tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69551598385404025552024-02-19T03:19:31.577-08:00Johnson Family UpdatesJust a little place to publish pictures and videos of my cute kids...and generally waste timeJoe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.comBlogger129125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-42124317259403989332011-05-01T21:34:00.000-07:002011-05-01T22:07:12.085-07:00In which Natalie is a rosebud in Coppelia<A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LnAnNmFZhIxldG_DDRiqT9CC2k-7IhPMM90RkRyrp2OvhXdol-zrv-HcqNmkOj3dUKXTj3vKAdcF8Ynnwgyw4macm4ew9etZqWhnteYhrDzaxW7gj3MWQIirVuAYh0q0gwePtBmthrg/s1600/IMG_0357.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601974266928120866 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LnAnNmFZhIxldG_DDRiqT9CC2k-7IhPMM90RkRyrp2OvhXdol-zrv-HcqNmkOj3dUKXTj3vKAdcF8Ynnwgyw4macm4ew9etZqWhnteYhrDzaxW7gj3MWQIirVuAYh0q0gwePtBmthrg/s320/IMG_0357.jpg"></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zcy3zpkcBDpJ5sZFrmPF69r9zOCrg1m-qlDEoHkXQ9au9__lS4-oo2ZXiB6bm5oxjLlpS2H3eCSLdtnkxQMBYWuI0ZKnNC7isRTtLYPwzYJkF6hl6nsvAMpZO4y5i_dPMcbkwhudsYw/s1600/IMG_0364.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601974268037627666 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zcy3zpkcBDpJ5sZFrmPF69r9zOCrg1m-qlDEoHkXQ9au9__lS4-oo2ZXiB6bm5oxjLlpS2H3eCSLdtnkxQMBYWuI0ZKnNC7isRTtLYPwzYJkF6hl6nsvAMpZO4y5i_dPMcbkwhudsYw/s320/IMG_0364.jpg"></A> Coppelia is the story of a dollmaker who creates a doll so lifelike that he dreams of a way to make her come to life. Franz sees the doll and falls in love with her as well. Swanhilde, his intended bride, is not terribly happy about this. So she and her friends sneak into Dr. Coppelius' shop to try and talk to the girl (not realizing that she's a doll). They all get caught in turn, and Swanhilde puts on the doll's clothes and tricks both Franz and Dr. Coppelius. In the end, Swanhilde and Franz get married. It's a comedic ballet full of slapstick. I think it was the most entertaining recital so far in Natalie's ballet career. They had so much fun! <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs55kDGzVPHysRBjwpKDuEg2Du-2K8WHPlB3GhExcEGlhg8drHy-QdY4nbuaHoH85HVI-dxXhc2UmkJohYUIqGBXfHfLjLUba8Qo79xi36voaS3gqcTOhzPXAXRbBxlZpwdquMid3xVAo/s1600/SANY0090_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601974265280499522 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs55kDGzVPHysRBjwpKDuEg2Du-2K8WHPlB3GhExcEGlhg8drHy-QdY4nbuaHoH85HVI-dxXhc2UmkJohYUIqGBXfHfLjLUba8Qo79xi36voaS3gqcTOhzPXAXRbBxlZpwdquMid3xVAo/s320/SANY0090_edited-1.jpg"></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yDvX8kBQlvxZwmEQmdDRisQRSX2ulJ5J5JvWlhHwFagVs-pJC9MJitXYoZwMbAn18mGbUeyG1t-8OmNobaH88qbUo5H747puRXFvLaZtQbM7wiPWXt1RP0fRHOYCY6y6CHvqPi-xoL0/s1600/SANY0091_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601974258002934258 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yDvX8kBQlvxZwmEQmdDRisQRSX2ulJ5J5JvWlhHwFagVs-pJC9MJitXYoZwMbAn18mGbUeyG1t-8OmNobaH88qbUo5H747puRXFvLaZtQbM7wiPWXt1RP0fRHOYCY6y6CHvqPi-xoL0/s320/SANY0091_edited-1.jpg"></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6lIuQgIOtqWKvkKAWIL3VLhkjY9iDIb7uzQ29WqucRsWbzazbx5-xAM94qGaRRZHR6-gg1pAOD8lfBxNOC5FUtKojMIwE66zF38Fn7QFUltyEbQ5XJvDQPo9bWLDTMYfy8UIfpM1bIU/s1600/SANY0092_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601974258112243138 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6lIuQgIOtqWKvkKAWIL3VLhkjY9iDIb7uzQ29WqucRsWbzazbx5-xAM94qGaRRZHR6-gg1pAOD8lfBxNOC5FUtKojMIwE66zF38Fn7QFUltyEbQ5XJvDQPo9bWLDTMYfy8UIfpM1bIU/s320/SANY0092_edited-1.jpg"></A> Brooklin absolutely loved watching the girls dancing. She would have been onstage in a heartbeat if we had let her. You can't see her that well because of the lighting, but here she is dancing in the audience. I'll give her another year or so, but she's going to love ballet just like her sister.<br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-84134210f38f04a2 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="84134210f38f04a2"></OBJECT>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-90934426311408071062011-05-01T20:29:00.000-07:002011-05-01T21:26:28.052-07:00How we celebrate Easter<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wRL-qdOvDlHor-UCIhDSkY7ksMKvPhus8Lh3SfOjIvo3-aA2pltDYDJn4kiEIkZbW_mZWZtuRZ8w7zeS8o5bJwAPbkRuR2XCY1J3Fmb5oTnptL5YCzW7aVrQfmXKbdsYCRVghLlV8ok/s1600/Christ%252520-%252520Resurrection%252520-%252520He%252520Lives%252520-%252520Simon%252520Dewey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6wRL-qdOvDlHor-UCIhDSkY7ksMKvPhus8Lh3SfOjIvo3-aA2pltDYDJn4kiEIkZbW_mZWZtuRZ8w7zeS8o5bJwAPbkRuR2XCY1J3Fmb5oTnptL5YCzW7aVrQfmXKbdsYCRVghLlV8ok/s320/Christ%252520-%252520Resurrection%252520-%252520He%252520Lives%252520-%252520Simon%252520Dewey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601962156814718738" /></a><br />I'm really grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and all He did for me. Easter is a wonderful time where Christians all over the world celebrate an empty tomb. Because while the Savior suffered greatly in our behalf, the real message is that He overcame ALL! What a blessing to know that He truly lives today and loves each and every one of us!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75-DOHHYrUl6wORI9YIq1mLhkIsvD49B8AuTXa9jBvzHGvEiMi7PvvJ2x-eimlkws8G_dSBbrDFBsJWrLmC5TyENBnU9DPQ9d46rJJg_YB5Yv9I7E9f-mMCGn_CCpmnMaAFcqcknJGXM/s1600/IMG_0326.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75-DOHHYrUl6wORI9YIq1mLhkIsvD49B8AuTXa9jBvzHGvEiMi7PvvJ2x-eimlkws8G_dSBbrDFBsJWrLmC5TyENBnU9DPQ9d46rJJg_YB5Yv9I7E9f-mMCGn_CCpmnMaAFcqcknJGXM/s320/IMG_0326.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601968970923415794" /></a><br />Our kids combined with our friends, the Gimmesons, to decorate eggs Friday night to start off the Easter festivities.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5oc4Scgv7422_2c6xin1Oopjm1pGObSMXZrivAFrPONfNfwW7TyiXeqGtwdE-yYWFFXIdkglGlBrRVPB7yQ9Vn1N-dMFOAFN4jyB81k5g1AH9mHmfV4XTDhQ6996a8-LYMkI4Jo-Nmw/s1600/IMG_0353.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5oc4Scgv7422_2c6xin1Oopjm1pGObSMXZrivAFrPONfNfwW7TyiXeqGtwdE-yYWFFXIdkglGlBrRVPB7yQ9Vn1N-dMFOAFN4jyB81k5g1AH9mHmfV4XTDhQ6996a8-LYMkI4Jo-Nmw/s320/IMG_0353.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601968969668560002" /></a><br />Like many of may siblings and friends, Joe and I talked to the Easter bunny about showing up on Saturday instead of Sunday morning. It's just too hard to deal with getting kids ready for church while they're hopped up (no pun intended) on sugar. Worse, they usually have chocolate on their church clothes long before we can even get in the car. And worst of all, the true meaning of Easter gets lost. The kids didn't know that we'd made that deal though. So they got up Saturday morning and went about their normal cartoon-watching routine. I got up around 8:00 and started breakfast like normal. After breakfast, AJ happened to casually walk by the dining room where their baskets sat untouched and realized what had happened. So much fun. It was a great spring surprise.