David and Jennifer

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Poppa was here and we went with our friends to McCall's pumpkin patch. I am not a photographer, so I didn't capture much of what we did...but we had fun. It was warm beautiful New Mexico weather and it was great to be outside, we did soccer in the morning, pumpkin patch all afternoon, it was pure exhaustion by the time we made it home.

Sweet Sweet Summer Fun

2011-07-22T12:59:00.000-07:00

This is in reverse order from most recent first. We have been having a lovely summer. We play hard. I don't take pictures of half the stuff we do. That's just the kind of Mom I am. My kids don't like to hold still and when I make them, most of the time the pictures are terrible. So all I can hope is that they will hold in their hearts the memories of all the fun we have every day. I do try and get a few pictures though, so when my kids grow up and swear I was a horrible mother I will have at least a few pictures to introduce as evidence in my own defense.

Girls Night Out. These are two amazing women and dear friends. My friend Megan on the far right is moving. SAD. I will miss her. It has been a privilege getting to know her. She has a fan in me, and even though our lives will now be lived in separate places I will continue to value the time we had here and the friendship we developed.

Swim lessons. I love swim lessons. I almost didn't do them this year, but I am so glad I did. Jeffrey has come a long way!

4th of July in Las Cruces with Nana and PopPop. It was a great weekend. We always love going to see my Mom and Dad. And the kids love riding Nana's horses. Even Calvin got in on it this time, he had a huge smile the entire ride and didn't want to get off
We (and by "we" I mean Dave) helped my Mom stack a load of hay while we were there. This is the closest Dave (middle, baseball hat) will ever get to being the cowboy of my dreams. That's okay, I won't complain, I adore him.
Ruby and Jeff playing in the hay barn.
Butterfly pavillion with some of our favorite friends.
Jeffrey makes awesome bug monsters with his trio blocks
Ruby's Baptism. The whole group. My camera was having problems. But this is everybody. My oldest brother Grant, and my youngest brother Ryan and his wife Clare came to be with us. And of course Nana and PopPop. LOVE these people!!!

Ruby's baptism was so special for our family. Dave and I are crazy proud of our firstborn baby girl. We think she is amazing and wonderful.

So there you have it. Five posts in one. You are all caught up on the Godsey going ons. Now go post on your blog, so I know what you have been up to this summer.

Save our Bald Eagles

2011-05-27T20:53:00.001-07:00

I read an article today that broke my heart. I'm a pretty intense person, so there are a lot of causes that I care deeply about, and find myself frustrated because there seems so little I can do to change anything. Read this article http://www.audubonmagazine.org/incite/incite1105.htm l And if you don't have time, let me sum up. Our countries most beautiful and majestic birds are being poisoned by lead ammunition. I believe in the right to bear arms, but not to destroy our wildlife with irresponsibility. Anyone who loves hunting should love the great outdoors and do something so simple as changing to copper ammunition. In some states the Audoban society will provide it to you free. Please get the word out to anyone who loves hunting or even target practice. I have family that enjoys hunting, I have no problem with it, but please use copper and help prevent the extinction of our eagles and other birds.

Homeschool Deal-ee-o

2011-05-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, for those of you who are interested in what I am up to, here's the scoop. Ruby loved kindergarten, hated first grade, hated 2nd grade. She felt like the day was too long and she didn't get enough play time, and she missed us. She was not having any problems socially or academically. Her teachers were fine, her school was fine, I just found myself wanting more time with her as I watched her childhood going by too fast. I wanted more influence in her life, and more control over her time. I had been thinking about it for a long time, and had always kept it open as an option to present her when she reached middle school (because I think middle school is evil and soul crushing) but as she continued to complain I thought about it more seriously. After Christmas break she finished a couple of weeks before I got up the nerve to finally take her out. It was as simple as walking into the office and telling them my intentions. I took her home that day and we have been educating her here ever since. I think I have missed it more than she has. I keep asking if she wants to go back and so far her answer continues to be an emphatic no. It is basically a giant experiment, I don't really know if it's the best solution. I find that there are trade offs. It is more work for me to sit down and teach a math lesson, but I have less stress overall I think. We have no more homework tears, more energy for soccer practice, and no wasted time driving her to and from school. The best thing to come out of it so far has been the friendship her and Calvin have developed. She was gone everyday until almost 4:00, then dinner, homework, soccer, etc. and she never had time for him before. She has become a wonderful big sister and loves spending time with him now that she is home more. For now it is working for us. I will keep you posted on how it's going.

Ruby Art

2011-05-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ruby has always been extremely creative, and now that we are homeschooling, she has more time for her creations. Being her mother, and extremely biased, I think her art is brilliant. (Hey Marcilyn remember x-ray bunny) This is cardboard girl. she is cut out of cardboard,has construction paper clothes and some Barbie boots. She came up with the concept all on her own. I wish I had an ounce of her creativity.

Mothers Day

2011-05-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

My Mothers Day was Happy because I am happy being a mother. I may not be the best mother in the whole world( I know many who are better) but I do the best I can. And I am having lots of fun. I do dishes and laundry and cooking so we can go back to playing. I am blessed to have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom, I get to be the one to raise my children, and I love it.

Ruby Hearts Soccer

2011-04-29T18:17:00.001-07:00

We are coming to the end of spring soccer season and Ruby has developed a love for the game. Fall season I could not have said the same thing. We switched her to a different soccer club and they didn't have a U8 team, so they put her on the U9 team with a group of girls a year older, a year bigger, who had been playing together for several years. She was not warmly welcomed. She was an outsider and she hated practice. I can't blame her. But she stuck it out, she was tough and now she is seeing the rewards. She is no superstar soccer phenomenon, but she is dang fast and starting to hold her own. Her team frequently plays U10 teams, and I have yet to see even a 10 year old beat her to the ball when she puts her mind to it. Her team now accepts her as one of their own. I was shocked when I asked her if she wanted to go to a post season practice for a tournament and the answer was yes. She would have done anything including gnaw her own leg off to get out of a practice in the fall. I am glad I didn't give up on her even though many times I was so angry I could have screamed and threatened several times to pull her out completely because I was tired of forcing her to go to practice. We love that she is starting to have a really good time. That's what makes it all worth it.

Easter

2011-04-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

We had a happy Easter with our cousins the Clarks.

How?

2011-04-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

These are the birthday pictures.
How can this little baby boy be one already? It just doesn't seem possible. It does go by faster every time. It doesn't change how much you love every bit of it though. I look at his fat slobbery face many times a day and just want to die it's so cute. Ruby loves him, Jeffrey screams at him constantly, but he gets lots of attention and affection. He is constantly busy, he is walking around and climbing the stairs. I basically just follow him around all day making sure he is safe. Watching a baby learn and grow truly is a magical thing and we are so happy he is our sweet baby guy. Happy 1st Birthday Calvin.

