Back in the West

We finally made it back to Idaho. Our flight ended up being an hour and a half late because of the weather in Michigan but it was worth the wait. The best part of the trip was landing in Utah and seeing those BEAUTIFUL mountains. I forgot how gorgeous the mountains are.

Now that I am back home, I get to use a computer that works so I can put my pictures back on my blog. We will be doing a lot of playing so hopefully I will get a chance to post everything.

Saturday we went snowmachin' in Island Park. Cannon rode his sled and we drove up to Big Springs and fed the fish, well actually the ducks. The ducks are way faster than the fish. Cannon had a blast. The snow was all tracked up and there wasn't any fresh snow, but none the less it was still amazing to get on a snowmachine. Friday I'm heading to Utah to pick up Steve and Saturday we will be out on the sleds again.

Pray for LOTS of snow!

Biggest Bloggin Slacker

I'm just going to come right out and say it. This last month I have been the biggest slacker on my blog. I can blame it on how busy we have been and I could blame it on the weather, but to be completely honest, I've just been sick of being on the computer. So this last month I have thought up every excuse not to blog. My other excuse is not because I am lazy, but because something is wrong with our computer and I have not been able to download any of my pictures off of my camera to my computer. We are dreading spending the money to get it fixed so you'll just have to read my stories for now, no pictures. At least until we win the lottery! Just kidding. Who are ya kiddin', we can't afford lottery tickets!

So as for December, Steve finally finished up his surgery rotation and we were all grateful for that. I think the kids wondered if their dad would ever be home long enough to play, or have the energy too. Cannon was out of school for a couple of weeks for Christmas vacation and spent most of his time outside building forts in the snow pile next to our house. Karlee begs to go outside with Cannon and she actually stays outside as long as Cannon. He is a good big brother and keeps a close eye on her.

Christmas was great! We had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner with some friends. Steve was craving Prime Rib, and to our surprise they had it for dinner! I still think that was Steve's highlight. Then after dinner we picked up the missionaries and delivered some surprise boxes. We had a lot of fun carrying on the tradition from Idaho.
Christmas morning was a blast. Cannon woke up at 4:30 and we told him to go back to bed. An hour later, he was back in our room asking again. We finally gave in and let him wake up Karlee. The kids were so excited and had a fun time opening up presents.
The missionaries came back over for breakfast and we fixed them crepes with a variety of mix ins. We fixed Alfredo sauce with chicken, steak, bacon, mushrooms, onions, cheese, or for the sweeter tooth blackberries, sugar, strawberry peach jam, etc. It was awesome. We stuffed ourselves to the point we couldn't move. The rest of the day we spent playing Wii and other games and cooking Christmas dinner. Both of our missionaries were from Utah so we decided to fix them Cafe Rio burritos. And later that night the missionaries took turns talking on the phone to there parents. It was a great Christmas and we had tons of fun spending time with friends.
New Year's Eve we didn't stay up for the new year but decided we should at least celebrate a little. So we had the Olson's over and ate pizza and played the Wii. I never knew how much fun those things are. Especially because they can be played by more than one person.
This last week Cannon kind of started back to school but after one day, he became really sick and spent the majority of the week at home. Steve finished up another rotation in anesthesia and is looking forward to radiology next.

On the other hand, the kids and I are completely excited to be taking a sunny, warm, palmy vacation in the great state of Idaho. Only one week left! YEAH!

Like Father, Like Daughter

I'm sure most of you have heard the story about when my husband was little. The story about how he talked his younger brothers into greasing up there mom's carpet with Crisco, then stripping butt naked and using it as a Slip n Slide down there mom's hall-way. Well, Karlee decided to pull something like that yesterday but it didn't involved Crisco, rather permanent marker. Yes, she decided to strip naked and color all over herself with a black permanent marker. She managed to get every inch of her body, even the soles of her feet, her back, belly, legs, arms, hands and even her face. She found the marker in our church bag and colored the tile in our bathroom and got so crazy marker even ended up on the door. This all happened in a matter of minutes. I just ran upstairs to change the laundry over and then came downstair and realized how quiet it was with a funny smell in the air.

I was trying to get Karlee to show me her arms but because she knew she had been caught and was in so much trouble, all she wanted to do was hide and cry.

These pictures don't really to justice to the crime scene. Let me just put it this way, after I got her out of the bath, the tub had a ring of black around it from all of the ink on her body. We weren't able to get all of it off but atleast it looks faded and will someday disappear.
I guess I should have saw something like this coming. She acts like her dad in so many ways. I guess I was just wishfully thinking!

I'm happy to say that it finally snowed out here and actually stuck to the ground. Saturday it snowed almost all day and my kids were excited to get out and build snowmen and Cannon wanted to drive his toy snow machine in it. Steve shoveled the driveway but he started to early because at the end of the day you couldn't even tell he did.