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxSNe1j7NrN7R6gOXAHrCK-M3Qlxn5_JBlu48NMOozQIYf5okFPsNCVbkhKFMYfA-moz-gfkuyyS_uZcYWIxstKfpuH7mFmvcXwUM3ueSDy5_ie1hMkp3AfugEIHWH0W_4CuEyEiA35Y/s1600/SANY0066.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxSNe1j7NrN7R6gOXAHrCK-M3Qlxn5_JBlu48NMOozQIYf5okFPsNCVbkhKFMYfA-moz-gfkuyyS_uZcYWIxstKfpuH7mFmvcXwUM3ueSDy5_ie1hMkp3AfugEIHWH0W_4CuEyEiA35Y/s320/SANY0066.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601956431509607042" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdEnl7Zl9hWvkqZw8Htigwj9wH28UiCH6duIj9232f5dEqf5Yw2v_clohGnGxhAjlzfoQDZAj8Zf74IS7aAdGn7Umd7HTikCl1-9hcsNBWkj_mYud8HvWcJJ4bxHCUv1p_lBKOHHALms/s1600/SANY0069.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdEnl7Zl9hWvkqZw8Htigwj9wH28UiCH6duIj9232f5dEqf5Yw2v_clohGnGxhAjlzfoQDZAj8Zf74IS7aAdGn7Umd7HTikCl1-9hcsNBWkj_mYud8HvWcJJ4bxHCUv1p_lBKOHHALms/s320/SANY0069.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601956417212787794" /></a><br />Saturday evening, we really enjoyed spending time with Jeremy and Dyana and Grandma and Grandpa Johnson with games and such. Grandma Johnson graciously provided dinner because she's just that good a host.<br /><br />Because of varying church routines, the Johnson family had Easter brunch instead of dinner. We had all kinds of breakfast delights. From pancakes to monkey bread to bacon and sausage to apple french toast casserole...and it was all so good!! After breakfast, the kids had their egg hunt at Grandma's house. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMjEi5c2qTjup9piDHI6pkyAGJulSKB5Tv00IAQ4YkHKdSLqSzVl9chHhODJ4r4iiPvh0f9zATeFKuMRvGmeigkT4DzHgtw0QnXIVt8yZWWDhtnoXL_RWKRhWA-zSByXSu8512baMxkQ/s1600/IMG_0352.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfMjEi5c2qTjup9piDHI6pkyAGJulSKB5Tv00IAQ4YkHKdSLqSzVl9chHhODJ4r4iiPvh0f9zATeFKuMRvGmeigkT4DzHgtw0QnXIVt8yZWWDhtnoXL_RWKRhWA-zSByXSu8512baMxkQ/s320/IMG_0352.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601968965796845698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmcuRfMZzKW0aZ3pcTQQzNsosGQBmYaRQk4dhx6X4a3zNTHjmbRo4SlH5PP6rxioiX6dloBA1FX7A3lq-VE69Y4-yvWu5xs2dyBikMc-A79_f6bCfF2_dVlQHuWP8LEgB6b2MltUET-w/s1600/IMG_0338.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmcuRfMZzKW0aZ3pcTQQzNsosGQBmYaRQk4dhx6X4a3zNTHjmbRo4SlH5PP6rxioiX6dloBA1FX7A3lq-VE69Y4-yvWu5xs2dyBikMc-A79_f6bCfF2_dVlQHuWP8LEgB6b2MltUET-w/s320/IMG_0338.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601969129742805186" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OL8Ci0zQ3j5c05Rcvao_CphuffdE_y5GkMwTrAJ7ESGaudko3DP0Dip_Hipbu6EMgOKGgxiu2LW7yXVGQl47p9DNf0HnuW5xt-Tg2XynLR-KMkvnko5mb0VUxiTdncxRWl_IMShM7mc/s1600/IMG_0334.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6OL8Ci0zQ3j5c05Rcvao_CphuffdE_y5GkMwTrAJ7ESGaudko3DP0Dip_Hipbu6EMgOKGgxiu2LW7yXVGQl47p9DNf0HnuW5xt-Tg2XynLR-KMkvnko5mb0VUxiTdncxRWl_IMShM7mc/s320/IMG_0334.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601968970309651410" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy2Fbq6osQzKbsueSVzevftRVbaZPdV8sPWXhN4Xybiqe7SKRj-xPGiEkV6Rm3Sgqd4Gw6KeI-yO0cNyaYp5dq0hKYT382INy9BR7OQ1MxSKzki1NN0yfcfJe-S3KWvjUethP6WwedFE/s1600/IMG_0337.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy2Fbq6osQzKbsueSVzevftRVbaZPdV8sPWXhN4Xybiqe7SKRj-xPGiEkV6Rm3Sgqd4Gw6KeI-yO0cNyaYp5dq0hKYT382INy9BR7OQ1MxSKzki1NN0yfcfJe-S3KWvjUethP6WwedFE/s320/IMG_0337.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601968964763877714" /></a><br />This year was the first Pirate Lane egg hunt. After church, the kids all got together to hunt for Easter eggs left by the Bunny himself. They had a great time, and it was really fun to do something like that with the neighbors.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgC-BfN3ilnyV2aNlz8x1LMorxyoVZs-FgpMUgI1pm6y6sw-Z4wAhipeDbKRsDUKSBEkjzhwmdqwYiofELrDHZutPGV51G-DaxILL_bq_SToEp-fplq_sghkrg6OqKved8vLyi2EDAJek/s1600/SANY0071.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgC-BfN3ilnyV2aNlz8x1LMorxyoVZs-FgpMUgI1pm6y6sw-Z4wAhipeDbKRsDUKSBEkjzhwmdqwYiofELrDHZutPGV51G-DaxILL_bq_SToEp-fplq_sghkrg6OqKved8vLyi2EDAJek/s320/SANY0071.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601956413999473234" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVk_xsZ0BHi6ZLDYP4RvpUhdqWnaXsVTgTQ_vzcH3toNQBWxRKJ7o0VJmdQMkDlr83Fe9KiqStybUq3Ld3jRfKCWENFfpBaJ30AZBtjnedpvP9Wu4V0-BwtpBMmV9LhtiBimbiVXD6TPY/s1600/SANY0073.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVk_xsZ0BHi6ZLDYP4RvpUhdqWnaXsVTgTQ_vzcH3toNQBWxRKJ7o0VJmdQMkDlr83Fe9KiqStybUq3Ld3jRfKCWENFfpBaJ30AZBtjnedpvP9Wu4V0-BwtpBMmV9LhtiBimbiVXD6TPY/s320/SANY0073.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601956409060007506" /></a><br />When the call to "go" was given, Brooklin made a beeline straight for...you guessed it, the dog! In case you didn't know already, Brooklin absolutely loves dogs. She was eventually persuaded to try for eggs as well.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiZGFPgKCM9v-8OXRG-jdNE2E88reX1WLptImxRUBVBOiZMdX-IGlNvDAQZgcWn3z0T9uWna44BLrLJ496Z_WFo16OTb0pb79tCJWBq-iI8XWL_hQ4M_QqXMIyoU_Ycv8km4kd3BUXtQ/s1600/SANY0074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiZGFPgKCM9v-8OXRG-jdNE2E88reX1WLptImxRUBVBOiZMdX-IGlNvDAQZgcWn3z0T9uWna44BLrLJ496Z_WFo16OTb0pb79tCJWBq-iI8XWL_hQ4M_QqXMIyoU_Ycv8km4kd3BUXtQ/s320/SANY0074.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601956402397983506" /></a>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-68314427814245079442011-05-01T20:01:00.000-07:002011-05-01T20:28:21.614-07:00Spring birthdays<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k6ALs1TJKF0IkwHTZJBTDTokxF-wQ6zkDnLUpP1Fgqej6XoAadoh1kluNFlvogs1HSk8Kp1Su2h_SdVP-VD-tnkl6HBPEGbsnRkDoVgnuj6eZ5TQi359RPoHnESq-oQiiZFwcuiLoo4/s1600/IMG_0306.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k6ALs1TJKF0IkwHTZJBTDTokxF-wQ6zkDnLUpP1Fgqej6XoAadoh1kluNFlvogs1HSk8Kp1Su2h_SdVP-VD-tnkl6HBPEGbsnRkDoVgnuj6eZ5TQi359RPoHnESq-oQiiZFwcuiLoo4/s320/IMG_0306.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601949013053424802" /></a><br />Four of Liz's boys have spring birthdays, so we gathered at Grandma's house to celebrate for good food and company. Happy birthdays Andrew, Jared, Ben, and Aaron!!! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjKkZ6Do3H-VDvo7vbZI-JRPgkiB0N14szLLI4F_1mvkqqemi44FJELPGVg7HZuc5vgcqLYEVgg_Vq-EA23cd7SSlUoZYe9wuQnSyCr9KrN8rNj6O2jeIzBKZLzrIzwJ8o32ZUWEGE7I/s1600/IMG_0314.