The Northwest Southern Girl

Olivia's Baptism

2012-02-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

Olivia was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on February 4, 2012. She was nervous when she got up to sing "When I Am Baptized", with her friend Jada Loganomoce, but Jada reached over and held Olivia's hand throughout the song. It was so sweet! They looked and sounded like little angels!

Olivia was also nervous when she stepped into the font, but when she stepped out she said, "Mom, it was so great! I want to do it again! I thought it was going to be scary, but it wasn't. I felt warm and happy!". I'm so proud of her for taking this important step in Heavenly Father's Plan. Together, as a family, we will return home to our Father in Heaven. We are His children, and He loves each one of us!

Food in Jars

2012-01-31T20:42:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to make soup in a jar for Christmas gifts this year, so searched long and hard for good recipes. When I finally found one that looked good I decided to do a trial run before I gave it out to all my friends. Well it's a good thing I did, because it was awful!

So then I decided to do cookies in a jar. They are not as healthy as soup, but that failed, so I had to move on. When I finally found one that looked good I didn't have time to try it out. So I only gave a few jars out and crossed my fingers that they would be good. Fast forward a few weeks and the reviews came in: they were fantastic! So I had to try them myself, and sure enough, they are wonderfully delicious! So here is the recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cowboy-cookie-mix-in-a-jar/detail.aspx .

Try them and see what you think.

A Little Reminiscing...

2012-01-13T17:15:00.000-08:00

This is how big my sweet Olivia was when we moved to Oregon in July 2007! She was just a little baby!

I also found this absolutely delicious little jem of her sleeping on the stairs, of our then brand-new house.

And this is her now... Happy 8th Birthday Olivia! I CANNOT believe how time has flown in the past 5 five years!

Here's a bonus pic of the 3 kids in 2007. Why, oh why, do they have to grow up soooooo fast! It's really one of the great cruelties of life. But, I guess I do want them to grow and learn and be the fantastic people that they are. I LOVE MY KIDS!

Christmas Fun

2012-01-03T16:19:00.000-08:00

We love to swim in the morass of wrapping paper and bows (that always get chucked across the room, as tradition).

This was the first year that Daphne got into the excitement, and took her turn opening presents with pure joy. We all take turns so everyone gets to see what everyone else gets (and so it lasts longer).

Olivia was so excited to get a Fijit Friend from Santa!

Best of all was the last 2 presents, one for Savannah and one for Liam. They were each wrapped in 4 different boxes, and when they got to the last one it was an iTouch! They were obviously thrilled!

The very last gift was marked "From Jesus". Inside was a sheet of paper that said, "Eternal Life". This is the greatest of all the gifts of God. I am so thankful for my Savior and His humble birth. Because of His life we can return to live with our Father again. Mery Christmas!

A full November...

2011-11-30T17:56:00.000-08:00

Daphne had her third birthday!

...Complete with bounce house, crafts and games!

Savannah turned 14!!! She and Daphne celebrated together.

Olivia sang in her school talent show!!!!!!! I'm so proud of her!

We went to Shore Acres in Coos Bay to see the fabulous Christmas lights. It was so beautiful!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

2011-10-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Oh yum!!!! A friend of mine put this recipe on facebook a while back and I finally made them today. If you like pumpkin at all, you will love these. I ate like 6 or 7 of them today. I kept saying, "ok, this is last one", and then I would walk by them in the kitchen and eat another one.

1/2 c softened butter
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger (I actually used cloves--I like cloves better with pumpkin)
Cinnamon Sugar for dipping

Mix in order. Mixture is very sticky. Drop balls into cinnamon sugar and then to pan. Flatten a little with the palm of your hand. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

(I put in chocolate chips in half of the batter and baked them without the cinnamon sugar. Very yummy too!)

Enjoy the taste of Autumn!

The Fall Fairy

2011-09-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Oh how I LOVE Autumn! The leaves, the pumpkins, the hayrides, the spicy-sweet smell of cinnamon and fresh apples and the crisp-cool weather are a few of the things I enjoy about fall. I love it so much that I have created a new holiday. A few years ago I decided that September 23 (the first day of fall) is Fall Fairy Day. Every year the harbinger of the new season, The Fall Fairy, comes and leaves a special fall treat for the kids with a personal note for them. It's simple and easy and the kids love it! Of course, for me, any reason is a good reason to make every day special.

Back To School

2011-09-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

I always have such mixed feelings about my kids going back to school. I have so much fun in the summer playing with them! Although it is, at times, exceedingly difficult I still really, really love being with all of my kids. Things I love about back to school: 1. Buying new clothes for the kids. (I really love this part!) 2. Settling back into a schedule with regular bedtimes. 3. Dan giving the kids a father's blessing to start the new year. 4. Having a calmer atmosphere at home during the day. 5. Being able to go where I want, when I want without the kids coming, or complaining about me being gone too long. Things I am reticent to leave behind with summer: 1. Being with my kids most of the day. 2. The exploring of parks, farms, fish hatcherys, rose gardens, waterfalls, swimming pools,and dollar movies. 3. Hiking, biking and going for walks all together.

Dumb or Fun?

2011-08-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

I've done a lot of dumb things in my life, i.e., dumpster-diving for Monopoly game pieces at McDonald's, dropping an entire plate of food down some lady's dress when I worked for BYU Catering, and crashing/flipping my 10-speed over the hood of a moving car. That being said, I have never regretted doing something so much as when I jumped off Dorena Drop this summer.
The Drop is a 40-50 foot cliff that falls into Dorena Lake. It looks awe-inspiring from the bottom and terrifying from the top. Nevertheless I persevered and decided to take the plunge. The first 2 seconds were amazing, but then on the 3rd second everything went wrong. As the wind shear forced my pencil formation into a sitting formation I braced myself for the pain, exquisite, earth-shattering P-A-I-N!!!!!!! Words cannot describe the torment that went through my body when I hit the cement-like water. I actually bruised/broke my coccyx! And I have been living with that pain for 5 weeks now! Fortunately, this last week the malady is finally beginning to abate and I am starting to feel like a normal person again.
Will I ever do it again you ask? The sad thing is, I just might. I guess that shows just how dumb I am.