Nana's Birthday

2011-03-26T07:01:00.001-07:00

We went to Las Cruces last weekend for Nana's Birthday. We loved being with Nana and PopPop. Las Cruces was warm and beautiful. We rode horses, went to the Farm Heritage Museum, ate some great Thai food, and drove out to White Sands to see the Super Moon. I wish I had a picture. That moon was amazing. We had a great weekend. We love that they are only 3 hours away now, but wish they were closer. We love being with them. We hope it was a good birthday weekend for the best Nana ever.

Cally-boo

2011-03-24T21:40:00.001-07:00

This is my sweet sweet Callyboo. We love him. He is sweet and fat and slobbery. Our lives revolve around him. He is almost 1, where did the time go?

Impossible

2011-03-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

I give up. I cannot get a good picture of all three of them. This is especially funny because I have two talented sister-in-laws who are amazing photographers. I just had to post this series of pictures from the zoo. I took all of these pictures and I still don't have a good one. Trying to get a good picture of 3 children at once is IMPOSSIBLE. This is a picture of my babies riding the zoo train, or in their case, the crazy train.

Pre chewed food dude

2010-11-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

Calvin hates anything that is baby food. He will not even open his mouth. He refuses to eat rice cereal. You can't trick him. He know's its disgusting. He wants what I am eating. I have caved and am now pre chewing and feeding him slobbery chunks of my food. It's disgusting, I know. But I am hoping it will be worth it and I won't have to feed him every two hours day and night. He is the cutest thing in the world. I love him every minute of every day. Here he is, big as can be, 6 months.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-05T12:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the rest of us. We went to a fun ward party Friday night and then just visited a few friends on Sunday. Jeffrey was an adorable muscle-y superman, and loved trunk or treating. He wasn't quite ready for the spook alley yet. Dave was a pirate, but somehow didn't get in the pictures.

Too cute for Halloween

2010-11-05T11:59:00.000-07:00

This girl was way too cute for Halloween. She looked absolutely beautiful as a fairy princess. Next year she needs to be a green witch with a wart on her nose. I am not ready for the boys to notice her yet.

Balloon Fiesta 2010

2010-11-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

This was a great year for Balloon Fiesta. It was nice and warm. We never went down to the official events, but we had a great time watching the balloons all week. They launched 5 balloons from the field behind Ruby's school. Nana came with us, it's always amazing to see those balloons fill up and launch. Pretty cool. We had a great view from our house this year too. Mass Ascension is at 7:00 every morning and Jeffrey made sure we knew it was happening. He loved it.

Not just 1, but 2

2010-09-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

What's cooler than one minivan? Two! The Subaru died and left us with no choice. Some people go for cool cars, but we are just flat out cool for not caring....two minivans keeps our family motoring around town in luxurious minivan style. Stop being jealous right now.

Our new house

2010-09-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is our new house. 6,000 square feet of custom perfection. Granite counter tops, spacious rooms, jetted tubs, exquisite views of the city lights and the mountains. And it's mighty nice of Dave's brother to let us stay in the 2 bedroom guest apartment while we look for a home. We will be here a few more weeks before we move on. And find something much smaller and not a million a dollars.

We are still alive, as of today

2010-09-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

We moved. It almost killed us, but we did it. Here we are, still alive. These pictures are proof that we are still among the living. Life is kinda crazy right now, but the days come and go, and we keep going. We are healthy and happy. The Dave and Jennifer Godsey family is good. Good and awesome. In case anyone was wondering.

Sold

2010-08-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

We have sold our home. If everything goes as planned we will be closing on Sept. 1.
Do we have a new house? Why no, no we don't. Is that kinda scary? You betcha. But we are just going to jump and see, jump and see.( that's just a little Joe vs. the Volcano for those of you who aren't from the Jeff Mann family) We are still trying to work out a short sale, but we have no guarantee. It's all very exciting and crazy. But it looks like we are at least half way there.

Summer is for Camping

2010-08-07T08:41:00.001-07:00

Jemez Springs Camping with Friends 2010

Jeffrey and Caitlin -awesome 3 yr old smiles for the camera

Ruby and Ashley
The mountain men -Clif, Dave, Kris, and Jake. It took some work to get this pic, but we did it. I think guys just don't like standing this close together.
The ladies -Melinda, Melissa, Rebecca, and me. I think we look super hot considering we were rained on all night and none of us got more that about 15 mins sleep.

Cally sleeping in the tent- I think I only get pictures of him sleeping because if he's not sleeping then I'm holding him
Ruby and her super curly rain hair
Jeff and his binky finger
The whole crew. It was a great group! We have awesome friends. We love them.
Klinglers, Kocherhans, Gordons, and Godseys
It rained pretty good the afternoon we were setting up, but then luckily cleared for the afternoon and didn't start raining until bedtime. We went to bed with a light show. The thunderstorm was directly over us. It was so loud, it was really cool. The kiddos of course loved every minute of being in the great outdoors and eating nothing but sugar. So it was another successful camping trip. We are making memories, lots of good memories with lots of good friends.

Cally

2010-07-28T06:24:00.001-07:00

Here are some more recent pics of my sweet Cally baby. He is three months old now, wow how time flies. He is already a whopping 15lbs. He loves to nurse, and most of the time can only go 2 hours before he is screaming that he is starving. He never misses a meal and his chunky thighs are proof of that. He is a super happy guy, but I wouldn't say he is mellow. He lets us know what he thinks about things. Especially his carseat. He HATES his carseat. He likes to be with me all day long and spends very little time entertaining himself, but I am enjoying it. I am taking plenty of time to just sit and talk to him and kiss his fat cheeks and remember that I only have a few moments before he isn't a baby anymore. His smile is heaven, I watch him all day just to memorize that gorgeous slobbery smile. He already tries to sit up and loves to stand. Ruby and Jeffrey have finally taken an interest now that he cries less and they often fight over who is allowed to cuddle him or touch his bouncy seat. I have found life with 3 children to be busy, but it's beautiful.

Las Cruces with Mom and Dad

2010-07-27T07:22:00.000-07:00

View of the valley from our campsite

Calvin Hiking with PopPop

David and Jeffrey on our hike

Start of our Hike

Jeffrey and his lizard

This is how Calvin goes camping

Roo and Daddy

Dave on our stop at White Sands

swimming at Nana's Pool

Nana and Calvin "swimming"

Nana and Jeffrey on Dixie

Ruby on Dixie

Nana and PopPop are living in Las Cruces now and we love having them closer. Jeffrey and Ruby love getting to see them more often. Last month we went down and stayed for a week and then Dave joined us and we went camping. During our week with Nana and PopPop we spent our time swimming, riding horses, and shopping. We had lots of fun. At the end of the week we went camping. We had planned on going to Cloudcroft, but after driving there it was raining too hard to stay and we came back. Luckily my Dad remembered a campsite that was on the way home and we stopped there. It was beautiful and we ended up staying a couple of nights. PopPop helped the kids catch lizards, we looked at a sky full of stars, made smores, played uno, went for a hike, and enjoyed the great outdoors together.

