Holy Crud! She's 6 already!!!

Seriously! Jenni turns 6 today!! I can't believe it! Where did the last 6 years go?!?!

ok, I'm over it now. time to brag a little!!

My little Jay-jay is not so little anymore! She is so sweet, but really has an independent side! She can be almost as stubborn as me! Ack!

Jenni came to us 10 days late- she does everything her way! She was born by emergency c-section for lack of oxygen. She was such an easy baby! She didn't cry very often, and when she did, we always were able to calm her down quickly.

When Jenni was 9 months old she fractured her skull. That night is on my top 10 worst days of my life. It was so scary. The Lord had other plans for her though, so miraculously there was no permanent damage.

Jenni says the funniest things. One of my favorite things she said: when Jenni was one we used to play the 'boo' game where we'd try to scare each other by saying boo suddenly. She was so cute at it! One day we were sitting in the kitchen, and Jenni walked in. She said all non-challantly (in an almost bored tone) "*sigh* Boo guys." It was SO funny!

I really can't believe she's 6 already. It doesn't seem like its been that long! Where does the time go??? Below are a bunch of my favorite Jenni moments, in no particular order.

She loves to play the piano, and I'm going to start teaching her soon! (She's been begging me for a few months)

We went to the park one day, and it was the first day we had our camera phones, we just happened to catch this. (And I didn't curl Jenni's hair! It used to dry curly! It was so cute!)

One of the great things about my kids is they can and will sleep anywhere! We've caught Jenni in so many funny places- but I think this may be my favorite! She just like a cat!

Jenni is a cheeser! She LOVES to smile for the camera! This is a classic Jenni face!

Again, another classic Jenni face!

Jenni dancing with Daddy at uncle Ry-ry's wedding

ok this is for sure one of my favorite pictures! Jenni was playing peek-a-boo with me and I happened to catch it! She was so much fun!!!

Another of my favorites! I don't know what it is about drawers, but my kids have a fascination with them! Joe joe did this too!! I love her face in this one!

Once upon a time we decided to move to Ohio. It didn't last more than a few days! But while we were in that part of the country we stopped at some of the church history sites. This photo was taken at Far West.

Baby Jenni!! She LOVED that swing! She would sit in it while I taught piano! She was never a problem while I was teaching- something I was so grateful for!

Jenni decided one day to dump a whole bottle of bubbles into Grandma Carol's fountain! that fountain was spurting bubbles for weeks! (although he denies it, I think Kobe might have helped!)

Jenni was a flower girl at Aunt Alicia's wedding. She had so much fun- she wore herself out!

This picture is especially precious to me now because of all that is going on with my grandma right now. But here's our 4 generation picture. Jenni loved going to see Grandma.

Jenni, Joe-joe and Steve at the fountain at the Gateway. Yeah. We had a blast!


this might just be my all time favorite. We went to Park City for emmy's birthday, and somehow I got this picture of Jenni! My super sweet Jenni I love you more than words can say! You've been so much fun to have! I'm so proud of the little girl you're growing into!

Stay good! Stay sweet! And remember mommy will always love you, no matter what!

WELCOME HOME DAVE!!!!

Just wanted to take a minute to say welcome home to our favorite soldier!!!

"Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great." -Comte DeBussy-Rabutin

"Love can survive any test- but only true love can survive deployment."

Dave, thanks for all you do for all of us. Thank you for your sacrifices and your courage. Thank you for your willingness to do things no one should ever have to do.

Thank you for your goodness, and your righteousness.

Most of all, thank you for coming home safe. Flee is one of my most favorite people in the whole world, and I know how much you mean to her. Thank you.

"He fights for freedom,
He fights for faith
In so many ways he's our symbol of strength.
Not because he wants to.
Not because he's forced.
But because he is
A Selfless Soldier."

We love you!

Time for new music!

So yeah- the chipmunks are super fun for about 3 minutes, then they just get to be a little too much! My kids sure do love them though! Time for new music!

So lately Steve has been playing the Sega with Jenni (for mom- the Sega is like a Nintendo) They play Street Fighter, and seriously- Jenni totally kicks Steve's trash! She beats him almost every time! Even when Steve cheats! She is her mother's daughter!

My Grandma has been having issues, and is ready to die. I'm going to do a whole post about it later when I'm not so tired.

