It may look like you have seen these pictures before, BUT... you haven't! We are in the middle of yet another snow storm! This time it isn't any little measly 8 inch storm - so far we have over 15 inches and it is still snowing! I am sure these pictures speak for themselves!
SB and I went to finish up our last minute Christmas shopping yesterday. Our travels took us to the mall where we needed to go upstairs. I don't know if many of you realize that handicap accessible doesn't mean convenient! Well, it is the honest truth and yesterday proves that! We decided to go up the escalator (yes! I did mean the escalator and not the elevator!) and when we got ready to come down the escalator there was a sign - a professionally made sign, not a hand written sign - that said "Elavator in China"! I couldn't help but to laugh! It took me until we got most of the way down the escalator to realize that it meant that the elevator was to be found in the china department (fine dishes)! All that I could wrap my mind around was that someone had finally SAW THE LIGHT!! and had decided to publish what I have known for over 20 years - accessibility doesn't mean convenient!!!!
It is that time of the year when the calendar starts to run out and it is time to get a new one! I had found a wonderful calendar this last year and went to get another one just like it but . . . of course they didn't have the one I wanted - which sent me looking for a new one! I found one I think I am going to really like but the cover wasn't going to work for me. I ripped off the cover and made a new one. I put cute little ribbon tabs where the months started and joila - THE PERFECT calendar for my new year!
This weekend we drove out to the mountains and chopped down our very own Christmas Tree! It was definitely a first for all of us. We had such a great time. Our tree is very cute and has such character! The part I liked best is that we got to pick it!! Here is a tip though for those who have never done this and think they might want to - the trees look smaller in the wild! We thought ours was going to be tiny in our house, but. . . it is pretty full. Someone had told us to make sure that SB stood next to it and make sure it wasn't going to be too tall! We did manage not to get a tree that was too tall.
There was snow still in the mountains too - so the kids made snowballs! We had a great time. We celebrated C's birthday also with a trip to Frontier for breakfast. 
I am here and alive! I think this might be the longest blog lag in the history of my blog! Well here I am and here is a recap on my last month.
SB and I are going to see "The Phantom of the Opera" tonight! His parents bought us tickets as kind of a" recovering and getting back in the swing of living" treat! I have never seen this show, but it is one I have really wanted to see and just never have! We are going to get dressed up and have a great time! Great big shout out to Muggins and Gumpa for our big night!
Time for a new post! Wouldn't you agree?!!
This past weekend was marked by yet another year of my life passing away! I had decided years ago that 35 was going to be the perfect year - I have since decided that all the years are the perfect year! Each year is special and holds dear memories for different reasons. I am really enjoying being me! I love my husband, 
my awesome kids, my extended family, my friends both far and near AND I am absolutely loving my new VACUUM cleaner (thanks mom and dad for getting me an ORECK!!!!!- all in all I am really loving life. My mother and father in law bought SB and I tickets to see Phantom of the Opera this week. I have never ever seen this before in any form and am very excited to get to do something so different.
We celebrated the passing of the year with a trip to the zoo and a ride on the zoo train. It was a gorgeous day and felt great to be outside hanging out with those I love. While at the zoo, I took this picture and I think it is one of my all time favorites - Mugs, A says you should paint this one! Notice B's pants are his baseball pants and in his hip pocket is his camera! He is really getting tall!
Thanks to Laughter Thoughts for this great site and for one of the biggest laughs I have had in a long time. This is a video of SixBit's and me doing a fun dance - click here for the laugh of your life! (not sure SB has seen this video!)
Also, A and C have made a dance video. C has grown quite a bit and A is a bit pushy in this video - click here for their video.
ENJOY and better sit for these!
We curled A's hair last night with the sponge rollers. How many reading this post have used the sponge rollers in your life? How many put panties on their head while they were sleeping to keep the rollers from falling out? (well actually - how many mothers made you sleep with the panties on your head?) Here are the end results - I don't remember mine ever looking so curly and pretty!
