Thanksgiving Weekend Recap

What better way to recap the weekend than by sharing random pictures and random quotes?

Luke and Jon (brother-in-laws) and Rachel (niece) skyping with Nanee and Papa.

"Other than boogers, what did you eat for dinner Ashlyn?" [Papa via Skype] Nicholas, Steven, Zachary, Brandon (nephews) and Megan (niece) playing Nintendo.

"Let's put the kids to bed so we can listen to swear words all night." -LaRene [prophetically referring to the movie we were all about to watch].

Jon taking on the little ones. Their combined ages are 7 Jon, did you have to be so aggressive?

"I want to be the favorite Uncle. Austin, you want some sugar?" -Mike

Kent (brother-in-law) and Kevin (brother-in-law once removed) cleaning the kitchen. And yeah, I did make up Kevin's relationship to me. Really he's my brother-in-law's brother .

"I think there are probably rocks in it." -Ashlyn [referring to LaRene's crunchy peanut butter in her sandwich].

This is what Austin did all weekend.

"I'm just so tired of poop." -Rusty [appropriately quoted under a picture of Austin]

Naomi (niece) and Ashlyn looking terrified of Jon.

"Jon, is that the third day in a row that you've worn that shirt?" OK, no one said this, but we all thought it.

"If your self-esteem needs boosting. You can always play me ping pong." -Brittany [Oh how true that is!]

"Choosing your favorite pie is like having to choose your favorite apostle." -Luke

We're all still waiting to hear which apostle is the pumpkin pie Luke!

I am Thankful...

that I'm not the one on the roof right now!

I am thankful that I neither have to cook or travel tomorrow, and yet I still get to see family and eat good food!

I am thankful for Christmas bonuses. Even if it's just a lame t shirt.

I am thankful that I don't have to see a single palm tree decorated with Christmas lights this year.

I am thankful for Tuesday nights....(enough said!)

I am thankful for those 10 minutes before I put Austin to bed where he'll snuggle with me while I sing him lullabies and rock him to sleep.

I am thankful for all of the pictures that Ashlyn works so hard on for me. "Mommy will love it because I love her!"

I am thankful for Rusty because he's my best friend and he makes me laugh every day.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Why do I spend so much money...

on winter clothes, when Ashlyn will only wear tutus and Elmo elbow pads?

How Twilight Has Changed My Life...

Now whenever someone asks me where I grew up, instead of saying:

"Bremerton, Washington.  It's just west of Seattle."

I say...

"Bremerton, Washington.  It's just east of Forks."

How did Twilight change your life?

A Look Back...

Part of me feels like I've always been a mom, and then there's another part of me that can't believe my little girl is already three!

Happy Birthday Ashlyn!

How old are you Ashlyn?

Last year, her birthday fell on Thanksgiving day. So we flew to Maui and ate turkey sandwches on the beach. This year, she had to settle for a birthday party with the cousins AND snow. We love being close to family, but we miss being close to the equator.

Lay off the pizza Rachel!
Austin wanted cake.
Yes, I gave in.
She was feeding her new baby a bottle while trying to blow out her candles.

Twilight

I liked the movie! Can you believe it? I actually figured that I would. I like cheesy romantic movies way more than I like cheesy romantic books.

We all waited in line for over two hours, and if that wasn't embarassing enough, I had to stand next to those two! (Gold leggings are not pictured). JK! We all had a good time.

LaRene (SIL) and I

And yes, I was with the group of 20 women that screamed whenever Edward came on screen.

The Stephenie Meyer Plague

Moms can't get the flu. They just can't. So instead, I'm calling it the Stephenie Meyer Plague. I don't know what's going on with me, but I just can't sleep. I haven't been able to all week. Last night I only got three hours, tonight it might only be an hour and a half. I figure there's one of three things going on with me.

1. My body is prepping and saving itself for the best sleep of its life. As soon as the show starts tomorrow night (9:30), I'll be out. LaRene don't try and wake me!

2. My body knows that I really don't want to go. So it's going to spend the day tomorrow throwing up, so that I have an excellent reason to miss out.

or....

3. I am subconsciously SO excited about watching Twilight tomorrow that I toss and turn like a little girl waiting for Santa Claus. I'm not sure what would explain the chills though...maybe I'm trying to will my body's temperature to one of a vampire.

Yes, that's the most likely I think.

Vampires don't sleep, right?

Assume the Position

The kids are in bed. So this is what we do.

Exhibit I. Rusty on the off brand "luv sac" with his laptop.

