever, though, and couldn't resist making more bows. I had a nice haul.

So stay tuned. Kuliana is going to show me how to make some other varieties of these beautiful bows. I love putting them in the girls' hair! Thank you Samantha for showing me how to make these!!!