Sweet Cheeks

2010-05-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

If you thought his cheeks were big before....check out these cheeks. They are getting bigger by the minute.

Because you haven't seen enough Calvin

2010-05-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Mark has a fancy camera and is getting pretty good as a photographer. He offered to come by and take some pictures:

Who's Who Part 2

2010-05-03T18:23:00.001-07:00

This first on is just for fun .... can believe how much they have changed in 3 years.

So are the following Ruby, Jeffrey, or Calvin? Let's see how you do.

Good Luck.

Who's Who

2010-05-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Match the kid below to either Ruby, Jeffy, or Calvin:

Now for some random pics of CalJam:

We don't sleep much, but we like him.

Birthday Bam

2010-04-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Aunt Camila! We are so happy that you are part of our world. Life just wouldn't be the same without you. You are a bright spot of happiness in our lives and I want you to know how much we love you. You are truly the best. I am so grateful for your friendship, and your love. Can't wait til you live closer to me, so I never have to do anything by myself again. Have a Happy Happy Birthday and know that your New Mexico loved ones are celebrating your birth.

Weapons

2010-04-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

Jeffrey can turn anything into a weapon. This is a bubble wand he emptied out on Monday and made a sword out of. He now carries it everywhere whacking things. Today he hit Ruby with it and it did not go well. He got a big fat kick in return. Both had a teary time out. His boyish ways really are cute, unless you end up getting smacked in the head with his current weapon.

Same 'Ol

2010-04-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

Just pretty much the same around her. House is still for sale, I am still pregnant, Dave is still busy, Jeffrey is still a typical 3 year old. I am ready for some big changes. It is so hard to be patient. It is so hard to have faith that the Lord is listening and answering prayers. Not just for me, but for my loved ones who are facing frustrating trials of faith and patience. They aren't kidding when they say that sometimes prayers aren't answered in our time frame. Are they ever? But in spite of it all, life is good. We are happy and healthy and at peace somewhere deep inside. That's what matters most to me.

Soccer

2010-03-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

These are scanned images ... so there are speckles everywhere.

Our JuneBug has started soccer again, and is loving it. Man is she fast .... when she wants to be. She is not our most fabulous player on the team, but when she wants to she pulls off some pretty miraculous things. Last game she scored 2 goals. She said "Dad, when can I play on offense so I can score a goal", I switched her to offense, and 20 seconds later she scored. It's fun coaching them. The most brilliant thing I discovered as a coach was that I needed to yell "Ruby Run", and she would bolt for the ball ... either running down the other team heading for the goal, or going for a goal. Apparently she needs a reminder to run.

Weekend Review

2010-03-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

We had Aunt Camila and baby Finn here for the weekend. Dad came up from Las Cruces and we all had a lot of fun being together.

Tuesday

2010-03-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

Just a regular old Tuesday. It is taking forever to warm up around here. We have stayed unusually cold. But at least it's sunny. So I sent the kids out to play in the yard. They have been playing so well together. Jeffrey is finally old enough to understand how Ruby wants him to participate in her games. He does his best to keep up. He thinks Ruby is super awesome and copies everything she does. He drives her a little nutso, but for the most part she is a patient big sister. They must both be in a good stage, because last night I was telling Dave what good kids they are. Lets just hope it lasts till I get the hang of having 3.

Birthday Boy

2010-03-08T06:41:00.001-08:00

This is really late, but here are the birthday pictures for Jeffrey's #3. He loved his birthday. This is the first year he understood and he really had a good time. I am realizing the brilliance of the birthday poster. He woke up and came out and saw his poster and balloons and streamers and knew that something was exciting. He came and got me and made me get out of bed so he could show me. He opened a few little things off his poster and ate all the candybars and the birthday kickoff was a success. Later that evening we did cupcakes (yes they are pink) and presents. He got foam swords, and racing dragster cars and then Papa came the next day and bought him the birthday favorite...a Tonka bulldozer. He carried it around for a whole week. The days sometimes go by slow, but the years have gone by fast and it amazes me that he is three. Jeffrey really is just a fun happy kid that brings so much energy and joy to our world and we look forward to all the fun that year #3 will bring our way.

An Olympic Analogy

2010-02-23T18:48:00.001-08:00

We've been watching the Olympics at our house and yesterday night as I was putting the kids to bed and Olympic analogy came to me. Even though I have my bad days I am able to stay pretty patient for the most part. I am not a spanker or a big screamer, but somewhere around 7:30 at night, something inside me starts to change. It's like I am so close to finish line I can taste it , the Gold medal (quiet time without my children)is almost mine. But I must admit that I then become the super G skier that crashes, the snowboarder that over rotates, the figure skater that just doesn't land that jump. And somewhere after angrily and roughly saying "just go to bed" I have fallen to 20th place. At bedtime, so close to the finish line, I crash and burn. I sing "I Have a Family" quickly without love, I give hugs and kisses, and I love you's, and goodnights, when really I just want more than anything to be done being a mother for the day. I even gave myself a pep talk tonight, I was going to make it to finish line in first place, I was going to follow through. But this ain't an easy event, this is parenting. This is a luge, followed by a figure skating long program, combined with a hockey game, crossed with death defying downhill skiing at ridiculous and dangerous speeds. Just when you don't think you can hold on for one...more...second.....they get out of their bed for the 100th time for a drink of water. And on the more grueling days they throw in a giant sobbing screaming fit after you thought they were down for the night. Medal placement in parenting is tough to achieve, and I am so glad I get more than one shot at it. I got a long way to go before I land it, nail it, and give my best performance. Maybe I could get me one of those Russian coaches?!

More church'in for Dave

2010-02-01T08:38:00.000-08:00

As if we don't have enough going on.....Dave was called as second counselor in the bishopric last week. Ruby and Jeffrey missed him terribly during sacrament meeting yesterday. They are not fond of him sitting on the stand. And Jeffrey cannot whisper to save his life, so everyone gets to hear how he wants to go see Dad. I kept him pretty well distracted with fruit snacks and arm tickles. They did really well. I am glad they went easy on me or I would have been on the phone with the bishop calling the whole thing off. I don't like to share my time with Dave, so I know this will be a challenge, but everyone gets their turn to give more service in this church, and it's Dave's turn.

Cheetahs

2010-01-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

Halloween costumes are never a waste of money for Ruby. She loves to dress up year round. She likes to be a cheetah and draws the whiskers on herself. This is just a regular day for our girl with a big imagination.

