The Moore Family

Nauvoo

2009-07-11T13:42:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we took a quick trip to Nauvoo, Illinois. It's about 5 1/2 hours from Bellevue to Nauvoo. We stopped halfway to eat lunch (never stop at a combined Taco Bell/KFC--Yuck! There was a little sculpture garden and it seemed the perfect place for the kids to pose for a picture. Sammy was thrilled to be out of the car. Eli and Carli have always been really good car travelers, but Sammy HATES it. He cries just about the entire time.

I have no idea how Carli can actually sleep in this position, but it happened more than once during our hours in the car. We would just laugh every time we saw her in this position!

We arrived in Nauvoo at about 4 pm, just in time for a show at the Visitors Center. It was called Sunset by the Mississippi. It was kind of like a ward talent show from the 1840's. It was really fun for us and the kids.

On Saturday we went to a puppet show for the kids which was really fun. They loved it. All the missionaries who put on the shows are so talented.

Eli and Carli totally engrossed in the puppet show.

It started raining Friday night and continued until about 5 pm on Saturday. All the Independence day outdoor activities were cancelled and we were so bummed to miss the oxen rides and handcart activities. It made for kind of a gloomy 4th of July.

Thank goodness there were lots of indoor activities. This is inside the Family Living Center where they had lots of displays on pioneer living. In this picture Eli is making rope.

Ben and Eli showing off the rope they made together. We also learned how to make candles, saw a man making a rug on a loom, and learned about baking bread in a fireplace. It was really neat.

We also paid a visit to the brickyard where we learned how they made all the beautiful red bricks in Nauvoo. Maybe the only good thing about all the rain was that Nauvoo was basically deserted and we had the place to ourselves. The senior missionary who showed us brickmaking had time to take us behind the scenes and we sawwhere they actually make the bricks and how the process has been updated.

This is where they make the bricks for the tourists to take home. The signs that say "PLEASE HACK" mean that those bricks need to be turned over every day for seven days, then they're ready for the kiln. It was really cool to learn about all that stuff.

This is the Jonathan Browning Gunshop and Home. Ben was really excited to see this one. I think he loves the fact that one of the best gunmakers ever was Mormon! I didn't go on the tour because Sammy wasn't in the mood to be confined, but Ben went with Eli and Carli. It was really fun to see and learn about all the history in Nauvoo.

Carli and Luella in front of the Nauvoo Temple. It was so beautiful!

This statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith is right in front of the temple.

I remember visiting Nauvoo when I was younger and seeing the rubble of what was left after the Nauvoo temple was destroyed. It was so wonderful to see this beautiful building in its place. Nauvoo is a special, beautiful place.

Fontenelle Forest

2009-07-11T13:35:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago we went walking in Fontenelle Forest, a big protected forest area right here in Bellevue. It was really beautiful!

The kids loved walking around on the trails, looking at spider webs and different types of leaves and attempting to be quiet so that we might spot some deer (not this time!).

Here's Ben trying to be artistic with the camera... I think it turned out pretty well, even though it's nearly impossible for me not to smile in pictures.

We even managed to get a picture with all three kids in it. Sammy loved being outside and free to run wherever he wanted to. He did a good job of staying on the trail.

Dear Trampoline, We Will Miss You!

2009-07-11T13:22:00.002-05:00

The other night we had the second of two pretty severe thunderstorms this summer. The first one was about three weeks ago and our trampoline flew across the yard and wedged itself between our neighbors deck and air conditioner. We weren't sure what to do to secure the trampoline to the ground, and while we were still thinking about it, a second storm came up in the middle of the night.

We woke up to the wind at about 2 in the morning and Ben peeked out the window just in time to see the trampoline go flying. This time it went the other direction and hit the other neighbors' fence, taking the tops off of some of the slats. We ran outside in our pj's to make sure it wouldn't go anywhere else and it seemed to be pretty well attached to the fence. In the morning there were springs scattered all over the yard and the frame was bent beyond repair. We ended up taking the trampline apart and putting it out with the garbage.

We have had such fun times on the trampoline, we're so sad to see it go. But we just can't chance another storm, we've been lucky with the minimal damage so far. I can just imagine the trampoline slamming into someone's window in the middle of the night. Wouldn't that be a nice wake-up call? So, for now we're trampoline-less. Maybe someday we'll rent a backhoe and dig a hole deep enough to put one down into, but for now we'll have to live without it.

Hockey Playoffs

2009-05-28T20:55:00.002-05:00

We have been loving the hockey playoffs this year... and from the proof in this picture, the kids have too! It's really fun to have everyone get their jerseys on and enjoy the game together. I love that we have such a fun family tradition. We are always texting and calling after goals with Ben's family during the games. His parents are in California, Grammy and Aunt Nancy are in Michigan, Dru is in St. John and Susie is in Sacramento, but during the games it's almost like we're all together.

The Red Wings have made it to the final round again with the Penguins (a rematch of the finals last year) and we are ready to see them win again! Game one is Saturday 7 pm central).

For all of you non-hockey fans out there, you should really try it! I grew up thinking hockey was stupid, violent and boring, but that's not true at all. Once you know the rules and how it works, it's totally fascinating (and the fights, which don't happen all that often, become REALLY fun!). It's super fast-paced and makes basketball and baseball seem really b-o-r-i-n-g.

Go Wings!!

Brookings Marathon

2009-05-25T18:13:00.012-05:00

Last weekend we had a great trip to South Dakota for the Brookings Marathon. The festivities began on Thursday night when Ben's dad arrived in town from California. We are so glad he got to come, we had a great time with Papa--and it meant a lot to Ben for his dad to come see him in his first marathon!

We took our time driving up to Brookings and stopped at Olive Garden in Sioux City for lunch. Sammy was a devil child during the meal, but we all got through it alive!

We made it to Brookings around 4:30, checked into the hotel and had just enough time for me to change and get over to the University for check-in for the 5K. We got there, checked in, and then had some time to wait before the race.

The wind was really whipping and I was glad I had worn a long-sleeve shirt over my t-shirt! I ran with 72 other people from all over the midwest.

I finished in 25:30 and was 32nd out of 72. I've never run that fast in my life! I was very proud of myself.

The marathon began the next morning bright and early at 7 am. It was a brisk 30 degrees when we got there. Ben and I were very glad Papa was there to stay at the hotel with the kids because it was VERY cold! I couldn't believe all the runners out there in tank tops and running shorts freezing their tails off. Ben had a running jacket that he wore for the first two or three miles. I got in the car and went to find him on the course and he handed it off to me as he passed by.

Around mile 8.

The final 1/4 mile.

The last 50 feet... almost there!

The medal! He did it!

We could see the salt caked to his face and he looked exhausted, but he finished it! The timing chip he had worn around his ankle bobbed up and down for 26 miles and ripped his ankle to shreds. He still has scabs all the away around. The first words out of his mouth once he crossed the finish line were, "Why did I put myself through that? It was so hard!" But not more than ten minutes later, he was talking about the next one. I'm sure this will be the first of many!

You probably can't read it, but his watch reads his time of 4:11:23. It was a great time for his first marathon, we are so proud of him!

The whole family post-marathon.

Later on at the hotel we took advantage of the hot tub and the waterslide. It was a lot of fun! Eli loved the waterslide but Carli didn't want anything to do with it! We had breakfast for dinner at Perkins (the best meal of the trip!), and then fell into bed.

It was a great weekend! Thanks, Papa, for all the meals and the great time, and Congratulations to Ben on his first marathon!

In Honor of Hockey Playoffs....

2009-05-13T19:20:00.000-05:00

One of the funniest commercials ever!

Goal!

2009-05-12T14:58:00.004-05:00

Check out my personal blog: http://luellamoore.blogspot.com

I've reached a goal I've been working on for more than 14 1/2 months, and something I've been trying to accomplish for more than ten years! Click the link to read more about it.

Okinawa Adventures

2009-04-16T07:55:00.007-05:00

As most of you know, Ben has been on a deployment to Japan since the beginning of March. He has about two weeks left (yay!). He sent us a few pictures and an excerpt from his journal, so I thought I'd share.

"April 11, 2009 Saturday

Today was a fun day for sure. This morning I called a friend from church to see if he had some allen wrenches because I needed to tighten the neck on a bike that was given to me to get around. Anyway, he wound up inviting me to go along with his family today to Okinawa World, or something like that. It was really cool!

There was a huge naturally formed series of caves with all sorts of stalagmites and stalactites. It was formed over time by water running through the ground and the caves follow the water. It was a lot like the Timpanogos Caves we went to last summer in Utah, but way better. The caves system was so long, the rooms were all very large, and it was crazy how they were connected. In Utah they had to manually connect the caves, but here they were all basically connected and there were just a few spots where they had to break off some stalactites in order to allow people through.

After the caves we checked out the little Okinawan village that was set up there, that was neat with all the shops mixed in. They also had a ceramics shop where they were making pottery. Right next to that was a little glass factory. It was set up so that you could be just a few feet from the guys firing and blowing the glass, it was awesome! I would really love to be able to do that, I think that would be so neat. I was going to get something for my family but all the things I liked were a little expensive.

After that they had a traditional drum performance where the people were all dressed up in their garb and had their big drums on their hips. They all danced around banging their drums and yelling and all that, it was a great performance. After the Okinawa World park we went to a beach and had lunch and sat in the water. It was beautiful and the weather was perfect for it today. I had a really nice time, but man am I tired after walking around and being in the breeze and sun all day. "

Ben also went to a place called "Forest Adventure" a few weeks ago. It's a park with a system of zip-lines that move through the forest. You can see from the pictures how much fun he had!

I'm glad he has been able to get out and do some fun things. I know most of his weekends are spent alone (mostly because he doesn't drink or party with the others). We're so blessed that he automatically has friends there from going to church, it's nice of them to take care of him!

And while I'm glad he's had fun, I'm even happier that it's almost over! These deployments are torture for me. Can't wait to see him again!

Funny Kid

2009-04-05T19:36:00.002-05:00

Last week at church Eli and Carli got to make General Conference packets (Genius!). The packets included coloring pages, a bingo game and other activities to keep them occupied during conference. All week long Carli was asking, "Mom, is it conference day yet?"

They were most excited to play "Conference Bingo" and we bought some gummi bears at the store to use for markers on the game board. As conference started, Eli asked, "Mom, has the game started?" I told him, yes, the game started as soon as conference started, so they got to mark off the word prayer because the open hymn was "Secret Prayer". They were both so excited to get to put a gummi bear on the board.

Then the choir started the hymn and Eli turns to me, very bothered and says, "Mom! What are they doing singing a song in the middle of the game?"

heehee!

Super Model Carli

2009-03-29T20:44:00.005-05:00

Yesterday after I was done trimming Carli's bangs, she turned around and said, "Now cut the back!" I tried to tell her that she only needed a trim in the front, but she was insistent that she wanted to cut the back as well. She sat still on the counter for a good 25 minutes while I put some layers in her hair! She loves getting her hair cut. I think it turned out pretty well for a complete amateur. It actually looks a lot like the haircut that I have right now (except I don't have bangs).

After I took a picture of the back, she decided it was super model time and put on a show for me. She kept saying, "Oooh! Get this one! Take a picture of this move!" It was hilarious... as you can see from these photos!

Spontaneous Photo Shoot: Eli

2009-03-29T20:38:00.003-05:00

What a cute boy! This morning after I did Eli's hair he agreed to take some photos for Dad and I think they turned out well. I sure love my Eli.

And since I got to take so many of him, he got to take a few of me. He's quite the little camera man!

Happenings

2009-03-29T20:27:00.002-05:00

Last week the kids came home with an assignment from primary. They each got a deconstructed caterpillar and each time they were obedient, they got to write it on a piece of the caterpillar and build it on a strip of paper. I asked them to help me out by feeding Sammy a yogurt. This was both Carli and Eli's first time feeding Sammy. Notice Carli's tongue... she feeds Sammy just like Ben does! heehee!

Sammy was living it up. He eventually started spitting it out, but instead of telling me (I had my back to them doing the dishes) Eli tried to handle it on his own. I can't believe I didn't take an after picture. Yogurt everywhere... Sammy was painting with it on the tray.