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjKkZ6Do3H-VDvo7vbZI-JRPgkiB0N14szLLI4F_1mvkqqemi44FJELPGVg7HZuc5vgcqLYEVgg_Vq-EA23cd7SSlUoZYe9wuQnSyCr9KrN8rNj6O2jeIzBKZLzrIzwJ8o32ZUWEGE7I/s320/IMG_0314.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601949015862928930" /></a><br />Brooklin is a messy toddler, and we had chocolate molten cakes for dessert. So no clothes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0Mx0KyOLUUb7iFXg0d_IwjwwYhuKGf97WMr2T08SEOoK3PYufVKOpZo5Odja0sCaABmBokydt4ojxoBupo_EmDRRwMsil55DzJ1CET6RN8BiW8t0mB3H9N4tcRAzSQ6MqPwMa-4wu_g/s1600/IMG_0297.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0Mx0KyOLUUb7iFXg0d_IwjwwYhuKGf97WMr2T08SEOoK3PYufVKOpZo5Odja0sCaABmBokydt4ojxoBupo_EmDRRwMsil55DzJ1CET6RN8BiW8t0mB3H9N4tcRAzSQ6MqPwMa-4wu_g/s320/IMG_0297.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601949009572717170" /></a><br />This is AJ being...well, AJ.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-21005886698709893072011-04-07T16:29:00.000-07:002011-04-08T12:53:54.536-07:00Where we see Ben and Stacy get married, and LeiAnn's family is all together!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlybRJITjqITuo_u91IcXn55oyfXG2IN8OsU2sdTjOVGAbeWLGmKN-nFj82__q0ZR8pBcUzv_2D6RnDnqb0-eP-GLP9dc7RudvwLhRkm5xZjJATMYgI8LzSP44ZwaF4X8ZXzuhx63aeY/s1600/SANY0045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlybRJITjqITuo_u91IcXn55oyfXG2IN8OsU2sdTjOVGAbeWLGmKN-nFj82__q0ZR8pBcUzv_2D6RnDnqb0-eP-GLP9dc7RudvwLhRkm5xZjJATMYgI8LzSP44ZwaF4X8ZXzuhx63aeY/s320/SANY0045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989375660143490" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrneCYZCBLCZes-sX3mKVYnE7IiKambM23-AhMTFnmQyoCDZmvErzlP4Hi4hkvamASpUHd7V3MwplOLzI6f2w5K_FYa2e7v6bd8yaaekC_aGL0H4JS7jYDDK5qC8KSuTHt3JlaVkTLHsI/s1600/SANY0043.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrneCYZCBLCZes-sX3mKVYnE7IiKambM23-AhMTFnmQyoCDZmvErzlP4Hi4hkvamASpUHd7V3MwplOLzI6f2w5K_FYa2e7v6bd8yaaekC_aGL0H4JS7jYDDK5qC8KSuTHt3JlaVkTLHsI/s320/SANY0043.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989384273445074" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwh9at-ZDmtqSlymQsvE7PXeOqJoOE-542m6I12EHS2L77xkEI1PnmyJ_Ql6RGGTUZXrdVde-_I3IRc3ZmDWL179szyDG7vs9FXfe8j42-5epOgV98uvgMOZSmjIsQZlljU4fcduCgZ7M/s1600/IMG_0283.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwh9at-ZDmtqSlymQsvE7PXeOqJoOE-542m6I12EHS2L77xkEI1PnmyJ_Ql6RGGTUZXrdVde-_I3IRc3ZmDWL179szyDG7vs9FXfe8j42-5epOgV98uvgMOZSmjIsQZlljU4fcduCgZ7M/s320/IMG_0283.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592988361786289042" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQlP1FKVVvykp42Am31EKR0N7NxPd1miQ3BBcCUhCnWwdUbqggWEASQSe6HXmaU4fXOc9_RKDaCiPQ__tiXO-llwF_Nf9ljzjEzjWqlBrdFurjUKg1UifUzm0DrZiWfyFWWYuSWoNRAw/s1600/SANY0054.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQlP1FKVVvykp42Am31EKR0N7NxPd1miQ3BBcCUhCnWwdUbqggWEASQSe6HXmaU4fXOc9_RKDaCiPQ__tiXO-llwF_Nf9ljzjEzjWqlBrdFurjUKg1UifUzm0DrZiWfyFWWYuSWoNRAw/s320/SANY0054.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989377536093314" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c_IsCjQ_yjymn2CBTgiXCvQGslg9a2Uz3TetzXkDo1oM0wCtDgTGPgWM45RGSNAxH6gBGdPjcor1jSAjmAqVU-7EOhgYv0zNqGFnPzBlQH2kYUk1SZXAGsnAEpkqNX4qjG0ANWRXMqs/s1600/SANY0055.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c_IsCjQ_yjymn2CBTgiXCvQGslg9a2Uz3TetzXkDo1oM0wCtDgTGPgWM45RGSNAxH6gBGdPjcor1jSAjmAqVU-7EOhgYv0zNqGFnPzBlQH2kYUk1SZXAGsnAEpkqNX4qjG0ANWRXMqs/s320/SANY0055.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989372586684578" /></a><br />My youngest brother, Ben, met a beautiful, talented young woman named Stacy last year, and they were married March 31st in the Draper Utah LDS Temple. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that marriage in the temple is for time and all eternity. Ben and Stacy, by being worthy of and choosing a temple marriage, will be together with their future children forever. Being able to be in the temple with all of my siblings and their spouses was such an incredible thing!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywq-u2Cj5XUYk-81F7RvWqIDNhHQNbQuCAKW5H-vZieZQMZu2dicRwSRmpF7EpHH5sbGsYtGqcKmDZejpF130u6PXpAzFDejBCSk7T9DN1vvyR4OCuSYGcCUPg-OpXghrq94UM2ynEd4/s1600/SANY0033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywq-u2Cj5XUYk-81F7RvWqIDNhHQNbQuCAKW5H-vZieZQMZu2dicRwSRmpF7EpHH5sbGsYtGqcKmDZejpF130u6PXpAzFDejBCSk7T9DN1vvyR4OCuSYGcCUPg-OpXghrq94UM2ynEd4/s320/SANY0033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989024381669058" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyqXQ4nFA3e8F_UxWXWoR6dLVIDE83VDkP0RXF2tpXkVLMxGIDW3zr-fvTLTYbNPHeQgJsrgCOMOvF1ftf-1IGNtwg0OgJJdYBIehj6q7ci9tMh3uGN8BWADdJLjYxcW3z0JhiWTGmcc/s1600/SANY0038.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisyqXQ4nFA3e8F_UxWXWoR6dLVIDE83VDkP0RXF2tpXkVLMxGIDW3zr-fvTLTYbNPHeQgJsrgCOMOvF1ftf-1IGNtwg0OgJJdYBIehj6q7ci9tMh3uGN8BWADdJLjYxcW3z0JhiWTGmcc/s320/SANY0038.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989018622674914" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9Ag4lr6ir-FFAeRFt0c_XMjAX4VtBqq4Mn20FCIWSMAUkEKPCocA4LnMeH6cOTx-VdRHUGtU929VxhaoHRwuFSNNYQCzOtVjDKn3kvsddNgg9IQMFk0dIjiZTOAw4CbzFiJUk2DROdw/s1600/SANY0041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd9Ag4lr6ir-FFAeRFt0c_XMjAX4VtBqq4Mn20FCIWSMAUkEKPCocA4LnMeH6cOTx-VdRHUGtU929VxhaoHRwuFSNNYQCzOtVjDKn3kvsddNgg9IQMFk0dIjiZTOAw4CbzFiJUk2DROdw/s320/SANY0041.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989021058745170" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZk43rRPl7SEyFu50cVwP7ufaxQRq4l_2jiblN8vi3Mjix0lnFpwMIefCI4tN_3kjPmRw7-knOawonRE4I_QzaWAgLCniDtAfIrMvXGx-Rp_BdK6e3DtMAbdtS8-79xJgoGVi5Y33gxkA/s1600/IMG_0274.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZk43rRPl7SEyFu50cVwP7ufaxQRq4l_2jiblN8vi3Mjix0lnFpwMIefCI4tN_3kjPmRw7-knOawonRE4I_QzaWAgLCniDtAfIrMvXGx-Rp_BdK6e3DtMAbdtS8-79xJgoGVi5Y33gxkA/s320/IMG_0274.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592988371333669314" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_nz0wm0i1BG_e-WkPSdWJjLUFddQXGp0PDkr6WoLWJjUkH-hK2FUYO_b5yObeIslQvjJYfkewpbW0_ocX7ER2ymfhBpAM_vOvS2w1ZT9MfktZtXKZoL2Rf60fjfcsGp3qSYGqc1mKlI/s1600/IMG_0275.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_nz0wm0i1BG_e-WkPSdWJjLUFddQXGp0PDkr6WoLWJjUkH-hK2FUYO_b5yObeIslQvjJYfkewpbW0_ocX7ER2ymfhBpAM_vOvS2w1ZT9MfktZtXKZoL2Rf60fjfcsGp3qSYGqc1mKlI/s320/IMG_0275.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592988369534791762" /></a><br />This is baby Ivy (Peggy & Seth) and baby Tyson (Jed & Allison). They're such fat babies!! Look at Ivy's little rolls! We tried to get a pic of baby Bryant with the other two, but I didn't catch that.