WOW! I am on a roll today - 2 posts in less than 30 minutes!
Last week after our official Survivor night we went outside and found this written on the driveway in chalk! HHmmmmm could it be that someone was watching from the window?
Enough of that - I am sure you all are waiting for something more - something that will make you smile. The first day of surgery I obviously felt great! Having so much of the anesthetic still working in me - I thought "Wow! This isn't going to be near as bad as I thought!" Yeah! well the second day proved another picture altogether. They had given me one of those morphine pumps that I get to manage myself - and that first night after some of the "good stuff"was wearing off I started feeling a little of the pain. So, I thought that I would purposefully stay awake for over an hour so I could push the pump! Well, little did I know that I would end up feeling way out of it and nauseous. The nurse gave me something for the nauseousness and it put me even more out of it. I noticed I would be dreaming but awake (don't they call that hallucinating?) and I would talk out loud - I could feel myself doing it and even would laugh about it right then but could do nothing to stop myself. I think it would have been great if Sixbit had have had a tape recorder. Anyway - things are looking more favorable and less bleek starting yesterday - I think I just might make it!
Edited by my very own mother who claims I am still out of it!
I was downloading some pictures from our church's kid's camp and found this picture - It reminds me of God's promises to His people - of which I am one! On the eve of my surgery, I am comforted to know that He will be with me and that so many people are praying for me and that all goes well with no complications and that this is the answer to all my problems. One of the dear ladies at church crocheted me a shawl with a note that "I am wrapped in the arms of God" - Thank you, Janet for that sweet tangible reminder.
Kelly, recognize the car in the driveway?
My little munchkins jumped off the high dive for the first time EVER this week at swim practice. All three of them - and the funniest thing was that #3 went first and 5 different times. I do have to say, that I was a little nervous knowing 
how far he would go under before popping back up! But . . . he, they all did awesome.
Unbeknownst (is that how you spell it?) to me - that the practice before, Sixbit offered B $100 (no, there are not too many zeros) to jump off! But. . . B was not ready that day. SO he waited until Sixbit was no where in site to decide to jump! At least I had my camera! I made the comment to C that she is blurry in all the pictures and her reply to me was, "Mom! I am in motion!". So, there you have it. Nothing on the photographers part - all on the subjects part!
I have been tagged (maybe a week ago!) by Laughter Thoughts - so here, finally is my three themed Meme
Three things I am doing right now: blogging, watching tv and trying to stay awake
Three nicknames: Pinky, Ediebug, and Pinkydots
Three people that make me laugh: Sixbit, Bergan Herd and Sillybug
Three things on my floor: A's shoes (well actually she put them away earlier - but they are almost undoubtly always under the kitchen table), kitty food (Jumps is a very messy eater), and the phone base - it always seems to fall on the floor and noone knows how to pick it up - not even me!
Three things I can do: make people smile, make an awesome bed, sleep all day
Three things that I love: Sixbit, all the kids, and daisies.
I guess the name of the game is "tag you're it" - SO tag Kandid Kiwi, More Water and Brandi!
So, guess what! Soccer started back up today! Whoo Hoo! At least this year there is only one playing so our Saturdays won't seem so filled! Here is our soccer princess right in the thick of it! Thanks to our friend, Susan for sending this pic to us!
If you happen to think about me and see that my posts are few and far between in the coming weeks - maybe you could pray for me! I am finally having my hysterectomy and haven't been feeling too well the last few weeks. I am not really anxious as much as just wanting to be on the healing side of things. My mom is coming to take care of me for quite a while and I am looking forward to that also - a girl needs her mommy sometimes.
I started a new bible study today and I am very excited about it. This semester I decided to do something on my own and at home since I will be out for about 2 months. My mother and I are starting the Beth Moore Living Beyond Yourself study. It is a study on the fruit of the Spirit and it is online. It is a 10 week study with 5 days of homework in each week. If you are looking for something to study you should check this one out. You just download the homework and then after you complete the week of lessons then you listen to the video that goes with what you have just studied.
