My Own Darn Fault!

I knew when I bought this air soft gun for Bronson for Christmas, he'd have fun with it. That's why I went back to the store and bought one for Dave before Christmas so they wouldn't fight over it!
I also knew when I bought these extra "pellets" for Bronson, that I'd be sorry!

And I am! He has had more fun with the gun but I have NOT HAD FUN vacuuming and cleaning up the millions of these things I find all over the house and his room. I should have taken a picture of what I cleaned up in his room today but I was too mad! I'm amazed there are any left in the container but to tell you the truth, it doesn't look like any are gone! We've only just begun!!

Great Story

Didn't you love "Silver Spoons?" I watched it every week and had a mad crush on Ricky Schroeder. Then when Dave was a cop, he loved watching "NYPD Blue". I started watching it when Rick Schroeder was on and I discovered I may still have a crush on him :) (Sorry Dave!)

You've heard the rumors that he's LDS. Well, this week in the "Mormon Times" that comes out on Thursdays in the Deseret News, there is a great article about him. I just thought I'd share it. CLICK HERE

Has Anyone Seen This Quarter?

Since 1999 these state quarters have been coming out. They release 4-5 of them a year. In 2000 or 2001, my parents gave each of my kids the big collector's book to store the quarters in as they were released.
Well, it has been a long 7 years for me, collecting all these stinkin quarters! Finally, at the end of 2008 the last quarter (Hawaii) was released but I can't find one ANYWHERE! I have looked and looked at every quarter I've had in my possession since it was released in November. My dad does have AN ENTIRE ROLL of them but, the banker in him didn't want to take any away from the roll. He said he would IF I couldn't find one and I don't think I've looked hard enough yet to justify the demise of a perfect roll of "Hawaii" quarters!

So - I plead with any of you out there...if you find one (we actually need 3 for all the books) - I will happily pay you for it! I'm so close to finally finishing these collections - I can taste it!

Just keep an eye out for me - Thanks!

(Caleen - how have you guys done with your collecting?)

Fun Day

We had a great time at the show today. Jenn and Liz did a great job in their segment with Nicea. It was fun to see them.

Getting ready to start their segment after the commercial break

Jenn and Liz with the hosts after the show

This is everyone that came to see them. Notice Sommer blending in with the hosts on the front row. You're so dang cute Sommer! Brittany was taking the picture because she refuses to be photographed right now since she's pregnant. I need to get a good picture of her so she can look back on it and realize how good she looks!

Good Things Utah

Today, Brittany and I (along with our friends) are going to be in the audience of "Good Things Utah" to support our good friend, Jenn Miller who is going to be ON the show. Jenn owns "Crafters Corner Metal" and many of you have made her metal projects. They are opening a new show room and having a grand opening on Saturday. This is exciting because instead of having to order things in advance, you can now go to their showroom and buy projects to make and projects that are already made! Check out their blog here for more information.

Watch for us in the audience today :)

The Cast

Well, today was the day for Bronson's cast. He was excited to get it on because the splint kept hurting his arm, AND he couldn't wait to get his cast signed by all his friends.

Brock came with us in hopes of getting a glimpse of the BYU Training Room, but he was disappointed to find out we had to go to the doctor's office to get the cast on. It was good we brought Brock with us because he had a "Sharpie" on him that he let Bronson borrow for the day for his signatures.

Bronson with Uncle Kevin and his "BYU Blue" cast! Thanks Kevin for saving the day!

Draper Temple Open House

This morning we got to attend the open house of the new Draper Utah Temple. I made reservations on the internet a month or so ago and it was such a great experience. Things really worked out well because when I made the reservations, I did it for the first session at 8:00am because I didn't want Dave to miss work or the kids too much school. Well, come to find out - I had made reservations on the same day they were out of school.

I think if I had known this ahead of time, I would have made the reservations for a little later in the morning/afternoon but I'm actually glad it worked out this way. We were the first ones at the church (where you begin the tour) and the first ones through the temple today! I have been to open houses in the past where you wait and wait in the line of tents before you get into the temple. We could go at our own pace today and it was nice to be able to explain things to the kids as we went along.