Eli has been a great helper and friend to me since Ben left, so as a reward he got to pick a toy at the store. He picked a transformer toy that came with two jets. If you've ever tried to put one of these transformer toys together you'll understand what I mean when I say that they are COMPLICATED! Each of these toys is a jet on it's own, but they also turn into regular robots and then they fit together to form some kind of super special jet. After trying for some time to figure it out by looking at the diagram, Eli brought it to me (THIS IS DAD'S JOB!). Needless to say, I couldn't figure it out, diagram or not. He puzzled over it a while more, eventually just dumped the stupid diagram and figured it out all on his own. He was so excited! He ran to show me the end product. Yay Eli!

Bug adventures with Play-Doh.

Park Day

2009-03-29T20:18:00.003-05:00

We decided to take full advantage of the nice weather last week and go to the "Tire Park". We named it that because instead of sand or wood chips, there are bits of rubber tire surrounding the playground equipment. Rather ingenious, I would say... and a lot less messy than sand! Here's Carli scaling the rock wall.

She's been doing the playground rock wall since she could barely walk. She loves it!

The best part is getting to the top.

Eli on the twisty slide.

Eli is pretty photogenic... as long as he's not thinking about posing. When he thinks about it too much he tends to get all bug-eyed.

Cutie Carli. She's a good poser too!

To: Daddy, From: Sammy

2009-03-21T16:15:00.005-05:00

Dear Daddy, I sure do miss you! We went to the park yesterday and I really wished that you were there to hold me. I'm kind of sick right now... I have a cough that hurts, but I still wanted to play.

We went to the tire playground. Daddy, you should see that place! There's lots of little pieces of rubber to put in my mouth. I tasted one, but it wasn't very good so I spit it out.

Mom likes to spend time at the computer desk, so I hang out right here and make sure she doesn't forget about me. If you were here, we could play.

I thought Mom might like this pose.

This picture was before I got sick, back when I enjoyed eating. Right now I'm only drinking milk because nothing tastes good when I'm stuffed up. I hope you're not sick over there in Japan. It's no fun!

I love you, Daddy. This is how I smile when I hear your voice on the phone. I can't wait until you get home. Until then, I'll just play with my toys and eat good food and try to be good for Mommy.

Love you!

Sammy

2009-03-21T16:06:00.003-05:00

This is how Sammy likes to play with the toy bin: he gets inside! I guess that way his toys are never out of reach!

And this is how Carli likes to play with Sammy playing with the toys: On top of him! This is no surprise... Carli tends to sit and jump on people all the time. She doesn't really have any concept of personal space. =)

The 3 of them

2009-03-21T16:02:00.002-05:00

This is a progression of the last attempt to take a picture with all three kids in it. It started off bad, then got worse, and then ended all together. I guess it's good that no one ended up crying. =)

2009-03-21T15:58:00.003-05:00

I posted earlier about Carli's birthday celebration at Coco Key, but I neglected to post any pictures of the little party we had at the house. We didn't get a cake this year, but Carli chose cotton candy ice cream instead (it's pink!). We just stuck the four candles in the ice cream and she made a wish. It was a really fun party! I can't believe our little girl is four years old!

Finally A Second Car!

2009-03-21T15:52:00.002-05:00

When we lived in California, living with only one car and a motorcycle was no problem. Ben could ride the motorcycle year round... but in Nebraska, it's been a different story! After 2 1/2 years here and three winters, we finally decided it was time for a second car. Ben has ridden the motorcycle in sub-zero temperatures... I think he's earned a car! It's a Chevy Malibu. We got a great deal and the car is really nice inside and out. Too bad Ben left for a deployment two weeks after we bought it!

We decided the car is a boy and named him "Al" in honor of Ben's late Grandpa Moore. Looking at the car reminds us of Grandpa because it seems like the kind of car he would have liked to drive. Here's to a long and break-down free relationship with "Al"!

My Birthday Trip!

2009-03-21T09:40:00.009-05:00

For my birthday last month I got the best present ever! A trip to Connecticut to visit with my best friend Jeannie and her family. This is a picture of me and two of her little boys, Jacob and Peter.

Jeannie knows how well I deal with cake (see it, gorge on it!) so we had strawberry shortcake for my birthday instead. She knows I've been trying to lose weight and that I attend Weight Watchers and she was so helpful and supportive of my efforts to eat well and stay active on the trip. Who could ask for a better friend?

I had such a great time on the trip... my birthday was a Sunday and I had a two hour nap that afternoon! It was so relaxing and restful not to have to worry about the kids (I don't think I helped Jeannie at all! We have agreed that for the next trip we need to meet each other somewhere so neither one of us has to worry about kids!)

On Wednesday, Jeannie's husband Matt took the day off to stay home with the boys and we enjoyed a day in New York together. It was so much fun and a day I'll never forget! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! This picture is of me waiting in the New Haven train station to catch the train to New York.

Jeannie and I on the ferry headed to the Statue of Liberty. It was VERY cold! I felt like we were in Europe, there were so many different languages being spoken around us. It was a really cool experience!

After we got off the ferry from the Statue of Liberty this guy conned us out of five bucks. I stood up next to him to have Jeannie take a picture and he grabbed me and put the scarf on my head and the sunglasses on me and started putting my arms in all these positions. Then after Jeannie was done taking the pictures, he turned over the torch prop he had and it said, "Five dollars, please." What?!?!? I couldn't really refuse without making a scene. Geez, the guy is probably getting rich off of this scam!

Here's me still getting fleeced by "Mr. Statue of Trickery Man." (Course, I should say Jeannie was fleeced, cause she's the one who handed over the five dollars!)

The Statue of Liberty was beautiful. I can imagine it must have been a welcome sight to all those immigrants who finally arrived at Ellis Island after such a long and arduous trip across the Atlantic.

She was definitely smaller than I imagined though. On TV somehow she seems twice as big as she really is. If she wasn't up on a pedestal, she wouldn't really be that big at all.

Me on the ferry, New York in the background.

Jeannie on the ferry.

Times Square was really cool! I felt like I was on TV or something. It was fun to visit, but I don't know how people actually live there--so much noise and traffic and people everywhere!

Ground Zero. This was really cool to see. Jeannie and I reminisced about what we were doing on 9/11. I remember my parents talking about big events and saying, "I'll never forget what I was doing that day." But I never thought I'd have one of those memories. I was actually just finishing a TaeBo DVD and turned on the Today Show to stretch out and there it was, the Twin Towers on fire and as I watched, the second plane hit the other tower. It was kind of surreal to stand there and imagine all the people and all the smoke and how terrifying it must have been. I also remember that Ben was at the Provo Airport. He was training for his Private Pilot's License. That day changed everything for us, because the airline industry basically tanked, leaving Ben's chosen career field a bust. He started looking at other options, and that led us eventually to the Air Force. So, 9/11 definitely affected our lives to a huge extent.

Jeannie and I headed home on the evening train. We were so exhausted by that time, just trying to take a picture was totally hilarious! Our makeup was gone, our hair was flat, and we couldn't stop laughing!

We finally managed to take an okay picture. That day in New York was amazing! We saw the Statue of Liberty, we went to Wall Street, Ground Zero, Times Square, we saw "The Phantom of the Opera" (that's a whole other story in itself! We went to several different box offices trying to get last minute seats, but they were all either sold out or too expensive or we just plain couldn't decide! We finally made one last trip back to Phantom and the only seats left were "standing room only" but they were only $26.50! So, we snatched them up and stood in the row behind the seats to watch the musical. I joked during the show that we were like the peasants, standing in the back while the aristocrats enjoyed their luxurious seats. It was hilarious! I remember wanting to sit down, but thinking about the $130 that each person had paid and being happy to stand in the back!)

We also saw Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, and Grand Central Station. We wanted to see the Empire State Building, but it was kind of rainy and the top was in the clouds. That's fine though, we saved something for next time! It was a fabulous trip! I loved seeing Jeannie's beautiful house and getting to experience New England. Next time I just have to go in the fall so I can see the trees change color. Thanks, Jeannie, for an awesome trip! I love you!

Coco Key

2009-03-10T08:13:00.005-05:00

For Carli's birthday this year she decided to forgo a party with friends and opted for a day at Coco Key with the family. Coco Key is an indoor water park here in Omaha.

We arranged a babysitter for Sammy (thanks Jamie!) and picked Eli up early from school. Of course, when we got there, we saw that it didn't actually open that day until 3 pm, so picking Eli up early was kind of stupid. In fact, the stupid part was that we didn't call to find out the hours in the first place... duh!

We ended up picking Sammy back up, going home for an hour and then dropping Sammy off again (thanks again to Jamie!) and heading out to Coco Key.

We got there just as they opened the doors, so for about the first hour it was pretty open. We had the run of the place and could walk right on to any of the slides. It was really really fun! (The best part is that normal tickets are $25, but we got the military discount tickets for $12! For any of you who read this who live here but aren't military, we can get you the discount tickets any time!)

The waterpark consisted of several pools, two dedicated completely to small children. One had a zero point entry and two small slides specifically for kids under 42" tall. Eli and Carli had a blast there and went down those blue slides about a hundred times! The pool was chock full of parents watching their kids. There were also four medium sized waterslides (Carli was just tall enough, so we all got to go down them), and three very tall waterslides. Carli took one look at the stairs going up that high and decided against it. There is a huge jacuzzi with a little tunnel leading outside. It was fun to go outside and see the steam rising from the water. I think the jacuzzi was definitely one of our favorite spots.

There were so many things to do I don't have room to list them. It was super fun and we will definitely go back!

I have to mention the big bucket though. In the center of the park up on top there is a huge bucket that slowly fills with water and then turns over and dumps it all out. As it starts to dump, a bell rings to warn the people down below that the deluge is coming. We made sure to be standing there a couple of times when the water came pouring down--all 200 gallons of it! It was crazy to feel that amount of water come down on your head. Whenever the bell started ringing just about everyone in the park would stop to look at the idiots standing under the water (we did it several times! =) ).

Once the park started filling up, the noise got to be kind of crazy. With hundreds of gallons of water pouring all over the place, hundreds of kids screaming and laughing, music over the loudspeaker (although it was impossible to hear any of it), people talking and laughing at the restaurant off to the side and just all the noise in general, it got really loud in there!

I was glad we got there right as it opened so we could enjoy the park without so many people. It's much nicer to sit in the jacuzzi without having people packed in there like sardines.

All in all, it was a great time! Carli and Eli loved every minute of it and Ben and I loved watching them play. It was worth every penny of the money. I can't wait until Sammy is old enough to go with us!

Finally!

2009-03-07T11:44:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I thought I had this blog figured out weeks ago, but it still wasn't showing up right in Firefox. I got so frustrated with it I just had to stay away until I had enough time to get it fixed. It ended up being a problem with one single post... I'm not sure what it was or why it was that way, but once I deleted that post, it was fixed and now I'm pretty sure it's showing up right no matter what browser you're using.

Whew! I'm so glad it's fixed! Now I can get caught up on the last several months of happenings! I know you're all breathless with anticipation!

A Great Story

2009-02-12T13:48:00.000-06:00

FIXED!

2009-02-11T13:12:00.001-06:00

I finally fixed it... as you can see! Yay me!

AHHHHH!!!

2009-02-09T19:17:00.002-06:00

This stupid blog will not show up right! When I look at the blog, the sidebar (profile, link list, family pictures and bios) are pushed to the bottom of the posts. Are you (the readers) seeing that the same way? I have heard that sometimes the view depends on the explorer you're using (Internet Explorer has problems more often than Mozilla Firefox). I have changed the template several different times, tried to edit the HTML codes, change the width of the columns, etc. I have searched google for help with the problem, but no matter what I do, I cannot get the stupid sidebar to come back up to the side!

It was working fine the other day, so I know it's not because I added a gadget that doesn't fit the width. Does anyone else have any bright ideas for me?? Help!

New Basement = Room to Camp!

