GRANDPA saves the Day

At our boys elementary school they have an annual tradition they call "Donuts with Dad". This tradition consists of inviting either your Dad, Grandpa, or Uncle to the school, before school starts, to read books and then enjoy a donut and juice. Because of Wades work schedule he hasn't been able to go with our boys, so they have taken their Grandpa Lindley. When I brought Colby home last week, with his chicken pox, the one thing he was upset about missing was his chance to go read books and have donuts with Grandpa. My adorable father-in -law knew Colby would be disappointed and called a few days ago to ask if it would be okay if he came to our house and read with Colby instead. He came yesterday morning with donuts, soda(even better than juice) and books in hand. He spent an hour reading and talking with Colby and then shared donuts and soda with Colby and Taylor. You can tell by the look on their faces that they had a great time. Once again, Grandpa saves the Day. This isn't the first time that Grandpa Lindley has come to our rescue and somehow, I know it won't be the last.

Highlights of the Past week

Monday: It was Presidents day and the boys didn't have school so, Ryan, Colby, and I went to the matinee to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. Okay I know we are a little slow. But it was a GREAT movie and we all enjoyed it . There was a guy in the theatre laughing so hard I thought he was going to fall of his seat.

Tuesday: I got a call from Sunrise Elementary at 11:35....
me: "Hello"
her: "Hi this is blah blah from sunrise elementary. I have Ryan here in the office. Long Pause
me: "Yes???"
her: (in a whispered voice) " he's throwing up"
me: " I'll be right there" I wait for Colby to get on the bus. Load up Jace (the little boy I babysit)and Taylor and head to the school. The whole time thinking. Why was she whispering?

Wednesday: Go to visit a Mom in our ward who has three girls in young women's right now and over the past few months all of them have quit coming. I won't go into all the details of the conversation. But we were basically told that.... we had failed her girls and it was our fault they were choosing not to come; but that she wasn't worried about them because they get what they need from home. Besides they are good kids they aren't doing drugs or drinking. So we have no need for concern.

Thursday: spent the day cleaning my house. After school I ran Ryan to scouts, then Colby and Ryan to piano. Then had dinner and picked up the house so a girl from our ward who is attending college could come do a "test" with Taylor for one of her classes.

Friday: Had "the girls" over for our weekly scrap booking/ lunch day. Until it was rudely interrupted by yet another call at about 2:00 from Sunrise elementary... Informing me that I needed to come pick up Colby because he has the chicken pox. (So much for the vaccine we got). When the office secretary knows you by name and you have never been formally introduced... What does that mean?

Saturday: spent a lazy morning in bed watching cartoons with Taylor then did a little housework and made some cinnamon rolls. Then at 3:00 we went to watch Ryan play his last basketball game. Typically the coach has them play one quarter then rest a quarter. But this weekend they were short a few of there players, so Ryan played two quarters in a row: And suffered his first experience with lung burn. All of the sudden he is walking over to us in a panic saying he is having a hard time breathing. We got him calmed down and encouraged him to go play some of the last quarter.But he was on serious melt down. You would have thought he was dying the way he was acting. Needless to say he is not the toughest boy you've ever meet. Wade and I were forced to leave the gym without making eye contact with anyone; Due to the overwhelming embarrassment we were experiencing. We're just glad it was the last game of the season so we don't have to face everyone again.

Sunday: wake up a 6:00 and get ready so I can make it to ward council. Come home to pick up Ryan and Taylor for church. Nobody is dressed and Wade informs me that Ryan is still in bed. I come down wake up Ryan then quickly dress Taylor. Wade says he'll bring Ryan up in a bit if he gets ready. Endured sacrament meeting with Taylor...Ryan never made it. Then came home scarfed down some nachos(great Sunday meal) and Taylor and I had a nap (heaven). We just finished our house 'picking up' party and now I'm catching up on blog stuff. Now were are going to get the boys to bed early and veg out in front of the t.v.

Recipe for the perfect Valentines Day

Those of you that went to a fancy resturant last night or spent a romantic evening with your favorite sweetie may not fully appreciate my recipe for the perfect Valentines Day... I realize that it is an aquired taste. But I have to say I have taken quite a liking to the simple life.

Perfect Valentines Day

4 Of my favorite boys in the world(no substitutions);Add, take out from a local chinese resturant(Wok on Wheels); sprinkle with a dash of NO dishes to clean up. Stir in a family movie (our choice was Swiss Family Robinson); And mix with, one giant bowl of popcorn with extra butter. Garnish with lots of laughter a few snuuggles and an early night in bed and that my friends is what I call the recipe for a perfect Valentines Day.

Don't you just love, LOVE?

I woke up this morning wondering what I could write about today and this line,which I believe is from a movie and I can't for the life of me remember which one, kept running through my mind. At first I was focused on what movie the line was from and trying desperately to picture the face of the person who had said it. When suddenly I had another thought. Truly, don't you just love, love? Don't you love the way it fills you from the inside out. Don't you love the way love makes you feel happy even giddy at times. Don't you love how love makes you feel special or like you can conquer the world. Don't you love how when you truly love someone they can understand your heart even if the words don't come out right. Don't you love the warm peaceful feeling love brings. I love how love can bridge distances and years. When you have love for someone you can overlook faults and see through their misguided efforts. When you have love you gain compassion and understanding and forgiveness and patience. When love enters your heart you have the potential to become something more, something better than you were before. I have truly come to appreciate those people who can love someone who isn't loveable, how they can somehow see through the layers of self hatred and self doubt and love them inspite of it all. And I'm thankful for people who love unconditionally... So to all of you out there .... Don't you Just LOVE, love.