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOqM7rDIo8TFUzuzwN2mxwjubrLietN_bCfl4D0whqYmRrzW17_Gl5i860j0aPy08hT0wQFioDUM00Jx8Q2M3rz1X_FIw6mANkLjUrOrIXuIkweyrV3-e8GdmpfHFv-HYlWVehSjg-Gc/s1600/IMG_0277.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOqM7rDIo8TFUzuzwN2mxwjubrLietN_bCfl4D0whqYmRrzW17_Gl5i860j0aPy08hT0wQFioDUM00Jx8Q2M3rz1X_FIw6mANkLjUrOrIXuIkweyrV3-e8GdmpfHFv-HYlWVehSjg-Gc/s320/IMG_0277.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592988367864799138" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8USf4W5draPgeIOcfnnanvfyBaCrVupemSUPPueq77s-5rnHBn6ypDJLNToBdZPVue_jrhuIqvu7PCiG0H2v7hEv3dqFYqYc9a1FUtfnLfXDFVPfzYnyBRQjCeDjnbEf2ErwDty_WRw/s1600/IMG_0278.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8USf4W5draPgeIOcfnnanvfyBaCrVupemSUPPueq77s-5rnHBn6ypDJLNToBdZPVue_jrhuIqvu7PCiG0H2v7hEv3dqFYqYc9a1FUtfnLfXDFVPfzYnyBRQjCeDjnbEf2ErwDty_WRw/s320/IMG_0278.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592988363375527666" /></a><br />Brooklin and her cousin, Ally (Dennis & Gayla), look so much alike!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZyTZNzPLMtFLd_arEKxq52A8wDySkpK95inHJ5W3M7ODIU9UOlMYDoiRB44QPZCI_aduJTFROhSClfGh35MUnybzNN4KaXRAiqq51K7gt-ndbFVKBWsdFSyQuOBvN04lvHkgvVSzr10/s1600/IMG_0288.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZyTZNzPLMtFLd_arEKxq52A8wDySkpK95inHJ5W3M7ODIU9UOlMYDoiRB44QPZCI_aduJTFROhSClfGh35MUnybzNN4KaXRAiqq51K7gt-ndbFVKBWsdFSyQuOBvN04lvHkgvVSzr10/s320/IMG_0288.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989033861400210" /></a><br />Jed and Allison were gracious enough to let us stay with them throughout the festivities and afterwards. Saturday morning, the girls all dressed as princesses while watching General Conference.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqAgoraTNb1nViAPXqeSU8pgMauxLTgqqLH_kkiTGqhENpofFhMGD9SEf3Jr-04wq0ZfT5Lf214v60EpNkW6nGf9Rj4XlRgln7XFsENnKvPUAmEmPOeoOKIvu7xz0IANrevwhyARGfYQ/s1600/SANY0057_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqAgoraTNb1nViAPXqeSU8pgMauxLTgqqLH_kkiTGqhENpofFhMGD9SEf3Jr-04wq0ZfT5Lf214v60EpNkW6nGf9Rj4XlRgln7XFsENnKvPUAmEmPOeoOKIvu7xz0IANrevwhyARGfYQ/s320/SANY0057_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989366875961090" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq2GHOIiZrTB9RJvQE3GpunET90HKqFwZtwZlUmx9GUZffRGbXERnwpLDTqx06Jiq76qwUwwME-z7Z1aJCo-RGbnwFllA3yuo1xxWuK1PQpKlKtsf1De64hSqZRuKdHNGbCJCOdLupAk/s1600/SANY0028_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq2GHOIiZrTB9RJvQE3GpunET90HKqFwZtwZlUmx9GUZffRGbXERnwpLDTqx06Jiq76qwUwwME-z7Z1aJCo-RGbnwFllA3yuo1xxWuK1PQpKlKtsf1De64hSqZRuKdHNGbCJCOdLupAk/s320/SANY0028_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592989029184951410" /></a><br />Here's a couple extras of Brooklin. She has latched onto a baby doll my parents saved from when I was a baby. I've had to repair arms and legs a few times, but she loves it! The other pic is poor Boo, desperate to go outside, she didn't care that she was pantsless and her coat was backwards!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCBoyMbqUR3CeB5CX4nPySd_2QAZh9wsREeVtVmdgGZWFOnC_WnZm5J4Ea3uEk9dQAm9Rh86c14Uoa0ZvHzTZkoVsjWUBwiUTSeJkRUMrJ7hxqr0JWpc-FupdMB8zJp4HhKDrswpqM6w/s1600/family+picture.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCBoyMbqUR3CeB5CX4nPySd_2QAZh9wsREeVtVmdgGZWFOnC_WnZm5J4Ea3uEk9dQAm9Rh86c14Uoa0ZvHzTZkoVsjWUBwiUTSeJkRUMrJ7hxqr0JWpc-FupdMB8zJp4HhKDrswpqM6w/s320/family+picture.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593303179387795858" /></a><br />Here we all are! Who knows when it will happen again? Hopefully soon though. I love my family!Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-58517099207471002312011-03-26T12:22:00.000-07:002011-04-07T14:55:28.928-07:00Oh, scouts...<A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTnZBX1MqZ6HCLqQ6TnCt6Hyu1E3CEOYSqXGA0JJmP33I8lLHiWkq-J5bI2Ad6_CgGqg8mnmcNV1WoR68_k5VVMCDrr5wB_g6RapfKre1XfzHBCi4PE5nBalgtCwUF3mG-K9hwzbZDAM/s1600/IMG_0272.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588471245969601154 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTnZBX1MqZ6HCLqQ6TnCt6Hyu1E3CEOYSqXGA0JJmP33I8lLHiWkq-J5bI2Ad6_CgGqg8mnmcNV1WoR68_k5VVMCDrr5wB_g6RapfKre1XfzHBCi4PE5nBalgtCwUF3mG-K9hwzbZDAM/s320/IMG_0272.jpg"></A> Joe and I are not 100% converted to scouts as parents yet. We believe in the program, but we're not very good at getting AJ to pass stuff off yet. We did, however, work on enough things that AJ earned a bead at his recent pack meeting. He was pretty proud of himself, but not proud enough that he could tell anyone what he did to earn the bead. He had to track his health habits, make a job chart, and teach a few family home evening lessons. <br /><br />Here's a few pictures from the annual blue and gold banquet. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9VZ_EB1foqhf8EKdb-uRaISUqKTvLjubKPvjyD8pbftDk8RGLbBjJASOr-IymrVTylWygzXfvbIdSCD9tzhHcKZppO421iPfC6Nmh0y6MPrafI75u6LjlE22qB-0cirxa0AVaClFsw0/s1600/SANY0009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA9VZ_EB1foqhf8EKdb-uRaISUqKTvLjubKPvjyD8pbftDk8RGLbBjJASOr-IymrVTylWygzXfvbIdSCD9tzhHcKZppO421iPfC6Nmh0y6MPrafI75u6LjlE22qB-0cirxa0AVaClFsw0/s320/SANY0009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592963239869679906" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZq5mi1s4NSJYqT5DlDXls0Q4iq2MsbB7CRv9id9u7nHW9pTzBn8kboAAxVkx1vZzR48CgfLAkJDSIO2SnlDMwHLaXgBbeI70Vz1v4z0zfsnhclds0XiNJh1mmsTdfDsIKzWlcx8pJdo/s1600/SANY0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZq5mi1s4NSJYqT5DlDXls0Q4iq2MsbB7CRv9id9u7nHW9pTzBn8kboAAxVkx1vZzR48CgfLAkJDSIO2SnlDMwHLaXgBbeI70Vz1v4z0zfsnhclds0XiNJh1mmsTdfDsIKzWlcx8pJdo/s320/SANY0001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592963235378626338" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgXxTZ_BTBB7et-8tJxFDHrul5lA3YSDbq9iY-hkqydKrvelovSpq1OrGaWL8mJ103nVtsgKAkxAUrz5L8jv4WgmGzaCyRPNd3pAcz9179WfuOD7vfa5O5_ea98GAVWnmVRmrD-d1GmM/s1600/SANY0012.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgXxTZ_BTBB7et-8tJxFDHrul5lA3YSDbq9iY-hkqydKrvelovSpq1OrGaWL8mJ103nVtsgKAkxAUrz5L8jv4WgmGzaCyRPNd3pAcz9179WfuOD7vfa5O5_ea98GAVWnmVRmrD-d1GmM/s320/SANY0012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592963234478355570" /></a><br />AJ and his pack had to perform a few skits. This was the best one. Joe said they had it all well practiced and were great in practice. However, in front of the crowd, they all ended up with stage fright (except for "Ham-it-up AJ").<br /><br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-16c5bd55b3eb11d0 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="16c5bd55b3eb11d0"></OBJECT>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-32096046540141739932011-03-26T12:14:00.000-07:002011-04-07T15:10:46.894-07:00Repainting the Duster<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnYoScEDT2WVHLszpOFO5r7lI1Q2E39acqE4PgmYMKr75H2ghNb4q8mmIjEzVRyahxwxXdUafLEAHnn-rCEfLJbq0mJP1HUiDF4DVe-yyWPTaSihgxb1FsVdAM5s00yh4Ao4QVt3B3lc/s1600/SANY0017.