2009-01-24T08:16:00.000-06:00

Carli and Eli are loving the new basement . . . and all the new room to play that it provides. The past two weekends they've loved "camping" in the basement. They were able to watch a movie from the door of the tent and then lay down and go to sleep when they got tired. What could be better than that?

Once again, WAY TO GO on the new basement, DAD!

Fossils

2009-01-23T10:13:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I was reading and I came across a quote I really loved, so I wrote it down on a piece of paper and taped it to the fridge. Here's the conversation I had with Eli about it this morning.

Eli: "Mom, what is that paper for?"

Me: "I was reading a talk from General Conference yesterday and one of the Apostles said something I really liked so I wrote it down."

Eli: "What does it say?"

Me: "It says 'The simple secret is this: Put your trust in the Lord, do your best, and then leave the rest to him.' Elder Wirthlin said that. He's one of the apostles."

Eli: (pauses for a second) He's a fossil? I want to see a fossil!

hee, hee...

Lu...Eli?

2009-01-23T07:42:00.000-06:00

The other night Eli went to sleep in our bed because Sammy was having a hard time going to sleep. He always falls asleep in the funniest positions!

As I was sorting through the pictures I uploaded, I double-taked at this one because I think Eli is the spittin' image of me in this pose! People have always told us that Eli looks like me and Carli looks like Ben... but I always considered that a matter of coloring... Carli with the light hair and Eli with the dark. BUT, in this picture, if you cover up all but the face, it could be me laying there on the bed. Crazy . . . but fun too. There is something special about looking at your kids' faces and seeing yourself.

Good Pics!

2009-01-22T20:29:00.002-06:00

I am loving the new camera we got for Christmas! It takes such beautiful pictures . . . we are so blessed to be able to document our lives with it. I have always been sad that my early life wasn't more well documented, with only a few pictures of me from infancy until my teen years. I am so glad that our kids will have and retain so many memories because of the awesome technology that we have.

(And it doesn't hurt that Sammy's such a good poser!)

Mr. Marathon

2009-01-22T20:21:00.002-06:00

In the past year or so, Ben has really come to enjoy running (who knew that that chubby kid would grow up to be a runner?? And yes, Ben was a chubby kid!). As he started getting better and better and being able to run farther and farther, he decided that he would like to train for a marathon.

His training started a few weeks ago and he has registered for a marathon in Brookings, South Dakota on May 16th. He'll be deployed to Japan for March and April, so he'll be able to train out there with no distraction from us. I have no doubt that he'll do well and be super prepared for the race. The other day he ran three miles in 22 minutes! That's only 7 1/2 minutes a mile! That is crazy fast if you ask me! I'm proud of him and I can't wait to see him cross the finish line.

Indoor S'mores

2009-01-22T19:51:00.003-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we had s'mores for our Family Home Evening treat and they were a huge hit! Ben and I hadn't had s'mores for such a long time, and Eli and Carli were thrilled with being able to use the propane burner to roast the marshmallows. It was so much fun, it's now become a weekly tradition. So if the next time you see me I've got chocolate and marshmallow smeared around my mouth, you'll know why!

YUM!

Taco Tongue!

2009-01-22T19:20:00.002-06:00

Anybody else heard of "taco tongue"? I had always heard that this was a genetic trait... one you either had or didn't have. Carli has been trying to do this for over a year now, and until now has not been successful. One day last week she came to me, ecstatic, and showed me her taco tongue. Either she didn't understand how to do it in the first place, or the genetic thing is a myth--what do you think?

Sammy's Milestones

2009-01-22T09:09:00.006-06:00

Walking! Sammy was a super early crawler and he became very proficient at it. He has been able to walk for some time now, but didn't really feel the need. Last week though, he finally just stood up and did it and now he's zooming around all over the place. Yay for Sammy!

Climbing! Sammy is able to climb on and into pretty much anything. This is how Ben found him the other day. His mission in life is now to get on the table, the piano, the computer desk, the toilet... anything he can climb onto and get in trouble for. Needless to say, the bathroom doors are now locked!

Eating! Sammy is now at the point that he doesn't want me to feed him anymore. I gave him a spoon a couple of weeks back and now he has to have one at each meal. He does pretty well with cereal and other bite-size foods. I still feed him sometimes because I can't stand the mess! There's no way I'm giving him a spoon and a bowl of spaghetti! (Maybe when it gets warm outside--I'll put him on the deck and let him have at it!)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-31T10:13:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas to everyone! We hope you enjoyed the holiday as much as we did.

Eli and Carli realizing that Santa visited our house.

Sammy got new mittens in his stocking and he absolutely loves them! He would keep them on all day if I let him! He sat on this chair for a good fifteen minutes admiring his new mittens and striking poses.

Carli got a new Red Wings hat from Uncle Dru--and it's pink!

This is what you get when Dad takes the kids shopping at the dollar store for Mom's Christmas present. A package of pink disposable razors and a tube of multicolored miniature bath scrubbies. How did they know just what I wanted??

Most successful present: The animal train from Nana and Papa. Sammy loves it and all three kids have been playing with it. I keep trying unsuccessfully to put it away, but it has now taken up permanent residence on the main floor.

Eli got a bunch of Ben10 stuff this year, including the Omnitrix (the watch that turns Ben into 10 different aliens. It's like an alien zoo around here!

Cute Nana and Papa. We're so blessed to be able to have them visit us for Christmas!

Best reaction this year, if I do say so myself. I was absolutely stunned at the present Jane and Bill got us this year--a new Nikon D40 digital camera. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Ben fooling around with our new camera. This is his "Blue Steel" look.

A perfect first grader's reaction to getting underwear for Christmas!

Nana and Papa looking through the memory book of our trip to St. John (our gift to Ben's parents, sister, and brother).

I got some awesome new running shoes from Dru (Ben's brother). This is the perfect gift for me. I love the color too!

Papa and his extra long ties.

Ben's favorite gift of the year: The Abominable Snowman figure by Jim Shore. Thanks Susie!

Carli and her new Cootie game.

This is what happens when Nana gets runover by a reindeer.

Me and Susie outside Old Chicago restaurant. I'm so glad she got to come for a few days. I wish she lived closer so we could see her more often--she's honestly one of the funniest people I know! But now that we have new phones with text, we can keep in better touch! Yay for texting!!

Happy Birthday Sammy!

2008-12-31T09:56:00.005-06:00

On December 21st, Sammy turned one year old. I can't believe how fast this year has flown by! In one year Sammy has gained 16 pounds, grown 10 inches, sprouted 8 teeth, gotten a lot more hair (even though it's still not much!), learned to roll over, sit up and crawl, fallen down 3 flights of stairs, smashed one big toe, gotten two major infections, and he's been smiling through it all! We love our Sammy!

He was a good sport with the cake, even though he didn't feel well. Earlier that same day he was in urgent care and was diagnosed with croup. After getting a prescription he felt a little better and we were still able to have the party.

Nana and Papa got him the cutest little plush doggy that makes barking sounds. He loves to hug his little animals.

Poor Sammy! He was so sick all he really did was sit there while Eli and I opened his presents for him. Hopefully next year he won't be sick on his birthday!

Here is the cake before Sammy got to it--as you can see, I am a professional cake decorator! (That's about the saddest looking cake I've ever seen!)

Ben's Home!

2008-12-31T09:42:00.004-06:00

I'm a little late, but wanted to report that Ben got home safely on December 5th. It's always nice when the deployments get home on time! As always, it is wonderful having him home and we have a had a great time being together as a family. It's especially fun to have him home just in time for the holidays. He surprised Eli and Carli with authentic chopsticks and brought me home some real pearls-- necklace, earrings and bracelet! They are beautiful! We're so happy to have him home.

Okinawa

2008-11-28T19:33:00.003-06:00

Ben emailed us some pictures from his adventures in Japan. He says it's a lot more interesting than the desert but he's ready to come home. We're ready to have him home--and glad that the homecoming is only a week away!

Ben at the Okinawa Aquarium.

This is the Okinawa Peace Park, a memorial of the Battle of Okinawa during WWII.

These walls list the names of all the Japanese and American soldiers.

Ben next to all the Moores that are listed.

At the Japanese Naval Underground in a room where a bunch of soldiers killed themselves to prevent capture.

The Tooth Fairy's Going Broke!

2008-11-09T22:07:00.007-06:00

Earlier this week, Eli lost one of his two front teeth, but the other one has been hanging on by threads for days now. You can see in the first picture what he looked like after we pulled the first tooth.

Today I finally convinced him to let me pull the other one out (I told a tiny white lie... that if he didn't let me pull it out that it would rot and ruin the new tooth coming in... aww, come on! I had to get him to let me pull it out--it was driving me crazy!)

So, we get the dental floss and I tie a loop in it and go for the top tooth. Before I can get there he points to one on the bottom and says, "No, Mom! It's this one!" And flop, out comes one of the teeth on the bottom. This kids teeth are falling out left and right!

After a little more "you're teeth are going to rot out of your head" and "you'll get DOUBLE money from the Tooth Fairy", he finally lets me pull out the top tooth as well.

Here's the after shot . . . good thing Carli won't lose her teeth any time soon--the Tooth Fairy's broke after tonight!

Haircuts!

2008-11-09T21:58:00.003-06:00

Eli and Carli both got haircuts this weekend. Eli's hair grows like wildfire, so I had her cut it really short and hopefully it will last a month or so.

Carli is adorable with a pageboy, so we went with that this time.

They were both really good at the haircutting place and both held really still. The funny thing is that while we were waiting to be called back there was another kid there who was throwing a royal fit. That poor mom kept putting him back up in the chair and threatening him with all sorts of things. "No playstation!" "No candy!" It was sort of humorous, but I felt bad for her! The kid was also at least two years older than Eli. I had a proud mom moment when they both climbed up in the chairs and submitted cheerfully to the scissors. I think they both turned out well, although I'm going to have to straighten up Carli's bangs.

2008-11-09T20:44:00.006-06:00

Carli and Sammy make great playmates. This video is nothing spectacular, although I just love how much Sammy loves Carli and how much she makes him laugh. I know Ben will enjoy this video--two months doesn't seem like a long to be away, but when you're only 10 months old, it makes a big difference!

This one is Carli doing Superman. She is laughing like a maniac the whole time! Sammy thought it was hilarious and he was trying to get the camera out of my hands as well--thus the fabulous camera work.

Clone Wars

2008-11-04T11:10:00.004-06:00

Everybody better watch out, there are some new Clone Troopers in the neighborhood!
Eli (and thus, Carli) has been really into Star Wars: The Clone Wars lately. We saw the movie for his birthday and now there is a new cartoon on TV. He loves playing the Clone Wars games on the computer and he printed off these masks for himself and Carli to play with. He got the guns for his birthday as well, and they have a good time playing with them.
I think they're very cute (and kind of freaky too!).

Carlidiculous!

2008-11-03T10:52:00.002-06:00

Carli, Carli, Carli. What to do with this little girl. Last night my family had a conference call, so I put Sammy in bed and let Eli and Carli watch cartoons. As I talked I was so grateful that the kids were quiet--not knowing that there was secret havoc going on upstairs! After I got off the phone, I took the kids up to bed and discovered that Carli had gotten a hold of a brand new tube of concealer and decorated her carpet and bed with it. Then, realizing that she was probably in big trouble, she got a squirt bottle with water in it and tried to clean it up. AAH! I did manage to get most of the stains out, but I'm going to have to get the carpet machine out today and get the rest.

It's a good thing she balances acts like the one above with those in these pictures. Last week I went up to turn off her lamp and kiss her good night and this is what I found. Little Piglet tucked into a cute little bed, snug as a bug in a rug.