All in a Day's Work

2011-07-05T22:15:00.000-07:00

So there have been 9 kids in my house for the better part of the day today and I have applied Band-Aids of every size and variety to almost all of them. I have soothed their dramatic souls and cheered up their sad faces. I have whipped my head around to "Mom", "Aunt",and "Lori" so many times that I'm dizzy. The highlight of the day was when my mom and I took 7 of them down to EWEB to run through the fountain saying, "Let's just get a little wet" and then watching them COMPLETELY soak themselves without any towels to dry off with. The low point was when we got back and everyone was fighting over who got to get in the tub first. Then when the boys (both age 10) finally got their turn they just sat there, totally naked, with all their toys in a DRY tub and screamed for me to come turn it on and then off again. Come on boys...REALLY? You're 10. I'm pretty sure you can turn it on and then off again. Why is it that everyone needs me to orchestrate all of the minutia in the day? ...UGG!

So then Savannah has to have a sleepover and I reluctantly agree. The girls have spent the evening cackling at the top of their lungs and coming up with strange ideas to take revenge on their 7th grade homework assignments. Dan and I took Daphne for a ride to get a bit of a break and Savannah calls to ask if it's okay if they start a fire to burn all of their old math assaignments. I'm thinking, umm, please don't tell me you've started a fire in my absence. I tell her that I'm just wayyyyyy too tired to help them make a bonfire at 10pm,...maybe tomorrow.

Have you ever?

2011-06-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

~Have you ever noticed that freshly folded laundry clothes stay really warm, and sometimes even several hours later, when you reach into the laundry basket you could swear that there is lingering warm feeling?

~Have you felt that tingling, bubbly feeling in the back of your neck which preceeds a grumbling in your tummy?

~Have you ever noticed how wonderful sun-warmed pine needles smell, reminding you of care-free summers spent camping in the woods?

~Have you ever spent the day lounging in the back yard watching your kids laughing as they run through the sprinklers while reading a really good book?

~Have you ever noticed how pure and sweet your toddler's breath smells right when she wakes up from her nap?

I know this is really random, but it's just what I was thinking about today. How about you?

Things I wish my husband knew...

2011-06-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

After 17 years of marriage (this month), heaven bless him for being so patient with me, but there are still a few things I wish my husband knew.

1. If you soak a dish for 20 minutes and it doesn't get any less crusty I doubt that another 24 hours in cold, slimy water is going to get it much cleaner.

2. When you put a brand-new dress on a toddler you need to check inside for the attached diaper cover and detach it from the dress before getting the toddler dressed and taking her to church.

3.When you wipe down the table you must actually scrub at the dirty spots. A cursory "running a wash cloth over the table" just doesn't do the job. It just gets crustier and stickier until you put some elbow grease into it and scrub it all off.

4. A fairy doesn't come make the bed every day. If it's made it's because I
made it. Maybe you could do it every so often.

5. Pizza is not that amazing.

6. In conjunction with # 4, the blinds don’t pull themselves up and down morning and night. People can see inside your house at night when your lights are on and your blinds are up.

7. A two year old needs someone to brush her teeth for her. A seven year old also needs help every once in a while. They don’t have the dexterity to do it all by themselves until they are at least 8.

Now I have to say that my husband is getting better at some of these things, and at least he tries. Thanks for 17 fabulous years!

Our Fabulous Trip to Italy

2011-05-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

Wow! All I can say is wow! The weather was amazing, the people were fun and the sights were incredible! We took off for Rome on May 17th and after 12 hours on a plane we landed in Rome and proceeded to find a train, a subway and then walk to our hotel which took about 4 hours from landing. We didn't sleep for 48 hours and then did that same thing on the way back. But even for all the hectic time traveling there, it was still wonderful!

I have never walked so much in my life and my feet have never hurt so much! We walked from sight to sight ALL day long and then rested our weary feet for a brief night's sleep and did it all again the next day. We walked at least 40-50 miles in all.

We saw stunning ancient Roman sights, amazing Tuscan wine country, a beautiful Medieval castle, and countless incredible pieces of art and I even got hit on by a brazen Venetian waiter! Botticelli's The Birth of Venus truly moved me. It was a trip I will never forget!

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Our favorite things about Hawaii

2011-05-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

Seeing the Laie Hawaii Temple.

Eating Shave Ice at Aoki's! Yummy!

Finding sweet-smelling plumeria flowers everywhere and putting them in our hair.

Body-surfing the big waves in warm Pacific waters.

Snorkeling at Sharks Cove and Olivia looking cute in her swimsuit!

Playing in the Dole Plantation Gardens.

Ahhh the breath-taking scenery and cool turtles at Turtle Beach.

We can't wait to go back!

On Mothering

2011-04-01T16:12:00.000-07:00

Some people just don’t get it. Some people think that you can command your children to be good and so it shall be. Some people don’t realize the effort, stamina, energy and strength it takes to just make it through the day while you are raising children.

You see, it’s constant, non-stop, never-ending diligence to make sure that your children grow up (hopefully to be happy, well-rounded individuals that contribute good to the world). We are constantly watching with relentless vigilance and unwavering love; and those are the easy parts! As mothers we are always on guard, making sure they don’t run in front of a car, preventing them from poking their eye out, watching out for strangers, helping with homework, taking them to their various activities, not to mention breaking up fights with siblings. It’s exhausting!

So when you see a mother by herself with her 4 children please, oh please, be kind to her! She is out, doing her best, battling the world, trying to make sure her kids aren’t too loud, too bothersome, too rude. She is also looking out for every possible danger to prevent a mishap, and she is usually doing it ALONE!

I am writing this because someone was unkind, thoughtless, and selfish. Someone thought more about sitting quietly by themselves on a Seattle Ferry than letting an exhausted mother with 4 weary children rest their tired feet near her (which was the ONLY available seat inside). I, after hearing how tired this other woman was, told her that I was equally tired and that a kind smile would go a lot further than a look of vehemence.

My mantra: Be kind to everyone, for everyone is fighting their own battle.

Making Play Dough

2011-03-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love squishing their fingers into something soft and pliable? Almost no one! Especially not curious toddlers. Three cheers for play dough! Here's how to make your own:

You will need:
1 c flour
1 c water
1/2 c salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 T oil
food coloring

Mix the dry ingredients then add the oil, water, and food coloring. Heat in a pan on the stove top until the mixture forms a ball. Let it cool briefly and then knead until it is soft and cohesive.

