Sequence

It's the board game of choice in our home right now.

And this is pretty much how it goes down every time we play...

1. It's boys against girls.
2. Blake gets his own stack of chips to play with on the side.
3. Blake spills all his chips on the floor, tries to stick them up his nose, stacks them up on one corner of the board, tries to inflate his empty zip-lock chip bag like a balloon, and keeps himself otherwise occupied.
4. Cooper starts off by wasting a joker to place his first chip.
5. Russell's night of exasperation with his partner begins.
6. Kendall plays well, but needs a reminder every single time it's her turn.
7. Cooper's hand is short 3 cards after his fourth turn.
8. I try my darndest to thwart Russell, who is more than capable of winning despite his handicap of a teammate (sorry Coop, I say that in love.)
9. But it's no use, the boys seem to win EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
10. So Kendall and I declare a rematch and we start all over again.

Nothing like a little family bonding time :)

(P.S. Is it just me or does Cooper's arm look like that stretchy guy's from Fantastic Four in that picture?)

Monday Confessional

It is sad to confess that once upon a time,

I thought this hair style was a good idea. 

Oh my holy awful. 

Could I have curled my layers into more perfect half-ringlets?

But I fully remember feeling very happy with my hair that day... 

the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child. 

(Shout out to all the girls who rocked Calvin Klein denim overalls in the late 90's. 

I had TWO pair.) 

InstaFriday

InstaFriday is a fun way to link up with others to show your cell phone pics from the past week (instagram pics for iphone users - regular ol' phone pics for the not-quite-as-cool folk like me.)

So here's what's been going on in my neck of the woods...

Homecoming coronation at my old school - and my kids current school - during halftime of the boys varsity basketball game last Friday night. (They did the fully decorated and dressed up presentation of the court during school that day.) My niece Mandy and nephew Ben (who are cousins) were the freshman prince and princess! 

(They're the cuties on the far left.)

Picking out carpet at Home Depot - we went with Martha Stuart's Blenheim line. Then celebrated with Yogurt Shack :)

Last Saturday Russ and the other coaches took the boys and girls high school basketball teams out on a fun day that ended with dinner at Red Robin and a movie. Which I of course invited myself along to, because hello, RED ROBIN.
It just happened to be my niece's 15th birthday that day and she does NOT like attention... so naturally we had to make sure the staff knew so she could be forced to stand on a chair and wear a coffee filter for a hat - ha ha, HA. She was such a good sport and ended up laughing a lot while up there :)

And this would be at the theater afterwards, where we managed to practically fill the entire main section, much to the disappointment of all the couples who came in after our very early arrival. It was probably a good thing they didn't end up among us though because did you know that teenagers in large groups can by quite noisy and obnoxious in public settings? It's true. 

Mission Impossible 3 was very good by the way.

Kendall at her award ceremony for playing 5th/6th grade basketball. 

Now she's on the 6th grade team that's playing in the 7th/8th grade league, which is during the same season as Cooper's 3rd/4th grade basketball, because I like to complicate my life with as many commitments at the same time as possible. (Oh wait, that doesn't describe me at all.)

What does describe me? "Basketball coach's long-suffering wife." ;)

Blake decided that Miley's freshly laundered dog bed would be the perfect spot to curl up and watch a movie from. And I have to admit it does look sorta cozy... in an "only because I just bleached it" kind of way.

 Last night I drove 35 minutes to the Walmart Superstore for an evening grocery shopping trip with my mother. The moon was so pretty on the way that we took a pic out the front window, which of course does it no justice whatsoever since it looked waaay closer and prettier in person.

The trip was fun and would have gone off without a hitch if somebody, not naming any names, but NOT me,  hadn't forgot their money and not realized it till they were checking out, and if somebody else, not naming names again, but NOT my mother, hadn't left the interior lights on in her car when she came home, resulting in a dead battery the next morning.

Like I said, pretty much a perfect evening. 

The important thing is that if I hadn't gone, I would never have discovered the newest love of my life: Cinnamon sugar spreadable butter! 