Carli and I also had a great conversation the other day. She was in the bathroom with me while I put on my makeup and she was playing with the three rugs on the floor. She says to me, "Mommy, when I was a baby I peed on this rug... (pointing) and I poohed on this rug." And I say, "I know, those were accidents, huh? But you don't do that anymore, cause you're a big girl now!" "Yeah," she says, "Now I do it in my bed." =)

Spooky Fun

2008-11-01T21:31:00.008-05:00

For Halloween last night Sammy was a bumblebee, Carli was Tinker Bell and Eli was a spooky ghost. We went to the Trunk-or-Treat at the church which was really fun! They really put a lot of work into it and the kids really enjoyed all of the games. Eli especially loved the football toss (they had tied a tire swing to the basketball hoop and the kids got to throw the football through it). The prize for that one was a can of soda--so that made Eli happy too! Carli mostly just stood quietly by my side and asked for prizes. She didn't want to play anything, she just wanted the candy!
After the party we hurried home to have time to go around the block in our neighborhood. I put the rest of our candy in a bowl on the porch and we set out. Sammy did NOT want to ride in the stroller, so I carried him--and unbelievably, he was too hot in the whole costume, so I had to take the outer part off! Who can believe that it was 70 degrees on Halloween? Trick-or-treating was very pleasant--as far as the weather goes, anyway. The part that wasn't pleasant was holding Sammy and having him try to dive out of my arms anytime anyone opened the door! Eventually I ended up with Sammy on one hip, Eli's ghost costume slung over one arm and about twenty pounds of candy in two bags on the other arm. They got too heavy for the kids to carry and Eli kept dumping his out accidentally (he did it on three different doorsteps!). We managed to get home and survey the loot--I can't believe how much candy they got! It's amazing--and they got lots of good chocolate this year! Not so good for the hips, but in terms of Halloween loot, it was a bumper crop! Unfortunately I didn't get a lot of pictures, what with trying to handle Sammy who was not happy unless I was carrying him, but I managed to take a few.

Carli loved being Tinker Bell this year--she especially loved the curly ribbon in her hair--which you can't see very well in this picture. She was very happy to have a "pretty" costume. (Thanks to the Disney Store after Halloween clearance last year!)

Carli insisted on a "silly face" picture.

Last year Carli was a ladybug and she loved having freckles--they don't really go with Tinker Bell, but when I was putting on her makeup she just had to have freckles again!

Sammy made a very cute bumblebee.

His face looks so chubby in this picture, you would think the rolls in the costume are actually part of his anatomy!

It wasn't until we got out of the car at the party that I realized that I forgot to put the white face paint on Eli. Eli didn't really care, but I was really mad! You can also see in this picture how much Sammy was enjoying the party. =(

I don't know how Carli manages to be so photogenic, but it's almost scary. I think she is beautiful in this picture--and nothing could make her happier than SpongeBob candy!

Eli loves all the weird "body part" candy--the eyeballs and hands and stuff. Good--he can keep it, more chocolate for me!

Can you believe all that candy for two little kids? We are going to have some serious sugar shock around here! Unbeknownst to them, however, half of the candy has already disappeared! Good thing they're still young enough that I can do that.

Overall, it was a great Halloween and the kids had a great time. For me it was bittersweet to watch them without Ben here to celebrate with us. Oh well, maybe next year.

Happy Halloween to everyone!

Moore Happenings

2008-10-29T08:48:00.000-05:00

After looking through our recent pictures, I realized that I haven't blogged about our everyday happenings much lately. This is Sammy's new pasttime. He loves getting out all the bowls and banging them around. He also turns the bowls over and pushes them around like cars. It's very cute to watch, but putting the bowls away a hundred times a day gets kind of old!

Whenever I can get all three kids in one picture looking decent I consider it a huge success! This was the bath after they played in the rain, so they all went in together since we were late for bedtime.

Carli loves to help feed Sammy--and we all know how Sammy likes to eat! He'll take food from anyone--or just find it himself!

Unfortunately, Carli doesn't have the greatest aim!

By Their Fruits . . .

2008-10-28T08:35:00.001-05:00

Well, you never would have thought it from the way my little garden started out, but we actually got some vegetables out of it! Of course, I jumped the gun and picked the carrots too soon... Duh. Carrots are really gross when they're not fully grown. I had tomatoes for a few weeks, just enough for me and Carli which was perfect because otherwise they would have gone bad since Eli and Ben don't like them. There is nothing like a homegrown tomato! My garden wasn't the blooming success I would have liked it to be, but now I know what to do next year. It's been a learning experience!

We love Nana!

2008-10-27T20:18:00.001-05:00

Ben's Mom Jane was here visiting recently and we had a great time with her! She is so much fun, the kids love when she comes to visit. The visit was originally to help out after I had knee surgery, but my knee surgery was cancelled so she came just for fun. It was nice to have her here just to play! We had a great time and she spoiled us with dinners out to eat and shopping trips. The kids got to go shoe shopping with her and Eli and Carli love their "light-up" shoes. They both cried after they dropped her off at the airport and Carli has asked me about a hundred times when she's coming back. I'm so grateful for such a wonderful mother-in-law. We love you Nana!

Nana's luggage is always a big pull, but usually it's Carli getting in there and finding trouble. This time Sammy thought it was just the right size for him!

We all had fun making halloween cookies together--in our pajamas, no less. I must admit that Jane won the decorating contest--not that there was a contest, but if there was, she would have won. I just can't manipulate frosting very well.

The black frosting was a big hit, especially once they realized what it did to their tongues!

After a few cookies, Eli cut right to the chase--who cares about the cookies when there's frosting?

And whatever Eli does, Carli does!

Next time I'll just get out bowls of frosting and skip the cookies all together. =)

Playin' in the rain!

2008-10-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, just after we returned from St. John, we came home from an afternoon out and it was raining. Whenever it's raining but not very cold, I remember playing in the rain when I was a kid--one of the funnest things to do ever! I asked the kids if they wanted to play in the rain and at first they weren't sure. I think they thought I was just being weird! It didn't take them long to get into it though--and they had a great time!

Carli was thrilled to play in the rain.

Eli kept trying to get a big wake from the wheels on his bike, but they just weren't big enough.

I wish I could have joined them!

So cute... too bad there's no more warm rain this year!

Bloom Where You're Planted Farm

2008-10-26T09:44:00.007-05:00

Eli at the corn maze

On Saturday, in an effort to fill what is quite a long day without Ben here, we went to the "Bloom Where You're Planted" Farm. I had heard about it from a friend and I'm glad we went! It was super inexpensive and really cute. The kids and I had a great time! If you live around Omaha, it's worth the 40 minute drive. Check out the website at www.bloompumpkinpatch.com.

Carli had to try every single wheelbarrow to find out which color was best.

It's only$3 per person with a $1 discount per person for military--who can beat 2 bucks??

Anyway, yesterday they had a "Haunted Gourd Hunt", kind of like an easter egg hunt, but the kids searched for baby ornamental gourds. Some of them were marked for prizes and Eli and Carli both got one. I didn't get any pictures of the hunt since I was holding Sammy the whole time, but it

She gave up on the wheelbarrows and just went on top.

was a lot of fun! The kids enjoyed it and I love that we got to keep the gourds! They're the centerpiece on our table now.

They had a pumpkin barn that you could shop through with red wagons and a great selection of pumpkins, all different varieties. I thought they were really cheap too--only 35 cents a pound. We bought some of the mini pumpkins three for a dollar. They also had a really cute country store with food and treats and all kinds of stuff to buy.

Eli and Carli loved playing on top of the hay rolls--and Sammy just

Sammy playing on the little playground. It was great to be able to put him down--the ground was muddy.

wanted to put everything and anything in his mouth. He ate dirt, leaves, hay, grass and corn. He was really building up his immune system yesterday!

This beanbag toss pumpkin was a big hit with the kids as well. They had a lot of fun, simple activities.

Could putting your arms around each other be any more awkward?

Sammy was having no part of a nice picture that day--too many things to touch.

It was great to just get outside and play!

I can't believe how big Eli looks in this picture.

"Huh, wonder what this is?

"Hmm... I don't know, guess I'll eat it."

Carli's stranglehold didn't help Sammy cooperate either! It was so pretty there, I really wanted to get a good picture of the three of them, but it just didn't work out!

It is not very often that all three kids are entertained by the same thing. I took about a million shots of this!

The corn crib was a huge hit--and really big! There weren't too many other kids there, so they really got to play and have fun without worrying about the crowd.

I was surprised at how much Sammy enjoyed the corn. He was in there for a good 40 minutes.

It was really fun to watch them all play together. Too bad Sammy doesn't have a Red Wings Jacket. "One of these things just doesn't belong..."=)

I could not get Sammy to keep the corn out of his mouth! After a while I just gave up.

We had a great time at this little farm. (Look at Sammy, he's still only interested in something to eat!

Ugh, another deployment

2008-10-23T21:11:00.002-05:00

Ben left on Wednesday for Japan. I cried. Ben cried. Eli and Carli cried. Sammy was bewildered. We miss him a lot.

More Quotable Quotes!

2008-10-08T14:13:00.006-05:00

So last night we had to drive up to the airport to pick up Ben's mom who is visiting us for two weeks. (She was initially coming to help me with knee surgery, but the doctor was deployed and surgery cancelled--so she came anyway just to play!). Anyway, on the way, Ben and I can hear Eli and Carli carrying on a pretty heated conversation in the back-back (the farthest row back in the van).

C: I just saw the Eiffel Tower! Eli! Look! Look! It's the Eiffel Tower! (she's pointing excitedly at one of the big radio towers just off the interstate in South Omaha).

E: (very calmly) No, Carli. That's not the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower has Jesus on top.

(Ha, ha! I interrupted the conversation at this point to tell them that that was not the Eiffel Tower, that the Eiffel Tower is in France, and that Jesus is NOT on top of the Eiffel Tower. To explain a bit, the kids figure they are experts on the Eiffel Tower because there are several Eiffel Towers in our house. Being the ex-French-teaching, France-Marseille-Mission-serving, all-things-French-loving-Mom that I am, we have several models of the tower in differing sizes and a couple of different pictures of it included in the decor of our house. Carli even has an outfit--leggings and a sweater-- with the tower on it. It's so cute--my MIL just couldn't resist when she saw that.)

Back to the conversation... (we pass another radio tower).

C: Ah! There it is! I saw the Eiffel Tower this time!

E: No, Carli (getting a little impatient now), that is not the Eiffel Tower! (and now frustrated beyond belief) The Eiffel tower is NOT in Nebraska!

C: Eli, I know the Eiffel Tower because I have a new sweater with the Eiffel Tower on it. Ha. (well, she didn't actually say "Ha." but her tone certainly implied it! =) )
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All of these candid kid moments reminded me of a road trip we took about 18 months ago. We were headed to Indiana to spend Christmas with Ben's family at his Aunt's house. The trip was about 10 1/2 hours and we drove it straight through. The kids were SO good, as they usually are in the car, but after giving several interesting instructions to Carli (22 months old at the time) Ben and I realized that they were really funny and started writing them down. The scrap of paper has been in the car all this time, and I finally got it out last night so I could record them. Here are some of the things I said to Carli during the ride:

"Don't put your cracker between your toes!"
"Get your sock out of your mouth!"
"Don't eat your doggy!"
"Stop spitting!"
"Don't lick your shoe!"

Sounds like she had a REALLY good time on that trip!

"I hope you know, I had a hard time."

2008-10-05T20:08:00.003-05:00

It was General Conference this weekend for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). Conference is held twice a year in April and October. It's awesome to hear the prophet and apostles speak and it always lifts my spirits and recharges my spiritual batteries.

This morning before Conference began, I was really feeling sorry for myself. I have been kind of dumped by a couple of ladies who I thought were my friends. I thought our kids were friends too, so when I found out this morning that there have been birthday parties and outings that my kids haven't been invited to, I felt SO sad. I wondered, what is wrong with me? Am I not a good friend? Do I do something that keeps people from wanting to be friends with me? I always had close friends growing up, but I have struggled since I got married to make any close friendships (minus Tiffeny, Andrea, and Tammy). And then there is this pesky military thing where we have to keep moving, so the close friends I do manage to make get left behind!

I was also hurting for Carli and Eli, who I know wonder why they never see those friends anymore. I don't want something I do to hurt my kids or keep them from having friends! Anyway, I just couldn't explain it, and I couldn't get rid of the hurt. It's like being in middle school again and knowing that you're just not one of the cool kids.

