Yes, It's my Birthday....

Birthdays have changed for me so much! I remember as a child I would lay awake at nights before my Birthday, dreaming of the mounds of presents that I would get. What was silly because although I always got presents, they were never MOUNDS. My parents always made my birthday special.

The most vivid memory I have regarding a birthday was the one when I turned five. Anyone who knew me as a child knew that I was a very smart and exhausting child. I remember this birthday because my parents played on that...I woke up and went around them. Not one of my parents said Happy Birthday! I went over to my dad and told him it was my birthday. He shrugged it off like it was no big deal. I don't remember my mom baking a cake, or her making a fuss. I was livid! This was a big deal birthday for me and nothing. No Auntie Arlene coming over with Jenna and Lance, nothing. I was about to have a nervous breakdown, when my parents blindfolded me with one of my dad's ties.

They took me and Abra, okay Abra and I for a ride and wound up in front of Chuckie Cheese! My cousins and Auntie Arlene were there, I think, because after that I was wide eyed and feeling mighty high on my cloud nine!

Back 26 years later....I just enjoy having my family around. I don't dream about mounds of presents, I just hope for my children to follow directions and a clean house.

Thank you for the cookie jar mom, It looks cute in the cupboard in my house! We are to scared to put cookies in it, because I have two cookie monsters living in my house. mmmm...who could those be? Bet you'll never guess.

Early Birthday Dinner, Wooden Dip, and Olivia's big adventure...

I went down to my parents for an early birthday dinner yesterday. It was yummy, and I enjoyed the visit.

I decided I was going to make spinach artichoke dip. I have been craving it since I went to Red Robin, but haven't found the same recipe. Still I keep trying! Johnathan and I were making some yesterday and he being the brilliant guy he is decided that he was going to stir my mixture of cheeses, artichoke hearts, and spinach. Nice, right? Except he forgot to turn off the blender.....as he stuck a wooden spoon in.......we managed to save some of the dip.....then made more. Dad said we made a little too much, but it was good, and I don't have to cook tonight!!!

We had fun visiting the grandparents and aunts and uncles. The girls love to play the piano and get into their recital, however the listeners probably think they need more practice. Sabrina demonstrated her lovely singing skills while throwing the unwanted toys out of her way. She makes up such beautiful songs, however she can sing quite loudly at times.

When we got home Rosie took Olivia inside, we were taking Sabrina. I was waiting for the dog to go to the potty. I could here Olivia talking. I looked up to the porch, no Olivia. Then for some reason I looked at the roof. Olivia was standing there!

I have no clue how it happened. I flew into the room with the easiest accessibility to the roof. I jumped through the window and grabbed her in. Through tears and my heart pounding I told her how very scared she had made me. I was so shocked and surprised and glad that she was alive, I couldn't punish her. I explained dangers to her and told her never again should she scare mommy like that. (I also talked to Rosie about the difference of "watching" vs. "watching".)

Johnathan also put a lock on the window so it won't open far enough for one of the girls to climb out again.

Confused???

We decided to start going to church in Herriman, even though we really haven't completely moved out there yet. I thought it would be a good way for Rosie to meet some girls her age and for me to met some other people out there.

Church is at 9 am. This is a little difficult for us, but manageable. We scurry and go through the rituals of Sunday morning. I have no clue why Sunday mornings are so hectic! We get in the car at 9:05. That's okay, we're going to make it.

We sit through Sacrament meeting, and manage only having to get up twice with the twins. Olivia is such a good girl when it comes to being reverent during the sacrament.

Afterwards we look for Johnathan's brother and his family, and nobody was there. I take the girls to there classes, only to find out moments later we were in the wrong ward. We decide to get the girls out of there classes and go to the right ward. I really wanted Rosie to start to meet some kids out there.

Oh, just an FYI, on the way to church I was commenting on how many church buildings we live by. I jokingly said how funny would it be if we went to the wrong ward. Not only did we go to the wrong ward, but we were in the wrong stake!

So we go to the new ward. I think I'm going to like it. It's fairly small, but friendly. I loved my own ward before, but never met a friend. I am hoping that I'll meet a friend in this ward. I don't mind moving out to Herriman, but I'll be leaving my best friend in Salt Lake City. We won't see each other very often and sometimes you just need a gal pal!

I found my mentor. He was one of my favorite instructors at Stevens Henager. Now he will be teaching my twins in Nursery. I am glad that he is a part of my life again. I got to meet his wife and she is nice too!

Abra.....

Since today is my sister's milestone birthday.......I thought I dedicate the posting to her.