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnYoScEDT2WVHLszpOFO5r7lI1Q2E39acqE4PgmYMKr75H2ghNb4q8mmIjEzVRyahxwxXdUafLEAHnn-rCEfLJbq0mJP1HUiDF4DVe-yyWPTaSihgxb1FsVdAM5s00yh4Ao4QVt3B3lc/s320/SANY0017.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592965113649724658" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6phqaecJIIxSOn3etN1LJhj4i4Adyd4mrfj-lkN2EJ4zKzjrNZFTDocDwQl-cMC-_3HOLXivhh2nQ4IKjrwvx9stvWZe7ZgZZQ8xuChuqXHmheDvE5JsGn93hlheXO3aK3VTEuKjiLE/s1600/SANY0024_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6phqaecJIIxSOn3etN1LJhj4i4Adyd4mrfj-lkN2EJ4zKzjrNZFTDocDwQl-cMC-_3HOLXivhh2nQ4IKjrwvx9stvWZe7ZgZZQ8xuChuqXHmheDvE5JsGn93hlheXO3aK3VTEuKjiLE/s320/SANY0024_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592965109217204562" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEpCcIztmO_5o2W3EILihTlsOf6b9nzDZFBuUT7Hrhbo9ymWx_BUa3XAwePLxqH663L3IfriFL7G9Gtw2ogfypj3we4KcgMAU3t__ZxGw0KxDHHud3E9FK6iGRHdPpKksLqlC7PisU-I/s1600/SANY0018.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEpCcIztmO_5o2W3EILihTlsOf6b9nzDZFBuUT7Hrhbo9ymWx_BUa3XAwePLxqH663L3IfriFL7G9Gtw2ogfypj3we4KcgMAU3t__ZxGw0KxDHHud3E9FK6iGRHdPpKksLqlC7PisU-I/s320/SANY0018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592965109499924514" /></a><br />Joe recently participated in a car show at Big Bend Community College. One of the things he was embarrassed about was that they made him lift the hood and show off his mis-match paint job. So this week's project is masking off and repainting the trunk and engine compartment to match the exterior. We are lucky to have a nephew who works at a paint store and got a GREAT deal on the paint for us. Joe had to really finagle that one. It looks a lot better now that it's done. Sorry the after pics are not the best.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_m31sp_5AxEojK2H8Liye48FCKoRlk-6on4wVsI1gCJn0HTg0anEOPGSDmio2JAyyo_EBJAXlR-hARhrbAlmCBJzl6TfJ_zXVZ5HTWAnS5bEtTwrCIdfblRmCZlrQoD39KmxA4NGKPE/s1600/SANY0029.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_m31sp_5AxEojK2H8Liye48FCKoRlk-6on4wVsI1gCJn0HTg0anEOPGSDmio2JAyyo_EBJAXlR-hARhrbAlmCBJzl6TfJ_zXVZ5HTWAnS5bEtTwrCIdfblRmCZlrQoD39KmxA4NGKPE/s320/SANY0029.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588469460282519250" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn-fqXFAm_mK3prMbl0u5fnr0mKQeSfK_enfhZpWGPN-JQoWNtpEYTSCOhADrXxLhQnqahJNOVQP5pIVJi3_PmpY5s3NcqmTKA4sszxCnL7e5OcjEuSKxdQUEh_fXOPmWQe4Pv4eA2AU/s1600/SANY0030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSn-fqXFAm_mK3prMbl0u5fnr0mKQeSfK_enfhZpWGPN-JQoWNtpEYTSCOhADrXxLhQnqahJNOVQP5pIVJi3_PmpY5s3NcqmTKA4sszxCnL7e5OcjEuSKxdQUEh_fXOPmWQe4Pv4eA2AU/s320/SANY0030.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588469457662306546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlGp-UHINDbONp96rAiWA2LUqD2ltuHC7opIMEU7w2KzUqlnX_fArqkCoJQxNyLE-fh9JuYB4H85bRsB7CXwXie_TFEvlhjmfeWprsC7nt1V0B4AOokWFyJvSzQ7Xx7Cz52R7neCqdmc/s1600/SANY0031_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlGp-UHINDbONp96rAiWA2LUqD2ltuHC7opIMEU7w2KzUqlnX_fArqkCoJQxNyLE-fh9JuYB4H85bRsB7CXwXie_TFEvlhjmfeWprsC7nt1V0B4AOokWFyJvSzQ7Xx7Cz52R7neCqdmc/s320/SANY0031_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592967168421396626" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMixi91AcdJwkVqyX4uCZq8Q_wvky40TcyaIJZM01nggpakjMTCYAfbjOOzET9RGuBBacF89Q1XqEz2YEv4FIYwbJEnDipFbwL9i2pA5Lfsow8gGT5ykMpw2_PTGUyTjRbWsAOrt6NUE4/s1600/SANY0032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMixi91AcdJwkVqyX4uCZq8Q_wvky40TcyaIJZM01nggpakjMTCYAfbjOOzET9RGuBBacF89Q1XqEz2YEv4FIYwbJEnDipFbwL9i2pA5Lfsow8gGT5ykMpw2_PTGUyTjRbWsAOrt6NUE4/s320/SANY0032.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592967164366976978" /></a>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-7017140807261120712011-03-26T11:53:00.000-07:002011-03-26T12:00:42.809-07:00Of Brooklin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWWSF0b1znFTLCrEBKqPSmq-lGkjnCItihrzdr35L8-Fbzm9quvwUqBgyt_qO13WHjFBoqRjAk37I_WALw8CipZFdGXiqMriE4kGkh2uFsCcIwyvZtO4w3MNmn-H-X7gDRGzVt-b1igo/s1600/IMG_0263.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWWSF0b1znFTLCrEBKqPSmq-lGkjnCItihrzdr35L8-Fbzm9quvwUqBgyt_qO13WHjFBoqRjAk37I_WALw8CipZFdGXiqMriE4kGkh2uFsCcIwyvZtO4w3MNmn-H-X7gDRGzVt-b1igo/s320/IMG_0263.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588464007639487346" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrZoRkra7znD5fmpHQ0jb3yLEgQdf-eswXic5ITFIrOzqh22QUTuekpgwy5WmVlSdHnyf-T8tmK1MrsIhqxzeZAoT_IhpchjsJzlULFImPRN4lKerJF-ZJGxy51DRZM7GdhLESwCmwUY/s1600/IMG_0260.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrZoRkra7znD5fmpHQ0jb3yLEgQdf-eswXic5ITFIrOzqh22QUTuekpgwy5WmVlSdHnyf-T8tmK1MrsIhqxzeZAoT_IhpchjsJzlULFImPRN4lKerJF-ZJGxy51DRZM7GdhLESwCmwUY/s320/IMG_0260.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588463996567969058" /></a><br />I have a love/hate relationship with my kids as toddlers. I think my daughter is so funny in all the little things that she does. Like hiding under a laundry basket. Or trying DESPERATELY to put on her doll's pajamas and getting frustrated when I told her they simply wouldn't fit. But it's also still hard to deal with the lack of intelligible communication and the emotional outbursts when I just don't understand what she wants. Luckily, sign helps a lot with that. But I don't know the signs for a lot of things and thus, neither does she. But she is getting better about talking.<br /><br />The best news is that Brooklin is almost potty-trained. We have found jelly beans to be a great motivator for her. She has been dry all day today (so far!). Most days we are about 50/50 for accidents vs. in the toilet. She likes to wear her underwear and gets really mad when I insist on a diaper for car rides and such. Not quite sure what we're gonna do on our trip to Utah next week. We might just have to cart the toddler toilet with us :)Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-71431464144202184972011-03-26T11:49:00.000-07:002011-03-26T11:53:31.440-07:00Being brave<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuZw7eN4_pOZ3YrwGzpleiPy3zoQTeUoHq3fHUuBdURo0Cok8XZ_KhqUiJxtqzIrpzwNv8MuBAyPZ8hxeHLcxcO-mMQ8-dMBEgAwKS8hZwKhGUDRTl8aE-KDZI26SNMzQ5kONhBJ0fxg/s1600/IMG_0268.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuZw7eN4_pOZ3YrwGzpleiPy3zoQTeUoHq3fHUuBdURo0Cok8XZ_KhqUiJxtqzIrpzwNv8MuBAyPZ8hxeHLcxcO-mMQ8-dMBEgAwKS8hZwKhGUDRTl8aE-KDZI26SNMzQ5kONhBJ0fxg/s320/IMG_0268.