Then let the fun begin!

What a great way to have lots of fun on a rainy day!

There is also an edible version which I have never tried since it would send my other children into anaphylactic shock. Here it is:

Edible Play Dough

1 1/2 c peanut butter

1 c powdered milk

1 c powdered sugar

Mix together until it becomes clay-like. Enjoy!

Journal Pages

2011-03-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

A few years ago (actually probably more than a few) there were some journal pages in the Friend that you fill out each month. We started filling these out way back then and now we make up our own. This is really great because each month you have at least one easy FHE lesson ready to go. We just type up 5 or 6 questions that pertain to that month and print it out and then the kids fill it in or we write down their answers for them. Around General Conference time we might ask questions about the prophet or something they learned. In the summer we ask about what they have been doing and what they enjoyed the most. We ask questions about their friends or what activities they are doing or their favorite foods. They really enjoy it and so do we!
Recently we found some of these old journal entries and spent an FHE reading over them and laughing about the cute things everybody said. It's amazing how you forget about the little details of life after just a couple of years. This is a great way to keep some family history and have fun at the same time.

For the Love of Yogurt

2011-02-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

So we were over by TCBY the other day on West 11th and decided to stop in and get some Fro-Yo. Does anyone remember the glory days of Fro-Yo from the 90's? Oh the 90's, when hair was still poofy, shoulder pads were cool and Fro-Yo was the "it" dessert! Well it just so happens that Dan and I dated and fell in love over a dish of frozen yogurt at TCBY in Provo, Utah! There will always be a special place in my heart for White Chocolate Mousse yogurt from TCBY. Ahhh the sweetness, the sublime pefection!

Then it was the cookie. Mrs. Fields and Great American Cookie Company, how I miss you and the awesome Double Doozie! ( Delightfully creamy frosting between two perfectly baked cookies.) Now days its all about the cupcake. I'm sorry, but sometimes they just try too hard to make it extra-fancy and the result is a sub-par lump of cold, hard crumbs with a pound of greasy frosting on top. Blah! I'll take my yogurt or cookies any day!

To all the wonderful women in my life:

2011-02-14T17:10:00.000-08:00

I hope you know, but if you don't or have for some reason forgotten, I wanted to tell you how beautiful you are. You all aretruly the lucky ones--people who are gorgeous both inside and out! For some unfathomble reason, I think that women don't always tell each other all the wonderful things we see in our sisters and friends. Whether it's out of insecurity or habit, I want to stop this trend and start telling people of the beauty I see in them. Since it's Valentine's Day, this is my Valentine to you: I think you are smart, talented, fun, caring, kind, forgiving, devout, loving, and sweet. I also think you are great mothers--always giving your children what they need to learn and grow. You are a great examples to me! Please don't deny this--it is true! To deny what I claim as my loving opinion of you is to call me a liar! You are truely wonderful people!

My family:
Jill, Kristen, Tiffany, Michelle and Kathy

My friends:
Angie, Tara, Kristin, Michelle, Amy, Jen, Marci, Kristine, Christie, Chelsea, Annie and all the others I have forgotten to name

A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-02-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the idea of being more thankful and finding joy in the small things in life, I have decided to compile a short list of some of the things I love the most. So here's to finding the sweet delight in the pure and simple joys of life!

I love:

~Diet Dr. Pepper
~Cherry Ice lip balm
~Small hands inside of mine
~Sunny days
~Cocoa Trio at Seattle’s Best Coffee
~Blowing bubbles with my kids
~Reading a good book
~Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats Cereal
~The Muffin Mill Macaroon Moon Muffins
~Lighthouses watching over majestic blue seas
~Sweet Life Patisserie Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
~Rainbows on the horizon
~A good song on the radio and singing along with it at the top of my lungs with the windows rolled down on a warm, cloudless day
~Sledding down a big hill
~Coupons
~Mr. Clean Magic Erasers
~Bath and Body Works Wallflowers, candles, soaps, and lotions
~Inventing ridiculous new dance moves and performing them with my family
~Watching my children sleep and then seeing them wake with sweet, juicy tiredness in their eyes
~Singing bedtime songs

"...When the dogs bite, when the bees sting, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad." ~The Sound of Music

A date to remember

2011-02-01T16:01:00.001-08:00

That's right, February 1st shall be remembered as the day that Daphzilla woke up happy and stayed happy all day (well so far). She was well behaved on a long walk, eating lunch at Wendy's, shopping at Kohl's, and even when I put her down for her nap! Whoa! This REALLY is a milestone for her. I could definately get used to this sweet girl!

I just want to cry!

2011-01-28T16:29:00.000-08:00

In fact I did just cry. A lot. Sometimes that's all I can do. All I can say is Daphne...tantrum...ordering a sandwich at Subway. Just about anyone else would have beaten her senseless by now, so I guess it's good she came to us. I'm exhaused. She's sleeping and I'm going to go lay down now.

I Love To Read...

2011-01-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

I just do! The older I get the more I love it, and need it. Because I don't work outside my home I just need to read to give my brain some exercise.

Life is all about "what do you need sweetie?" and "okay, everybody get in the car" and "what do you guys want for dinner?" and "of course I'll play a game with you". Life is good, but most of my day is spent doing things for everyone else. Reading is blissfully, completely, and unabashedly all for me!

That being said, here are some of the books I read in the last year and loved:

The Alchemyst (series) by Michael Scott
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Forest Born by Shannon Hale
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins
Fablehaven (series) by Brandon Mull
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series) by Rick Riordan
Guernsey and Literary Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

I read more than just this list, but these are the ones I would recommend to others. The Red Queen, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Guernsey and Literary Potato Peel Pie Society are not as quick/easy to read, but all are great books.

Date Nights

2011-01-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

A few months ago we started having date nights with the kids individually. I have to say that it has been more fun than I thought it would be! I think the kids sometimes feel like they don't get all the attention they would like and so they create attention for themselves, usually in ways that I don't approve of.