For Sale

2010-01-18T16:00:00.000-08:00

Our house is For Sale. We have been cleaning and working for several weeks and today we had our first potential buyer walk through. We aren't planning on moving far, we are staying in Albuquerque, but we just need a little more space for our growing family, and so Nana and Papa can have a guest room. I knows its a bad market, but we will just try, and see. If its meant to be it will all work out. If not, our house is a whole lot cleaner and more organized.

2009-12-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

I felt like doing a post, but I don't have anything super interesting to talk about. I took this last week. Pictures of my sleeping babies never get old for me. Dave and Ruby are home this week and it has been really wonderful. Lots of screaming and fighting between Ruby and Jeffy, but it's still nice that she gets a break from school and gets to be home with us. I think Jeff is going to miss her when she goes back. I of course love having Dave around as much as possible. He is just fun to have around. So even though it's been a very uneventful week so far, it's just nice having the family home together.

A Very Merry Godsey Christmas

2009-12-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas. Santa was good to us. Ruby still wants to know how he gets down the chimney, how he knows her clothes size, why he didn't buy her everything on her list, how he made her caboodles makeup case, etc. Christmas is over, but the Santa questions keep coming. The answer to all of it....Magic! Christmas is just magical. Even though I am the one who wrapped most of the presents, it's still magical to see that big pile of presents under the tree in the morning. We just love Christmas. See ya again next year Santa.

Thanksgiving in Utah

2009-12-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey playing air hockey with cousin McKenzie
My beautiful siblings Ryan and Marcilyn
Me and Jenny Cox
Dave and Ryan Cox
Aunt Marcilyn and Ruby

We spent Thanksgiving in Utah this year. I got to be with Ryan and Clare and Marcilyn. We also go to see lots of good friends. I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with anyone, but it was nice to see everyone. Thank You so much for making time for us. I only took a few random pictures. I think I only pulled the camera out twice. Sad. We spent Thanksgiving day out at Dave's brother Mike's cabin in Scofield. The Godsey's and Clarks were kind enough to let my family come along. We spent the night there and played games and watched movies. Bang! was also a big hit with our crowd. It was a wonderful vacation. If it weren't for that 10 hour drive we would visit more often. We miss you all!

Our Family (thanks Heather)

2009-12-01T20:07:00.001-08:00

We took this at the Jen's home while we were up there for Ryan's wedding. Just thought we'd share our little family with everyone. You can see the rest of the images at: http://pictures.mannfam.com/

Tis the Season

2009-10-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've got a couple of sickies at my house. No flu, just your run of the mill cough, fever, and runny nose. Today is Ruby's 3 day missing school. Albuquerque Public Schools is positively ridiculous. I call the attendance line and leave a message that she will be missing school and then I get 2 or 3 phone calls and 10 emails to me and David saying that she was out sick and that I need to contact the school secretary. I did! That's why you know she is sick. I don't need you to send me 12 reminders that my child is absent from illness. It's insane. I will never claim that APS is educating my child well.

Another Little Godsey

2009-10-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

We have another little Godsey baby on the way! We are really excited for a new baby. Ruby checks often to see if she can tell if it's growing. Jeffrey of course has no clue what I am talking about. Right now I still feel completely sick and horrible, but in the next few weeks I should be feeling well enough to get excited and enjoy my pregnancy. I have really mixed feeling about posting anything about pregnancy on my blog. I know that during times of frustration over my struggles to get pregnant I felt like every last blog had the floating baby counter that just reminded me that I couldn't get pregnant with my own. And yet I knew that they should celebrate, because every baby is a precious miracle. So I will not be posting pregnancy updates on this family blog. You can still come check in on the Godsey family without endless posts about me and the growing baby. Instead I will be posting all things pregnancy on http://justjenabq.blogspot.com/ I don't know if it makes a difference to do it this way, but it is my small attempt at sensitivity for women who like me, may at times find it difficult or painful to be faced with so much baby blogging. I look forward to preserving the experience, and if anyone wants to know more you can check in over there.

Award Winning Bread

2009-10-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, some know this little secret about me, some don't. When I was 12 years old I started making bread at the Evergreen State Fair because Dad sold Bosch and other kitchen machines. We sold the bread, but the smell is what drew people in, so we always made bread. After leaving the house at 19 years old I didn't make the bread again until Jen tricked me into it. This was probably 4 years ago now that she tricked me. The Relief Society was doing an emergency preparedness fair, and wanted someone to show what you could actually make with wheat (since everyone stores it but it seems most don't know what to do with it). So I was volunteered by Jen to make the bread ... that I had never made for her, and hadn't made for 10 years. I of course did not have a written copy of the recipe, I did it from memory since I had made it so many times in the past (I remembered it slightly wrong, but I still do it the "wrong" way since it turned out well). It was pretty hard to feel manly when the Relief Society sisters were complimenting my on my bread in the halls at church. Also, I had one comment when we had friends over and I was holding Jeffy and serving some bread that I was the "perfect Mormon wife". I didn't feel too manly after that. But I didn't let these deter me.

So Sister Fastle from the ward was taking entries for these baking activities at the fair, and wanted me to enter my bread. I almost didn't make it, I had 2 minutes to spare for getting my bread in. I entered it into two contests. The first was the Wheat Bread contest (just best straight up wheat bread). You can see the results below.

Yep, 1st place.

The second contest I entered into was the Fleishmans yeast contest. It was for any recipe using Fleishmans yeast. I just figured I'd run down grap some Fleishman's and enter for both while I was going through the trouble to enter my bread. Results below:

Yep, second place. I should have taken a picture of the winner. It was cinnamon rolls. Mine didn't come with frosting, so I was already at a severe disadvantage.

So I apparently have award winning bread. What is funny is I have been asked for the recipe, with hesitation, in case I keep it a secret. Do people really do that? Maybe I should keep it a secret .....

A little Backpacking

2009-08-31T12:18:00.001-07:00

Dave and I went on an amazing backpacking trip this weekend. This was our 10 year anniversary trip. Our anniversary isn't until November, but that is a really cold time to go on a mountain backpacking trip so we did it now. And oddly enough, it was my idea. I know that most people wouldn't find backpacking a romantic 10 year anniversary trip, but for me it was just perfect. I was alone with my husband far away from the cares of the world and surrounded by more beauty than I could even take in. We had a a day where we didn't even see another soul for a total of 10 hours. It was like we were the only two people alive. There was no stress, we did nothing but talk to each other, hike, and take it all in. I highly recommend it.
This is where we started, Panchuela Campround.

Pecos Baldy Lake

The first day we hiked 10 miles in, to Pecos Baldy lake. We had some rain and hail throughout the day, but we made it by 3pm and set up camp.

