What do you find?

I'm a little spazy therefore I clean out my couch every month or so.

I think this obsession stems from one of the places I lived in college. When we moved in, the place was totally dirty (shocking for BYU approved housing, NOT!) So, we got to cleaning. We took the cushions off the couch to vacuum out the crumbs and found an entire donut (hard as a rock). How do you lose an entire donut in the couch and not realize it? Ga-ross

(Chrissy, do you remember that or am I completely nuts?)

Thankfully I found way less disgusting things in my couch last time I took the cushions off.

I think what you find in your couch says a lot about a family. What do you find?

Family Picture

Adam isn't a picture person and I obviously haven't perfected my nagging skills since we've NEVER had a family picture taken. When the kids are grown and wonder why we don't have family pics, I'm so blaming Adam.

This will have to do for now. Thank you, Ella, for this lovely family picture. Its the best we can do for now, I suppose.

p.s. Any nagging suggestions ladies?

SEVEN

SEVEN. We're getting the kids ready for church and check the temperature out of curiosity and its SEVEN degrees outside. SEVEN. We don't live in the great frozen north. We live in Utah. UGH

p.s. I've decided that I think hell is a cold place. Who cares if its hot outside? If we are talking about the sheer misery factor cold is SO much worse!

Top 12 or maybe . . . just 12.

Blogging connects me to people I would never have gotten to know, like Adam's cousin's wife, Krissi Hutchinson. Krissi is hilarious and I wished we lived closer. She would be the best next door neighbor.

Anyway, this "Best of 2008" TAG is from Krissi. I don't consider 2008 a red letter year for us so here's 12 things that made 2008 the year that it was, good and bad. (In no particular order, except to space the pictures out.)

1. We began the year with a terribly, horrid, "kick me in the gut" move. This is the town home we moved from in Kirkwood, MO. Long story short, the semi couldn't get into the complex so last minute we had to rent a UHaul to ferry ALL OUR BELONGINGS to the semi parked about a mile away. Yes, that means we moved everything TWICE. My sweet brother was our only moving help that day and we wore him out. Wait, there is not way to make this story short so you'll have to take my word for it. It sucked!

2. I got to make, not one, but two trips home this year. One in May, just because and another for my sister's wedding in August. I love being with my family and miss living close(r) by.

3. We bought a couch this year. Not a big deal for some but huge for us. We bought a futon when we first got married and loved it. But almost 10 years later I'd grown to despise it. I love, love, love our chocolate and mocha sectional that is ridiculously comfortable and seats a boat load of people.
4. Speaking of buying stuff, we bought a commuter car for Adam this year. We couldn't take being a one car family anymore. So in February we bought a little Toyota that gets good gas mileage and carries Adam to and from work safely.

5. We moved to Utah to get out of debt. Period. Adam was able to work quite a bit of overtime this year and I'm thankful for that. We've made wonderful progress this year and pray that 2009 will be even better than 2008 for paying off debt.
6. Nearly every member of my family has visited us this year. Megg and Kate came in March, Audra in April, Sam in May, Mom in August, Audra and family for Christmas and my dad on Christmas Day. I am so thankful to have seen my family so many times this year. I hope for when three visits in one year seems like little instead of lots. But for now, I'm happy with three.


7. When we moved back we promised ourselves that we'd appreciate the mountains. We did pretty well. We took the kids hiking several times and even got in a few hiking dates. The mountains are so beautiful and peaceful.

8. Ella started first grade this year, which means all day school and two bus rides. She adjusted beautifully and grew to love school. Ella still says the bus is too loud. Good thing our stop is the last of the morning and the first of the afternoon.

9. Grace started a "real" preschool this year. "Real" means "not at a regular house". Grace love, love, loves her preschool class and getting to go to school with her cousin, Isabelle.

10. Joseph started going to nursery this year. No more roaming the halls during Sunday school and feeling like church was a total bust that day. (Warning: Unless you have a crawling/walking, jabbering toddler you are not allowed to judge that statement. Don't even think it!)

Also, Grace was a Sunbeam this year. Grace never did settle into nursery very well but did awesome in Sunbeams from day one. Hallelujah for the small things in life!

11. Again, this may sound silly but we've had a big year for . . . haircuts. I found a wonderful chic who gives awesome haircuts. I don't curse after haircuts anymore. Yeah!

I continued cutting Adam's hair and added Joe to my list of victims, I mean customers. Too bad I detest cutting hair. Oh, the things we do for our families.

Also, Grace donated 12 inches of her gorgeous, shiny brown hair to Locks of Love this year. She liked her new hair for a while but now wants to grow it long again.

12. Our family grew this year. Randy & Angie welcomed Olivia in April, my sister married Nathan in August and Ben & Meggan welcomed baby Luke in November. We are excited to get to know our new additions and welcome any new additions that may come in 2009 (no, I'm not Peggi!).

There's our 2008 in a very small nut shell. I pray that 2009 will bring us closer to achieving our goals and adding permanence in our life. Wish us luck and keep us in our prayers. Happy New Year!

Faux Happy

Joseph was in major need of a trim/cut. We have yet to find a hair style that works for his crazy hair.

Despite the pictures, Joe cries through haircuts. I'll admit it, I bribe him with candy.
I tried to just trim up the back and sides but all his squirming was too much for my very amatuer skills. I ended up having to take the whole thing down.
I always have a hard time getting used to Joe with a buzz. But what else can we do with his super straight "Kevin Bacon" hair?

btw, these pics are old enough that Joe needs a trim AGAIN. I'll try "just a trim" again and see how I do.

Fire Trucks, kind of!

Joseph loves trucks. He started calling them "sucks" months ago and that was pretty stinkin' cute.
Joe has taken the cuteness to a whole new level.

Joe especially likes fire trucks. They started as "fire trucks", then changed to "fire sucks" and now he, affectionately, calls them "fire f**ks".
Yes, in stores he sees a fire truck and runs across the large aisle yelling it in a really excited two year old voice.

The "terrible twos" may be terrible sometimes but funny sometimes too.

BTW, I totally blame Adam. Apparently, two year old Adam said "fire f**k" too.

Penelope Snow

Meet Penelope, Penelope Snow. Miss Snow arrived yesterday morning. We woke up to more new snow and the kids talked me, yes me, into going out to play in it.

The kids got to try out their new snow gear for the first time this year. We played outside for an hour and no one got cold or wet. Yeah!
Joseph ate more snow than he played with. We had about 15 talks about only eating new, fluffy snow.
Pappaw, this ones for you. The girls remembered the story pappaw told them about snow angels and the promise they made to make snow angels and think of pappaw. They even remembered to have their snow angels holding hands.

And . . . the mess.

The mess only took about five minutes to clean up. Thankfully I have lots of room for hanging damp clothes. An hour of fun, five minutes of clean up - not a bad trade, I'd say.

When we came inside the kids had a choice of hot chocolate or rootbeer floats for a treat. They all chose rootbeer floats. I'm glad they stayed warm.