Only 70 calories for a tablespoon - which is a generous amount for my whole wheat English muffin. This little tub is going straight to the secret hiding spot at the back of the fridge, a high honor I tell you!

And now that I've included food once again in my InstaFriday post, I feel complete :)

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for reading!

Awkward and Awesome

Awkward:
- Blake playing games on my phone during his big sister's basketball game one minute, and next thing you know he's switched to camera mode and is asking parents sitting in the crowd from the opposing team to pose for him as he takes 35 pictures.

- Taking the kids to Yogurt Shack and getting sucked into the silly Nickelodeon kids show on the big screen, until I glance over at the front door and notice my 3-year-old swinging from the front door handle like a monkey, with his feet up around his ears. And that's my cue to make our exit... 

- Turning the water off in the shower just in time to hear the doorbell ring and Blake answer the door, inviting the nice carpet-measuring man from Home Depot who has shown up early inside. Moment of panic, moment of panic! And then hearing my dog who, in case I haven't already mentioned it once or thrice, is in heat and wearing PINK DOGGIE PANTIES, go spastic and jump all over the newcomer in excitement. Awkwardness was just written all over this situation - including my towel-headed and very red-faced late appearance.

- Exercising again after a break so long you can't even really call it a break anymore, and realizing that you're so unfit that you're starting to sweat and huff during the 5 minute WARM-UP. Not good.

- And then the pain, OH the pain!

Awesome:
- Picking carpet, luxurious carpet at that, for our new bedroom! And getting to pick basically whatever kind I want... because my husband is THE BEST.

- Blake's declaration while carrying Miley's foam dog bed over his head... "Mom!" he says, "I'm strong, and brave, and handsome!" Hahaha. I don't know where the kid gets this stuff, but he makes me laugh out loud ALL the time.

- The return of the original steak fries at Red Robin. Apparently our location was the test run for a cheaper-to-make version, but the cries of protest from the public (my own included) were so overwhelming that they quickly reverted back to the old kind. Hooah!! (If only Facebook would respond to mass complaints like that...)

- myfitnesspal.com, and the accompanying app on my cell phone. I'm a brand new convert (thanks to the awesome sales pitch of my friend Kourtney), and am totally loving it! Especially the little scanner on the phone app which helps me food journal by instantly adding the nutritional facts from anything with a bar code on it. Very helpful, and just plain old fun to use!

- Feeling that drive and motivation to lose weight and MEAN IT, once again. It's happening, people!

I thought he was a pirate, myself...

Kendall had a friend over the other day and this was their dress up game...

Kendall's friend was the princess, and she had a young princess daughter. 

Kendall was the servant girl, with a baby of her own to take care of as well. 

And Blake was the serving boy, who went by the self-proclaimed name of "Jim".

They entertained themselves in this imaginary world for hours.

Kids are so awesome :) 

Monday Confessional

We'll chalk this up to another one of those "well that was embarrassing" moments... those moments I seem to have way too many of...

Last week I managed to lock my keys in my car after coming home from taking taking the kids to school in the morning. (Don't ask me how, it will forever remain a mystery.) And of course I did not discover this until I went to leave to pick the kids up again that afternoon and couldn't open the door, causing me to have to place an emergency call to my sister who works in the school office to please grab my children.

(Kelly gets an emergency call from me approximately once every other week, usually of the "I'm late coming home from grocery shopping" variety, so I was relieved to at least have a valid emergency this time. And I didn't even mind that she might have laughed at me a tiny bit. Or a lot.)

My kids pick-up now arranged, I next called Russ to apprise him of the situation. He immediately asked where the extra remote was that came with the car when we bought it, assuming I'd put it somewhere safe in the house.

And here's where I invite you into my mind for a moment, to explain why I never once thought of using the remote as a back up for an accidentally locked vehicle: "I get an extra remote for my car? Cool! I'll keep it safely in a compartment IN THE CAR, in case my regular remote dies or breaks."

Yeah, Russell had trouble following that logic as well.