When we were growing up, quite often we shared birthday parties, in fact we shared a lot of things. We sometimes shared a room, friends, clothing and even secrets. We even "pretended" to have a secret language between us, sometimes I think we actually understood each other. We didn't get along much, but we stood by each others side when others picked on us. We were two completely different individuals, yet we were a lot alike.

She was the fashion queen, I could care less. She is beautiful naturally, and knows how to accessorize that. She could always have been a model.

Today and until the fourteenth of October I am the same age as her. This was my favorite time of the year. I think we got along the best these four days. I remember we'd go to the mall and try and run into people who knew very little about us. Then we'd introduce each other as our sister. Then we'd give our ages. They'd of course ask us if we were twins... then we'd explain, sometimes that our birthdays were so close. Sometimes we'd even have a hard time convincing people we were sister's!

I always say we get along better since we live in different countries, but truth is I miss her and her kids like crazy! I think the reason why we get along better so far apart is that we have to work harder at any type of relationship. We no longer have time for squabbles.

We have moved on from toy taking, back slapping, boy stealing, into motherhood. What an awesome opportunity this is for both of us to be able to do! I get to see her tears of joy and her tears of pain, as she raises her three beautiful children. I get to receive her calls of duress and her calls of excitement.

I, no longer am a big sister, I get to be her friend.

Happy Birthday Abra! I love and miss you!

(p.s. your card will be in the mail, with Pipers!)

My new/used van....

As most know I totaled my van last month. I purchased a older van through Johnathan's brother, who is a mechanic. He promised he'd fixed anything that went wrong on it.

It's an older van, and temperamental. Sometimes it does weird things, but never when Johnathan or his brother are around. I think they were kind of getting annoyed about me telling them about odd behavior of the van.

Yesterday was horrible! I got on the freeway at about 4:30 p.m. All was going good, and I should have been in Herriman about 5ish. I moved into the carpool lane, going about 70 mph and then I lost power. I could go about 35 mph and that was it. So I maneuvered at 35 mph over four lanes of freeway speed vehicles and got off on 72nd exit. I would have called Johnathan, however this was the day I leave my cellphone at home..... ironically convenient I know!

I make it finally out to Herriman, pulling in to the house about 6:30ish. I was not happy. I handed Johnathan the keys and told him he needed to do something with the van...I wanted him to drive off a cliff...but kept that to myself.

I lay down to rest, avoid the oncoming headache, and to destress. He calls me and asks what the problem was. I tried my best to explain, but can you guess?

The van was running beautifully! No problem. Ugh! He gets home and I tell him that he has to take it to work the next day.

I call this morning and all of sudden my van is a pile of crap....

See it wasn't really happening prior to him taking the van to work. As long as when HE drove the van it was fine, so it was really operator error.....

My van is getting fixed this weekend!!!!!!

Rescheduling

So for those of you whom had added my Halloween party as a list of thing s to do, I am still having however I am rescheduling it to the 25th of October. I have been invited to a wedding shower thingy, and it's important for me to go, so I am changing my party date, since I haven't handed out the paper invits yet, lot easier to change the electronc ones!

There's two people in the world that don't have brains........

I have this stunning beauty for a daughter, not only is she cute but she actually has brains! At least that is what her homework and teachers tell me. I am trying to figure this one out. Maybe she only has brains when:

A. I am not around.

B. At school

C. Selective thinking....

I keep thinking back to good ole Patrick when he was a little boy and the conversation he had with dad. Some of you should remember it.....

Patrick in complex thinking and on chin....deep in thought, Dad never suspecting a thing. (Patrick was about 4 years old)

Conversation went something like:

Dad: What you thinking about?

Patrick: Brains

Dad: What about brains?

Patrick: Why everyone in the whole world has them, but two people.

Dad: Who do you know that doesn't have brains?

Patrick: You and mom....

Getting back to the point of this blog......Rosie doesn't always act like she has a brain. I go pick her up at the house after work and getting the twins. She runs out to the van and hops in. She isn't feeling well, and understand that but seriously.

I decide to take in to the after hour doctors, because I know she's sick. With all the time crunch after work and before bed I decide that we'd go out to eat. We get out at the doctors office (mind you we drive from Sugarhouse area to West Jordan in rush hour) and she has no shoes on.

I have two two year olds that lose shoes, but must my almost 12 year old daughter have this behavior too? I suppose I'll have to go back to shoe check for all the kids, but I thought eventually I'd get to stop............(I got smart, I leave a pair of emergency shoes under my seat!)