It's soon.....

We'll Pick it up....

If you use straw bales in your holiday decorations and then don't know what to do with them after the holiday is over..... just call me or Jed (or post under comments) and we will come and pick them up from your house. We always need straw for our little goats and pony in the winter. Thanks!

First tooth

Erin lost her first tooth (well, second if you count the one the dentist pulled). It had been just hang'n on for a while and everyone kept asking Erin if they could pull it out, but she wouldn't let anyone. Then at Abby's birthday party she let Tracee "look" at her tooth and before she knew it, Tracee pulled that tooth out. Erin put her tooth under her pillow and the Tooth Fairy gave her a Sacajawea dollar. Erin said she received it because she had been so brave.

Tagged again by Jacki.....

8 Things I’m passionate about:
1. My Jed
2. My girls
3. Our animals
4. Our home
5. Pictures
6. Coffee
7. Time off of work
8. My schedule

8 Words or phrases I often use:
1. “I love you”
2. “Jeddy Bear”
3. “Hi, what are you doing?”
4. “CAL lab, this is Charma.”
5. “Jed, when are you getting off work?”
6. “Erin, hurry up, it’s time to go.”
7. “What do you want for dinner?”
8. “Can you help me?”

8 Things I want to do before I die:
1. See my girls grow old.
2. Go on a Honeymoon.
3. Have a new house.
4. Be debt free.
5. Retire.
6. Travel.
7. Have tons of fun family vacations.
8. Get back to my pre-baby weight.

8 Things I’ve learned in the past:
1. What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.
2. Friends will come and go, but family is forever.
3. Don’t put your energy into regrets.
4. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.
5. Mom was right most of the time.
6. Write stuff down so you don’t forget it.
7. Always cut away from your body.
8. Check the expiration date of your “Milk Chug” you just bought from the gas station before drinking it.

8 Things I currently want or need:
1. More sleep.
2. More time.
3. Troubles and worries to go away.
4. Everyone to get along and be happy.
5. House makeover.
6. New computer and printer.
7. Never to have to work again, just be a stay at home Mom.
8. Did I mention more sleep?

8 Places I want to see or visit:
1. Hong Kong
2. Australia
3. New Zealand
4. France
5. Scotland
6. Egypt
7. Galapagos Islands
8. All 50 states.

8 Favorite restaurants:
1. Teppanyaki
2. Olive Garden
3. Applebees
4. Mi Ranchito
5. Wingers
6. Butcher’s Chop
7. Meals made in the “great out doors”
8. Meals made at “grandma’s house”

8 TV shows I like to watch:
1. Nip/Tuck
2. How Clean is Your House?
3. Animal Precinct/Animal Cops
4. Locked Up Abroad
5. The news
6. ?
7. ?
8. I don't have a lot of extra time for TV.

Tag 8 people:
1. Jenny
2. Mandy
3. Anyone else that wants to do this.

I've been tagged by Jacki.....

Here are 10 things that bug me and make me smile in no particular order. I could have made the lists more like 100 things, but these are the 10 that popped into my head first.


10 Things that bug me:
1. Being late.
2. Drivers that tailgate me then speed past just to turn at the next exit while I pass by.
3. Dust bunnies.
4. Flies.
5. Dial up internet connections.
6. When someone doesn’t say “bye” before hanging up the phone.
7. Being told 10 different times about one issue by 10 different bosses.
8. You just get into bed and get comfy for the night and you remember something you have to get up and go do.
9. When my fingernails are too long.
10. When my house is messy.

10 Things that make me smile:
1. Hearing my kids laugh and seeing their smiles.
2. Spending time with Jed.
3. Getting mail, other than bills or junk mail.
4. Coming home to a clean house.
5. Watching and/or playing with our pets.
6. The smell of my freshly bathed kids and husband.
7. How everything looks just before sunset and just after sunrise.
8. Fairfield’s sky at night, full of stars.
9. When Jed surprises me with pumpkin spice coffee after I’ve had a long day.
10. Hugs and kisses.

November 1st

Come on over... Saturday, November 1st for an old fashion barn raising and pig roast at the Winters' in Fairfield. Bring your family, tools, and a pot luck dish to share. Call Jed or Shawn for more details. Or post your questions under comments.

Interview with a five year old.