So, I didn't go into Conference with a warm heart or a particularly spiritual mindset, but so many things that were said went directly to my heart. I especially loved Elder Cook's talk. He quoted his son when he was three years old and had a scary experience. The three-year-old said to his mom: "I hope you know, I had a hard time." Isn't it true that people all over the world, in our families and neighborhoods and wards are having a hard time? I definitely have days when I wish someone knew that I was having a hard time. I was having a hard time today, but when Elder Cook talked about the woman who had lost her husband in a car accident and got over her grief by helping to comfort the mother of the boy who also died when they collided head-on, things were put into perspective. My little heartache seems so insignificant in comparison! I was spending time dwelling on something that I cannot control, and letting it have control over my mood. My life is good. So good. I have been blessed with so much, and it's truly a sin to spend time wallowing in self-pity and self-doubt. I am so grateful for the true friends that I do have and for the difference they have made in my life.

Elder Cook also said that President Monson was asked on his birthday what the members of the church could give him and he said, "Find someone who's having a hard time and do something to help them." Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all did that? That's my goal this week--to find someone who needs my help and help them.

This scripture was also in Elder Cook's talk and I found it so comforting, and exactly what I needed to hear: Wherefore, be of good cheer and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you. --Doctrine and Covenants 68:6

I have everything I need.

Quotable Quotes

2008-10-05T19:39:00.002-05:00

Me: Let's play the laughing game. The first person who laughs is out.

Eli: I have a better idea! Let's play the BARF game! The first person who barfs wins!
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Eli's prayer tonight at dinner:

Dear Heavenly Father, please bless the food that it will make our bodies strong and healthy. Please bless me to be good. Please bless our family to be good. Please bless the whole world to be good. Please bless me to eat all of my food--even my broccoli. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Enough said!
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Carli was in time out for a record amount of time today after getting a bottle of cologne (at least it was Eli's small bottle) out of the bathroom and pouring it out all over the house. She put a little on everyone's bed and when it was gone she hid the empty bottle under our bed. This happened because I was making dinner and I thought she was outside with Ben watering the garden. I would have been on to her after 30 seconds of silence if I had known she was in the house! Our house is going to smell like Stetson Black for quite a while!

(During the timeout) Me: Carli, you don't touch things that aren't yours and you especially don't dump cologne out on people's beds.

Carli: Sor-ry.

Me: Why did you pour out the cologne?

Carli: . . . because I wanted to have dessert!

When will I ever learn not to ask a three-year-old why they do something?

Wow, we took so many pictures!

2008-09-26T20:19:00.008-05:00

Here are a few of my faves:

The ferry boat we rode from St. Thomas to St. John. We're on the top waving... look really close. =)

Dru meeting Sammy for the first time.

Aunt Susie with Carli and Eli--on the beach within five minutes of arriving.

Carli modeling the new sunglasses from Uncle Dru--just one item in the pile of presents that greeted Eli and Carli in their room in the villa. They will never forget the trip to "Uncle Dru's Island"!

Luella and Eli playing in the pool.

Ben and Luella sailing on the boat Dru works on, Breath.

Ben swimming at Maho Bay.

Carli and Eli swimming in the open ocean. Interestingly enough, before this trip neither one of them would set foot in a pool deeper than they could touch, but they had no problem once Uncle Dru gave them these floaties. Everything from Uncle Dru is magic! We are never going to be cool again with Uncle Dru as competition!

Ben helping me put on my snorkeling mask as I try not to hyperventilate thinking about all the things that are going to eat me if I don't get out of that water!

Ben and Luella sailing on Breath

Being silly with the camera--one of the two times I actually did my hair and applied makeup. It's so darn hot there, the makeup melts off after an hour and hair falls flat from the humidity, so why waste the time?

Carli and Eli toasting the fabulous meal of "gourmet" mac-n-cheese and grilled chicken made by Chef Ted.

Jane posing with Chef Ted.

Carli and Eli posing at the ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Mills.

Ben's parents, Bill and Jane. Too cute!

Ben, Luella and Sammy sailing aboard Breath.

Look at that pile of easy cheese! No one does crackers and easy cheese like Nana!

This is in my top ten favorite pictures from the trip. A perfect picture of Papa and Carli deep in conversation.

Sammy took to Uncle Dru right away. Every morning when Dru would arrive at the villa, Sammy would speed crawl to see him. He just wanted Dru to hold him all the time--it was very cute. I'm sure if Sammy could talk, he'd tell us he misses Uncle Dru.

Sammy wasn't thrilled about the beach... it's hot, it's dirty, and where's my bed?

Yeah, not lovin it. I do love the look on Bill's face though--priceless!

I loved watching Ben play with the kids in the water--Sammy didn't love the beach, but he loved being with Daddy.

This picture captures Dru's personality perfectly--I got the perfect shot!

If there ever was a doubt that these three are related, it's gone now. I asked the three to pose together for a picture and they all stood three feet apart like they didn't even know each other. I said, "You could touch each other you know." All three of them, at the exact same time--no joke--reached out and touched the others with one finger. Ha,ha. =)

We all could have packed up and left Carli at the beach by herself and she never would have known it. She played in the sand for hours!

Ben pulling Eli's loose tooth with a little pair of pliers. Considering how brave Eli was and that we were in the islands, the normal tooth fairy acquiesced to the "Pirate Fairy" who visited Eli in the night and traded his tooth for a real pirate coin!

Starlit Villa--where we stayed. It was beautiful--thanks to Dru who worked so hard to make it perfect for us--we loved every minute of it!

Dru giving Carli a flower from the Flamboyant Tree, which she proudly wore in her hair until Nana accidentally broke it putting sunscreen on her scalp. She'll probably remember it a month from now and ask me when Uncle Dru's gonna get her another flower for her hair!

More St. John

2008-09-25T18:56:00.008-05:00

Getting settled back in to normal life always takes longer than you think it will. Things are finally settling down and we're pretty much back to normal. There is a lot more to report about our trip though, so here goes!

On Tuesday morning Ben, Eli, Carli and I went with Susie and Dru to Trunk Bay. Nana, Papa and Sammy stayed at the villa for some much needed R & R. Trunk Bay is beautiful! I think Dru said it's number seven on the Travel Channel's Top Ten Beaches. It was awesome. Carli and Eli played and played. Carli is a sand bug, she could have played in the sand all day long. Eli just wanted to float around with his tube, and I'm sure he could have stayed all day in the water as well.

The snorkeling path in Trunk Bay.

There is a snorkeling trail (is that what you call it? Sounds dumb to call it a trail underwater . . . I don't know, it was only my second time snorkeling) in the bay that Ben and I went on. There were little underwater markers leading you around this little island. We had to take off our sunglasses to get the masks on, and that started my eyes tearing up--I swear I have a sun allergy or something. I can't even go out to get the mail on a sunny day without tearing up! So, that wasn't the best snorkeling experience. I'm kind of freaked out by the ocean anyway, so that didn't help. Unfortunately, I just couldn't keep my eyes from tearing up and my mask was leaking. It was pretty miserable, but I was trying to hang in there so I wouldn't ruin it for Ben. I kept trying to just close my eyes, but that was REALLY freaky, so that didn't work. Eventually we just gave up, but Ben went back later with Susie and Dru so I didn't feel too bad.

Eli, Ben and Carli swimming in Trunk Bay (actually, they were singing in this shot... I could hear "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" from my chair on the beach. Too cute.

We wrapped up the beach day around 1 pm and went back to the villa to shower and rest. That evening we returned to Trunk Bay and Dru's friend June took family pictures for us. It was so beautiful . . . no wonder so many people get married on beaches! I was continually surprised at the lack of people on the beach . . . nothing like a California beach. It was only 5 pm, still really nice weather and there wasn't a soul on the beach. I was wishing we had brought the beach stuff! We left the beach and went to a very nice restaurant in Mongoose Junction called Paradiso. As soon as we walked in I wondered if there had ever been kids in this restaurant, because it was really nice, but I heard another baby crying, so I figured it was okay. I think our kids were determined to put the staff to the test because within 15 minutes of arriving, they managed to spill an entire glass of water, and then dump over a glass of soda, breaking the glass. I was wondering at that point why in the heck we had decided to go to a restaurant . . . BUT, the evening turned out fine, we enjoyed the company and the food, and it was VERY nice to be in an air-conditioned building (the only air-conditioning we felt the entire week).

Dru's friend June, the photographer, also turned out to be a babysitter, so we scheduled her for Wednesday. Ben and I were definitely needing some time away from the kids. It was hard at times to look around at the scenery and not wonder what compelled us to bring kids along! It would have been nice to sit on the beach all day and not have to worry about a thing (maybe next time!), however, I wouldn't trade the time the kids got to spend with Uncle Dru and the rest of the family for anything. They had a wonderful time and I think the memories will be strong for quite a while.

Dinner with just the adults at Chateau Bordeaux--thank you babysitter June!

Anyway, June came over around 10 am on Wednesday and the adults enjoyed a day of shopping and lunch. It was fun to just wander around and browse in all the little shops.

Thursday wasn't the best day for me, I ended up with a little bit of the "island revenge" (diarrhea!) and spent a lot of time in the bathroom (sorry! Too much information!). I had to miss the facial I had scheduled with Dru's girlfriend, Colleen. She and a girlfriend own a salon there on St. John. Again, maybe next time! I did end up getting a nice nap, and Ben was able to swim with the kids in the pool (for four hours!), so it was a nice day anyway. It was kind of nice to just stay at the villa and rest up.

On Friday Dru and Bill arranged a sail on Calypso, a 30-ft catamaran, and it turned out to be a wonderful day for sailing. The captain said it may have been the best sailing day they'd had all summer. I don't know much about sailing, I just know that it was tons of fun. The boat was nice and big with lots of seating, snacks and drinks, and we all had a good time. We sailed around in between a couple of smaller islands (Congo and LeVongo) and had another opportunity to go snorkeling. This time it was awesome! We saw sooo many fish, it was amazing.

Dru, Ben, Luella, and Susie--after snorkeling--you can still see the outline of the masks on our faces.

At one time, we were swimming through several schools of fish and you could hardly see anything except millions and millions of little fish. Then, out of nowhere, a group of tarpon came by and about gave me a heart attack. I think I about jerked Ben's arm off when I first saw one--they were BIG! and when you're in the middle of a school of fish and one of those swims right by you, it's pretty freaky! All in all, the snorkeling was awesome, and it actually helped me with my fear of the ocean. It was kind of nice to look in the water and see that there wasn't anything scary at all.

Sammy and Nana enjoying the sailing on Calypso

More St. John

2008-09-16T13:49:00.003-05:00

For more on our trip to St. John, see my other blog--http://luellamoore.blogspot.com.

St. John!!

2008-09-14T20:25:00.008-05:00

We finally made it to St. John! We left our house at 4:30 Friday afternoon and we arrived in St. John at 5:30 pm on Saturday. We were delayed at the Omaha airport for almost three hours and when we finally arrived in Chicago, the prospect of waiting another hour for a shuttle to the hotel and then sleeping for three hours and having to come back to get through security was just too much to take. We ended up camping out behind one of the boarding gate desks and struggling through the night. Eli and Carli did really well--with jackets for pillows and Sammy's blankies for covers, they slept pretty well. Sammy was living the good life with the stroller reclined back. It took him a while to fall asleep, but he was smiling when we woke him up at 5 am. It looked like Ben got at least a couple hours of sleep, but I don't think I slept more than fifteen minutes. Even through the earplugs I wore, I could hear the stupid announcer every fifteen minutes "Attention airport passengers, it is illegal for drivers to solicit passengers from the upper level, blah, blah, blah..." followed immediately by, "For the safety of our passengers, the Chicago O'Hare airport is smoke-free. You may smoke in designated areas BLAH, BLAH, BLAH . . . " EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES! I actually spent most of the night in short prayers, "Please let Sammy keep sleeping", "Please don't let anyone steal our bags when my eyes are closed," "Please help me not to hear that stupid announcement again." =)

We had egg mcmuffins at McDonalds and made it to our flight at 6:45 am to Charlotte, NC. The airport in Charlotte is really nice--there were white rocking chairs all throughout, even near the gates. They were really comfortable! The kids had a great time running around, and Ben had a crappy time haggling with the lady at the counter because they somehow didn't have a record of Sammy's ticket for the last leg to St. Thomas. We ended up paying $93 bucks for some stupid taxes or something, and everything was okay. The last flight was about four hours, and Sammy slept two of them, so that was awesome. Eli and Carli were awesome, only getting antsy in the last 30 minutes (thank you Crayola Color Wonder!).