Work was SO busy last night! I ended up staying until about 4:30 because we were so busy. I like it that way- but really, the first couple of hours were CRAZY! So so crazy! I didn't have a chance to even start my routine 'tasks' until almost 9. (I usually have these done before 7!) Anyway, It was super busy, and I stayed late- but I was tired so I drank a couple of Coke's, and then when I got home I totally couldn't sleep! So now it's almost 9 and I'm SO tired! And I have to work tonight! ACK! I better go take a nap! Enjoy the slower music!

Put it to a vote . . .

So, I know that this is like my 5th post in the last 24 hours, but what can you do? When you gotta blog you gotta blog!

I've decided to make a blog for my backgrounds and I am having a hard time naming my new blog. I want something catchy- that can be the url for my blog as well (which limits me since it has to be available on blogspot!)

So far here's my favorites:

[blogname].blogspot.com -- blog title

lovablelayouts -- lovable layouts
designedbychelle -- designed by chelle
preciouspatterns -- precious patterns
tweakthetemplate -- tweak the template
tweakthattemplate -- tweak that template
tweakatemplate -- tweak a template
brightenyourblog -- brighten your blog
tweekmytemplate -- tweek my template

(and yes- I know that last tweak is spelled wrong- it has to be for blogspot 'cause tweakmytemplate isn't available!)

I'm liking the tweak ones. but really I can't decide (can you believe it! Me! Indecisive!! Yeah, I know- blows your mind!)

So give me your input- which one do you like best? Or do you have a suggestion that I don't have listed?????

again, please comment!!!!!!

I'm going to give it a few days, then I'll see what the consensus it!

Good To My Baby

1. Put your music listening device on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you look.
4. Title this post what the answer to your last question is.
5. Good luck and have fun!


I had another list of songs here, but they weren't my songs- they were songs from moms ipod and Jenn's old ipod mostly, so I made a list of all my songs and here's what I got:

disclaimer- really these are the songs that came up! I didn't alter it! (except to take out the Book of Mormon and Doc. and Covenants and other scriptures cause I didn't think that was too appropriate!)

If someone says "Is this ok?" you say: "When Grandpa Comes' from The Singles Ward Soundtrack (hee hee! It's only ok for old guys!)

How would you describe yourself: 'Miss America' By Styx (I am so humble!)

What do you like in a guy/girl: 'Simplify' by Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband

How do you feel today: 'The World Will Know' from the Newsies Soundtrack (Yeah, I don't know how to make this funny)

What is your life's purpose: 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)' by Whitney Houston (If thats my life's purpose, then I'm pretty sure my life is fulfilled!!! I've danced with Steve, and I know he loves me!)

What do your friends think of you: 'If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!' by Shania Twain (Um, yeah- if you want to touch me, ask. I'll probably say no, but you can still ask!)

What do your parents think of you: 'Lucky' by Brittney Spears (I really am so lucky!)

What do you often think about: 'Respect' by Aretha Franklin (R-E-S-P-E-C-T yes. Yes I do think about it!)

What do you think of the person you like: 'Help Me, Rhonda (Single Version)' by The Beach Boys

What is your life story: 'Oops, I Did It Again' by Brittney Spears (HAAA HAAA!!! That kills me!)

What do you want to be when you grow up: 'It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday' by Boyz II Men (So I'm having a hard time letting go of my past???)

What do you think when you see the person you like: 'You're The Inspiration' by Chicago (Oh, SWEET!! Really this is what came up! I love my nubbin! He really is my inspiration!)

What will you dance to at your wedding: 'Tell Her That You Love Her' by Mixed From Emmy (A mix of songs I got from Ems. I'm not really sure who sings it, lemme find out, just a sec . . . oh, Lonestar sings it!) ((and I don't think it was on our wedding CD))

What will they play at your funeral: 'It's Your Love' by Mixed From Emmy (Um this ones by . . . Tim McGraw and Faith Hill) ((oh, thats kinda sweet!))

What is your biggest fear: 'Where You Are' by Rascal Flatts (HAAA!!! I'm afraid of anywhere you are! does that mean I'm afraid of YOU??)

What is your biggest secret: 'A Secret I Can't Keep' by Cherie Call (Hands down, this has to be my favorite! Really- I swear this was the next song- I swear!!! HAAAA HAAAAAA!!!!)

What do you think of your friends: 'The Whole Armor of God' from The New Testament Video Soundtrack (Seminary video songs) (My friends are a great example of the Whole Armor of God!!)

What are you going to name this post: 'Good To My Baby' by The Beach Boys

Yay!! That was fun!!! hee hee! The secret one . . . HA! I really did laugh right out loud when that one came up! I'm gonna go show mom how to do this! haaaa!! haaaaa! That's great!