The second day we hiked 3 very hard miles over to Truchas peak (13,ooo ft)and then came back to our tent rested and hiked another 2 or 3 miles to Panchuela creek where we stayed the second night.

Day 3 we hiked our final 8 miles from Panchuela creek through Horsethief meadow and back out to Panchuela campground to our waiting car.

Gorgeous Horsetheif Meadow

We did it. It was roughly 26 miles total in three days. I don't think my calves have ever hurt so bad, but it was wonderful. And we couldn't have done it without my lovely sister Camila who willingly came and watched Jeffery and Ruby. Thanks Cam!I also have to add that I couldn't have done it without my very rough and tough husband who carried a 50lb pack so I could manage my 20lb pack. I didn't have half a chance if I had to carry more gear. He takes good care of me, even if it means carrying a ridiculously heavy pack up very steep hills after many hours of hiking. I love you, and I loved our trip. Let's do it again sometime.

Isotopes Baseball

2009-08-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

We went and did a fun family night at the Isotopes Baseball stadium. It was our very first time, and it was a lot of fun. It was an event put on by Dave's work. We went and had dinner there at the park and then watched some of the game. Jeffrey was very content to be there, even though he had no clue what was going on. Ruby had no interest at all and asked about 50 times when we were going home followed by a loud "this is boring". We managed to keep her busy with Barbie songs on the iPod. I loved it, it took me back to the Tacoma Tigers days with my Dad. Sometimes on the weekend, spur of the moment, my Dad would load us up and head out to the stadium. I can't watch baseball on TV, but there is something about being there for it that is really amazing. I love the national anthem, that crazy "announcer" voice, the clapping, the cheering. It's so all American.

First Day of School

2009-08-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

Ruby's first day of school was today. She was not a fan. She said - I don't really like 1st grade. She explained that there was no self election. Which translates into not having any play time. Ah, the harsh realities of 1st grade. Kindergarten's over sister, time to hit the books. That first day back to school is always the longest!

For Emily

2009-07-12T15:42:00.001-07:00

Hey Em,
I was only there in Utah briefly and I haven't been able to be there for you much as a friend, but I just wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I wrote this for you.

It's Too Soon

It's too soon to be okay, you don't have to be that strong.
Your heart has been broken, a little piece gone,
and it won't ever be the same.
In time you will change, you'll get used to that ache,
and more often forget that it's there,
But for now its okay to let yourself feel
the full sadness and pain of your loss.

Life keeps on going, we can't make it stop,
and we can't undo the past,
But we can take our time and carefully think
how to best heal our tender hurt heart.

Our tears and our meltdowns don't show that we're weak,
or lack enough faith to press forward.
It's proof of our love and utter devotion
to family and friends in our life.

So take all the time that you possibly need,
feeling fine can wait for tomorrow.
We love you, support you, and pray for your strength
to carry your burden so heavy.

2009-07-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

That is a picture courtesy of Ruby and this is a tag post courtesy of Brit. The lists are supposed to be of 8 things, but I am not interesting enough to complete 4 lists of 8 things so I had to modify it and there will be 4 lists of 4 things.

8 Things I did yesterday
1. Ran Errands
2. Went swimming in our backyard pool with Ruby and Jeffrey
3. Ate homemade pizza. Thanks David!
4. Watched Backyardigans like 5x.

8 Things I am looking forward to
1. My 10 year wedding anniversary in Nov.
2. Family camping
3. Lasik eye surgery
4. Touring the US in an RV - someday

8 Favorite Shows
1. Bones
2. Eli Stone
3. The Biggest Loser
4. One Life to Live - every girl has to have a good Soap

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. The Range Cafe
2. Siam Cafe
3. Dion's Pizza
4. Little Anita's (just the breakfast burritos)

8 People I tag
Uhh..... I am not completely sure 8 people read my blog.
How about Emily and Laura.

Rubys Soccer Team

2009-06-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is Ruby's soccer team at the post season barbecue back in May. The girls are Robyn, Maryjane, Ruby, Haliegh, and Dana. Although we had a rough start and Ruby refused to play for the first 6 games, it has really grown of her and the last 8 games were fantastic. She is super fast and when she does pay attention and gets her feet in the game she does well. She is excited to play again in the fall.

First Fathers and Sons

2009-06-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Jeffrey went on his first fathers and sons last month. I was a little nervous to send my baby off, but I knew Dave would keep him safe and they would have lots of fun. They went with our friend Jake and his son Ethan and camped at Bandelier National Park. They had a fun time and Jeffrey came home mostly unscathed minus a run in with a tree.

Pinkalicous

2009-06-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Ruby from when we went and saw Pinkalicious the musical. Ruby loves musicals and tells me she wants to be on stage. Maybe I have a budding actress. It was really a cute little musical and Ruby wanted to meet all of the actors after the show. Its a fun mommy daughter thing and I love taking her to see local shows.

New Mexico Staycation

2009-06-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

We went to White Sands and Carlsbad the first week of June. We went with my mother in law Pam and my sister in law Lauri and her family. We got to see a lot of New Mexico. We camped in Cloudcroft one night, it was great. Cloudcroft is beautiful. Carlsbad was pretty impressive, but Ruby was tired of looking at "rocks" after a few hours. I must admit I kind of felt the same way, or maybe I was tired from carrying Jeffrey in a backpack for 2 hours. It was a long drive, but worth it and we had a fun time.
white Sands

Cloudcroft

Carlsbad

Question

2009-06-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Is Taylor Swift tone deaf? And if so, how DID she become so wildly popular?

Dino Museum

2009-05-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Camila and I took all the little munchkins to the dinosaur museum. We are having a lot of fun. We have had lots of sunshine, digging in the mud, and some good shopping of course. I love having Camila here, I don't even have to grocery shop by myself. It's a dream come true for me.

More Utah

2009-05-02T11:57:00.001-07:00

Here is just a few more pictures. We had a wonderful trip, but now I am trying to catch up. I think I did laundry all day yesterday and I am still not done. Ruby and I are in trouble with the school for going on vacation....yesterday I got a letter from the school and they want her and I to attend a class on truancy. Not going to happen.

Family is just Heaven

2009-04-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

We have been in Utah for some weddings this weekend. We have been with both Dave and my family all weekend and it has been heaven.

Knockout

2009-03-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

Jeffrey finally did it. He's been trying for months and he finally succeeded in breaking off one of his two front teeth. He bashed his mouth yesterday at the park. I didn't realize until we got home that he had broken out a tooth. I am sick over it. We saw the dentist today and he can have outpatient surgery at the hospital to have it capped (which will cost lots of $$$$$$$ and he will probably knock that out too) or they can pull it out and he can be a toothless goober until somewhere near 8 yrs of age. Six years being toothless, that's a long time. There is no good solution when you break a tooth out. It's really sad. Most likely we will cap it, he will break the cap, we will have to pull the tooth anyway and later when he goes to apply for college I will explain that he has no college fund, we spent it all on dental care when he was 2.
And this is not an actual picture of Jeffrey, these teeth are much too nice to be Jeffrey's, at this rate when he actually gets to be this boys age I am guessing he will have way fewer, way uglier teeth.