Once we got to St. Thomas, we packed into a van with a bunch of other tourists and headed to the ferry boat. The van went all over the island dropping people off so we got quite the tour. In the Virgin Islands, they have American cars but they drive on the right side of the road like in England. Really weird! (And dangerous!) Most people have the passenger side mirrors folded in in case they clip another car. The roads are super narrow and windy and turning corners is tricky when you're used to driving on the other side of the road! There have been several sharp intakes of breath!

So the taxi van took about 45 minutes (and $50!) and then we waited another 20 or so for the ferry to take off. The ferry ride was fun, but to be honest, by that time I was so exhausted I could hardly keep my eyes open! There were a couple of birds flying along beside the boat and they put on a diving show for us. Eli and Carli loved that. It was great to finally pull up to the dock and see Ben's brother Dru and his parents and sister Susie waiting for us. Dru and his girlfriend Colleen live here in St. John, and Susie, Bill and Jane had arrived before us.

Amazingly enough, Eli and Carli were still in good spirits and excited about everything. They were such troopers! They made it through that hard traveling day like world travelers.

We visited a bit, had sandwiches to eat, took a dip in the pool and went to bed. The villa where we're staying is really beautiful, and never has a bed been so comfortable!

Today we went to the beach and it was amazing! I can't believe the color and temperature of the water. It's absolutely beautiful. Sammy wasn't too impressed, and he ended up taking a great nap with Ben in the hammock.

Eli and Carli loved it! Carli couldn't get enough of playing in the sand and I think Eli spent the whole time in the water floating around. It was really fun to look down and see little fish swimming around in the water. It looks and feels like a swimming pool, so it's really weird to taste the salt. I kept having to remind myself that we were actually in the ocean!

So, it has been a great first day, and we're looking forward to a few more. Tomorrow Dru is taking us sailing on the boat he charters--the kids are very excited--and so are we. I've been boating lots of times, but never sailing. Here's hoping for good weather!

A Fly on the Wall

2008-09-01T21:00:00.004-05:00

I often wish I was a fly on the wall when it comes to our kids. I'll hear them singing in the bathtub or having a conversation while they're playing in the basement and I wish that I could capture it without disturbing the moment with my presence.

I happened to look out the window one day while Eli and Carli were having a swim party/picnic and I got one of those moments on video. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I don't think it needs words!

The Cutest Video Ever

2008-09-01T20:45:00.003-05:00

This video is from our trip to Utah in July... I finally got Ben to make it smaller for me so it doesn't take hours to upload. Sammy just loved Grandpa (my dad)! I love how he looks up at Grandpa every time as if to say, "Do it again!" Just precious.

Carli-Pants

2008-09-01T20:23:00.006-05:00

There have been lots of posts about Sammy and Eli lately--I feel like Carli's being overlooked! Ben and I were just commenting today that we hope Carli keeps her fun personality as she grows up.

She is a total crack up--there's nothing I like better than watching her play! She does so many really funny things. She absolutely loves to organize and stack things. She often asks to play with the spices (I have them organized into a basket of large bottles, and a basket of small bottles) so she can stack them into a tower and then line them up around the counter. She also loves to play with the "craft box"--not so she can color or do any sort of craft, but so she can take everything out of it and arrange it on the floor in some kind of shape.

She can play for hours in a box or a laundry basket. She will get her blankies and pillows and make herself a bed... I have found her more than once asleep in a laundry basket!

Several funny things have happened in the past few weeks. One time I was doing some cleaning when Carli came upstairs with yogurt all over her face. Our conversation:

Me: "Carli, what's all over your face?"

Carli: (totally innocent) "Nothing."

Me: "What have you been eating?"

Carli: (even more innocent) "Nothing."

Me: "Hmm. Come here, let's look in the mirror." (She goes along with this completely, no resistance whatsoever... she's still very confident.)

Me: (at the mirror now) "Carli, what's all over your face?"

Carli: (VERY loud wail) " Aaaahhh! I want daddy!" (She starts to sob.)

Me: "What did you eat?"

Carli: "A yogurt."

Me: "Where is it?"

Carli: "Downstairs under the couch."

Me: "Where is the spoon?"

Carli: "I didn't have a spoon, I was eating it with my fingers."

That's Carli for you! I love her so much, she brightens my life every day and keeps me laughing.

Four Teeth and A Shiner

2008-08-29T08:52:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty good picture of the teeth . . . Sammy has four of them. The bottom two came in first and the top two finally broke through last week. He's getting good use out of them lately, we've had broccoli two dinners in a row. He bit me for the first time today, good thing he's not a vampire! Those little teeth are sharp!

And, the Shiner! It's a pretty good one . . . he got it when he pulled a bar stool over on top of himself and the rim of the seat nailed him right above the eye. Poor kid . . . let's see how it compares to the shiner Carli had at about the same age:

Carli's definitely wins, I think. She got hers when Eli held the receiver of a toy telephone over his head and whipped it around Indiana Jones style, nailing her in the face with the phone. Fun times at our house!

Eli's Birthday

2008-08-28T20:13:00.007-05:00

Last week was Eli's birthday. I'm still getting over the fact that he's six years old . . . He's a big boy now! Sending him off to first grade this year was bittersweet for me. You'd think I would have experienced these emotions last year with kindergarten, but being pregnant on bed rest with a herniated disk at the time, I couldn't wait for him to start! It just seems like he has grown and changed so much this past year. He's still very emotional at times, but he is starting to mature and there are moments when I wonder at this little boy we're blessed to have in our family. I think the best moments are when he's playing with Carli and I overhear him say, "Carli, you're my very best friend." I swear, every time that happens I choke up!

Anyway, on to the birthday proceedings. The 20th was the actual day and I knew he would be in school all day, so we planned a special breakfast. I knew that waffles with cherry pie filling and cool whip would be a big hit. Way to start the day off right!

We arranged a babysitter for Sammy and picked Eli up after school so we could go to the afternoon showing of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." Carli was good for about three-quarters of the movie until she got bored, luckily, we had the whole theater to ourselves, so she just ran up and down the aisles. Eli and Ben were totally enraptured, of course, and enjoyed every minute of it. (I must admit that I jerked awake a couple of times, but don't tell Ben! =)). After the movie we drove through Taco Bell for burritos and took them home to get Sammy. It was such a beautiful evening, we decided to pull out a blanket and make it a picnic. After the burritos, Eli and Carli put on a show for us, trampoline tricks included, and then we went inside and he opened his gift from Nana and Papa. He was thrilled with the Star Wars blaster, especially after just seeing the movie. I think Eli had a great birthday . . . I know I enjoyed it!

Saturday afternoon was the actual party. We had a pretty good turnout and a friend brought a slip-n-slide, so between that and the trampoline and wading pool, everyone had a great time. Ben made the cake since I was busy with church stuff in the morning, and he had the great idea to put a SpongeBob Frisbee on top (yay for TJ Maxx!). Eli loved it and it turned out really cute! They got to have their cake and play with it too. Way to go Ben!

The Airshow!

2008-08-18T16:36:00.006-05:00

The whole family in front of Ben's plane: the Rivet Joint

This last weekend was the annual Airshow and Open House here at Offutt AFB. We didn't get to go last year because I was on bedrest, so we've really been looking forward to it. We weren't disappointed! We checked out the website first and found what we thought was a good place to park. There were places all over town where you could park and be shuttled to base. We figured parking on base was a good option, even though we would still have to be shuttled over to the tarmac. Turns out that we went to base, parked, got on the shuttle bus with kids, stroller, water, blanket, snacks, etc, and then went back off base and all the way around to the other side to enter again. I guess the FAA shuts down certain spaces when they know crazy airplane stuff is going to be happening there, so there were several parts of base that were closed down. Once we got to the other side, we noticed that there were several open parking spots right in the commissary parking lot! It was a huge waste of time doing the shuttle bus thing, but I think the kids enjoyed riding on the bus. Oh well, next year we'll know just where to park!

Sammy and Luella on the bus ride home

There were tons of vendors, of course, and big tents with food and activities. The kids spotted these little bicycle planes right away and had a great time "flying" around the track. There were about a million bouncy houses, but you had to pay to jump in them. I thought that was pretty lame. We bought some tickets and the kids got to pick two bouncy houses they wanted to play in. There were several open planes, and some that the kids could sit in and walk through. At some point during the festivities, we realized that the camera was missing. We backtracked and scoured the ground, figuring that it had fallen off of the stroller. I was just sick thinking about the pictures we had lost and the thought of paying for a new camera. Ben checked the lost-and-found thinking there was no way it would be there so quickly, but it was! I couldn't believe it! I was so grateful and happy that the people who found it were so honest. It totally made the day for me that someone turned it in.

After that we found some grass to sit on and waited for the Thunderbirds to do their show. There were vendors selling smoothies and drinks for crazy prices, so Ben just ran across the field to the commissary and bought a box of ice cream sandwiches for 2 bucks and we all enjoyed ice cream while we waited. Yay commissary!

The show was awesome! Some of the stuff they do is just crazy. Carli told us she wants to fly one of these planes when she grows up . . . talk about fulfilling your parents dream! Ben would bust his buttons if one of the kids became a fighter pilot. There actually was a female pilot in one of the Thunderbirds, Ben thinks she's the first. They did a great job. (We actually saw a lot of the Thunderbirds this last week. On Friday, they were practicing and the flight path went right around our house, then the show on Saturday and Sunday, then this morning they took off for Colorado and we saw them leave.)
So, except for the wasted time on the bus, the camera scare, and a few diarrhea runs to the bathroom with Eli (which actually was a good thing because Ben just ran into the firehouse with him and told them he was sick and got to use the bathroom there instead of waiting in line with about 500 other people!), it was a totally fun day! The kids were really good and the weather was fantastic! It was hot in the sun, but there was a little breeze and some cloudy moments throughout the day. When we finally got off the bus, we went to Mcdonalds for dinner. They had an Air Hockey game there and Sammy thought it was hilarious to watch Ben and Eli play.

Sammy loves Air Hockey!

Nothing's better than a package!

2008-08-18T16:06:00.004-05:00

Last week we got a great package from Nana and Papa. Every few months Papa goes to a business conference or something of that nature, and comes home with all sorts of freebies like calculators, pens, stress balls, stuffed animals, etc. Carli and Eli just love opening the package and seeing all the cool stuff inside. This time the squishy guitars and trucks were a hit, as were the little stuffed guide dogs.

Everyone also loved the Red Wings gear, and Sammy will be sure to trash this bib next time he eats! Ben said it's the best Red Wings shirt he's had yet and I love mine too (I'll love it even better when it fits! :) ). Thanks Nana and Papa, you're the best!

This Guy is Awesome!

2008-08-05T15:06:00.002-05:00

"Person of the Week." A clip from ABC news about a guy who goes every morning to the Dallas airport to greet soldiers returning from Iraq.

I really appreciate every time someone goes out of their way to thank Ben for his service as an Airman(He gets a little embarrassed; he figures he's just doing his job). We do sacrifice a lot, for me the greatest sacrifice being when Ben is deployed. This video is just awesome... I love people who are so patriotic and who take the time to thank the soldiers. It really is appreciated!

Good News

2008-08-05T08:49:00.002-05:00

Check out this blog . . . Cheerful Scoop. It's a blogger in San Francisco who is as sick as I am of all the bad news we hear about in the media so she posts about only good news. Awesome!

Check Out Those Stripes!

2008-08-02T22:09:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, August 1, 2008, Ben officially became a Staff Sergeant for the Air Force! We got to go on Wednesday to the promotion ceremony. It was really cool to hear the general speak and see all the promotees.