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588462956916262386" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzL35mszOe6qJbNnhUx4rH3mOVsV6jmvVvHTQgmrphiXbB2MrPBw2-znWiGACJtl1wqLs694DgKv0o5l0j5EchVo2-6d9byzmrWl-Wsqo2rklYe1Wch_vBLOPK_n50beBQ6V3j9OWWmM/s1600/IMG_0269.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzL35mszOe6qJbNnhUx4rH3mOVsV6jmvVvHTQgmrphiXbB2MrPBw2-znWiGACJtl1wqLs694DgKv0o5l0j5EchVo2-6d9byzmrWl-Wsqo2rklYe1Wch_vBLOPK_n50beBQ6V3j9OWWmM/s320/IMG_0269.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588462956434467010" /></a><br />Poor Natalie had her first cavities last year. Unfortunately, whatever germs invaded her mouth really did a number on her. And she ended up with 9 cavities. So we've been a little more diligent in making her brush and floss regularly. We recently had checkups, and she only had one small cavity!! I love her little lopsided smile from the lidocaine. I also had one small one, and everyone else was clear. Thank heavens for that.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-60720723649431624662011-03-26T11:29:00.001-07:002011-03-26T11:46:35.617-07:00Introducing LeiAnn Johnson RNC-OB<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFp5eivvUq-vVuSEdIgDEwdHVSSUV_trdRAfBCUtlXqTTdK1bNjFFjlWFTZFo-lZRGUYgwjFuM7uRTBLgA3X3LswVrEq3_SxgL4bU4CNKDmaKuHzNMr-8ooBTwM1S-wZ7mcwekQuJIFg/s1600/inpatient+ob.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFp5eivvUq-vVuSEdIgDEwdHVSSUV_trdRAfBCUtlXqTTdK1bNjFFjlWFTZFo-lZRGUYgwjFuM7uRTBLgA3X3LswVrEq3_SxgL4bU4CNKDmaKuHzNMr-8ooBTwM1S-wZ7mcwekQuJIFg/s320/inpatient+ob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588457869550374818" /></a><br />My work gives a pretty strong incentive (money) for people who decide to certify in their specialty. I finally decided it would be well worth my time to complete my certification. I travelled to Las Vegas (by myself!!) the last week in February to take a review course and the test. I was really glad I took the review course first. A lot has changed in OB since I was in school and even since I precepted for L&D. The test was really hard, but luckily, I passed!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQM0ox1pm9V9QZ-oSCwsiCoLonQqJSJdEgWHTKiXkn3h2Trw8terObcrvztwBv9JQDF8w_3BUFn0UxpUcmbWDxGpETlWra-eCbKcd98bLUGv46hZs25iUMNyq1JAt4GoZ8Zn7iwXbs63s/s1600/012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQM0ox1pm9V9QZ-oSCwsiCoLonQqJSJdEgWHTKiXkn3h2Trw8terObcrvztwBv9JQDF8w_3BUFn0UxpUcmbWDxGpETlWra-eCbKcd98bLUGv46hZs25iUMNyq1JAt4GoZ8Zn7iwXbs63s/s320/012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588457855194378546" /></a><br />I had a great time down there besides studying. I shopped at a huge 3-story ROSS on the strip for hours, probably, and didn't worry that anyone (kids or husband) was bored or sick of sifting through racks of clothes. I also walked to the mall one day and saw all kinds of fun stores that I didn't have time or money to shop at! I also finally got to see the fountain show at the Bellagio, which was spectacular! It's a shame that Las Vegas has the gambling and the disreputable establishments because there's a lot of really great and fun things to do/see there. I want to go back with Joe and see shows next time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC88UeZV9f_DD_Rgl24Ys8z0j99bW4K_D6wGima6-kUdjjvdJRncSR3uNxEHoYezgLzVxXWt8zojtJqW0Xj8739RKcHzzJ2xAYnJoXGxiUHV3zu9Z6af6ExepUWmnt1XaGIbowTYkRZY/s1600/015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC88UeZV9f_DD_Rgl24Ys8z0j99bW4K_D6wGima6-kUdjjvdJRncSR3uNxEHoYezgLzVxXWt8zojtJqW0Xj8739RKcHzzJ2xAYnJoXGxiUHV3zu9Z6af6ExepUWmnt1XaGIbowTYkRZY/s320/015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588457855206519714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIa7KHZ4MQyOPsb3BdTXv91EnUgNK1qzWWqxqDlRjofDnglum8ZLxE1lIwvA6a6z4KLB6hKSFaNuQYRw7XC7WepX6UQoXroii09uZJWYo_updD4yVwyEyOxoIekuGnpU-1XPHHWikVdBk/s1600/016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIa7KHZ4MQyOPsb3BdTXv91EnUgNK1qzWWqxqDlRjofDnglum8ZLxE1lIwvA6a6z4KLB6hKSFaNuQYRw7XC7WepX6UQoXroii09uZJWYo_updD4yVwyEyOxoIekuGnpU-1XPHHWikVdBk/s320/016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588457850157974802" /></a><br />I celebrated my 30th birthday all by myself studying for my test in my hotel room. Joe (my too-sweet and wonderful husband) sent these to my room. It was perfect! The kids told me that they had a surprise coming (they can't keep a secret to save their lives), and I was really worried that he would try to send flowers or something equally difficult to take on an airplane. But he totally knows me. I loved it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbF80zT2c3sKFFKOjJHwjtLnEQ8UNK4bfaRcB1SXXtg-X5qEvp3Yt9jT8HVbnvyhbfst_LuKIRStsbaTsrimxjCsyv6HjIXcz00wgIrQNDDQ5VHLe8egiB7PJkcFhYxOTbFqMYxPTAak/s1600/025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbF80zT2c3sKFFKOjJHwjtLnEQ8UNK4bfaRcB1SXXtg-X5qEvp3Yt9jT8HVbnvyhbfst_LuKIRStsbaTsrimxjCsyv6HjIXcz00wgIrQNDDQ5VHLe8egiB7PJkcFhYxOTbFqMYxPTAak/s320/025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588457853060178146" /></a><br />One of the best parts of my trip was my 3-hour layover in Salt Lake. My brother, Ben, and his fiance, Stacy, brought me Costa Vida (YUM!) for dinner and hung out with me. Stacy is my brother's twin. It's so crazy! They are exactly alike and obviously perfect for each other. I can't wait for their wedding!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQKUEz5JWoJ6NrIr6HDDq4xbiHQFcQucT_la4cbipsTLGM0GmW4OK9PCZkNeVB0tF8X7emNFZ1zqLe0dPTu3k-C2wTIgZpwEu5A4bzXeJ7VBsOyg8RJgZiV9umKBw_PNhtI0t13JwAR0/s1600/ben+and+stacy.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQKUEz5JWoJ6NrIr6HDDq4xbiHQFcQucT_la4cbipsTLGM0GmW4OK9PCZkNeVB0tF8X7emNFZ1zqLe0dPTu3k-C2wTIgZpwEu5A4bzXeJ7VBsOyg8RJgZiV9umKBw_PNhtI0t13JwAR0/s320/ben+and+stacy.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588461767845880978" /></a>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-25515480905582928492011-02-18T20:16:00.000-08:002011-02-18T20:31:45.946-08:00De-Motivational PostersJoe and I think some of these are really funny. A lot of the ones online are dumb and hugely inappropriate, but these were worth passing on.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcOG2d96s2mrtmfjT-jKDmvUZWYzD8eUEReXIJY5FdExVqvuE1JJJM_y2l7Rqr78BnPeOdMp9t8NFMzCqix2lyaZWjQ9CTVz2WbNRj0Q5qsaDk7RgZspqmseUwnC5BNCEhQj1YyTnT7c/s1600/unemployment.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcOG2d96s2mrtmfjT-jKDmvUZWYzD8eUEReXIJY5FdExVqvuE1JJJM_y2l7Rqr78BnPeOdMp9t8NFMzCqix2lyaZWjQ9CTVz2WbNRj0Q5qsaDk7RgZspqmseUwnC5BNCEhQj1YyTnT7c/s320/unemployment.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575252796189939010" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GRAPThJZJV5GdelWwfm2RfVwGIJvv4-pV7lnH2glMf714VfaLeK_bnJnCC2r5x5TZ4-NfhJOmkTB9RBWHHgZu3UklhjhI1LwyDRtgebPgsxCQVtG9Mk40VW_jOua3nzo-njzQxspyg8/s1600/simplicity.