St Patrick's

2009-03-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

I know it's a few days late, but I didn't want to miss a chance to continue to bring you the joy of "holiday hats". There is no end to my amusement. The kids truly love it though. They take serious pride in their craftmanship. Ruby even wore it to library yesterday. I will be so sad when all of it comes to end next year in boring 1st grade. That's okay, I can always hope for Jeffrey.

Fat Lip

2009-03-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

Jeffrey is determined to knock his two front teeth out before he is 3. He hasn't done it yet, but he got a little closer yesterday when he fell on his face on the tile and put his tooth partially through his top lip. He has a huge gash on the inside and a giant fat lip.

Uncle Ryan

2009-03-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

Uncle Ryan and Claire came to visit. It was so good to see Ryan and we loved getting to spend some time with Claire and get to know her better. We all think she is wonderful and Ruby missed her the moment she was gone. We can't wait so see Uncle Ryan and Aunt Claire again soon.

2009-03-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

It was Marcilyn's birthday over the weekend. We went out to dinner with Ryan and Claire and we even had super yummy party chip cake with all of the candles. It was really fun having her here on her birthday and getting to celebrate with her. We love Aunt Marcilyn!

Birthday Boy

2009-02-26T07:22:00.000-08:00

It was Jeffrey's birthday yesterday. He's officially 2. We had a fun day. We went to lunch with Aunt Marcilyn who is visiting and then we of course went to Mcdonalds for dinner. We had cupcakes and he opened a couple of presents. He loves the big Tonka truck. He pushed it around all night. We love our Jeffy boy.

Straw art

2009-02-06T18:05:00.000-08:00

Jeffy got a hold of a box of brightly colored flexible drinking straws and this is what he did with them. What can I say? I am raising a creative genius. I am glad he has something going for himself because I gotta be honest, he is not speedy in the learning to talk department.

Crazy Hair

2009-02-04T17:03:00.001-08:00

This is what happens when I put Jeffrey to bed with wet hair. IT'S SUPER CRAZY!! And check out his cowlick. I've never seen one bigger. I blame Dave.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few of our Christmas pictures. A couple from Christmas eve and some from Christmas morning.

Durango

2008-12-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from our Durango trip. We rode the Polar Express and we had a lot of fun.

A few pictures

2008-12-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures I wanted to share.
These first two go to show that Ruby's teacher has a good sense of humor because she has the kids make these headbands for every holiday and also that I am extremely amused by them. They make me laugh every time.

These next two are of the snowman Ruby and Dave made tonight. We have had a wonderful snow storm today. There isn't a lot of snow, but we are loving it anyway. The leaves on the snowman's head are eyelashes. Ruby thought there needed to be eyelashes, which I think is extremely cute.

2 Binks

2008-11-28T09:31:00.001-08:00

This kid cracks me up!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! We miss all of you and wish we were with you wherever you are.

The Forever War

2008-11-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

Just finished a good book. The Forever War by Dexter Filkins. A great narrative from the front lines in the war against Islamic fundamentalism. Sort of gruesome in some parts, but go read it. After I read it, I realized what a miracle it is he even lived to write it.

It makes me angry when....Jeffrey wakes up at 4:55 am

2008-11-24T05:56:00.000-08:00

It's therapeutic. Try it. Start by saying, "It makes me angry when...." and then fill in the blank with what makes you the angriest right this moment. Jeffrey's need to wake before the crack of dawn when roosters are still snoozing makes me ANGRY. Ideally an early morning for me would start at 7am. On an average day he wakes at 6:00 am, which is way too early and that makes me angry too, but 4:55am is so early it makes me want to scream. At that time of the morning I am not patient or loving, I am just angry. So the point is......ANGRY. Yep, I feel just a little bit better.

Sunday Afternoon

2008-11-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

I was just trying to give those of you who actually check my blog something else to look at..This is what we are doing this Sunday afternoon in our very glamorous life that we lead. Ruby has fallen asleep mid day for the first time in as long as I can remember. This is only because she has a stomach bug, not that you could tell from watching her play or eat (she insists she is very hungry). Normally during this time on Sunday Dave, Jeffrey, and I are napping while Ruby plays. Lucky us, we have the most energetic children on the face of the earth! Jeffrey napped all of about an hour today. Anyone who knows him would agree with me, that isn't nearly a long enough break from his very loud high pitched screaming. This other picture is of David and Jeff having some nachos. After nachos Dave headed off to choir and I am left with sleeping Ruby and Jeffrey while feeling, oh, just a tad queasy myself. I just hope we get to enjoy Thanksgiving. There ya go, a little slice of Sunday afternoon Godsey life.

Happy Late Halloween

2008-11-05T05:28:00.000-08:00

I know these are kind of late, but here they are anyway. We just went trick or treating in the neighborhood. Jeffrey was not nearly as shy as Ruby was at his age, once he realized they were handing out candy he made sure he got his bucket up there. He is obsessed with candy. A little while before we went trick or treating he got his sucker stuck in his hair, it was hilarious so I included those pictures too.

Dear Friend

2008-10-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Emily came to visit me for the weekend. It was so much fun for me to have her here. I have missed her since moving. We worked together every day before Ruby was born. It was nice to have so much time to sit and talk like old times. She brought her 2 kids and Ruby loved it. We took all of the kids to the zoo and aquarium and the adults even got an hour away to go out to dinner. Thanks Em! I loved every minute.

Washington

2008-10-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful visit to Washington over the weekend. It was too short. There is too much to say so I will keep this post short as well. It was so good to see Marcilyn, she is a beautiful, smart woman. It was great spending time with Camila, she is a loving and patient mother. Evan blessed his baby on Sunday. He is a devoted husband and father. Camila and Evan are married to extraordinary people that bring balance to our family. Aunt Tam looks as young and beautiful as ever. Mom and Dad are the best parents and Grandparents anyone could ever ask for. There were so many little boys running around I thought that at times I thought I was in Neverland. We did lots of fun things. I love and miss you all.

Politics take 2

2008-10-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

So I'm a bit confused and I'm hoping someone can help me out here. I must be misunderstanding something big as far as politics/economics go, because I don't understand why George Bush is getting such a bad rap as far as the economy goes. Now I can understand someone being upset about the war or possibly some other issues, but why is all the economic blame falling on him? (Historically, a country going to war creates jobs) I thought we were a capitalist society, not socialist? Have things changed?