I sat down with Erin and asked her a couple of questions. Here is what she said:

Who are your best friends?
Kassidy and Catherine.

What is your favorite thing to do?
Play at recess.

What is your favorite movie?
Barbie Diamond Castle.

What is your biggest challenge?
Math.

What is something mom always says to you?
Not to do stuff.

What makes mommy happy?
When I’m being good.

What makes mommy sad?
When I’m not being good.

How does mommy make you laugh?
By tickling me in my arm pits.

What was mommy like as a kid?
She was a little girl.

How old is mommy?
21 (Oh, what a good girl!)

How tall is mommy?
Tall, tall, tall.

What is mommy’s favorite thing to do?
Play with me.

What does mom do when you're not home?
Cleans.

If mommy was famous, what would she be famous for?
Doing the circus. (Whoa, I'm sure she means being IN the circus.)

What is mommy really good at?
Good at cleaning.

What does mommy do for her job?
Work on computers.

What is Mommy's favorite food?
Spaghetti. (Mexican food is my favorite, but I do like spaghetti.)

What makes you proud of your mom?
Playing with me.

If mommy was a cartoon character, who would she be?
Ariel. (Well, at least I'm not Cruella.)

What do you and mommy like to do together?
Art.

How are you and mom the same?
We love each other.

How are you and mommy different?
Mom has spiky hair and I have long hair.

How do you know mommy loves you?
Cause she kisses me a lot.

How can I be a better Mommy?
By always loving me. (I definitely can do this!)

What's in yours?

I think a lot of us have a cedar chest or some type of "hope chest." I cleaned the pile of blankets and clothes off mine the other day and wondered... "what exactly do I have in there?"

I received this cedar chest as a high school graduation present from my Mom. It still has the plastic on the top, probably because I take after my Grandpa Grow a little and like to keep things nice.

Inside mine are some baby clothes from Taiwan that were a gift from some past coworkers in Taipei when Erin was born. Handmade baby blankets that were made for Erin that I can't bring myself to let her drag around the house.

Pillows I made in high school and an afghan my Grandma Grow made me. Can you guess my favorite colors in high school?

It was fun to pull this stuff out and look at them again. It's been awhile.... maybe I should put a time capsule in there for the next time I unearth the cedar chest again in 5 years.

Flashback

Inspired by Callie's flashback pictures, I came across these pictures and thought I would share them. Here is a picture of me and Jed as little kids.

Here is a picture of Jed and me. This was taken at his graduation.

It is fun to look at old pictures.

One Word

Just for fun, answer the following questions in just one word. Then tag some friends.

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket
2. Your significant other? Jed
3. Your hair? Spiky
4. Your mother? Crazy
5. Your father? Who
6. Your favorite thing? Generosity
7. Your dream last night? Weird
8. Your favorite drink? Coffee
9. Your dream/goal? Happiness
10. The room you’re in? Laboratory
11. Your hobby? Mother
12. Your fear? Failure
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Successful
14. What you’re not? Carefree
15. Muffins? MMMMM
16. One of your wish list items? Travel
17. Where you grew up? Fairfield
18. The last thing you did? Read
19. What are you wearing? Casuals
20. Favorite gadget? Camera
21. Your pets? Ageing
22. Your computer? Sluggish
23. Your mood? Anxious
24. Missing someone? Always
25. Your car? Cluttered
26. Something you’re not wearing? Makeup
27. Favorite store? Barnes & Noble
28. Like someone? Occasionally
29. Your favorite color? Brown
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today

Tagging: Callie Nikki Jenny Megan

Free Handbag

Click on this website to enter for your chance to win a FREE handbag! http://www.handbagplanet.com

Thanks Grandpa Jack

Thanks Grandpa Jack, we love the fresh big potatoes you brought to us from Idaho! Jed is happy to have some real potatoes for a change instead of the instant ones I usually make for the kids.

A Tornado!

Jed, Shawn and Scott were out working on Jed's barn about a week ago and saw this "dirt devil" start up just west of Fairfield. It grew and grew and became a baby tornado! I wished my camera zoomed in closer so you could see it better. It was pretty neat.

Just a little...

Erin and I brushed the mud off and pulled the burs out of Ben's hair today. Then she went for just a little ride around town. They both did good and had fun.