So we take one of them at a time and let them choose where they want to go eat and then they get to choose an activity. Savannah picked PF Changs and reading a new book at Borders. Olivia wanted Red Robin and pottery painting. Liam chose Pegasus Pizza and lasertag. (Daphne gets lunch dates with Dan and I frequently, so she will have to wait for these "grown-up dates" for a little while.) Each of the dates were lots of fun, but the best part was being together with the kids one-on-one. The funny thing is that when you are alone with each of them the usual bickering is banished, the nit-picking is nil and the fighting is forgotten and you are left with a perfectly-sweet and delightfully-charming child. Ahhhhhhh....now this is the life! :)

Christmastime!

2011-01-04T16:55:00.000-08:00

The Bustos Family loves being together and having fun! We went to Shelter Cove at Willamette Pass and had a blast sledding. We even saw a train!

We also love snuggling!

The kids, of course, love the magic of Christmas morning and opening their long-awaited presents!

I even made them matching pjs with their initials on them. They LOVED them! They said it was like wearing their snuggly blankets to bed.

We made crafts, sang songs, took treats to friends and neighbors, and danced our hearts out! We also remembered Jesus on Christmas, the whole reason for this day, and we paused to sing Him Happy Birthday! The glow in our hearts told us He was listening. Merry Christmas!

Snow Day!

2010-12-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

Oh how wonderful it is to wake up to a wonderful world of white!

You look out the window then switch on the TV to see if your school is out for the day. Sure enough: It's a Snow Day! Even Dad has to start work late. So we make some pancakes and have breakfast together, then run around the house trying to find all of our snow clothes. And when everyone is so bundled up that we can hardly move, we head outside to play in the white stuff!

It's just barely enough to cover the ground, but it's icy so we get out the sled and PLAY!!!

And even though it means more work for me, and less time to get things done, I just don't care. Why? Because even if it's just for a few hours the world stops and we all look around to appreciate nature's possibly dangerous and beautiful accomplishment. Or maybe it's because I'm still a kid at heart and I JUST LOVE SNOW!

11/23/10

A teenager and a toddler

2010-11-30T16:05:00.000-08:00

What great joys and blessings the month of November has brought! I can scarcely believe that my once "little critter" aka, Savannah is now a 13--an official teenager. Savannah, who at the wee age of two coined the phrases, "but I don't want to co-operate" and "I want to be frustrated". As precocious as she was cute, Savannah has always been a ray of sunshine in my life. In fact, when she was a toddler she would come into my room and wake me up with, "Mommy wake up! It's a sunny, sunny day!" Happy Birthday Sunshine-y Savannah!

Then there's Daphne, aka Daphzilla the Destoyer. I'm so happy she made it to the ripe age of two. Happy happy birthday! Daphne has definitely made my life more challenging, and rewarding at the same time. I like what Amy(the mom) says on Good Luck Charlie (our new favorite Disney show). When asked, "Why didn't you stop with 3 kids?" She replys, "Three was just too easy, three is for quitters!" Three was too easy and we needed to shake it up a little! Enter Daphne, result: life is not longer easy! But we still love and appreciate every minute of it. As President Monson recently counceled the Church: Count yout blessings! So we are counting our blessings every day and finding our lives richly blessed! Thanks be to God for these many blessings!

Why I Love Autumntime:

2010-10-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

Haymazes! The kids love to run around and hide in the sweet-smelling hay.
Pumkins! I love carving them, smelling them and most of all: EATING them! So far this fall I've made pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cake, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pie!
Hayrides! Especially at Johnson's Farm, where you'll lose your lunch and everything else you came with if you don't HANG ON TIGHT!
Fall leaves! We love to play "Ding dong the witch is dead" in the freshly fallen leaves. They smell sooo good!
Costumes! We all love to dress up. I made Daph and I tutus so we could both be fairies. This is our school fall festival--Holtoberfest.

Sick of being sick

2010-10-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Oh how I wish I could stop coughing and start feeling better.

I've been sick for 3 weeks. I just finished a course of antibiotics. Do I feel any better? No, well, maybe a little. But I think I've figured out my problem: There is no time to rest so I can GET better! I'm contstantly moving, constantly helping, constantly teaching, constantly needed for something. THERE IS NO TIME FOR REST! Even as we speak Daphne is whining at me to start a movie for her on the portable DVD player that has no charge and I have no idea where the cord is to plug it in. Now she found a pencil and is debating whether to draw on the wood floor or the wall. Oh, she found a book to draw in, well as long as it gives me some semblance of "alone time". If I try to tell her no it will only cause chaos and crying. Is it worth it? I think not! It's an old Calvin and Hobbes comic book, she's just adding more character to it's dull black and white pages.

Anyway, back to what I was saying. I should really be sleeping right now or at least resting on the couch. But clearly I'm not. I should really take better care of myself so there is enough to give back to the kids, but clearly I'm not. There's just too much laundry to fold, too much homework to help with, too many field trips to go on, too many dinners to prepare, too many piano and gymnastics and karate lessons, and not enough time to play with my kids, read to them, and to hug and teach them. So these are the things I choose instead of resting so I can get well. Maybe I will go take a nap, or should I do the dishes?

Now Daphne is playing hide-and-seek in my coat, I think I will go play with her instead.

Primary Changed Me

2010-09-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time I used to care how clean my house was. And there was a time in my life that I really had to have everything organized. My kids only wore ensembles that I pre-approved. My floors were free of stains and debris at all times.

That was before. But about 29 months ago, the same week that I found out I was pregnant (again) I was asked to do something that I wasn't sure I was capable of. I was asked if I would be the Primary President in my ward. I figured this day would probably come at some point, but now?

I really wanted to have another baby, and had recently gone through 2 very painful miscarriages. Was I up to this challenge? I decided to make a deal with God. I told Him that I would do this if He let me have this baby. I know, I know, silly! Does God really make deals? But it my mind I was committed and so was He.

It was not easy. The pregnancy was difficult to say the least, and I ran a primary program one week before I gave birth. There were times that I wanted to quit, and many times that I cried. But I have been blessed in ways that I could not have imagined through serving in the church. Not only did I have this beautiful little girl, but my family has grown in strength and love. We have had troubles, but with each challenge came a blessing, a gift. Patience, to deal with problems. Hope to handle stress. And more strength than I thought I could possess.