He really loved going into the office yesterday with his new name tag, even though he could have passed on being nailed in the arm repeatedly. (That's tradition... when you get promoted everyone gets to hit you as hard as they can, as if they're helping you "pin on" your new promotion.) He has bruises on both arms. He said he's glad that we don't drink because it's also tradition that when you get promoted you buy everyone a drink since you're the one who got the raise. Whew! Another great reason to stay sober.

I was (and am) so proud of Ben. He has worked really hard and he got this promotion way before we expected it! I'm so glad he has found a job that he loves and I hope he continues to love it.

Congratulations to Ben, a great husband and dad and my best friend. We love you.

We love our Sammy

2008-07-24T21:00:00.006-05:00

All of our kids have been cute as babies, but I think Sammy takes the cake in the happiness category. He is happy almost all the time! It doesn't take much to get him to smile and everyone around us notices and comments on what a happy smiley baby he is. He makes everyone around him happy too!

Sammy, smiling of course, and Daddy

New Trampoline!!

2008-07-22T14:48:00.008-05:00

On our vacation in Utah we stayed in a house that had a trampoline and we spent time at my brother's house where they have a trampoline also. After seeing how much fun the kids had playing on it, we decided to get one for ourselves. It's also kind of a childhood dream of mine. You know those things that you always wanted and never got? I wanted a trampoline in the worst way! I knew I would never get one, and there wasn't room in the backyard anyway, but I still wished for one.It makes me happy every time I see the kids jumping. Now, if we can just keep them all from breaking any bones!

Carli, Eli and Daddy trying out the new trampoline

Everybody do a bum!

Daddy, Carli and Eli have already got several tricks... this is "going in a circle"

I tried out the trampoline, and it was fun, but I decided with a herniated disk and a bum knee, I better just watch from the sidelines! Me and Sammy make good trampoline partners . . . we just kind of lay there and bounce up and down.

I've been tagged!

2008-07-22T14:09:00.002-05:00

This is my first official tag... it's kind of fun!

ME AND MY HUBBY

How long have you been together? Almost 8 years

How long did you date? We didn't really "date". I met him on my mission, came home, he called me, I flew back out there, stayed for five days and we were engaged 24 days later (29 days after returning from my mission). It was just meant to be!

How old is he? 32 today!

Who eats more? Generally he does, which I hate him for because he can eat WAY more than me and still remain skinny (but at least he hasn't always been skinny... he was a chubby kid too!)

Who said "I love you" first? I'm not sure... we loved each other almost immediately, so I don't remember who actually said it first.

Who is taller? Ben's 6' and I'm 5'10"... so if my math is right, it's Ben. =)

Who is smarter? You know, 8 years ago it would have definitely been me, but for 6 years now my brain has been on "motherhood hold" and his has been working, so it's probably him now.

Who does the laundry? Most of the time it's me, but he does a lot of laundry as well. If he goes down there and there's a pile, he puts it in. He will fold it too. . . just putting it away is always my job.

Who does the dishes? Ben. Every night, almost without question. If I have to do them, he usually apologizes. He even does them sometimes when he cooks.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Looking at the bed, I do. It changes every time we move. Usually I just get the side that's closest to the door and therefore, the kids.

Who pays the bills? Well, Ben makes the money and I make sure it goes where it's needed. We always joke that if I died, he'd have big problems!

Who mows the lawn? Ben. I always volunteer to do it (it's good exercise!), but I think he doesn't want the neighbors seeing me do it!

Who cooks dinner? Usually me, but Ben is always willing to cook if I'm tired or I didn't plan anything.

Who is more stubborn? Not sure on this one . . . maybe me?

Who kissed who first? He definitely kissed me first.

Who asked who out? Like I said, we didn't really date. I stayed with his family for five days and after that we basically knew we would get married.

Who proposed? He did.

Who is more sensitive? I think it's a tie on that one. We both have things that get us--I've seen Ben cry during Extreme Home Makeover!

Who has more siblings? Me. I have four brothers and one sister, Ben has one sister and one brother.
What were you doing 10 years ago? July 1998: I had just graduated from Ricks College and moved home to get ready for one semester at BYU before serving my mission.

Five things on my to do list
1. Get ready for the BBQ tonight
2. Iron
3. Take Sammy to the doctor
4. Clean house
5. Read scriptures

Things I would do if I was suddenly made a billionaire
1. Pay off the house, the car and the student loans
2. Go to France with Ben (and a nanny!)
3. Go to China with Ben (and a nanny!)
4. Get a personal trainer
5. Send my parents and in-laws on a cruise

Three of my bad habits
1. Spending too much time on the internet (mostly on this darn blog... I tend to get obsessive if it's not laid out exactly how I want it!)
2. Getting my hair cut and then hating it!
3. Yelling

Five places I have lived
1. Provo, UT
2. Marseille, France
3. Rexburg, ID
4. Monterey, CA
5. Bellevue, NE

Five jobs I have had
1. Bagger at Albertson's
2. Wendy's and Subway
3. ESL tutor
4. Bank Teller
5. French teacher

Things people don't know about me
1. Good grief . . . I don't know. When I was a kid growing up in Provo there was a public pool that had a dolphin painted on the bottom of the deep end, where you would jump off the diving boards. I was so afraid of that stupid smiling dolphin, the few times I attempted to jump off the diving boards I did it with my eyes closed and I had to breathe deeply not to panic before I was able to get out of the pool again. I thought for sure that dolphin was going to take one of my legs off!

2. One of my dreams is to be able to ballroom dance--and to look good in a dress while dancing!

3. I love public speaking/teaching . . . it's a rush to be up in front of people.

4. I hate spelling and grammar errors. I don't judge people who make them--I do it too! They just bug me, especially when they're in the phonebook or on a menu or something.

I don't even know if people are reading this blog, but this was a fun tag... so I tag Jeannie, Terrilyn, Joann, Allison, and Edna--and anyone else who wants to do this one. You're it!

2008-07-21T09:50:00.007-05:00

Carli, Daddy and Eli playing on the new trampoline.

This post is an experiment to see if I can figure out how to do captions under pictures. Aha! I did it! More to come on our fun new trampoline toy!

Vacation vol.3: My family!

2008-07-13T18:33:00.014-05:00

Seeing my family was so great . . . it had been five years since I had been back to Utah. I've seen my parents since then, but there are siblings who hadn't met Carli and Sammy until this visit. It was great to see everyone! I can't believe how much my nieces and nephews have changed. I remember spending what seemed like everyday babysitting them. The first diaper I ever changed was for my nephew David and now he's 24 years old! We had a great time visiting with him over lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Carli took to him right away (which is really strange as she is very wary around men she doesn't know), she even had to switch spots in the middle of lunch so she could sit next to him!

We hiked up to Timpanogos Caves in American Fork Canyon with my brother Byron, sister-in-law Inger, nephews Scott and Bronson, and niece Savannè. It was really fun! The last time I went was in fifth grade, and I don't remember the trail being so long or steep or hot! The caves were really interesting, but I enjoyed the hike the most. It was so beautiful and I really enjoyed visiting with Inger and Savannè. Eli did great on the hike up, he stayed with Bronson and beat everyone to the top. Ben mostly carried Carli and on the way down she even fell asleep while sitting on his shoulders. He had to take her down and hold her in his arms so she didn't fall off! We all had a good laugh trying to get her to wake up. Eli was very tired on the way down and I carried him the last little bit, but everyone made it and I was proud of the kids.

We also had a couple of really fun barbecues; one at my sister Renée's house and one at my brother Jason's house. We didn't have our camera at Jason's house and didn't get any pictures with them, which is a bummer! I will have to be more camera diligent next time.

It was just great to see the family and spend time
with everyone. We had a great vacation!

Vacation vol. 2: Utah!!

2008-07-13T09:36:00.005-05:00

Wow! I don't think I ever fully realized how beautiful Utah is. It was just amazing to come down through Provo Canyon and see how pretty it all is. I really love the mountains. I can't count how many times Ben and I remarked about how big and beautiful the mountains are. Don't get me wrong, Nebraska has it's own beauty, corn fields and all, but it's just not the same as the mountains.

We got to hike the Y while we were there and go to the BYU bookstore and get some gear for me (including this snazzy hat). It was a lot of fun!

We also went to the Provo Temple and did sealings. They have really improved the front of the temple adding more fountains and tons of flowers. It was really pretty.

A special thanks to my mom for babysitting while we did all of this fun stuff. Our vacation was so much nicer because she helped us out!

Vacation vol. 1: The Road Trip

2008-07-13T08:52:00.010-05:00

Our trip to Utah was sooo fun! It was the first vacation we've taken with the kids old enough to fully participate and appreciate what we did. We had a great time . . . even being together in the car for four days!
A car on fire on the side of the interstate about 2 hours out of Omaha

The first mountains we came across in Wyoming. We just had to stop and wander around. There is a definite smell and feeling to the mountains . . . we didn't realize how much we missed it until we were there again!

Stopping at Cabela's in Sidney, NE. The kids love to look at the waterfall and all the animals. There is also a huge elephant (whose name is Eli, of course) and a big fish tank. It's a nice place to stop.

Carli taking a little nap in the car.

He's BAAAAAAAACK!!

2008-06-23T21:16:00.007-05:00

We are so happy to have Ben back home! He got home on Saturday afternoon--on time even! The kids are so excited to have him home and they've been with him every possible moment since he arrived. They both asked several times when he would be home from work today!

Life isn't the same when he's gone,
and while we're proud to be a military family, and proud of what he does for our country, I can't help wishing he didn't have to go away to do it. He'll be leaving again in a few months, but for the moment, we will just enjoy the time with him. Welcome Home Daddy!

My Two Boys

2008-06-23T21:04:00.007-05:00

It is just too cute to see Eli and Sammy in the bath together. It makes us realize how big Eli is getting, and how fast time is passing. It seems like it was just yesterday when Eli was that small and in the bathtub all by himself!

Makes me think about making every moment count, because before I know it my little babies will be all grown up and all I'll have are the memories.

"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. … I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” (Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11)" --Quoted by Elder M. Russell Ballard

Sammy's First Experience with Grass

2008-06-23T20:21:00.003-05:00

The other day I was outside and I had to lay Sammy down for a minute. I thought he would be scared of the grass, but he seemed to really like it! The pictures speak for themselves:

One of Those Moments

2008-06-20T15:59:00.003-05:00

This afternoon I had one of those moments with Eli; one of those times when you're just go grateful to have this child, and you can see so much potential in them, and you can tell that they're just going to grow up to be a great person.

A good friend kept the kids this morning while I got some things done to prepare for Ben's homecoming tomorrow. When the kids got home, around 1 pm, they were both tired and cranky, especially Carli. I had cleaned under the couch cushions and found a little blue car that both the kids really like. Eli picked it up and started to play with it and Carli had a FIT! Screaming and crying, asking Eli to give her the car. I was trying to mediate, when to my utter shock and surprise, Eli says to Carli, "I'll give you the car, because I want to be nice to you." I was so proud of him, and I told him so. Carli said thank you, and I could see that Eli was starting to cry. Thinking that it was one of those moments when the child shares, but then still has a fit about it, I braced myself for him to take the car back or something. I asked him, "What's wrong, Eli? Why are you crying?" He turned his face to me, his eyes brimming with tears and said, "Because I just love you guys so much," with all the sincerity his five-year-old soul could muster. I, of course, started to cry as well, and he came flying into my arms and gave me a long, tight hug. Through my tears, I explained to him that sometimes you just feel your heart fill up with so much love that you have to cry to let some of it out. He just nodded and we shared another hug.

THAT was one of those moments!

The Tortilla Man!

2008-06-19T09:45:00.008-05:00

Last night, as I was sitting down to eat my
chicken quesadilla, I was a bit startled by a face staring back at me from the side of the tortilla!

I knew that no one would believe it if I just told them, so I had to take some pictures. See for yourself . . . the Tortilla Man!

I really hesitated in eating him . . . he was just so cute! Alas, my hunger overcame the cuteness factor and I gobbled him up. Sorry little Tortilla Man!