And then he had to get off the phone so I decided to take the initiative and call around to some towing companies to get price quotes for an emergency lockout. I was quite proud of myself for not just scheduling the first company I called, and it's a good thing I didn't because if I hadn't called a second company, I wouldn't have been asked as an afterthought, "so you don't have coverage on your insurance for this?"

And I realized that, um, "Oh yes, I do!!"

Hears a moment of silence on the other line ".... Okaaay, well you might want to give them a call first then..."

Dies a little bit inside.

But I was only embarrassed for a short moment, because, "YAY, FREE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE!"

And I won't be forgetting I have that again.

(Also, my extra remote is no longer inside my vehicle.)

InstaFriday

Well hello and happy Friday!
I'm back with another week's worth of random phone pics, which I'm linking up to Jeannett for

 1. Cooper's first basketball game of the 3rd & 4th grade season. Because I don't have enough basketball in my life! (Headed to my 6th & 7th game of the week tonight.)

2. Delicious stir fry. It's what's for dinner. 

 3. Miley dreaming of the day she can go back outside unattended and unprotected. Dream big, girlfriend! (She's in heat, not incontinent... in case you were curious.)

(And if you think that's an awkward subject to explain to your three innocent children, you are absolutely right.)

4. A favorite snack: Juanita's chips (they're the best) with jalapeno greek yogurt dip. YUM. 

5. Blake playing with his moon sand set OUTSIDE - the only safe place for moon sand. 

6. Watching snow fall outside our new bedroom window - which I am IN LOVE with. 

And that's it. Nothing too exciting - which is the usual state of things around here.
(Unless you count last night when Blake got up in the middle of the night, opened his bedroom door, pulled down his pants, PEED IN THE HALLWAY, and then put himself back to bed, dead asleep the entire time. What. The. Heck. That's the kind of excitement I could definitely do without.)

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

5 pm family snapshot

A snapshot into life at our place on a Wednesday evening.

Russ is taking a quick nap before dinner because it's the middle of his basketball coaching season, and late night basketball games + a 4:20 am wake-up time for work is not exactly the healthiest combination. 

I'm reading our small town paper that is delivered once a week, while dinner is cooking on the stove. 

(Still lovin' my Christmas apron.)

Kendall is groovin' to Just Dance 3 and working up enough of a sweat to necessitate an outfit change. 

Cooper is hard at work building a small wooden helicopter, with glue and all. 

Blake is drinking a gallon of apple juice while working on fully waking up from his late afternoon nap. 

(We try not to interact with him during this delicate time... hello, Grumpypants.)

It's not long at all before he's back to his normal happy self though - working up his own sweat. 

And Miley... 

well Miley is slightly indisposed right now and doesn't want to talk about it. 

I completely understand, Sista. I get hormonal during these times too. 

The weekend report - snowy with a side of thankfulness

Well another three-day holiday weekend has come and gone, and if the worst thing I have to complain about is the hour and a half of my life I lost watching The Smurfs with the kids for family movie night, then I'd have to say it wasn't too shabby. (I'll never get that hour and a half back though, never!)

The highlights of the weekend:
-  It lightly snowed on and off all weekend long, not enough to really stick and cause road problems, but enough to ensure maximum kid excitement.
- Russ and I started season one of Gold Rush on Netflix and are now up to episode 9 (will they EVER make the money they need to climb out of the terrible financial hole they dug themselves into?!!)
- We watched a couple of really good movies to make up for the smurfawful one (in particular Moneyball, which we reaaally liked, and The Help, which Russ hadn't seen yet and totally loved, even though he made fun of it for the first half hour solely because he feels the need to do this any time I make him watch a period drama)
- We had our TWELFTH annual family prayer day with Russ's family.


(Sings in head: Traditionnnn, tradition! Tradition!)

The kids all went first, sharing either something they were thankful for or an answer to prayer they received during 2011, and then they shared a prayer request for 2012. (Cutest request: my eleven-year-old niece Debbie wanting better time-management skills. Preach it, sister!)

