London turns 14!

London turned 14 this month and we celebrated with her friends at the Bruneel's shop. Huge thank you to Gaylene. This is the perfect hang out spot for teenagers!

Charlie's Angels


Muscles!

It's ridiculous how many kids, including London were sick this weekend, but in typical teenage form, suffered through and were party animals.

This is the funniest picture ever! Teenage boys, what can I say? I had to take this picture because they stayed like this for a long time and I kept checking to be sure that Bryce wasn't killing Easton but finally had to determine that Easton was actually enjoying himself and after a few minutes they moved on to something else.

Birthday Cake

Boys watching Twilight!

Cameron and AJ getting in a little exercise in.

It was a fun night. I was really impressed by what good friends London has and felt encouraged for the future as they get nearer to High School. I know how important a good peer group is during these years and these are good kids.

I should have kept my mouth shut!

I jinxed myself! If you recall the whole "I need a new house, before I need a new car post" you will remember that I said, "our car may be a 1998 Dodge minivan and lovingly referred to by my hubby as the "Purple Barney Mobile", but it is paid for and works just fine (except for occasional blinker shorts)". Yeah, well . . . the transmission is going on the dumb thing!!!!! I should never have put out into the cosmos that I need a new house before I need a new car. Now "Spite" has stepped in to put me in my place.
I am hoping Trent, who can fix anything, can fix it, but we are worried this is a sign of future things to come. The end of the "Purple Barney Mobile". RIP
I really, really, really don't want to buy a new car right now, it really messes with my plans. Pray for us!

My Mormon Marlboro Man!

I feel like I always knew, that I would know, when I met the man I would marry. Not like a "hit you over the head" knowing, but the "deep down in your heart, burning" knowing. This kind of "knowing" is tricky because you have to be paying attention.
I had some criteria, a check list of sorts, I wanted a Mormon Marlboro Man.
You remember the Marlboro commercial from way back when, before tobacco commercials were banned from television? He was a couple of days post shave, tanned, dark and brooding, riding a horse. Sigh! I know it sounds crazy but I wanted my own Marlboro Man who was a Mormon, so hence, I created my version of the "Mormon Marlboro Man". Unshaven, tanned, dark and brooding, horse lover, return missionary, worthy priesthood holder and thereby worthy to take me to the Temple. Knowing my husband as well as I do now, it is shocking that I didn't see him immediately as "HIM".
I wasn't paying attention.
So when I met Trent I didn't "know" he was the one and promptly got engaged to the one I was "waiting" for. You know, the missionary I sent on a mission while attending Ricks College? (There should be a warning posted on all dorm and apartment walls, with all the possible treacheries that come with attending a church college, such as the inevitability of "sending out missionaries", "diamond blindness" -this happens only in the spring when school is about to end and the RM's and the 2nd year females are equally desperate to become engaged before the semester ends, so diamonds rings are flashed about everywhere- and lest we forget the "freshman 15" due to a high consumption of Top Ramen.)
Thanks heavens for the spirit. It did not take long before the promptings grew increasingly uncomfortable to the point of unbearable and I knew. Without a shadow of a doubt I knew.
It wasn't easy, the poor returned missionary had to be sent home and I had to pay penance and beg for forgiveness more than once, but he did forgive me and yesterday we celebrated our 16th Wedding Anniversary!
Sixteen perfect years. Not that all has been perfect, we have trials like everyone else. But I say perfect because we get through those trials together and were better people, more in love, stronger, with a bond that grows deeper by the day.
So to celebrate our marriage, I would like to celebrate Trent, my unsung hero.

Here are 25 things that I love and appreciate about him (in no particular order):

1. He loves me. I never question this, he always shows his love for me, I can never doubt it.
2.His unshaven face. Even better his tanned, unshaven face, that smiles a perfect white smile.
3. He knows EVERYTHING! Sometimes I am amazed at what he knows, whether it's a gospel question or something about the plumbing, he knows it all.
4. He loves our children.
5. He makes me laugh, a lot and often.
6. He takes care of me. I am definitely not one that needs taken care of, but on occasion it's out of my control and he steps up everytime. Most of these times occur around the birth of our children, especially Brennan.
Mini story. Brennan's birth from beginning to end was rough. Many of you know this, but my trooper husband was definitely my rock. During the pregnancy, with all the trips to the doctors, being big as a house with all the steroids that were being pumped into me, warts, zits and oily skin (all side effects of the steroids) crazy emotions, some pregnancy induced, some steroid induced and then the late night feedings at the hospital. When Brennan was born and still in the hospital and I was sent home, he understood my need for a parent to feed Brennan each night although I couldn't bear to go up there and leave my baby and go home and sleep without him. So even though Trent had piled potatoes all day, he would shower and head to the hospital, because it gave me peace.
6. He is so good at his job! He IS the best potato farmer in the Columbia Basin!
7. His testimony. He is not a "shout it from the rooftops" kind of guy, but when he shares his knowledge and testimony I'm always in awe.
8. He does his calling well. He just was called as Elder's Quorum President and he faithfully attends all his meetings, visits those who need visits, blesses, moves, prays for, thinks about all who need extra thought and care.
9. Thinks I'm beautiful, always.
10. When I call him midday, I love the sound of his voice when he says "Yes, sweetheart?"
11. Midday at work he'll call me and cheerfully ask "How's it going, princess?" which is just what I need to hear when I'm feeling especially grease monkeyish.
12. Appreciates what I do, whether it's around the house, paying bills or cooking his dinner.
13. Doesn't get mad, when it's been "one of those days" and it's either breakfast for dinner or worse yet, not even started and he jumps in to start cooking. (usually tacos)
14. Just shakes his head and smiles, and again cooks dinner, when I seem to be caught up in a particularly good book and can't seem to put it down. (reference past Twilight posts)
15. Is a devoted brother to his sisters.
16. Hauls away mountains of yard debris and grass clippings. And fertilizes my yard, so it is wonderfully green all summer, even though he knows it will create mountains of grass clippings.
17. Promised me one day, before we were married, that he would plant me a whole circle of flowers. It's the thought that counts.
18. Still holds my hand.
19. Takes me on a Sunday drive, every Sunday, even after a long morning of meetings.
20. Can says things honestly and bluntly, like no one can and never offend.
21.Is still glad he married me.
22. Has faithfully changed some health habits since being diagnosed with diabetes.
23. Takes Brennan to work all the time, even though Brennan can sometimes be a nuisance and Brennan LOVES it!
24. Holds a temple recommend.
25. Sings goofy, off-key songs to wake-up the kids in the mornings.