We searched high and low, through lots of boxes before coming to our snowsuits. Karlee didn't want to be left out and was really excited to go play in the snow until she actually went outside.
I think she lasted about 7 minutes before she decided it was too cold and needed me to make hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. Doesn't she look adorable all bundled up!

Karlee was helping me decorate the Christmas tree by playing in the box that it came in. It was a short lived tree, though. Steve saw the tree and decided it wasn't good enough, so he went out and bought a real tree. I forgot how good they smell. The smell makes all of the difference.

This was a funny picture that Karlee wanted me to take of her. She brought my camera to me in the morning and said "say Cheese mommy, say Cheese!" Needless to say she has some crazy bedhead and a jam face.

Oh ya, I just wanted to tell everyone Cannon is now allergic to cookies that DON'T have chocolate chips in them. Just in case any of those grandmas were thinking of making cookies for us.

RECaP of November

Sorry about being such a slacker for the month of November. I can't believe it is over already. We have been so busy that I have been slacking on my blog. So I thought I would give you a recap in a nut shell.

Steve finished his internal medicine rotation and started a new one in surgery. He liked internal med but still wonders if it will be exciting enough for him. Surgery has been very exciting, but he feels the stigma of surgeons, being arrogate, is true. Not all are like that, of course, but a lot are and he doesn't like the idea of having to deal with people like that. He really does like the surgery part, though. Last Tuesday, (his second day of surgery) he went to work about 5:15am and didn't return home until Wednesday around 3:30pm. The kids were wondering where daddy was and if he was ever going to come home. Luckily because of Thanksgiving they let him have the rest of the week off.

As for the rest of us, Wednesday we got ready for Thanksgiving. The kids helped me make a couple of pies to take over to the Olson's. Thursday morning we spent hanging out with the missionaries and then we all headed over to the Olson's for Thanksgiving dinner. We spend the rest of the day playing Wii and looking through ads. Friday morning Skye, Allison and Michelle (Matt's mom and sister) and I went and hit lot of early bird specials. It was a lot of fun but I have to be honest the lines out here are by far the worst I have ever seen. We waited for a long time in lines and they didn't seem to be moving. But it was still fun to hang out with everyone and share the excitement on the great deals we found. After shopping we all had breakfast together and after sitting down, realized how tired we all were. Needless to say, the rest of the day was spent lounging around. Saturday our ward had a Turkey bowl followed by a breakfast. Steve and I are on activities so we spent the morning helping make breakfast. It was a lot of fun. So here we are back at Monday starting the routine all over again. Hopefully everyone had a great Thanksgiving and found some awesome deals. I'll try to be better to update my blog, but I can't promise anything, it is December now!

Can I just say, AMAZING?

The limo Pres. Kennedy was assasinated in.

Autonomy- car of the future. Made by GM
one of the first snowmobiles

hangin with the crowd

enjoyin the show

While my parents were here we went to The Henry Ford Museum. Can I just say, AMAZING? It was the biggest museum I have ever been in. We were at the museum for 4 and a half hours and still didn't see the whole thing. I took a whole bunch of car pictures for all of you folks in Idaho, Papa Steve and the boys because if you ever get the chance to make it out here, we are definitely taking you there. I didn't realize how big the Ford company really was until I toured this museum. They were involved with not only cars, but airplanes and trains. This museum had about 4 REAL airplanes, 5 REAL trains complete with a caboose, 100's of cars and bikes, old fashion furniture and the special exhibit right now is the costume exhibit that has a whole bunch of costumes that they used in movies. This museum is truly amazing.

{HapPy BiRthDay Stevie J}

Boogers are like birthdays, the more you have---the harder it is to breathe!

Today is Steve's birthday. I had to clarify in the title his family nickname because his dad's birthday is coming up too. His name is also Steve, so when he is around I have to revert to calling him his family nickname Stevie J.

Steve is not big into birthday's and doesn't like me to do anything. Despite what he says I still have a few things up my sleeve. But first off I wanted to tell him 29 things I love about him.

Why 29, because he turned 29 today!

1. I think he is the best husband ever. He understands me and knows me better than anyone.

2. I love the way he loves his kids. He is always playing, wrestling, coloring, drawing and teasing his kids and me.

3. I love how he lets me snuggle up to him with my cold hands and feet.

4. I love how he thinks I am the most beautiful person even if I haven't showered or brushed my teeth yet.

5. I love how smart he is. Everytime I ask him a question, he rarely say's "I don't know", even if it deals with random stuff.