Then us adults shared our many praise reports and blessings received during the past year and our few requests we have for the new year. We write them down each year so we can look back and remember how good and faithful the Lord is to us, year after year, after year. And as my brother-in-law, Tim, pointed out; looking back at the problems we faced years ago that at the time felt so big or hard, and realizing how they worked out one way or another and are now nothing we even think about, really gives you good perspective for current problems we may face.

Bottom line: It's a wonderful annual tradition for many reasons, not the least of which is that my mother-in-law feeds us all, and her cooking is amazing.

(What is not wonderful: getting an annoying tune like "La la la-la la la, sing a happy song..." stuck in your head for hours on end. Ugghh.)

Pie chart truth

Having fun on Pinterest this morning. These made me laugh... mostly because, for me at least, they are incredibly true!

Oh ha ha ho ha. 

InstaFriday

The weekly cell phone pics... linked up to Jeannett at 

What is Costco without a churro from the food court with Grandma? 

How Blake decided to ride around Costco yesterday.
He thought he was pretty cool beans. 

What's wrong with this picture? 

1. I'm a bad Auntie. An unsupervised Elijah is a disaster waiting to happen. 

2. Yes, I fed the kids dry cereal on paper towels. All my bowls were dirty, okay?

3. Could that dying poinsettia look any sadder on the table? 

The picture I sent Russ to ask if he'd like this shirt because it was 50% off. 

Proof that I do sometimes clothes shop for people other than myself. Sometimes. 

My favorite order from our local taco stand. Russ and I share these bbq pork tacos and one of their awesome chicken quesadillas. As Dora would say, Muy Delicioso!

Serious race car driving going on in the living room. 

Blake wins for best wide-legged stance, but loses for worst driving ensemble (he dressed himself, like on all other days, as if it were the middle of summer.)
And Hayden just wins period, because he has the gaming skills of a teenager. 

The pillows and wall art waiting to adorn my new master suite. I bought these at the craft bazaar I worked at last month, except I ordered the wall pieces in a larger size so they will be tall rectangles. 

And that's how I decided what my room color scheme was going to be!

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

Cousin fun

For the past two days I have pretty much abandoned all child and household duties and spent my time with my cousin visiting from New Zealand instead, helping take her out and about.

Did you catch that? Two GLORIOUS days of child and household duty abandonment! I've been having myself some fuh-unn!

Michelle was only 4 years old when my family moved to the States, and 14 years old when I saw her on my last trip back to New Zealand, so it was important to me, and the rest of my family, to spend as much time with her as we could during her very short 5 day stay in Oregon.

And I think we did quite well!

Michelle has now...

- been to the top of Mt. Hood and played in the snow

- tasted a rootbeer float

Along with my brother and Cooper - who it looks like might have been a float hog!

- seen an American high school sports game

- stood through the National Anthem

- visited our church

- shopped at an outlet mall

- shopped at Target, Walmart, and Best Buy

- Dined out at The Olive Garden

Cousin day. Michelle is my Mum's brother's youngest daughter, Kelly and I are sisters, and Linely is my Mum's sister's daughter - who also lives here in Oregon. Not confusing at all right?

- tried on a gazillion wedding dresses while shopping for her upcoming wedding in April

(NOT "the" dress)

- bought her wedding dress, veil and shoes all in one day! Mega-success!

- been to a large mall

the proud new owner of a Konad nail art kit

- bought an ipad 2

- had her eyebrows "threaded" (this was a first for me and my cousin Linley too!)

Claimed to be better than waxing or tweezing. 

- eaten at Taco Bell

- experienced the awesomeness that is Yogurt Shack

It made her want to move here :)

- enjoyed a Cinnabon treat

- driven through a bank drive-thru, and a coffee drive-thru (neither of which they have in NZ)

- had her first soft pretzel

- traveled by lightrail

- been to a NBA basketball game! (Blazers vs. Orlando Magic)

- And posed as the statue of liberty!

(We couldn't resist)

Now I can't speak for Michelle, but I can say that I had a 100% wonderful time :)

Dear Lin.. I mean.. Michelle ;) 

We all just loved you!