So what have I lost? Well, for one thing, the urge to be perfect. I still wish my house was clean all the time, but now I know that it's okay if it's not. I've had to simplify my life to fit everything in. And in doing so I've learned to let go of some things that really don't matter.

But wait, there's more! This last Sunday I was substitute teaching in one of the Primary classes. In that class there is a girl that I've known for quite a while and wondered if she ever really wanted to be there. She never acted like she wanted to be there. I couldn't tell if she was listening, she rarely if ever participated. But after the lesson she said to me, "I feel really good right now. I didn't feel happy when I got here, but now I'm glad I came." I explained that by doing what is right and coming to church and listening to the council of the prophet, you are blessed, and that this feeling was the Holy Ghost telling her these things were true.

That one moment washed all my doubts away: whether she was listening, whether she cared. They are always listening. It may not seem like it, but they are absorbing something. It's the small moments like these that make it all worthwhile! If I could reach just one soul, then whatever the sacrifice, it's been worthwhile.

Adrenaline Junkie

2010-09-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

I think you all know that I'm a pretty crazy person. I say things I shouldn't say and do things I shouldn't do. I'm not always careful, even though I try to be, and I get distrated easily. (That happens when you have 4 kids vying for your attention, one of them at the top of her very large lungs.)
A couple weeks ago I was backing out of my garage and looking out the rearview mirror to see how I was going to get around all the constuction cars parked on my street. If I don't angle my Big Red Car just right I will smack one of those other cars so carelessly parked behind MY driveway. So I was backing out and didn't notice how close the side mirror was to the garage when I hear a sickening S-M-A-S-H. The side mirror was literaly RIPPED off the car! Oh that's just GREAT! Just what I needed. (Nausea, rage and frustration commence.)
Now what I need is a new distraction. Something to help assuage my surmounting guilt. That's when I go and do something like this:

I stood at the top of the lofty platform, turned around, and without a care in the world, fell backwards into the open abyss. It was AMAZING, EXHILERATING, and BREATHTAKINGLY WONDERFUL! But this was not my first experience like this. I would do this every day if I could. I LOVE the rush. Let's face it, I'm an adrenaline junkie. What's next for me? Skydiving. Anybody want to go with me?

Family Reunion

2010-08-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

We took these pictures at our family reunion in July in Powell Butte, Oregon. We haven't been ALL together for a picture in 8 years!

Bustos Family

All 23 in the Hubbard Clan

The Original Seven. Lori, Jill, Eric, Ryan, Kristen, Rett, Kathy
We had a smashing time! Love you guys!

A Blast From the Past

2010-07-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

Kristen, my sweet sister and partner in childhood memories, was here last week with the rest of the family. We all had so much fun swimming, hiking, playing games and hanging out for our family reunion in Redmond, Or. (More details and pictures to come.)
So I was asking her if she remembered the most delectable taste I can think of from our growing up years: the elusive and delightful chocolate coconut muffin. She indeed remembers and cherishes the taste of the most exquistely wonderful muffin either of us have ever tasted. They used to sell these delicious confections at our junior high school in ol' Pleasant Hill years ago and neither one of us had consumed one, despite searching for them, these many long years. Well, a couple months back I was driving past this little bakery/cafe and decided to stop by and check for "THE BEST MUFFIN EVER" like I have done many a time at different places across the country in my search over the past 20-some years. And I found it!!!!!!!! It's called the Macroon Moon muffin and it's made at the Muffin Mill in Eugene, OR. When I informed Kristen that I had actually located the sought-after confectionary treat she was "over the moon" with joy and gladness!!!! We ran down to the Muffin Mill and cleaned them out! Then we indulged ourselves in lots and lots of scrumptious muffins. To share that long-lost taste with my wonderful childhood friend and sister can only be described in one way: It was complete and total BLISS!

Who is this ugly blue guy and what is he doing in my...

2010-06-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

underwear? Yes, it's true! This "ugly blue doll" as we call it came into our lives about 2 years ago via Happy Meal. What was McDonald's thinking? This is the UGLIEST doll I have ever laid eyes on!! It actually frightens children. So we've decided to keep it all this time and make fun of it as much as possible. This hideous thing has been found in underwear, shoes, cupboards, closets, purses and bags, the freezer, and even staring down at me in the shower. CREEPY! I just had to chronicle this quirky little thing in my blog so I never forget the crazy things we do in the name of fun. Watch out, he may be headed for your underwear drawer next!

An Ode to Daphne

2010-06-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our baby is now 18 months old,
She’s sweet and loud, and cute and bold.

Her little quirks make us laugh and smile,
She holds our thumbs, and smells them a while!

She loves to watch us play Wii all day,
And gets upset when we put it away.

She nuzzles her face into ours a lot
And looks in our eyes, that cute little tot!

The loudest baby that we’ve ever known
Daphne can scream til the cows come home!

The trash, to her, is a great play ground
She hides lots of things that will never be found.

What a relief, she’s in nursery now,
They work it out when she has a cow!

Although she’s a handful we love her a ton
With her in our family we have so much fun!

Daphne is 18 months old!!!

2010-05-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

To commemorate the occasion I took her to get her pictures taken. Normally I would do this at 12 months, but with Daphne being a holy terror and all, I've put it off until now. Judging from these pictures you would think I'm kidding about the holy terror thing, but I'm really not!

So here's the story. I took all these toys and snacks and music and tried my hardest to keep her in a good mood before the pictures were taken. But then we ended up waiting for 15 minutes before our turn. So by the time 15 minutes went by she was screaming, writhing and clawing at me(the usual when I take her out). She and I were both in tears when the photographer finally said it was our turn. I ALMOST just gave up and went home right then, but we decided to at least try. So as soon as we stepped in the studio she perked right up sitting and playing on the sheet backdrop. And we struck gold. It lasted for 10 whole minutes and then she was back to Little Miss Rotten. But what else can I ask for? With her, not much.

Mess-maker, Mess-maker make me a mess...

2010-05-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of the messes the kids have gotten into lately.

Why the garbage is soooo facinating alludes me!

Liam really enjoys his brownie batter.