Its official!!

Steve is OFFICIALLY employed!!!!!!!!!


WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

We're just a little excited about this! Steve is working as a Service Technician for DirecTV. They're not sure if he'll be in the Provo office of in the Salt Lake office! But either way! HE'S EMPLOYED!!!!!! And as soon as he's trained he'll be able to use a company van, which means I won't be left home without a car!!! YAY!!!

Of course, that's assuming we can get our car fixed. The place that is fixing it is saying is the distributor, but they just fixed that like 8 months ago. Although they're saying they 'have no record' of that, so now we have to find the receipt. (Which I think may be in the car)

anyway, we'll get it taken care of some how! Meanwhile~ STEVE HAS A JOB!!!!!

yay!

Fetch, boy!

So, kids really do say the darndest things!! Here's one of the funniest things I've heard lately . . .

Steve was making lunch for Joe-joe, and he asked joe-joe if he wanted chicken nuggets. Joe turned to Steve and said "I told you no! Fetch boy, do you listen to me?"

hee hee!! what a cutie!!!!

Sometimes . . .

sometimes Dad's are just so cute!!! I was at work yester-night and while in the Level II nursery (Basically our NICU) I overheard a new Dad singing to his new son. Really it was so sweet, and then I realized what he was singing- and it just struck me as really funny! He was singing 'Ye Elders of Israel'. It really is fitting- seeing as how he had a little boy, but it was just really funny to hear- in the nursery- 'oh Babylon oh Babylon . . .' hee hee!! seriously cracked me right up! What a cute daddy!!!

Well, its almost 2am, almost time for me to go home!! :) I've already done a whole bunch of other 'time-fillers' including wiping everything in a 40 foot radius down with alcohol wipes (with the exception of the babies of course!) Really, it's amazing how dirty things get! Especially in a hospital! We really are a very clean hospital, but the little things that tend to get forgotten get really dirty (like the phones that don't get used by the secretary, or the table and counter in the break room, or the microwaves, etc).

So, I got a fake wedding ring tonight (an $8.00 one from walmart) I actually really like it. Its got three round stones, the one in the middle just a little bigger than the two on the outside. It's not much, but it's nice to actually look like I'm married! I'm still anxious about my ring. I just really don't know where we're going to get the money to fix it! (since we still owe my 'rents a few months rent and we have to pay a $500 deductible to fix a broken window . . . ) at least I have a pretty one to tide me over until I can get it fixed!

ok, well I have sufficiently filled the last 20 minutes of my shift, and I'm gonna pack up and go home now!! have a wonderful day cyber sisters!

oh, and flee- I'm not sure if you got my text a few days ago or not (you know how retarded my phone is!)- so here it is again:

If you were Wanda I'd SO be your Marianne!

later!

chelle

Bummer :(

I am so sad!! A few weeks ago while we were moving I noticed one of the diamonds on my wedding ring is gone! And the ones that were next to it are loose so I can't wear it until we get it fixed! :*(. I cried when I found it! Steve called his mom's cousin in LA who made the ring and he said we could fed-ex it to him, and he'd fix it for us at cost, so thats good, but still. I can't wear it, and I have to ship it to CA! I just don't like the thought that it won't be with me!! At least it wasn't the main diamond, cause that would be real real expensive to replace!

We're still plugging away at the pile of 'stuff' we have to go through. We're doing pretty good though. Everything that the family moved over from Steve's 'rents house is all unpacked and put away. We're now going through all the stuff that was upstairs with us. Seriously, we have WAY too much stuff!!!

I'm at work tonight, but luckily my shifts have been reduced to 8 hours! I really am excited about this- since I can still have a normal life. I get off at 2 am, so I'm usually in bed by 3. I can still get up at a normal time, and I don't have to worry about sleeping in the morning before I have to work. It's nice!!!!

Anyway, I'm gonna go clean stuff now. (Like my desk, phone, computer, etc) I like to have a clean station!

Have a great night. Sorry this post was so boring! I'm just not in a super funny mood. hmmmm. I'll think of something funny to write about, and write more later!

:)

Explanations

So. I read my mom's blog, and there are a few things I need to explain.