I haven't been very faithful lately with my time in the Word and so, today when I opened up my bible and started to read, my whole soul just let out a huge sigh of contentment! Don't you ever wonder why you let yourself slip in this area when it feels so good to be "in the Word"? I guess it is a little like exercise - something you have to discipline yourself to do but when you do it. . . you feel amazing.
Okay, so one of the fun blog toys I have on my blog is a blog map. If you have a blog, you really should get this. Click here to find out more. It tracks recent blog hits from various places. I have had visits from Egypt, Nairobi, Iceland and just recently I had a hit from Ft Wayne, Indiana - Is that you, Michele? If it is - I miss you! Leave me a comment so we can reconnect!
See what you come up with!
I have it on good authority that Sixbit is finally updating his blog! Check it out!!! I am not going to add what we are all thinking . . . it's about time!!!!
If anyone is wondering about the picture - well, if you knew Sixbit enough, you wouldn't have to ask! His prized bike and wheel set - the one that allows him not to get passed by those other triathletes with the number 60 written on their calves!
Way to go Sixbit! We welcome you back to the world of blogging!
Here are those funny pictures I promised! They are of me with my head out the window trying desparately not to yack! You can see my face in the mirror on one of them. I know that I have a smile on my face in bothe pictures but I must assure you that it was one of those very painful smiles - remember my friend wouldn't stop laughing at me and I had to assume that I was a very funny site indeed, not to mention if the tables had of been
turned there is a good chance I would've done exactly as she was doing - laughing my head off! Also, notice that my Lazy Scrapper is naked and I am about to use it improperly (in a manner that it was never intended to be used! Sorry Sillybug and Sandy). Enjoy and bring on the comments!
Alright, looks like Jazzy won my little contest. Email me your address again because you got a souvenier from the Pier!
Although we did try to find the Full House house but could not locate the info on the internet. We did make it to San Fran for a whopping total of 30 minutes. Here is why - I got carsick on the way over there! It was absolutely horrible. I had my head sticking out of the window and there was soooo much traffic! People were driving by laughing at me - not to mention Mar had the camera in one hand and the steering wheel in the other. She was just waiting to get the actual "yack" on film. I never did - and I am glad to rob her of that pleasure. She was just brutal in her lack of sympathy. I guess, what are good friends for? Seriously, once we parked we only had 20 minutes to get out and find souveniers and run back to the car and drive to the airport. Once we got to the airport only had time to pee and then get right on! We really cut it close with our little 20 minute splurge!
We worked our little fannies off once again and only once was I ready to get up and walk out. It was soo very crazy. I suppose that is what you are looking for when you are just starting out with a new company.
I am having trouble uploading pictures right now - so check back later for some funny pictures.
So this is what happens to you when you turn 60! Your friends and you - who are normally very respectable people - revert back about 40 years. that is my mom in the Cher wig and my dad in the Elvis wig. I guess that means that when I turn 60 we all be heading back to the early 80s! That could be a blast! I am glad that I have such fun going parents! Dad, I am very very proud of you!
The end of summer is here! School starts back on Monday. All the kids are looking forward to it and I am glad they are happy about going back. We had such a fun summer although I think we all are glad to get back into routine. There is really alot to be said for routine.
We are going through a change here with some of our friends moving away. We are so sad to see Kelly and Grant go, but glad they have a blog to keep us updated on their lives and then Mandy and Egan (as C likes to call them). Megan is pregnant and is moving before we even get the chance to see her sweet little baby. We will just have to be planning trips across the country. It is so much fun to get to make a clean/fresh start - it is just hard on those that stay behind. I just have to look at this situation as a time to make new friends! So bring it on!!!
New post just to satisfy all - actually, I understand the disappointment that you are met with to sit down with your set aside time and read THE BLOGS - only to be met with the same post you read the day before and the day before that. (see SixBit's blog for extremely old posts! - something about accomplishing the mission .... I guess he figured he had accomplished his mission so no need to post anymore!) So, here is a new post - also am hoping to be better since school is getting back in session and life is settling more into routine.