Thanks for letting us drag you all over

And for giving me in particular an excuse to pretend I don't have other responsibilities.

I'm sorry I kept trying to call you the wrong name. 

As we all know by now, 

it's a common problem I have.

Love ya!

Jodi

A different kind of love story

Once upon a long time ago, there was a young American man who fell deeply in love with the Lord and wanted to serve Him wherever the Lord might lead. He joined Youth with a Mission while still a teenager and left his home in the Midwest to travel the world, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in 17 countries, visiting far off places like Switzerland, Lebanon, Thailand and Turkey. He endured days without food, was thrown in jail, threatened for his faith, and saw many, many miraculous signs and wonders, doing amazing things for the Lord and loving every single moment of his live given in service to his Savior.

His travels eventually took him to New Zealand, where he was put to work fixing a ship that would sail to the numerous small islands in the South Pacific, spreading the Good News. It was only a short stay, 6 weeks to be exact, but during this time something important happened. He was offered a temporary home to stay in by an elder in a local church, an elder who just happened to have a lovely young daughter who also loved the Lord.

The young man and young woman shyly became friends, and when it was time for the young man to return to his home in the States he asked the elder's daughter if he could write to her when he was gone. This he did, and she wrote back, and they continued on until 9 months had passed and he made a bold move and proposed to her in a letter. He had to wait for her to write back her response, which was a YES, and their entire wedding and future was then planned via written correspondence, until he traveled back to New Zealand two weeks before the ceremony and they were married.

The brave young woman then traveled with her new husband half way around the world to a brand new country and family and life, far away from all that she knew and loved. She encountered the harsh Midwest winter snows, drove on the opposite side of the road, and learned what it was like to live in a culture different from her own, all while getting to know and truly love the man she had started this new life with.

After a year and a half in the States they set out on another new adventure, returning to New Zealand to attend bible college and become pastors. This they did, and the young man was ordained a pastor at the ripe age of 21* 26 years old, with a new baby in his young wife's arms.

Another year and a half later I was born. The daughter of two amazing people whom I love and admire and am thankful for every single day.

And I love their different kind of love story.

The youngest picture I have of my parents - the day I was born. 

* Okay so I didn't have all my facts straight at midnight last night when I was writing this... but you get the point - the guy was young. :)

A busy few days

I haven't blogged since last Wednesday? Really?! I guess I've had a busy few days, filled with some fun and not so fun things (see painting ahead). 

Since last Wednesday...

Cooper lost one of his front two teeth. Finally. We've only been waiting for 3 years now!

And in a very smart move, he left this note with his tooth on the bathroom counter that night. 

(Around these parts the tooth fairy can not be trusted to remember a tooth hidden under a pillow, and has even been known to forgot the one left on the counter, hence the reminder. 

_____

With the help of my cousin Linley, I taped off and painted our new bedroom and bathroom trim and baseboards for 12 HOURS STRAIGHT. (There was a lot of trim.)

That was Thursday and consequently I don't even remember Friday. 

Except that I read John Grisham's "The Litigator" from beginning to end in practically one sitting. (Which was good since I could barely move anyway.)

_____

We had our final family Christmas get-together. Santa was there!

And Kendall received her one and only dream gift that's she's wanted for ALMOST TWO WHOLE WEEKS (ever since she received a Rapunzel doll on Christmas day)...

It's Flynn Rider!

_____

My cousin Michelle arrived from New Zealand for a short stay, requiring a a lengthy visit to hear all the latest on my peeps back home, discuss her upcoming wedding in April, and Facebook stalk a few people because some things are fun no matter what country you're in. 

_____

We worshiped in the house of the Lord.

And afterwards while Russ delivered a play structure, Kendall played at a friend's, and Cooper got to go to Timberline Lodge at the top of Mt. Hood with his grandparents, uncle, and cousin, I had the great joy of applying the second coat of paint to my trim. 

Fun times.

Wish I was there, Coop!

_____

Hope you all had great weekends!