Daphne found an open package of white cocoa mix and had to further investigate it's contents by pouring it out and playing in it! Yummy!

I'm Out of My Mind!

2010-04-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

I must be! What would posses a formerly lucid-minded, intelligent college graduate to take a job like this? My co-workers whine at me and fight with each other. My in-box is filled to overflowing with dirty laundry, poopy diapers and food that must be prepared according to strict guidelines so that the CEO's will actually consume it. And these CEO's are picky! Who would work 24 hours a day and 7 days a week and not get paid?!? There is no one to praise me and there is no one pining away for my job when I'm ready to quit. So why, you ask, do I keep doing it? There is only one reason someone would wade through this morass of frustrating work everyday: Love. Not from them but for them. I love my children so much it hurts! This is why we were meant to be parents: So that we could learn to love and know the kind of love our Heavenly Father has for us! To love and be loved is the greatest joy in life. So when I show my love through clean laundry, changed diapers, and healthy meals, or books read, crafts made or just through a listening ear, I am the one who makes the most, not in money, but in LOVE.

I'm Walking on Sunshine

2010-04-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

I take 50,000 IU of vitamin D a week; my liquid sunshine. But I have to admit, I truely am ADDICTED to sunshine. So now that it's April, and we here in Oregon are seeing the sun more, I have to get out there! So I've decided to get outside and start running again. I used to run 5 miles a day. But now that I've had 2 c-sections and 4 kids, at 35 my body just doesn't respond the way it used to. ERRRGGG! But it's time to get out there and kick my owm butt! And believe me I am KICKING my butt hard! OUCH! Kristin and Chelsea have inspired me: I'm going to run the 5K on May 1st. Now that I've said it I have to do it. And now that the sun is on my side I CAN.

Here Comes Mommy-Cottontail

2010-04-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post a few picture from our Easter Extravaganza! The kids had lots of fun coloring eggs, hunting for them and posing for pictures. Except for Liam of course, he was way too preoccupied to stop for a picture!

April Fool's Dinner...Fish Sticks?

2010-04-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

I like holidays, even the often forgotten, obscure ones. I've even been known to make up holidays some being Fall Fairy Day and Dog Day. They all come with their own specific ways to celebrate. For St. Patrick's Day we always dance to Irish music and eat green eggs and ham and other green foods. We even celebrate half birthdays by making a half cake. For April Fool's Day I have to be careful because the kids are getting old enough to suspect that I am up to something. This year I made fish sticks out of wafer cookies and marshmallow creme(which was extraordinarily messy!) and corn flakes. To go with the fish sticks we had potatoes and gravy which was actually ice cream and caramel sauce.

When I announced that we were having fish sticks for dinner the complaining immediately commenced. But they slowly came over to the table and started to eat. Olivia, however, refused to try it. After Savannah and Liam tasted it they encouraged her to try it, she finally agreed. When they realized they were getting dessert for dinner they were pretty excited! Then for dessert a pizza was delivered to the door. (I wasn't about to make 2 dinners!)

At The Lodge

2010-03-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

We went to Great Wolf Lodge in Washington for Spring Break and had lots of fun. It is a huge resort and indoor swimpark with 3 pools, 2 hot tubs, 6 waterslides and a huge water play structure that dumps a gigantic bucket of water every 2 1/2 minutes.

They also have this interactive game called MagiQuest that the kids had a blast playing. The kids all got wands and instructions to find certain things around the hotel that come to life and speak to you. They ran around from floor to floor finding different enchanted objects and fighting interactive dragons and talking to pixies. It was fun for them and exhausting for me! There were about 500 other kids doing the same thing, and running from floor to floor was tiring, but good exercise, I guess. It's a great place for a family vacation, just avoid the crowds and don't go for spring break!

Can-A-Rama!

2010-03-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

This week Kristin and I got togther to can lots and lots of dry pack food. We canned 80 cans together on Monday and then today Chelsea and Christine joined us. After a couple of failed attempts (the can actually got sealed to the canner and we had to pry it off, breaking the can in the process) we got pretty good at it! Today we did about another 90 cans together! I walked away with 66 cans filled with spaghetti (a real pain in the butt to break all of that), penne pasta, sugar, powdered sugar, flour, pinto beans, and rice.

The fruit of our efforts!

Hot canning mamas!

Daphzilla

2010-01-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

So Daphne has aquired some new nicknames lately; among them are little booger and Daphzilla. She now gets into everthing and destroys anything she can get her hands on. I recently made the mistake of leaving her clean laundry in her basket and on the floor. She tore through it like a tornado til all that was left was a pile of rumpled laundry. If the kids leave any lego buildings or lincoln log houses around she pulls them down like a little Godzilla and scatters the remains to the four winds. But worst of all are the screaming tantrums. She is very stubborn and wants what she wants. I took her into TJ Max yesterday and she did not like that store. She was shreaking the whole time! All these people were looking at me like, "What are you doing to your baby?" or "why don't you just take your screaming kid and get out of here!" At least that's how I felt. I went into the dressing room and she screamed even louder! That was realy fun tryingto hurry and try something on while she is screaming at the top of her lungs, and believe me, she has HUGE lungs for a 14 month old. I felt like I was running a 50 yard dash while trying on clothes on and holding a baby and singing lullablys to get her calm down. When I came out looking frustrated and deflated, the attendant lady said, " Don't worry, I think you are handling her very well." All the while I was thinking, "Really? I feel like slitting my wrists!" So when we left the store she immediatly stopped crying, like nothing happened and she was just fine!
I would like to dedicate a song to Daphzilla: "You're hot and you're cold, you're yes and you're no. You're in and you're out, you're up then you're down."~Katy Perry
Make that 2 songs: " She's all four seasons in one day!"~Sting

Cookie Time!

2009-12-18T16:12:00.000-08:00

Angie and I (with Daphne and Olivia) went up to Salem to hang out with Tara and her girls and make cookies. We had so much fun! Even the girls got into it. They were unsupervised when we let them do some decorating. Big mistake! The sprinkles were a 1/2 inch thick on each cookie and about that thick on the floor too! Tara was such a good sport though, saying enthusiastically "Oh, that's fine! Just as long as there is a little left." That was about all that was left from the 2 bottles. Then the girls all "skated" on the sprinkles until their feet were all dyed dark red and green!