For starters, mom said that Steve got a job. Thats not technically true. See he hasn't actually been offered the job- and we didn't really want to tell everyone until we were sure, but, you know, thanks for opening that can of worms mom!! :) (Although Steve just informed me that he did send a 'mass text' to our families- which apparently he doesn't consider me a part of!) [and Steve would also like to mention that he called me before he sent the text. so he's not in trouble!] And when he does officially get that job offer, trust me, I will MOST DEFINITELY blog about it! [And I think I'll just not tell mom so she can read it on the blog- cause then she won't be able to 'steal my thunder' as she put it!! Hee hee! :)]

Secondly I need to clarify- mom said that 'Steve and Michelle' broke the window in the garage. again, not technically true. 'Michelle' had no part in this breaking, and was even against him throwing things out the window in the first place. (Although, you could count flee in that since she wanted to see stuff 'splode too! So you could say 'Steve and Flee' broke the window, but that would just sound weird!)

Steve would like to add that when you decide to throw an old dish network receiver out the window make sure the cord isn't wrapped around the receiver, cause then it won't 'splode. And when you throw the 2nd receiver out the window, make sure the loose cord doesn't get caught on your leg, cause as Indiana Jones has shown us with his whip, when you wrap one end of a whip, or cord, around a stationary object, ie a log, or Steve's leg, the other end tends to make an arc- which in Steve's case ends up breaking a window. Eh. Whatever!

So yeah. Just thought I'd clarify that!!

Happy Birthday Annie and Rinny!!!

My cute mother-in-law and my cute friend Rinny both had their birthday today!!!

Wow. February is the month of birthdays!

So here's my shout out to my 2nd Mom and my Rinny friend!!! (And I'm not actually sure either of them read this, but Oh well!!)

Love you both with all my heart!!! :)

I'm a little bit handicapped!!!

So, I'm at work, and labor and delivery called saying they were going to section a patient and asked if we would bring the bed up. (When we do a c-section on a mother we take the bed she's going to be using on mom/baby up to the c-section area so she only has to be transferred once). I've helped someone else do this before, and I was pretty sure I could do it without help, so me, being all confident, went to the room to get the bed.

I unlocked the wheels, and started steering it out of the room. I kinda ran into the door just a little, and had to back up and try going through the door again (maybe I might have had to try 3 times before I got it right, but who's really counting???) stupid bed.

I remembered that the elevators we usually use to take beds upstairs (the staff elevators) were having issues, so I thought I couldn't use them. I thought to myself "Oh, I'll just use the regular elevators". The regular elevators are on the other side of locked double doors. I unlocked them, and fought for a couple of minutes to get the bed through. (It just really didn't want to go through!) The whole time I'm thinking "This door has an alarm on it, and if it's help open too long it will get REALLY loud!!" Seeing as how I didn't want to wake up half the unit at 11:30 pm, I tried to go faster. Which just made me more flustered! Finally, I did make it through the doors. I punched the elevator button, and the elevator came.


It was only then that I realized these elevators are too small to fit a patient bed in them. stupid elevator.


Whatever.


So, I opened the door again, and forced the bed through the double doors. (This time it was a little easier) I went down to the elevators that were supposed to be broken only to find out that they can go between the 2nd and 3rd floors, just not anywhere else (which, by the way, is really annoying!! seriously!) So I got the bed on the elevator, using my very muscular arms- heaving it over the opening where the elevator begins. (Really, it was heavy! and the wheel got stuck in the hole, and I had to lift the bed out of it, but if you lift in the wrong spot the whole top of the bed starts to come off! Jan, I think you can probably relate!!) stupid elevator again!

So I finally got the bed to the 3rd floor, and wheeled it around the corner to some more double doors (These ones are automated! bless them!) I pushed the button to open the doors . . . and nothing happened. HMMMMM.

I pushed it again, and again, nothing happened. So I walked all the way around the unit to the nurses station to ask if the doors were having problems and the secretary told me I was probably standing too close. Pshaw. So I walked back to the bed and pushed it farther away from the door, and it still didn't open. I pushed it even farther back- I had to push it about 8 feet back before the door finally opened for me. Double-Pshaw. stupid door.

So I get the bed to where I'm supposed to leave it- right in time too cause the nurse walked out just then looking for the bed (and I could hear the little baby crying!! :) oh so sweet!) I decided to use the stairs on the way back down- just because I was bugged at the elevator and decided to boycott it!

Not until I was back down at my desk did I realize that the room I took the bed out of has a broken couch in it. I was even the one who put in a maintenance request to have it fixed! stupid couch.

I am handicapped!

So instead of calling L/D I went in and fought with the couch until I fixed it. Yeah. I know. I'm ama-za-zing!

I have decided that I will no longer be moving beds all by myself- even though I've seen other nurses do it. I will just accept that this is not my forte, and I will have to ask for help!

such is life!