Want a little French Toast with that Sugar?

What more can I say? That's MY Colby!

My Little Allstar

The previous two saturdays' I've spent sick and babysitting so I missed a couple of Ryan's basketball games. I don't know what they have been doing at practice ... or what he's been having for school lunch... but I have to say he was quite the ball player this week. He made several of his shots, did awesome at rebounding and was usually the first one down the court on defense. He even got three fouls. Now I know to some of you that doesn't sound like a positive thing.... but I think we had warped our poor boy. For years we have been telling him to take turns, play nice and share. While we still believe those are important attributes and want him to continue doing them, they don't work too well on the basketball court. We were proud of him for trying so hard.

So hears a big sound of applause for our little Allstar.

p.s. he is #32

He's not my baby anymore.

In my mind, when my boys graduate from their crib to thier "big boy bed", that is the moment they change from babyhood to little boy. It's not the giving up of the pacifier or the bottle or even the walking or the talking that changes their status, it is the night they sleep in thier "Big" bed. The only thing that stops me from sheding a tear or two is the look of pure joy that lights their whole being as they watch the crib being dismantled and their new bed being assembled.

For Taylor this was a welcomed change in our family. Although he was great as an infant about going to sleep in his crib and, as he got a little older he would even let me know when he was tired and lead me into his room and motion to me that he wanted in his bed... the past few months have been a different story. He would cry everytime we would put him in his crib to go to sleep... so we resorted to letting him fall asleep in the chair in his room or our bed and then would pack him into his bed.And then he would wake up in the morning screaming until I would come and get him out of bed. For the past 2 nights he has fallen asleep in his own bed and awoken in a much happier state. Hooray for the simple pleasures in life.

Tagged by -Claire

My sister-in-law Claire tagged me yesterday. I'm new to this whole tagged thing and am still undecided...I love reading about what others write when they are tagged so I will play along. Besides it really makes me think and refelct and that is always a good thing.
So here goes nothing....


What is the best thing you cooked last weekend? The best meal last weekend was the meal I didn't have to cook. Wade and I went out to dinner at this little diner called L.d.'s


If money, time, and babysitting were no object, where would you go and with who?
the who is the easy part...I would love to travel with my husband. The where is a little harder.

I would have to say Austrailla. My husband served his mission there and now his brother and his wife are serving as mission president there. I love hearing about the places and people there and would love to experience it first hand. I would also love to visit italy, hawaii and paris.



When was the last time you cried?
sunday... I was talking with a group of my friends and we were laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face. Okay I know that's not exactly what you were going for but I haven't shed real croccodile tears for a long time. I honestly can't remember.


List 5 things you were doing 10 years ago. 1998- I was working at ICON health and fitness as assistant manager of payroll. Living in my inlaws house while they served a mission in New York. Teaching the 15-16 year old Sunday school class with Wade. Learning to drive a tractor...What can I say Wade was desperate for help. Mothering stray kittens we found at the barn.( glad that phase passed)

List 5 things you were doing 5 years ago. 2003- Being mom to a 1 year old and a 3 year old. Taking Ryan to preschool twice a week and storytime once a week at the library. Serving as the 1st counselor in the Primary presidency. Enjoying a monthly recipe club with friends. Going to an aerobics class.

List 5 things you were doing 1 year ago. 2007- being Mom to 7- year old Ryan, taking him to basketball practice, games and piano lessons. 5-year old Colby running him to and from preschool. 1- year old Taylorgoing to weekly storytime, dealing with ear infections and finally opting for tubes . Babysitting Jace a 9- month old little boy for friends. Serving as the Young Womens President. Getting together with friends every friday for scrapbooking and lunch.

List 7 of your favorite hobbies. Scrapbooking, reading, playing with my boys, spending alone time with my husband, having lunch with friends, planning my next trip or my sister's next visit, writing on my blog.

Name 5 of your favorite foods. Pasta , chicken, chips and salsa,chocolate, fresh baked bread

Name 5 places you've been. California, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, New York, Wyoming.

List 5 of your favorite memories. Meeting Wade for the first time. The births of my three boys. Diet pepsi kegers (listening to kenny loggins) in the sand hills of Cowley Wyoming. The night Wade proposed. My wedding day. christmas break at the cabin this past christmas.

Tag 4 people (Debbi, Laurel, Robyn, Mom)

Super Bowl Party.... Of 5?

Technically, I don't know if what we had at our home on Sunday could be classified as a party...But in this house we use the term party quite loosely. My personal opinion is that anything associated with the word party just sounds better. For example, when our house looks like a natural disaster has hit, which unfortunately happens more than I would like, I say," It looks like it's time for a clean up party." Now see, doesn't that just sound like more fun than "We really need to clean this place up, it's driving me nuts." The first time we used that terminology the kids were jumping up and down and singing us praises at the idea of a party... that is until they realized what was involved in the 'party'. They don't get quite as excited now when we say that... but they have adopted a fondness of their own for the term as they have come to understand that a 'clean up party ' means they get help cleaning their room vs. doing it themselves.

It's been a long, hard day

Taylor has had "one of those days". It started this morning as we were trying to get out the door. We were in the bathroom combing Colby's hair and Taylor reached up on the counter to grab something and grabbed my flat iron. Unfortunately it was hot and he burned his finger. After two hours of wailing at the top of his lungs (not that I blame him), a dose of tylenol, and some aloe on his finger he decided he might make it. But the whole ordeal left him exhausted.