Then poor Angie, who was rolling out the cookies on the counter, kept bumping her head on the corner of the cabinet. Ouch!

But no matter what, whenever the three of us get together we always have lots of silly fun!

Birthday-palooza!

2009-12-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

Both Savannah and Daphne had birthday's in November. They both had lots of fun!

Shopping Shenanigans

2009-11-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, first of all it's officially the Christmas season!!!! So now I can listen to Christmas music (music that I have been listening to for about 6 weeks already) without feeling guilty that it's not close enough yet. Yea!!
So I went shopping today, on Black Friday, for the first time that I can remember. Not very fun. I LOVE getting good deals, but not at the expence of my sanity. Hence the reason I don't do Black Friday. But my mom and my and sister-in-law wanted to do a little shopping, so I thought sure why not? But they wanted to go to JoAnn Fabrics. The only place worse, I'm convinced, is Walmart (where it's possible to actually die shopping). Okay, the people were all actually very nice, but the line for getting your fabric cut was about and hour long. So not fun! And not worth it for me since I wasn't getting that much. My mom and Shellie on the other hand were like those crazy ladies that can't get enough! Their shopping cart had, and I'm not exaggerating, at least 60-70 bolts of fabric in it! It took the poor lady who was cutting the fabric over and hour just to cut theirs!!!!!! I left.... I wasn't about to stand around some more. ;) So I went to the mall for more torture.
The mall was busy and crazy and hectic, but it was at least a better use of my precious shopping time, i.e. my time sans kids.
Never again JoAnn's! Never again will I waste that much time STANDING in line!

Why I love autumn...

2009-11-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

There's bumpy hayrides,

field trips to apple orchards,

and carving scary jack-o-lanterns.

I love colorful leaves with happy babies,

and family time with big fat pumpkins!

We all love to dress up for Halloween,

and jump in huge, wet piles of leaves!

WE ALL LOVE FALL!!!!!!

An Act of Violation

2009-10-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling so violated! My van was broken into last night at Monroe Middle School. I was with Savannah at her volleyball practice last night between 6:30 and 8pm and when I came out the back side window was smashed in and my purse was gone. I had hidden my purse, as usual, but they found it and went straight to Macy's and spent $300. I'm not liable for that, but that doesn't mean this event isn't headache free. Dan and I were on the phone canceling cards and finding out about fraud protection for 3 hours, then I did have a headache. Now we get to take our van in to get the window fixed too. Meanwhile I have to drive it around with none other than a plastic garbage bag and duct tape adornment. Very ghetto-chic!

H1N1 has left the building...I hope.

2009-10-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Well after Daphne and Dan both getting the full swine flu and being sick for about 2 weeks, they seem to be doing better. Seems like Olivia and I got something too, but maybe not H1N1. I hope we all keep getting better and no one else gets it!

The Shrine to Urine

2009-10-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm finally getting around to our trip to New York City. It was a blast! Wicked was AMAZING, Central Park was awesome, the view from the top of the Empire State Building was astounding, the Statue of Liberty was all I ever hoped it would be. It was a very fun trip. One thing I want to make note of is the BATHROOMS. Wow! I have never seen more disgusting nor more beautiful bathrooms in my life. There was this one in a delicious little pizza place that I was afraid to go in. I mean I was really scared. It was a unisex bathroom and this guy came out right before me and he was in there for like 10 seconds. Enough time to pee on the seat and walk out. I just about threw up at the state of the bathroom. I didn't touch anything with my bare hands...at least there was toilet paper. Ok, then there was this incredible bathroom in this little underground italian restaurant. It had 2 fountains, candles everywhere, rose petals strewn all over and in the marble sink. I wanted to stay in there all night and dedicate my "deposit" to the Urine Goddess who created this immaculate bathroom!

2009-10-08T22:40:00.001-07:00

Behold the Baby!

2009-09-22T21:40:00.000-07:00

This statement might not mean much to you, but in the Bustos home we say it a lot. When all of our kids are babies we lift them up above our heads in the air and say,"behold the baby!" The older kids love it and think it's funny, so we do it all the time. This is our way of drawing attention to the baby. So at this time I would like to draw attention to Daphne and tell you all that she is finally crawling!!!! Yeah! Good job Daphne! She finally got tired of sitting there and decided to to something about it. Behold the baby!

Back to School aka Back to Sanity

2009-09-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hooray! School has started! And although it promises new challenges in the form of crazy schedules, it also promises me a few hours every day of not having to break up fights.

Olivia started kindergarten this year. She loves it. Her teacher, Mr. Callahan, is awesome! But she was pretty confused last night when she asked if she had school tomorrow and I said, "No, it's Saturday. " She said, "So I'm done with kindergarten?" Then I had to explain that there is no school on the weekend. She told me that Mr. C have her a goodbye hug, so she thought that she was done with kindergarten. She was pretty sad until I told her she would go back to school on Monday! What a silly and sweet girl!

2009-08-25T13:32:00.001-07:00

Silliness in Sunriver

2009-08-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

We went to Sunriver last week with the Lenox Family. It was so much fun! We rode bikes, played tennis, went swimming and played games. The funnest part was playing Imaginiff. It was late at night and so we were loopy from exhaustion. The question was about Dan: If Dan were a cartoon character which would he be: 1-Minnie Mouse 2-Velma 3-Power Puff Girl 4-Tinkerbell 5-Cinderella. We all just died laughing. There were no male choices. So we sat there and imagined Dan as Tinkerbell. His tiny wings flapping wildly to keep him off the ground. Super tight tights and a goatee with stubble and of course a tight little skirt. He was a very hairy fairy with chest hair spilling out the top of his leotard! We couldn't stop laughing! So then we had to choose one for Tom. He was Cinderella. He had a blue flowing ball gown that didn't quite fit with his broad chest splitting the seams, glass slippers that didn't just fall off, but crushed under his weight, a headband with a fancy do underneath and a black choker necklace that broke as soon as he spoke in a deep voice. We were practically rolling on the floor by the time our descriptions were done. We decided we should get a graphic designer to draw them, so we could never lose those precious, yet sickening images. Thanks for being good sports Dan and Tom!