My new big endeavor is Turbo Jam. I am turbo jamming my way to a leaner meaner me! It is so much fun and I find myself dancing through my day. My sister and I are doing this together. Always better to have someone to do it with.
Tonight is our last night in Chicago - CHA is over and Across the Street ROCKED!! Everyone loved them! YAYAYAYAYAY!!
We drove into town tonight with some new friends Sophia and Autumn. We had so much fun with these two new friends - laughed and laughed and then laughed some more. We walked the Miracle Mile and I reminisced about a day 13 years ago when I shopped in Niketown and bought my sweet boyfriend (SixBit) a really cool Niketown hat. I was so stinkin excited to have such a cool present to bring back to him and then I ended up leaving it on the stinkin airplane and he never ever even saw it!
Anyway, as we walked around we saw this! Really, there is no words to describe it so . . . I am just going to let the pictures speak for themselves! ENJOY
So, this guy actually got all the way inside this box and completely shut the lid - but this little girl went up to put money in his bucket and she was in the way - so I couldn't get a picture with the lid completely closed - big stinkin bummer!!
Just a quick note to let you all what the heck I am doing right now!
I am at CHA (a trade show for the crafting community) with my dear dear friend Marchelle. We are having a BLAST. Don't get me wrong, it is soooo much work! We unveiled Across the St.'s new product. It is called Lazy Letters and it is a organization tote for all those stinkin' scrapbook letters that are just all over and everywhere. There isn't anything like it out right now and so there is a HUGE response to it.
I miss everyone and am looking forward to getting back to posting more regularly. Pray for this trip and that we will continue to be met with so much enthusiasm.
By the way, the kids are with my folks on the annual Cousin Cruise on Southern Cross (my parent's sailboat!) and SixBit is home holding down the fort - I miss you SixBit!!!
OK - I am a day late. But... there is a clear winner here. The number i picked was 695. I wanted to take a picture of the prize, but I am feeling way too lazy for that. The prize is very person specific. I picked out the prize yesterday after I knew who won. It is a cute little red scrapbook with gingham red ribbon to tie it closed and a dog chew toy - hmmm who could the winner be? You guessed it (or maybe not) - it is you, Kelly! I will get it to you soon.
I like doing giveaways. I'll have to do another one someday. Be watching!!!
This is Sixbit after a really long week and it is only Wednesday night! Actually, it is him after a really long week but . . . he and his dad put new brake pads on my car tonight. They were saving money - the car shop wanted to charge us about $300 to do it. They did it for only $30! Way to be thrifty Sixbit! I don't know much about cars and have never seen brake pads so I took a picture to show how used pads look and how they probably shouldn't look!
I was walking through the mall the other day and saw this ad for a t-shirt design contest for a store called Zumiez (which I have never heard of - does this mean I am officially an old goat?). Anyway they wanted people to come up with a design for a snowboard, surf board, skateboard company called volcom (also, never heard before!). I am so enamoured with my new illustrator program and learning all the wonderfully amazing things it can do - that I thought I would give it a try. I am looking for thoughtful criticism on this one. This is what I came up with minus the black! Let me know what you think. 
First and foremost, I apologize to my friend Summer for calling her a slacker. I didn't even make the connection because I have been so slow lately. So, Summer consider yourself apologized too!
If you read my other friend Kandid Kiwi's blog then you will see that I also am a copycat. I really liked her little game about picking a number and posting on her blog. In honor of her and her little game and the fact that Mrs. J says that this is official "come out of the lurking closet" day, I am also going to play a little game. If you post a comment on my blog and get closet to the secret number I have written down then you will win a prize. I will pick the winner in one week - July 13. So, you have seven days to play. Ready, set, GO!!!
OOPS - forgot to tell you to pick a number between 1 and 700.