6. I love how excited he gets when he talks about things he saw at the hospital.

7. I love how he is the best story-teller. I know he gets this from his mom and aunt Kim, but he gets really animated with his story-telling and it makes the story SO funny. Very dramatic!

8. I love how he is constantly trying new things. Food, new hair do, clothes, sports, etc.

9. I love how Steve ALWAYS thinks he is right and he usually is.

10. I love how handsome he is. He seriously is the most handsome guy I have ever met. I thought that when we got married and I realize it even more now.

11. I love how he thinks ties are the best present ever, even though most of his ties are UGLY.

12. I love how talented he is on a snowmobile. He makes it look so easy and fun side-hilling, jumping off cornis', climbing the steepest tallest mountain. But every time I try, it isn't easy.

13. I love how he has no fear of anything.

14. I love how he doesn't let people push him around.

15. I love how he stands up for what he "thinks" is right, no matter what.

16. I love how he smiles when he is being flirty.

17. I love the look on his face when I tell him something Karlee did today and it was totally something Steve would do or has done.

18. I love how he turns comments I make into something perverted by saying "That's what she said." And I can't help but laugh because after I said it, I realized what was coming next.

19. I love how he whistles while he eats. It is so funny.

20. I love how he cooks the best BBQ ribs and chicken enchilada's.

21. I love how he uses more hair products than I do. What do ya expect with a mop like his?

22. I love how mad he gets when I wear his t-shirts to bed, like a little kid, he stomps his feet and straightens his arms and legs and says "your putting booby marks in them."

23. I love how he sings in the shower. I purposley brush my teeth just to hang out in the bathroom and listen to him.

24. I love how much fun he has with his family whenever they go boating or snowmobiling. He becomes totally stress free.

25. I love how he makes me feel needed because he looses everything and thinks I know where it is.

26. I love how he never complains about anything I cook. The experimental, out of the ordinary, never looked at a recipe stuff.

27. I love how handy he is, let me clarify, Handy NOT handsy.

28. I love how he will scratch my back and tickle my neck if I stay up with him a little longer.

and last but not least

29. I love how he is willing to go shopping with me and the kids, just for the simple fact of hanging out with us. I never have to beg him to go anywhere, he is happy too.

Happy Birthday Steve. I love you and think your the greatest!

Is it for REAL?

I know it is happening all over the nation, but I just have to share my excitement. When we moved to Michigan in July we were paying about $4.37/gal for gas. I really hated to go anywhere because the cost was outrageous. It seriously would cost us over $80 dollars just to fill up ONE of our cars. We could see our money flying fast. Just last night we had to fill up our car and for 21 gallons it cost just over $40 bucks. I was amazed! I haven't seen gas this cheap in a long, long time. Now we can start putting money back in the piggy bank.

Well not really because as most of you know, we live off of borrowed money. It wasn't ours to start with.

During the summer I would go to the gas pump,and truly feel like this comic. If over night gas dropped after I fueled up, I would be so upset at myself and I think, "I could have waited one more day to save 2 cents at the pump." Needless to say I usually drive my car until it is completely empty just to rationalize my spending on gas. It drives Steve NUTS! I have a small fascination with gas prices. Every time I drive by I gas pump, I have to look at the prices. I purposely drive past the gas pump now just to see how much gas has dropped again. I know this won't stay but I enjoy it while its so cheap.

How much is gas where you live?

TuRkeY DaYs

Last week Cannon brought home a paper turkery for the family to decorate. They wanted us to work as a family to come up with the decorations. This is our finished product.

A couple of days ago, when the weather got up to 70, we strolled around the block to find the prettiest leaves. We finally got a sack full and can home to dry the leaves. Steve came up with the idea of using dried orange peel for the feet and the beak. Too make the face white we rubbed glue stick all over and sprinkled powdered sugar on top. We used black frosting for his eye and a red balloon for that thing that hangs off of there face.

We think it turned out pretty cute. What do you think?

6 days!

Okay, so yesterday was the craziest day. My mom called me early yesterday morning and said "Dad and I want to come visit you". I said "Awesome, I'll start checking for cheap flights." After jumping on the computer we started talking about the best time to visit. She said "How about next week?" I was so excited. I spent a long time on the computer yesterday bidding flights and finding the cheapest and best ticket to come to Detroit.

My parents wanted to visit my brother in Colorado so they decided to drive there and then catch a plane in Denver and head to Detroit. It was such an unexpected surprise and I can hardly wait. I love it when family can come visit. It is the best. My kids are so excited too. Karlee lately has been claiming all of the neighbors grandma's as her own. When we leave she yells "No, I stay grandma!"

Now I just have to drag Papa Steve to Michigan.

I think he's too much of a mama's boy to be that far away for a week.

PLEASE, tell him I said that too! Ha Ha Ha!