If you haven't set up a time to see this beautiful temple, do it today! CLICK HERE

Emmie was cold and wouldn't pose for the picture

My mom and dad

Me and my hubby

We went to Mimi's Cafe for breakfast afterwards because were starving!

Two handsome guys

Elder L. Tom Perry

This weekend was our Stake Conference and we were privileged to have Elder L. Tom Perry come and speak to us. Last night at the adult session we got to sit in the chapel of the Stake Center about 5 rows back and in the center. It was an honor to be in the presence of an Apostle and hear him speak.

We have such a big stake and we have 3 ward buildings in our boundaries. This morning for the conference we were in our own building and watched it broadcast from the Stake Center. It was a good meeting but I feel bad that the kids didn't get the chance to see Elder Perry in person and to feel everyone quiet down and stand when he walks into the room. That always leaves such an impression on me. He bore a powerful testimony and it was a great honor to have him at our Stake Conference.

For those of you that would like to know what he spoke about today, he gave the 4 cornerstones of his personal testimony. They are 1. Knowing that Jesus is the Christ 2. Testimony of Joseph Smith 3. Testimony of the Book of Mormon 4. Restoration of the Priesthood.

First Date

Well, it happened. Maddie went on her first date last night to "Preference" and she had a great time!

I'm mad about the picture I got of her because I choose a bad background to take the picture and you can't see the dress very well. Grandma Knowles made this dress for Megan (Maddie's cousin) a few years ago for Prom. She spent HOURS making it and it was fun for Maddie to get a chance to wear it.

This is the only picture I got too because the dance is a girl's choice dance so her friend picked her up and then they went to get their dates. I'll have to post the dance picture when she gets it.

At least she got ready at our house and I was able to help her do that. I remember my first date and it was also a girl's choice dance. I went to my friend's house to get ready and then we left from there to pick up our dates. My parents didn't even get to see me until after it was all over!

P.S. Don't you love the bracelets? She bought fancy jewelery to wear but refused to cut off her other bracelets. I guess they added a "splash of color!"

Happy Birthday Maddie

It's official! She's 16 years old today and she's going on her first date tonight (Preference dance). Happy Birthday, Maddie!!

Maddie in the 4th grade

Great Friends

We had a great evening tonight going out as a RS Presidency and our spouses. We've been friends for years but you are just closer as you serve in callings together. Thanks for the great time guys! (Sorry Wayne that your head is cut off in the picture!)

Bride Wars

Saw this movie last night with my mom, dad, Brittany, Maddie, and Talbie. It was cute and I found myself laughing hard at some parts. I love it when cute shows like this come out rated PG so I can go see then with my girls without having to see them first. The next one on our list is "Confessions of a Shopaholic!"

Thanks dad for always taking us to the "chick flicks!" Dave thanks you too :)

The Broken Arm Continues

What would we do without family? We have such a great family! Uncle Kevin works at BYU and is the trainer for the BYU football team. He has saved the day many times for us. Dave and Maddie are always having him look at their injuries (Maddie especially and her ballerina body). They knew Bronson had hurt himself last night so instead of having to go the really long route (and all day route) of seeing our pediatrician, then having to go the hospital for x-rays, then being sent to the orthopedic guy for a cast, we got to go down to BYU and have the special treatment!

Kevin was down and out today too because he had just had a procedure done on his elbow, so he had someone else do Bronson's x-rays. He was so great! In the picture below, he's showing Bronson the "lead bikini". He had to hold it "you know where" for the x-rays. That took some explaining for Bronson to understand!

The x-rays showed a break but it was away from his growth plate so we were lucky.

Good as new! He even got to see some football players as a bonus!

A Rough Night

The party was a huge success last night but we all woke up feeling a little beat up! Dave was showing off a little too much last night and trying to keep up with the teenagers and woke up with a backache. Talbie fell last night and thinks she bruised her tail bone. Emmie woke up in the middle of the night with double ear infections and Bronson was complaining of his arm hurting last night from a literal "run in" with another guy last night (where he landed on Bronson's arm) and this morning he has a stress fracture in his arm. We're hoping the wrap will work for him and we won't have to go get a cast put on. Good times!!

The above picture was taken this morning before going to the doctor. We put a "make-shift" splint on it with an ankle brace :) You never know when Bronson is faking it or not so we wanted to be sure before we raced off to the ER last night.