Another note. The economic report generated by the economists in Bush's administration shows an increase in wealth up to 2007, and in 2007 the energy price went through the roof, so the expected economic increase in families was less because of the energy costs ... then of course got worse in 2008. But unemployment was at or below 5% (in 2007). So I'm confused about the last 8 years being a complete economic failure. Someone please explain it. I'm serious when I say I must be missing something because literally everyone I know has expressed the same thing about Bush's economic policies causing these problems. Oh, and the U.S. is still #1 in exports. #1 in services and #2 in goods (behind Germany). We just import more than we export, which isn't a government problem, that is a consumer problem.

If this is a capitalist society (government pretty much stays out of business), the only way a government could effect businesses is in taxes, promoting or discouraging certain business based on whether they get tax breaks or not. Now one policy I know of that did have an effect on our current economic situation goes back to Bill Clinton. He pushed through some legislation that required banks/lenders to provide lending to folks who in the past have not been able to get them. Now I believe it was targeted specifically to minority groups that were not able to get loans, but is seems to have opened the doors for loans being made to a large population that in the past would have been denied based on economic potential.

I also take issue with the idea of heavily taxing the really rich and tax cuts for those who are not. Now that may sound weird since I and not one of the really rich, but I am a realist, not an idealist. Rich folks only stay rich if they know how to hold onto and grow their money. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of high paid accountants ready to figure out how to keep their employers money from going to taxes. Also, heavily taxing companies like oil companies sounds nice as well, but wait a second, what will they do .... pass it on to us. In my opinion, the only way we will ever see any of the money from the wealthy going to programs for those who are not, is if they do so on their own terms. I thought Bush's idea to give tax breaks on charitable giving was a fabulous way to accomplish that (though that is in concept, I'm not sure how well it actually worked).

Now I'm not a great Bush defender, but I do think things should be looked at in the right light. So somebody please enlighten me. If you don't want to post to the blog, you can just email me, because I am genuinely interested to know where I am wrong, and my basic assumption is that I am wrong, but I can't see it yet. I would like to know how things really work. I'm an engineer, and inherently skeptical, so please use reason and facts, cause there are a lot of things that both Obama and McCain have said that are nice in concept, but realistically I don't think it will play out like they have said.

Politics, by Dave

2008-10-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

It's time again to comment on politics. I hate them all. I do have to mention though some things I have noticed during some of the past speeches. Now when I look at a candidate, I first look at moral issues, and their stances on those issues first ... then I'll look at their views on war, health care, education, foreign policy, etc. I haven't heard as much from McCain, but Palin has been unequivocal on her stance on abortion, same-sex marriage, and stem-cell research. They do not support abortion, same-sex marriage, or stem-cell research when it is the start of life through fertilization, and then terminated for the purpose of using those stem cells, they do not support.

Obama, I'll be honest, he scares me on these issues. At the democratic convention he made a few statements that indicated to me they he would likely lay the ground work to make same-sex marriage, and abortion socially acceptable, and supported in our society. When he said "You may not agree with me on same-sex marriage, but surely you can agree that a gay partner should be able to visit their partner in the hospital", and "You may not agree with me on abortion, but surely you can agree that there are too many unwanted pregnancies in the United States". Not this suggests to me that he would support same-sex marriage, and abortion. On the topic of same-sex marriage, Biden assures us that neither he, nor Obama support it, but Obama's statements at the democratic convention do not reflect that assurance.

Now, on all the other issures ... well, I think on energy, we need do cast aside the extreme environmentalism that seems to be supported by Obama, and address our energy crisis. Now that is not to say, "to hell with the environment, we need oil". Technology has developed to a point that this can be done responsibly, without destroying habitat. Obama is whole heartedly for clean energy, which I support, but I say .... don't be stupid. We need to drill now, and develop clean energy which takes time. Now I think Obama would likely be a better diplomat, and like Reagan, he would be able to work with foreign leaders and make good international progress, as far as our relationships with other countries are concerned. McCain, I'm not sure he's going to make a very good diplomat.

Well, there a a ton of things that I could talk about, and it can be summed up with this. I will support the candidate that I think will uphold good moral values, because once a society allows, and accepts things that destroys families, I don't care how diplomatic you are, I don't care how brilliant of an economist you are, the country will fail faster and harder when society embraces wicked practices as social norms, and as being fair and good to it's members. On the other hand, if we place people in office that will fight against these things that destroy the moral fabric of out society, we will be blessed. So my vote is for McCain. Not saying he is a saint, not saying he isn't going to make dumb decisions. I'm saying, he appears to be the candidate that will make a stand against abortion, and same-sex marriage, which are two major moral issues that have been debated.

Thoughts?

Hey Evan, is this controversial enough for you? If not, I'm sure you'll help me out.

Maoos

2008-09-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ruby has started sounding words out and writing words all by herself. It is adorable. I just had to show you all how cute it is. I am such a Mom. This is how Ruby sounded out the word MOUSE.

Saterday is a Special Day

2008-09-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

We have lived here for 3 1/2 years and finally went and did some of the local things we have never done. Our friends invited us to take a drive with them around the mountain to Tinkertown, which is this quirky little museum with lots of junk. Then we drove up to Sandia Crest and saw the view of Albuquerque from the top of the Sandia mountains. On the way home we stopped and ate at Burger Boy. They had a great burger. It was a fun trip with fun friends.

Butterfly Princess

2008-09-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

We went to the zoo tonight for Dave's work party. It was for his center, which has somewhere near 1,000 employees. So we didn't know anybody, but it was fun and they had face painting. Ruby wanted a butterfly. We thought it was so cute and Ruby loves it. She has gone to bed with it still on her face.

Benazir Bhutto

2008-09-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to write this for a couple of weeks.
I have to be honest. When Benazir Bhutto was assassinated last year I didn't really know who she was and why she was so important to Pakistan. I just plain didn't even know much about Pakistan period. I picked up this book at the library a few weeks ago and just couldn't put it down. It is such coincidence that I read it at a time when Musharraf was being forced from power. She is a woman who dedicated herself and gave her life for freedom and democracy in Pakistan. I just want to share one quote. "Democracy in Pakistan is not just important for Pakistanis, it is important for the entire world. In this age of the exploitation and radical interpretation of my beloved religion, we must always remember that democratic governments do not empower, protect and harbour terrorists. A democratic Pakistan, free from the yolk of military dictatirship, would cease to be the petri dish of the pandemic of international terrorism." I finally have the answers I have been looking for. For too many years the United States has looked out for it's own interests by supporting the dictatorships of Zia and Musharraf. We are the most succesful democracy in the world, and yet we supported oppression and military rule. I think its sad. We paid dearly for this mistake on 9/11. This is what I care about in the upcoming election. I haven't yet heard enough from either candidate to decide, but I am watching and waiting to know who will make this change. Now is our chance, Bhutto's widow Zardari was elected president last week in a democratic election. After so many years under a controling military dictatorship the desire for democracy still exists. We need to have a President that understands the gravity of the situation and realizes the importance of supporting Pakistan in its efforts to achieve a democratic government.