Mommy!

Today is Mommy's birthday!! Yay!!!

My mom is 29 again! (I know!! A medical miracle!! Who knew she would have 7 kids BEFORE she was born right!)

I absolutely love my mommy!!! I have SO many fun memories of her! I remember when I was little (grade school-jr high ish) everyday after school I would go 'cuddle' with mommy. Sometimes we would talk, sometimes we would just lay. Sometimes we would fall asleep. I remember one time, we were listening to mom's rainstorm tape (kinda like a waves tape to fall asleep to, but this one was a rainstorm). Mommy and I had both kinda dozed off. She had the tape on really loud (as usual! I think my 'rents are going deaf!) so here we are both pretty much asleep and all of the sudden there was a BIG LOUD clap of thunder. We both jumped really really high!! then we both laughed about how it scared us both! It was funny! (although looking back I don't really know why one would listen to that tape to fall asleep? I mean, why listen to something that has loud thunder claps anyway???)

I remember when I was really little (grade school or younger) my mom would sometimes drive past our house when we were on the way home. Then me or em would say "Mom you past the house!!!" and she would act all surprised and back up! hee hee! she is so silly!

Mommy has always loved animals. Or rather- mommy has always loved the thought of having an animal. Daddy being the softie that he is usually caved to mom when she wanted to get a pet, but the last few years he has started putting his foot down. On day, after mom and dad had been talking about getting a puppy, and dad saying absolutely not, mom thought she'd play a little trick on dad. While he was at work, she set out a newspaper and put a bowl of dog food, and a little bowl of water on it. Then she spilled a little of the water on the newspaper to make it look like a dog had dank there. Daddy was not thrilled when he saw it! She had a good long laugh about that!

My mommy set a very good example. I can not count the number of times I would walk in her room and she would be praying and we'd have to wait outside the door until she was done. (And if you haven't met my mom, that woman can PRAY! Seriously. Sometimes I swear I could have died from boredom waiting for her to finish. That used to bug me when I was little, but now I realize just how amazing she really is!) She used to sing us primary songs, and lullaby's. I got my love of music from her. One of my favorite songs she used to sing to us is "Babes in the Wood" (which Steve refuses to let me sing to the kids. He says its morbid . . . um, and he's kinda right. But its got such a pretty melody!!)

I remember reading a story in the New Era once that talked about two boys. One boy had a Book of Mormon that was all nice and crisp. Another had one that was really worn. The first boy saw the worn one and thought his was so much better because it was all nice, until he realized that the worn one was worn from use. I remember while I was reading this story I thought of my Mom's scriptures. Her Book of Mormon from when I was growing up is at least twice the size it used to be. The pages just don't lay as thin as they used to0 because she has used it so much. I thought that was pretty cool!

Really, there are SO many memories I could share here, so so many. But ALAS!! I need to get back to unpacking! Mommy dearest I love you! Thank you for being such an amazing person, and someone I could emulate! You're the best!



oh, and you're not allowed to die at 72. Just fyi. I will still need you then. :)! (unless of course the Lord has other plans!)

101th post!!!!!

So I got some crap from people about not giving any big news on my 100th post. See, here's the thing- I was real real tired that day 'cause Joe joe and Jenni had been so sick that night before. But I wanted to do a post just to show that I was still alive (I didn't want to have to fire myself after all!)

So I have decided to make a big deal out of my 101th post!!!

YAY 101 posts!!! OH FRABJOUS DAY!!!! CALOOH CALLAY!!!

Life is really great! We've been super busy moving and unpacking and cleaning and de-junking! (Seriously dejunking! You should see our DI pile!!! and our trash pile!!! It feels SOOOO good!!!) See so next time all our peeps have to come help us move we won't have enough stuff to furnish a small country! :)

I have been feeling SO good! My infection is pretty much gone! And really for the first time in months I actually FEEL GOOD!!!! I like feeling good!! Its fun.

So basically Life is FANTASTIC! I really really am enjoying having my own space now. It's REALLY nice to be able to put the kids to bed and close the door!

Doors-- ahh bliss!!!

So yeah. Things are great. really really great! :)

I'll post more when my house is more put together, and you know- clean and stuff. And I'll post pics too! :)

Have a fabulous day cyber sisters!

See you tomorrow . . . maybe!

(hee hee!! I couldn't resist! I'm a little bummed that we have 6 more weeks of winter though :(. I am so a summer person. I think I live in the wrong state.)