Too Funny!

2008-06-17T17:32:00.004-05:00

Carli is such a good little girl, almost always does what I ask. Here's the result of asking her to please give Sammy a toy:

I wish she did all her chores with such gusto!

The Scariest Storm Yet

2008-06-12T15:18:00.004-05:00

Wow, this Tornado season is really hammering us. I only remember the tornado sirens going off once or twice during the whole season last year, but this year it seems like it's every other night!

Last night around 7 pm (during bath time, of course) we heard the first siren. Whenever the sirens go off, that means tornadoes have been spotted in the area and you're advised to take shelter in the lowest place possible, i.e. a basement. I hurried everyone out of the bath, grabbed the phone and the camera and we headed for the basement. I got everyone situated and then ran back upstairs for the flashlights, some snacks, and Carli's training potty (just in case!).

Last week when the sirens went off in the middle of the night and we had to head to the basement, Carli was freaked out and Eli just wanted to sleep. This time they switched roles. Eli was really paying attention to the weather coverage on the TV and he was really scared. Carli was a little alarmed, but overall having a great time playing in the basement. And Sammy was his usual happy self!

This was definitely the scariest storm yet... made me really long for Ben to get home. We could see on the TV that the "hook" of the storm (the worst part) was headed right for us. We ended up with a lot of rain, some hail, and really loud thunder, but no tornado. Unfortunately, some places near us weren't as lucky. There were about 40 confirmed tornadoes in the area, and the Boy Scout camp that was destroyed (4 fatalities and 40 injured) is about 50 miles north of our house. They say there are more storms coming this weekend--let's hope it somehow fizzles out. The rivers and creeks around here can't handle much more rain, and I don' t know if I can handle another tornado warning!

The first video is Eli and Carli describing what's going on outside; then the weather forecast with our city right in the middle of it; and in the third you can hear the hail coming down in the background.

Mr. Baby Frog

2008-06-11T17:07:00.008-05:00

Over the weekend I was doing a little weeding in the flowerbed out front, and a frog tried to give me a heart attack. I was moving the mulch around trying to get out the little weeds when he jumped out right onto my hand. I screamed. Really loud. Actually, the truth is, I probably gave him a heart attack! The poor thing was probably taking a nap down there in the cool dirt and I messed everything up! Carli happened to be standing right next to me when I screamed, and she became pretty alarmed. I had to assure her that the frog was harmless and nothing to be afraid of. He hopped around in the flowerbed a little bit, and after a few minutes she warmed up to him.

I called to Eli to come and see the frog and all of the sudden Carli was the resident frog expert! She introduced him to Eli as "Mr. Baby Frog" and told Eli that he lives in our garden and that he likes to eat bugs. And that he does... as we watched, he hopped up to the corner of the flowerbed by the porch and started in on some ants. It was fun to see his tongue dart in and out as he ate. Eli was soon bored and went back inside, but Carli sat and watched him for quite a while. Once, when he paused in eating ants, Carli said that she thought he was waiting for his friends to come from the pond down the street so he could share the ants. Too cute!

We've seen Mr. Baby Frog a few times since then, and I think it's true that he's taken up residence in the flowerbed. I don't mind really, he can eat all the bugs he wants out there!

(Okay, so it's a toad... But don't try telling Carli that. This "Frog" will never be Mr. Baby Toad!)

This Storm Came Outta Nowhere!

2008-06-10T19:01:00.008-05:00

Last night after I got the kids in bed I stepped outside to check on my garden and lo and behold, there was a huge storm rolling in just behind our house. It looked sunny and wonderful in front of the house, but in the back it was getting serious! Check out some of the pictures and video I got.

It didn't end up being a very big storm for us, but north of us it poured pretty hard. It rained for a little while, but the lightning and thunder stayed behind us, thank goodness. I didn't want Carli waking up again. I definitely don't like Tornadoes, but watching a storm from a safe distance is a lot of fun!

Eli's New Haircut

2008-06-09T12:16:00.010-05:00

I realize now that I should have taken a "before" picture. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20. Anyway, this is my first attempt at cutting Eli's (or anyone's for that matter) hair. I think I did a fairly good job, if I do say so myself. He was looking pretty scraggly! I had been meaning to get over to Supercuts and have it done... he likes it there because he gets a sucker, but I just never got around to dragging everyone over there (and I didn't want to use time with a babysitter for a haircut! Selfish, I know. =) ) So, after looking at him yesterday, I knew it had to be done. He was really good while I cut it, hardly moved at all. That is in sharp contrast to a few haircuts that Ben has given him before. The look on Ben's face in the middle picture just cracks me up!

After I was done cutting his hair, I told Eli to look in the mirror and tell me if he liked it. He took a look and said, "Yeah! I like it. It makes me look like a rock star!" My thoughts exactly. =)

My garden!

2008-06-08T21:44:00.002-05:00

Now that we have a house, I no longer had an excuse not to have a garden. My mom told me about this new way to plant a garden, called Square Foot Gardening. It seemed like an easy way to start. I'm glad she was here visiting to help me put it together. It actually only took us about two hours from start to finish. Ben made the nice box for me just before he left on deployment. It turned out perfectly--I think it's a great looking garden.

First we laid the box down on top of a double layer of cardboard. That way the grass underneath will die and it won't be able to grow up through my garden. Yay! No weeds! Then we mixed the soil: 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 compost. That's supposedly the perfect combination for growing things. I planted four types of tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, carrots, zucchini, sweet peppers, basil, cilantro, and some marigolds to look pretty (and they supposedly keep the animals away, we'll have to see about that). I also planted pots of parsley, mint and chives up on the porch. Oh, and some lettuce, but I don't have pictures of that. The purple pots are the mystery peppers. When I was shopping for vegetable plants (I had to go to four different stores to find them!) at one place there were a bunch of pepper plants that weren't labeled. The clerk said they had no idea what they were, so they put them on sale. I decided it would be fun to plant them and see what they end up being. They'll probably be habaneros or jalapenos or something crazy hot like that! Or, they'll be green peppers and I'll have enough to feed all of Nebraska. =)

Baby Sammy Einstein

2008-06-08T21:12:00.003-05:00

Nana bought this Baby Einstein exersaucer for Carli when she was about 8 months old or so. It wasn't very successful with her and it ended up gathering dust for three years. Boy, am I glad we kept it around because Baby Sammy sure loves it! He spends time playing in it each day, and it's a lifesaver for me. He just sits and has a party, kicking his feet and swiveling around to play with each toy. He especially likes the sun and the stack of blocks because he can pull them down and chew on them. It is turning out to be a great gift... thanks Nana!

MORE Extreme Weather

2008-06-08T09:54:00.004-05:00

Man, how much longer will this go on? Most every night for a week now, we've had severe thunderstorms. The weather was overcast and windy when we went to bed last night and we were under tornado watch. I wasn't too worried about it, but at 3 am, I heard the tornado sirens (anyone seen "War of the Worlds? It reminds me of the sound the Aliens make when they come to Earth). I ran downstairs and checked the TV. Sure enough, the emergency signal was on, so I ran back up and roused all the kids and we headed to the basement. It was definitely scary! Why does all this weather have to happen while Ben is gone? Elijah was super sleepy and kept telling me, "Mommy, it's the middle of the night. I should be in my bed!" Carli was totally freaked out and just curled up in the corner of the couch. Sammy was happy and ready to play. He was just glad to be out of bed!
The news was reporting a tornado about 15 miles west of us that had destroyed a couple of houses and this morning there are more damage reports coming in. So far, I don't think there are any injuries, thank goodness. My friend whose husband is also deployed called this morning and we both lamented that this stuff has to happen while our husbands are gone! It's really scary to be alone with kids when something goes wrong! I can't wait for Ben to get home! AND, I HATE TORNADOES!!

Red Wings Win!!!

2008-06-07T11:28:00.003-05:00

I nearly forgot to update the post from earlier this week... It's no surprise, because I knew they would, but the Red Wings did take home the Stanley Cup. It was awesome! Unfortunately, the last game was the same night as the tornadoes (see Extreme Weather post), so I saw most of the game in split screen with the weather coverage. It also would have been nice for the Wings to win at home, but the Penguin fans were mostly good sports. Ben was flying during most of the game, but he told me he got to see the last 15 minutes. How lame that he was in the desert during this finals... but, he probably got to see more games there than he would have here, as we don't have Versus channel in our cable package. Hopefully they'll keep it up next year so Ben and I can enjoy the games together!

So Proud!

2008-06-07T11:10:00.004-05:00

I got this lovely picture just this morning from my cute husband (although he's not so cute with that UGLY moustache!) I just had to post it to let the world know the caliber of men we have out fighting for our freedom... if I saw that moustache coming I would definitely run!

I miss Ben so much, I'm really glad his deployment is almost over--only a couple of weeks left. Carli has cried at least once a day for the past few weeks asking when Daddy is coming home. It has been hard without him, but on a serious note, I am so proud of him for doing this job. The work he's over in the desert doing ensures all of us back at home the daily freedoms that we take for granted. Where would our country be without men who volunteer to put themselves at risk... all for the greater good? I thank the Lord for this country and for our wonderful military, and I'm proud to play a supporting role.

Extreme Weather

2008-06-05T09:41:00.003-05:00

CRAZY weather last night!! Starting at about 7 pm, things got a little crazy outside! It was the biggest electrical storm I've seen yet, and we had some good ones last year. I did manage to get some video of it, but I haven't figured out how to upload the videos yet... you'll have to wait for that one. Carli was pretty scared, and ended up not going to bed until I did around 11 pm. Eli and Sammy both slept through the entire storm. The rain got here around 9, but it wasn't too bad. The lightning strikes were several per second and it seemed almost like daylight at times. We heard the tornado sirens go off at one time and we were under tornado watch for about an hour. This picture is of a tornado that touched down in Iowa, just across the Missouri river from us. There were a total of about 10 confirmed tornados across Nebraska and Iowa last night... and guess what?? They say more "extreme" weather is coming tonight! I was scared for my garden which I just put in a few days ago (my garden post is coming soon!), but it came through all right. The lightning/thunder and rain lasted most of the night. I woke up several times waiting for the kids to run into my room, but miraculously no one woke up. On the way to drop Eli off at school we saw that the Papio creek is very swollen and the golf course is flooded, but that didn't stop the early morning golfers!
As long as the tornados stay well away from us, I'm all for extreme weather!

Go Wings!!!

2008-06-02T16:57:00.001-05:00

Well, I guess it's official... our son Eli is a Red Wings Fan. At 5:30 am this morning, I felt a soft tap on my shoulder and turned over to see Eli standing in just his underwear whispering my name. I automatically thought, "Oh, no! He's thrown up or got a bloody nose or something. What happened?" He just whispered, "Mommy, can you come help me get my Red Wings Jersey down? I want to wear it to school today." Even at 5:30 am I had to laugh as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and helped him find his jersey. I really wish that Ben had been here to witness this one, since he is the Red Wings #1 fan. By the way, for those of you who are not hockey fans (how sad!), the Stanley Cup Finals are going on right now and game five between the Wings and the Penguins is tonight, 8 pm eastern. The series is 3-1 Wings, so if all goes well, the Wings will be skating with the Stanley Cup tonight at the Joe.

Fun with Grandma

2008-05-31T20:00:00.000-05:00

My mom has been here visiting us since the 13th of May. It's been so great to have her here... she has helped me so much with the kids, and she's been great company. Ben is deployed right now (yuck!) so I've been on my own . (I've had other great visitors--Jane and Jeannie--but I'll have to post about those later.) The kids have had a great time with Grandma, especially playing on the blow-up bed in the basement. I borrowed it from a friend (Thanks Liz!) for Mom to use while she's here and it has provided hours of entertainment, not to mention a great place to lay and watch movies!

I'm officially a blogger!

2008-05-31T14:35:00.001-05:00

Well, it has taken me long enough to start a blog, but I'm finally here! I'm not quite sure how this works, but I'll get the hang of it soon enough. Any of you veteran bloggers out there, feel free to give me some tips because I'll probably need them!