SURPRISE 16th Bday Party!

We did it! We surprised her!! I didn't think it would happen because I have been planning a surprise birthday party for Maddie for a couple of weeks and I had her friends hand out all the invitations to her friends. I was sure that in this process, someone would tell her and the surprise would be ruined, but no one did!

We rented out "Classic Skating" last night and had such a great time. Maddie's favorite thing to do is go "disco skating" there so that was our theme last night. We all had such a great time.

Before anyone got there, Dave and I tried to warm-up our roller-skating skills. It took me a little longer than Dave, he's a pro! (But I think he will be paying for it today :)

Click to play this video of her walking in and being surprised!

Maddie and Danielle. Danielle did the hard part and made up the story and got her to the party! She said that her sister needed to take pictures of them, dressed in 80's attire - for a college class she was taking. She got to the party all decked out. Thanks Danielle!

Alisa and Charlie. Alisa gave Maddie the T-shirt below that she made! She bought the shirt but painted the design on the front. She is one talented artist!!

Maddie, Sammie, and Jake

Cousins - Megan, Maddie, and Abi

This is Maddie's friend, Collin. They met this summer at EFY - Idaho. He works at Classic Skating and was our DJ. He did such a great job playing great music - and embarrassing Maddie

Josie and Katie

Abi and Megan were good sports in helping Emmie try and skate. They didn't have much success and she chose to cruise around on her skooter after that.

Proof that she didn't like skating!

Talbie and Kate

Bronson and Dave

Tale of the Cell Phone Abuser

What do you do with a cell phone abuser?

Maddie broke her phone about 6 months ago and got lucky because her number was up for renewal on our contract so she was able to get a phone for FREE. She was so relieved because she just can't live without her phone. She had that phone for about 3-4 months and it broke. She got lucky again because the year warranty hadn't expired and she was able to replace it for FREE - again!

Well, one month ago she dropped said phone in a hot tub. there was no saving it and we knew that she was not going to be as lucky this time and it wouldn't be replaced for FREE. She was beside herself with grief!

Mom had a great idea, though! I have an old "razor" phone from a year ago before I got my Blackberry. It was better than nothing and so she took it and we had it hooked up to her phone number. She wasn't able to retrieve the hundreds of numbers she had on the old phone, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make to get another phone for FREE.

Tonight she was using her phone and the numbers stopped working. She tried and tried to restart the phone. She took the battery out a number of times but nothing worked and none of the buttons would work. In a PANIC, she ran through the backyard to Brittany's house and asked her if she could have her old "razor" phone. Brittany agreed and 30 seconds later we were in the car and off to replace her phone once again - for FREE.

After they got everything transferred onto the new phone, the buttons from the old phone miraculously started working again but the new phone didn't have any service! I hadn't even left the parking lot of the mall and we got out of the car and went back to the phone store. This time, the nice lady helping us told us that my number was ready to renew and if I wanted to, I could use that to get Maddie a new phone - for FREE!

I didn't know if I was feeling that nice, but I finally decided to do it and it would be her birthday present from me :)


The moral of the story: Don't let Maddie use your cell phone!

Basketball Begins

Bronson had his first basketball game on Saturday. The boys ran into Dr. Wynn (our pediatrician) at the game. We always see Dr. Wynn at our soccer, baseball, or basketball games and we feel better when he's there. You never know when you're going to break a bone!

I had to cut Emmie out of this picture because she was crying because of something Bronson had just done or said to her. I didn't want it to look like she was afraid of Dr. Wynn. She actually sees him more than anyone and loves him!

Temple Day

Today was our monthly RS temple group. We started this group a few months ago but we haven't had a great turn out. Today it was me and my friend, JoLyn (the RS Pres.) We had a great time together and I have enjoyed heading up this group because I can meet my goal of attending the temple, at least once a month. I hope we start having more people come. It's always fun to go with friends!

As the Saying Goes...

"Shoveling snow while it's still snowing is like cleaning the house while your kids are still growing!"

(Phyllis Diller said this - only the snow and house parts were reversed)

We've had A LOT of snow here and it's a good thing we've been shoveling while it's still snowing or we may never get out of our driveway!

Emmie got Maddie to play in the snow with her yesterday. They had so much fun!