Hand Replica Project Aborted

2009-08-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it's official! I am now aborting my human hand replica search. Let me explain. It all stems from this one simple fact: Daphne has slept through the night for 3 nights in a row!!! You see, we were getting desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures!

Daphne has not been sleeping through the night for some time now and the only way we could get her to fall asleep during this last month was to stand at the side of her bed and put our hand on top of her face; she would hold on to the thumb and pinkie and slowly fall asleep. Well this gets old a 3 o'clock in the morning! So we devised a plan: buy some kind of hand replica for her to snuggle up to so we could get our beauty sleep. That sounds sick and wrong you say? I say: not so! On the first night that she slept through the night I was searching for something with the same weight and appendages as a hand and I found a little snake filled with sand. I layed it across her face; she grabbed both ends of the snake and within minutes...sleep! Eureka!

So I guess I will not go forward with the hand replica search. She even fell asleep without the snake. Hopefully we are home free.

Chaos Personified

2009-08-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

My life is choas! True to form I have not blogged in 3 months. I would say that I am going to change my ways, but that would most likely be a lie. I keep telling myself that I am going to simplify my life, but I am always in angst about what to cut out. Let me see... Getting up with Daphne in the middle of the night, wouldn't mind cutting that one out, ...laundry, it takes way too long with 6 people to wash for, ...grocery shopping, who needs food? ...if I'm going to cut out shopping I can cut out cooking and dishes too (yes!!!) I think I hit paydirt with that one. ...Swimming lessons, Do they really need to learn how to swim? ...Play dates. Now this is a tricky one. On one hand it gets them out of your hair for a little while, but then, inevitably, someone's feelings get hurt and you have to sort it all out. ...Soccer, volleyball, baseball, tennis, gymnastics. I'm left in a quandry. But there are things I will never give up doing: reading books to the kids (and to myself), going for walks, playing at the park, picnics, singing, and dancing like no one is watching. These are the things you think of when you decide to become a mom. These are the times I think my children will remember. These are the moments that life slows down and you realize it's all worth it. So if I can do at least one of those good things a day I will smile and know I did something worthwhile today.

Daphne-Doodle

2009-05-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

Daphne is my miracle. We had a hard time getting her here. After trying for a year and a half and 2 miscarriages we found out that we were going to have a baby girl. The pregnancy was awful. I was sick for the first half and by the time the morning sickness went away I was very anemic. But I wasn't diagnosed with the anemia until much later and so I spent the whole summer in exhaustion and agony. Needless to say it was avery hard pregnancy.
She was growing fast and I was getting big. We decided to schedule a C-section, because I had Olivia via C-section and Dr. Betterton feared my uterus would rupture if I waited to go into labor and deliver naturally. So she came 6 days before her due date on November 17 weighing 8 lbs 8 oz. We were so elated to have another healthy baby girl! We wanted her to have the same initials as her daddy so we named her Daphne Elizabeth Bustos. When the doctor pulled her our she said "Would you look at all the hair she has!" Her hair was dark brown and very long! Probably about an inch! She had such a loud cry too. Daddy spent the first hour by himself bonding with her and firgured out that all she wanted was to suck. So he stuck his pinkie finger in her mouth and then she was happy as a clam.
She is 6 months now! Oh how the time has flown! Life is cruel in that way. It goes so fast when you want it to slow and it speeds up when you want to to slow down. She just started sitting up about 2 weeks ago and she is starting tosleep through the night. She is very happy with all of the attention she gets from her brother and sisters! They are always willing to help her and hold her. Liam was so sad when we found out she was a girl, but now he comes home from school and run up to her to smell her and kiss her and make her smile.
We also get A LOT of attention from strangers! Everyone comments on her hair and how beautiful and long it is. (I even put it in pony tails the other day!) They also comment on how beautiful her blue eyes are. She loves the attention, but the other day she was playing shy and hid her face in her carseat when someone was cooing at her. It was really funny. It's like she was getting tired of all of the comments and decided enough was enough! Occasionally I get a little frustrated too if I'm in a hurry. I usually get stopped 5-8 times in the grocery store. So if I have more than one place to go in a day I get stopped that many times at each place I go. It's pretty funny sometimes. I should keep a tally one of these days!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-05-20T14:32:00.001-07:00

I like my birthdays every one! Each brings a greater joy to me! (To quote a primary song.) I never seem to tire of getting older. I'm 35 today and I still love my birthday! My kids all made me a picture, coupon or book. Savannah wrote a book for me complete with illustrations and I want to share it.
The title is: "Here's to You and our Family". We've been together since... First steps...Princess Fanticies... Rainy baseball games...And school plays. Our family is very special. And you play a very important part in it. Remember, that with all we go through you'll always be our Mommy and we'll always be your Baby.
Thanks Savannah! She should write greeting cards or something. I was crying by the time I got to the end!
My hubby got me an emerald ring (that I got to pick out!). I love emeralds, it's my birthstone. He is going to get off work a little early so we can start celebrating, then we're going out to Marche tonight and to a movie.
I also got to get a mani/pedicure with my friend Angie and go out to lunch. Daphne even gave me a gift. She didn't cry the whole time I was getting ready this morning (like she usually does!) and she slept through my pedicure. Very nice!
Birthdays are great!

2009-05-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Northwest Souther Girl

2009-03-01T23:11:00.000-08:00

I call myself this because I grew up here in the great Northwest and then lived in the South for 10 years and came back. So some people notice that I occaisonally throw in a "ya'll" in casual speaking. On a dialect quiz I took I came out half northern, half southern. What can I say, I guess I'm some kind of half -breed. Pros: I've met lots of wonderful people, eaten lots of amazing food, held season passes for Sea World and Six Flags, seen the Grand Ole Opry, lived near a Civil War battleground and Andrew Jackson's Hermitage Home as well a several other plantation/historic homes. Cons: I miss all of the friends I've made along the way and all of the restaurants in Texas, the best place to eat and get fat .

Computer Idiot

2009-03-01T22:37:00.000-08:00

I really don't know if I'm cut out for blogging. I mean, I'm really no computer genius. In fact, my husband runs all the computer stuff under our roof, and he's never blogged before either. I'm basically on my own with this one. So here goes nothing!