I'm sure there are more, because there definitely should be. He fits all the criteria on my checklist of my perfect Mormon Marlboro Man except "horse lover" but he humors me with the idea of getting my own horse some day. (Even though he thinks they are just over grown dogs)

Car Conversations

It's that time of year when I don the hat of a chauffeur. It's soccer season and I do have to say "Glory be . . ." for carpooling or I might have to figure out how to do laundry from the Barney-mobile.
Conversations between 8 year old boys is always entertaining. The following is one overheard this past week.

Cast:
Clueless Kid - Brennan (I was sooo proud)
Story Teller - Austin Hyer
Clue Giver - Myself
Innocent Bystander - Brandon Wood


Story Teller: "Brennan, do you know Brandon Wood, he played on the MoJo's?"
Clueless Kid: (thoughtfully) "Hmmmm, Brandon Wood? Brandon Wood?"
Story Teller: "He's my cousin."
Clue Giver: "You remember Brennan, he was in your preschool? The one with the red hair?"
Story Teller: "Yeah, he has red hair!"
Clueless Kid: "Hmmm, Brandon Wood. He has brown hair?"
Clue Giver: (exasperated) "No! Red hair!"
Clueless Kid: (excited) "Oh! Brandon Wood! He was my best, best, best, best friend!"

Gotta Love that Kid!

Everything comes gradually at its appointed hour.

(This post has been edited, I was reminded I forgot part of the story, so by request, the rest of the story continues at the end of the original post.)

The parable of The Man, The Boy and the Donkey, dictates a lot of the decisions in my life. If you are unaware of the wisdom in this parable, I will share.
"One day a man and a boy were going to take their donkey to a distant town to sell at auction. They left on their journey, both walking beside the donkey. After a while they came to a village where everyone they passed mocked them for being so foolish. It was their opinion that the old man should ride the donkey, after all, he is old and deserves the privilege of riding the animal. So, ashamed of the mockery, they old man climbed on the donkey and they continued on their way. Before long they came to another village, where these villagers also mocked. However, it was their opinion that this old man was selfish and the poor young boy should be the one who was riding the donkey. Again, ashamed, they traded places and the boy rode the donkey. Eventually, they reached the town where they would sell the animal, but to their dismay, the donkey faired a poor price because it was so worn and haggard from the journey." The moral of the story being, if you have a plan and stick to your plan, no matter what others think, you will be much more successful in achieving your goal.
Well, today at the Pit Stop we serviced a 2007 Yukon XL with leather seats, the much desired (and at this point in our marriage, required) dual climate control, built in DVD player, pretty much everything I would enjoy in a new vehicle. Did I mention this car is for sale? Yes it is. We service cars for a small car dealership and this is one they have in stock right now. So I say, "Mom, (she's the car shuttler for the day) ask them how much this costs, and if they can give it to me for less that $200.00 a month?" She list off all the accessories on the car, in that tone of voice that cleary is saying, "Keep Dreaming." "I know", I say, "but ask anyway."
She asks and they tell her the price is in the neighborhood of $25,000. They follow up with "and if she wants payments under $200.00 then she can only finance $10,000." At this point my mother bursts out laughing because she realizes my 1998 Dodge minivan would therefore need to be worth $15,000 on trade-in. Yeah right!
Back to The Man, the Boy and the Donkey. "That's okay," I say, "I need a new house before I need a new car."
(New house needed because we are bursting at the seams. We were only supposed to be here 5 years and now have been here 10. London was 3 and Isabelle was 1. It was the perfect house for 2 little girls, but flash forward 10 years and London is approaching 14 and is taller than I am. Isabelle is almost 12 and we added another kid 8 years ago. And our car may be a 1998 Dodge minivan and lovingly referred to by my hubby as the "Purple Barney Mobile", but it is paid for and works just fine (except for occasional blinker shorts).

"Yes," mom says, "but I worry for you because . . ." (insert conversation about how dreadful the economy is, and how many people overextended themselves in mortgages and so now they will be restructured which means banks are losing money and so to recupe some of their losses they will raise interest rates, which may put a glitch in building the house I want to build in a year or so.)
Sigh, "I know, I'm going to be 80 years old living in this house, still waiting for the stars to align and the odds to fall in my favor, waiting to build my house, still driving the Purple Barney Mobile, because heaven knows, I need a house more than I need a car!"
"And my children, as they leave my home when they turn 18 will turn to us and smile and say, 'I hate you, and I hate you, and I hate you and you and you!'" Never to return again, at which point hubby chimes into the conversation and says, "Good! My plan worked!"
So, always practical, Mother points out "You can always add on."

Something about this conversation had Mother laughing so hard she was crying. So I wrote it down so she could remember how the conversation went to be able to share with my dad. So this post is for you mom.