A. That wall is in horrible need of some color. We just can't agree on one.
B. That would be laptop #2 of 3 that we have. Is it really necessary to have 3?
C. Austin's screaming from his room. It doesn't even phase us.
D. Rusty thinks he needs a haircut. We both know that he really doesn't yet, but I need atleast a month warning before I get around to doing it.
E. No cereal bowl there yet, but soon!

Exhibit II. That's me at the desk.

A. There's Ashlyn's sippy cup with a little bit of milk in it, I should rinse it out tonight because I'll gag doing it tomorrow. But we all know I won't do it tonight.
B. That's the baby gate that hasn't been set up all day. It's probably the reason why Austin tumbled down the stairs today, while I was sitting at my computer playing Scramble, of course.
C. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is playing from my computer right now. Heather's probably the only one out there that read that name without it phasing her.
D. That's the hair style post 8 PM.
E. A back up scrunchy just in case.
F. My University of Hawaii T shirt. As my team was insulted today. ;)

Dear Rusty...

Just because I've been listening to Hawaiian music this week, does not mean that I want to move back there!

So STOP looking for jobs in Honolulu!!!

Super Powers

I have super powers.  I cut out paper snowflakes better than anyone I know.

I know you're reading when you should be working.  So go ahead Mike...I dare you to leave a comment complaining about how I made you hang up 150 snowflakes at my wedding reception.  :) 

I know I once said that I magically reconnected my broken toe nail, but that was really just a nail polish trick.  The only other super power I have is that I know the ending of movies.  Rusty thinks I secretly watch them before we get a chance to watch it together, because I'm always right.

M. Night Shyamalan has nothing on me.

So what's your super power?

I Have a One-Year-Old and a Two-Year-Old

Technically they're just under two years apart.  But I have found great joy in saying that as often as possible in the last 6 weeks because people look at me like I'm crazy.  And yeah, I know that expression well.  It's the same look that I give Carol pretty regularly.  Yes, Carol.  You totally deserve that for calling me a moron!  :D

But my baby girl is going to be three on Saturday!  She's been in meltdown mode all week (and what I mean is that she's been screaming so hard she turns purple), so I'm hoping she's just getting the terrible twos out of her.  Wishful thinking, huh?

Flashback Friday

Flashback Friday is taking over for Philadelphia Friday. I'm not a huge fan of the show anymore (it's gotten pretty crude) and I needed a replacement for my Friday alliteration. Plus I needed an excuse to post picture from when I was 12.

So 7th grade, I was a dork (um, yeah. That's an understatement). I sat in the front row of Mr. Truman's Geography class and J sat next to me. J's real name was Julius. It's the kind of name you give a kid when you hope they'll stay out of trouble and become a scientist. "J" is the kind of name you give yourself when you get into trouble and have to sit in the front row next to the dorky kid.

J always sold candy to the other kids. He asked me everyday if I wanted to buy some. I thought it might boost my popularity a little bit, so one day I did. (He copied off of me enough, that he really should've waived the price).

He stealthily reached into his bag and pulled out a ziplock bag full of powder.

I could not believe that I had just bought drugs.

I shoved them into my bag and tried to forget about them. Which I did for a few days, but then while cleaning my room I found them on the floor. I was much too curious about them to just throw them away. I opened the bag and sniffed. A bunch of the powder shot up my nose and made me sneeze. At this point, I realized that I didn't just buy the drugs, but I also just did drugs! So I thought, what the heck. I already inhaled, I might as well seal my eternal fate. So I tasted....and guess what?

Crushed up smarties. I threw them away.

My Twilight Rampage

Ginger told me I should go on a Twilight rampage.  Which I would love to do, but I don't want to alienate all of my blog readers.  All of you are fans, right?  

Rampage: violent or excited behavior that is reckless, uncontrolled, or destructive.

I figured 5 'Which Twilight Character?" quizzes should do the trick.  

Not very consistent, are they?

I was really hoping that one of them would say that I was Jacob, so I could make some cheesy joke about my hairy legs.  Oh well, I hope you all find humor in the fact that I spent my entire afternoon answering questions about what kind of blood I like best.

I tag Kate P.  :D

One, Two, Three Years Ago today...

You can always tell how bored I am because the number of posts on my blog increases exponentially.

So nothing is going on today, so I thought I'd take a look back over the last three years and see what I was doing on Nov. 11. Good thing I obsessively take pictures all the time, huh?

Three Years Ago...

Here's Rusty and Jared. I would explain, but sometimes things are funner when left unexplained.

Two Years Ago...

Ashlyn and I at Mokuleia beach on Oahu. All you die hard Lost fans already know that this is where they film the show. If you're not a die hard lost fan...get off my blog.

One Year Ago....

Rusty was trying to kill himself.