Markers

2008-09-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

Evan complained that I haven't done a post in a long time, so this is for him. Jeffrey loves using the markers. Whenever Ruby gets up to the table to color, Jeffrey wants to be up there too, coloring the table, so I tape four sheets of paper in front of him and let him go to town. Here are some pictures of his creations.

Concert in the park

2008-08-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to a fun concert in the park. We got eaten by mosquitoes, but it was a beautiful warm night with a gorgeous sunset. We really had fun. We have been meaning to do it for the last couple of years and I am glad we finally did it. We will definitely do it again next year, with bug spray.

Tomato Toast

2008-08-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I am no food photographer. Brittany can make any food look delicious. But I just had to show you all that my tomatoes are starting to ripen and they are amazing. There is nothing more yummy than fresh home grown tomatoes. So I am eating lots of tomato toast. MMM, it's the one of the best things about summer.

Treats from Marcilyn

2008-07-30T06:20:00.000-07:00

Marcilyn sent some treats from the UK. Here is Ruby in a dress Marcilyn got on her trip to Africa. I love it Marc. And of course this is Jeffrey after his morning digestive biscuit. I could eat my own weight in digestives. He's lucky I shared with him. When we were in London a few years back Marcilyn and I were anxious to find some digestive biscuits at the grocery store,but after looking through the cookie shelf couldn't find them anywhere. When we asked the clerk, he was so confused, "You couldn't find them on the biscuit aisle?" Oh, there's a whole biscuit AISLE. We stocked up and ate a lot of biscuits on that trip. Wish I were there with you. Thanks Marcilyn. We love you and miss you tons.

Happy Birthday to me

2008-07-24T06:15:00.001-07:00

I know it's kind of hard to see this picture, but it's my birthday poster. I had a great birthday yesterday. I really thought Dave had forgotten completely, but he surprised me with a birthday poster and fresh homemade bread. He brought me Rainier cherries when he came home from work and then we went out for some great Thai food last night. He even got me my favorite cake from Whole Foods. It was all very thoughtful. I got phone calls from almost my entire family, even Marcilyn and my good friends Anne and Emily. Thank you all for thinking of me on my birthday. I am so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends. I love you all dearly.

More Camping

2008-07-16T12:14:00.001-07:00

I didn't get all of the pictures on the last post, so here are a few more.

Camping

2008-07-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

We went camping with some friends this last weekend and we had a great time. It rained on us pretty good on Friday night, but overall it was really nice. Jeffrey and Ruby just loved being outside for 2 days straight and as we were leaving on Sat. afternoon Ruby declared that she wanted to camp forever. I love camping too, but I am not sure I am as excited about doing it forever as she is. These are just a bunch of pictures of us and friends.

Dinosaur Muesum

2008-07-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

Dave's brother Marc and his family are here visiting from WA and we have been having lots of fun. Yesterday we went to the dinosaur museum and the kids had a great time. Jeffrey was very excited about this triceratops.

The Lake

2008-07-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

I took the kids to the lake yesterday with our friends the Neville's and Montano's. Jeffrey and Ruby didn't get out of the water almost the entire time we were there. It was a beautiful sunny day, we ate snacks on the sandy beach and the kids played in the sand and water. It was heaven. It brought back a lot of beautiful Bass Lake memories. There is nothing more joyful than watching children play at the lake.

Sleepyhead

2008-06-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

I don't very often get to see Jeffrey sleeping, I am usually busy around the house until I hear him wake up and I would never risk waking him up just to go watch him sleep. So I am glad Dave captured the moment so I could see what a beautiful little sleeping angel Jeffrey is.

Swim party

2008-06-30T06:19:00.001-07:00

At the end of the two weeks of swim lessons they had a big party for all of the students. Here are some pictures of Ruby with Dave, her swim class, and her teacher Kami. It was a great party and we had lots of fun swimming and having a BBQ.

Baby

2008-06-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

Don't anybody get too excited by that title, we are not expecting, but we do have a new baby turtle. We have 2 turtles in our yard and they must have had babies, but this is the only one I found wandering in the yard. It is so cute and tiny. We call her (or him) Baby. I don't know much about baby turtles, but we are doing our best and really crossing our fingers that it doesn't die.

Swim Lessons

2008-06-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of Ruby at swim lessons. She is doing so great. She has a pretty fast dog paddle down and likes to hold her nose constantly, but we are making great progress. She has lessons at 8am and then comes home and swims in our pool all day. Even with sunscreen her fair skin just scorches after that many hours in the sun. But we are loving summertime.

Ruby with the camera

2008-06-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when Ruby gets the camera and disappears into her room with it. I found 20+ pictures on my camera of stuffed animals, Cady dog, and other random things.

Embudo Canyon....Again

2008-05-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite places to go hiking. The trail in nice and groomed and it's not too difficult for Ruby. At the end there is a little waterfall. Very little. A desert kind of waterfall, but it does have water. We did this hike yesterday morning with the Clark cousins. The weather was perfect. Jeffrey and Ruby both love being outdoors and are happiest when we are outside doing something.

I'm Crying and I'm Laughing

2008-05-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Ruby finally did it. I thought we had passed the age where this was likely, but I was wrong. Today while I was on the phone with Camila, my sister the family hair stylist who just gave Ruby an adorable bob 2 weeks ago, Ruby took scissors and chopped her own hair. And not in the back. It's never in the back. She whacked and chopped her bangs completely off. They are freakishly short with no way to fix it. She looks like a crazy homeless child without parents who love and watch over her. A poor street urchin forced to do her own haircutting out of pure desperation. She chopped the cute right off. She's bangless. Are we scheduled to do family pictures next week? Of course we are! Does she start school in 2 months? Yep! Will she do it all looking like a loony bangless child? Yes, Yes she will! So I am simultaneously experiencing two emotions at once. I am crying because it's hard to see my beautiful little girl now. I am laughing because she looks hilariously terrible.

Memorial Day

2008-05-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

I have been terrible about taking pictures lately and I think that is why I haven't been making as many posts. We had a wonderful time in Washington, but I forgot the memory card for the camera, so no pictures. We had a great day yesterday. Dave had the day off and we took Ruby and Jeffrey to ABQJump. It has a bunch of those giant blow up playground things. They loved it. I wish I would have had my camera. Then we had a BBQ with some friends later. The Kocherhans and the Nevilles came and we hung out for the evening. The kids had a great time playing and eating snow cones. Wish I would have taken some pictures. So instead of having some nice posts with pictures, you just get to hear about the fun stuff we did. Which is pretty boring. So as soon as I take more pictures I will post again.