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GRAPThJZJV5GdelWwfm2RfVwGIJvv4-pV7lnH2glMf714VfaLeK_bnJnCC2r5x5TZ4-NfhJOmkTB9RBWHHgZu3UklhjhI1LwyDRtgebPgsxCQVtG9Mk40VW_jOua3nzo-njzQxspyg8/s320/simplicity.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575252791176951714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2t7onVhc7jMyAyEIqiKhprl0K7RbB-mSJSQpbkY_6dzImi9Kgp_mEVeP3DD7CgtyW0JrVLsqcC95Tf0PkR_exH2NT3Z7jzmHwHKTU4777_2pvJ5NhEz6OS8kPwU-SZ83BjypSNSOtmM/s1600/retards.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2t7onVhc7jMyAyEIqiKhprl0K7RbB-mSJSQpbkY_6dzImi9Kgp_mEVeP3DD7CgtyW0JrVLsqcC95Tf0PkR_exH2NT3Z7jzmHwHKTU4777_2pvJ5NhEz6OS8kPwU-SZ83BjypSNSOtmM/s320/retards.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575252788985532466" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzomMQ2X0yXLuBZvfwxF4Fk8JOnv332SVY469rnFFeZNFuG2lzijKxSBJtaImMdbi2V4Rl0qLZ6g2-HJ7u_QkVUxMwH59m9b-D2oLisTknKH1ny_Dz7QW_SkLiIW475ftPGZ-lmWGVAM/s1600/recognition.jpg"><img style="display:block; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYISbvsKv0gq7d6kCfv6nXJHV3ExfZtOfvAaXykdZT1ElOZMdervAuhg9CqJu_vr_1tH50f79Sc0XIkJlidHTcYQmM0gZhpsceVSb2IWTQ9e9Oyarkg6Zs30WbTrYpYgz0Nei_6YN_sw/s320/Hindsight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575251846700924114" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffoRbQcWel24_VAXuUwW-gwwvr4H5YJfQW0nEh_UNMPqRNwH6prA19yi2eG0GidImEEI9p1_IFOWAshpYSZJrdHOUhJXqaotgbV8U8svLMTg6LxK_k-o7-sjEW6RoXYbHjyjBSh2RG3s/s1600/capslock.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjffoRbQcWel24_VAXuUwW-gwwvr4H5YJfQW0nEh_UNMPqRNwH6prA19yi2eG0GidImEEI9p1_IFOWAshpYSZJrdHOUhJXqaotgbV8U8svLMTg6LxK_k-o7-sjEW6RoXYbHjyjBSh2RG3s/s320/capslock.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575251841411023090" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_JoL_vqfnztkS0u6y0X-C2LgSL7tFHg2xtY3OvVG3eb1vD2qr5G4Gwu1KS1tPz-1Dz9eE5QVPzbGRVjBmEwmxWtoPzQKVK523hSiyJmWmEPRp76b31V2LilLqRpGSOS7Wy-r39w8_2c/s1600/anusbeef.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_JoL_vqfnztkS0u6y0X-C2LgSL7tFHg2xtY3OvVG3eb1vD2qr5G4Gwu1KS1tPz-1Dz9eE5QVPzbGRVjBmEwmxWtoPzQKVK523hSiyJmWmEPRp76b31V2LilLqRpGSOS7Wy-r39w8_2c/s320/anusbeef.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575250335474646946" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaarw73m6cqgvmYCCz9aDt3ZCsuOBG_QFNVLCwyV1T3B1bK_cesK96k7ipKqB0PejaWeKaQJEMKWLylUrddMcpyzGPzFsItl6ZPHUCrH8H5xTNxfykm1m1slGDna0j6KMElapw_URiBY/s1600/caps+lock.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaarw73m6cqgvmYCCz9aDt3ZCsuOBG_QFNVLCwyV1T3B1bK_cesK96k7ipKqB0PejaWeKaQJEMKWLylUrddMcpyzGPzFsItl6ZPHUCrH8H5xTNxfykm1m1slGDna0j6KMElapw_URiBY/s320/caps+lock.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575250331701296738" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJCnSFNY7vJCHJV0cVN1HRnCoWtlHXFWrWjnAJYzWVO_rEOfCiceJ_ycWDFn_jGoa4_bVUhtQ-Lj-ChauPOFkN0JXW4uJ0ExFolNrNGLvQT_IFToZTjTJfHH8F53aRNksuJ2LRk3oCmI/s1600/chuck+norris.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJCnSFNY7vJCHJV0cVN1HRnCoWtlHXFWrWjnAJYzWVO_rEOfCiceJ_ycWDFn_jGoa4_bVUhtQ-Lj-ChauPOFkN0JXW4uJ0ExFolNrNGLvQT_IFToZTjTJfHH8F53aRNksuJ2LRk3oCmI/s320/chuck+norris.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575250329382874498" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFGoSpEvLEoNUF695fYWHsy9y6-qfK1I79iJiqIWzTvDQ1QZBxJI5xK7yvGt9uiwbNacOmM-qLO9Ul6dOo6axTfnPVlvNblC4QOKPMCtLxBbnWx42DVLpIqjCCC4PurvSr3GEG62JhFg/s1600/farts.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFGoSpEvLEoNUF695fYWHsy9y6-qfK1I79iJiqIWzTvDQ1QZBxJI5xK7yvGt9uiwbNacOmM-qLO9Ul6dOo6axTfnPVlvNblC4QOKPMCtLxBbnWx42DVLpIqjCCC4PurvSr3GEG62JhFg/s320/farts.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575250323325271730" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-efYce1lIw9Xp1ozqHvQAGWCkksuqrDWpnYU8rgT-rhUjc-AyYEBkZfbtHE_tJPjZiZAg6KWoghRlpIUNhYom_NTah2wwYtEPLZVvHhe2LHg8mXAxSkDWVmAd5YgY2YUC1yAXnLBhoU/s1600/fro-hat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-efYce1lIw9Xp1ozqHvQAGWCkksuqrDWpnYU8rgT-rhUjc-AyYEBkZfbtHE_tJPjZiZAg6KWoghRlpIUNhYom_NTah2wwYtEPLZVvHhe2LHg8mXAxSkDWVmAd5YgY2YUC1yAXnLBhoU/s320/fro-hat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575250317872419042" /></a><br />This is our favorite:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQQQufZHfH6t9jnEARpX8nw-BVYdOxLeQPcWo7qkn4B75GTWlptTqGtW1FdVT3GtcGcR_p2ylmwLfwx6Yn0u6_I2FPYqSRc-tvKh1dRHpkZOGV-NbNdQBWlLY1zobfVzpqMurNi5e1Do/s1600/Unique.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQQQufZHfH6t9jnEARpX8nw-BVYdOxLeQPcWo7qkn4B75GTWlptTqGtW1FdVT3GtcGcR_p2ylmwLfwx6Yn0u6_I2FPYqSRc-tvKh1dRHpkZOGV-NbNdQBWlLY1zobfVzpqMurNi5e1Do/s320/Unique.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575251847884815122" /></a>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-62626131430336038232011-02-10T10:25:00.001-08:002011-02-10T10:55:10.110-08:00Of the terrible/terrific two's<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gige53DUEWoet7-OmBBPnw8tfAuDopzuC_G0HD91vUiI6dkMBJAWzh427eP14nA4wCmATi7Yn8ief986LRcZ_aPLQpY4XdR6rxgMarNBI_L-jLQHLFVjk3GSj-l2V62K70XS1vqKZBw/s1600/012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gige53DUEWoet7-OmBBPnw8tfAuDopzuC_G0HD91vUiI6dkMBJAWzh427eP14nA4wCmATi7Yn8ief986LRcZ_aPLQpY4XdR6rxgMarNBI_L-jLQHLFVjk3GSj-l2V62K70XS1vqKZBw/s320/012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572129153623455922" /></a><br />It's hard to believe my little girl is already 2 years old!! She is absolutely terrible and terrific at the same time. Like last night when Joe told her that dogs say "Meow", she rolled her eyes at him, slumped her shoulders, and shook her head. It was so hilarious!! This picture was one night after family home evening when she set up the stools in the living room and started dancing on top for us. She was really upset when we made her take them down. She's into everything and wants to help us with everything and do everything that we do (including wear deodorant-she throws a fit if I don't put a spot on her arms for her every day). Crazy, silly, adorable girl!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7ioUvsaPPDWE6rgcgEkIIzX4wJSFzbk6zpc73M84C74A4p3_K77eChYDJvSFg4DCO4hafrNydfWIBCKo6oow5w3ihDcEmBOMRSQ7RRM8hX1qYw1h_TUhBizS5FqwSt6rQ1Um45z5Axo/s1600/040.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7ioUvsaPPDWE6rgcgEkIIzX4wJSFzbk6zpc73M84C74A4p3_K77eChYDJvSFg4DCO4hafrNydfWIBCKo6oow5w3ihDcEmBOMRSQ7RRM8hX1qYw1h_TUhBizS5FqwSt6rQ1Um45z5Axo/s320/040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572129155955845426" /></a><br />Brooklin got her own pink cake for her birthday. I figured she'd dive right in, but she wouldn't touch it without a fork! Grandma and Grandpa Johnson, the missionaries, and Liz plus some of the nephews were all there to wish her a happy birthday. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64iKqT3mfGwQnOzXBXWXVvgOqa3kBr5tlyLfsCDi8ZvuEeLJafUqeSY7vBxm4yeN5D8-Qjakke4bYXAbpnAsgj6KW0Z-pL6hOy4R4YJtQFM8MOkONZF-bWeIM3f8fXyXp9aBVlzsmGog/s1600/004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64iKqT3mfGwQnOzXBXWXVvgOqa3kBr5tlyLfsCDi8ZvuEeLJafUqeSY7vBxm4yeN5D8-Qjakke4bYXAbpnAsgj6KW0Z-pL6hOy4R4YJtQFM8MOkONZF-bWeIM3f8fXyXp9aBVlzsmGog/s320/004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572129151199630994" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbe_y9Z4itPLR9VpuKISBouMUBQ-xKh93KdTrrNqqeIvUJWz1yofJiKf9kShXMPXiDguSUllREQs82LjNyoRrgqPCbk3dNBbXpPNi8oDxmYX4ku_859rj2DWzAIILzvc0C27HJrM79uh4/s1600/008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbe_y9Z4itPLR9VpuKISBouMUBQ-xKh93KdTrrNqqeIvUJWz1yofJiKf9kShXMPXiDguSUllREQs82LjNyoRrgqPCbk3dNBbXpPNi8oDxmYX4ku_859rj2DWzAIILzvc0C27HJrM79uh4/s320/008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572129145087121938" /></a><br />The official stats from the two-year doctor's appointment are 27#5oz. (58%) and 34.5" tall (60%). If the old wives' tale holds true, that means Brooklin will be 5'9" tall as an adult. I think Natalie will be 5'0" if she's lucky!!<br /><br />The bad news from the appointment is that she has yet another ear infection. If this one doesn't clear up, or if she gets another one, I think we'll be getting tubes again this year. Poor girl.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-41394315333933525572011-02-10T09:59:00.000-08:002011-02-10T10:25:32.036-08:00What's a pinewood derby if you have to stick to the rules?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEavW-FGzPY_vsipTiYaOJQWLXtmaIWE10XjsAz-YeMTtdekQOi2Fc5S7SnNe2TOA0iq6CSs-HZx5aNG2NcU5HlS7nB2YWsW0Qa9Qdt5AjVMh9lD6-VGaGlVqJnrYS-C3sTJhlOkt_AB0/s1600/003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEavW-FGzPY_vsipTiYaOJQWLXtmaIWE10XjsAz-YeMTtdekQOi2Fc5S7SnNe2TOA0iq6CSs-HZx5aNG2NcU5HlS7nB2YWsW0Qa9Qdt5AjVMh9lD6-VGaGlVqJnrYS-C3sTJhlOkt_AB0/s320/003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572124291536132386" /></a><br />Here is AJ checking his car's weight before his very first pinewood derby in scouts. He won a couple of his races and had a great time participating. And we have all kinds of ideas for next year.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtubxc_bBJZd6aLTZcvry_3eWsqmLTGlOcEa5gR_qk4cPP4GYbNsCXqfqVPWvpnTvYozS2EW3Lr3tutWctJCI1oDFVP-3JhO70fBYrK5t59p8GZzRtAseaj2hnH-iCMTfrZ9nmYa9aeKo/s1600/036.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtubxc_bBJZd6aLTZcvry_3eWsqmLTGlOcEa5gR_qk4cPP4GYbNsCXqfqVPWvpnTvYozS2EW3Lr3tutWctJCI1oDFVP-3JhO70fBYrK5t59p8GZzRtAseaj2hnH-iCMTfrZ9nmYa9aeKo/s320/036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572124286852316642" /></a><br />AJ decided he wanted his car to be a "Decepticon". I'm actually really proud that I was able to design and make the sticker with my computer and cricut.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJrFniA2SeUIZD5YBUrb2je3lPwEc7nXUq9hwYFsSLVcGLvWGxqMTpREiR-gLrPh4O3awFqcnTr5Ua2fL6S2Fr8ubRzNjg_wMUR9sKD3VgHBHVt6qBbg7WbBWz1t_LN3K8RI_Gx8E8-8/s1600/035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJrFniA2SeUIZD5YBUrb2je3lPwEc7nXUq9hwYFsSLVcGLvWGxqMTpREiR-gLrPh4O3awFqcnTr5Ua2fL6S2Fr8ubRzNjg_wMUR9sKD3VgHBHVt6qBbg7WbBWz1t_LN3K8RI_Gx8E8-8/s320/035.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572124282209708050" /></a><br />Joe challenged the Elders' Quorum to a no-rules contest after the boys' races. Actually, it was a one-rule contest because you can't use pyrotechnics in the church. Joe's car is built on a basic car platform with an RC jet engine strapped to the top. It was really fast! Here's a couple short videos of the car on the track.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gZhEOjRSpns" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Qxu7Mw-rZiE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr87W9f66xCGCdAA5PffM9gy2NSsryR2lktx4aC6YdmYE7xL0braHyjNYlwOqsexxWQgoQB7-_X6i8aDyhEXxCGN04zPD8g_bMzCaLQ_oszDXpQHV7LPtobDexh-xkphtsg1Qsor7jvY/s1600/013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr87W9f66xCGCdAA5PffM9gy2NSsryR2lktx4aC6YdmYE7xL0braHyjNYlwOqsexxWQgoQB7-_X6i8aDyhEXxCGN04zPD8g_bMzCaLQ_oszDXpQHV7LPtobDexh-xkphtsg1Qsor7jvY/s320/013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572124284511534226" /></a><br />Natalie makes friends wherever she goes. She and a couple other girls decided to put on a ballet for us while the cars were racing.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-20826538356555590672011-01-04T17:14:00.001-08:002011-01-04T17:52:35.745-08:00Favorite Reads of 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfHL3K4UwG3z3ZGw9QjZtLcjULQT64PyOIJQr-Wig7f4stKDeRKVWO04OXqbT_IjsjGyN9etW323jfbUpOokPTf2m_11MHPCIVDOvceHQuV59OK2dYyp-AWwi9ePFvvOKYueCMBGW0qM/s1600/The+Hobbit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 47px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfHL3K4UwG3z3ZGw9QjZtLcjULQT64PyOIJQr-Wig7f4stKDeRKVWO04OXqbT_IjsjGyN9etW323jfbUpOokPTf2m_11MHPCIVDOvceHQuV59OK2dYyp-AWwi9ePFvvOKYueCMBGW0qM/s320/The+Hobbit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558504444206334834" /></a><br />The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien has been on my to-read list since I read The Lord of the Rings trilogy forever ago. I finally made it around to it and was rewarded. I love to good book, and this is just such a fun story. I never thought I'd enjoy Bilbo Baggins like I did.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-uX9wqzzSwnm65H8_oh7as0e9O3h3Ec66q8CxT4a106Aew4P5sgKCrfP2hjgPQ95ft6PodmIvLX5CaQmPLxAjzp2cqgA30n1c-eEB7ZBcUvXiieMw5PCuUWEpS2vd1dwHc62vUalK4c/s1600/The+Scarlet+Letter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 46px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-uX9wqzzSwnm65H8_oh7as0e9O3h3Ec66q8CxT4a106Aew4P5sgKCrfP2hjgPQ95ft6PodmIvLX5CaQmPLxAjzp2cqgA30n1c-eEB7ZBcUvXiieMw5PCuUWEpS2vd1dwHc62vUalK4c/s320/The+Scarlet+Letter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558504443116903618" /></a><br />I read Nathaniel's Hawthorne's classic tale of adultery, repentance, and redemption out of my need to make up for all the books I didn't have to read in high school. I fully expected to wade through it. Instead, I was totally drawn into the storyline. Some books are classics because they are simply good books. This is one of them. P.S. Do NOT read The Grapes of Wrath. It may be a classic, but there were no redeeming features to this book!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5jsDbAMnOOYJvHPNqQguB5ROd1rt21RKI8heML9njwSRD1pgi_W9E1IGLqjIAH_sEW0BTbYwJLkRbAllk3X-jHPsMt88CbO0EHFhCk5oJ1OD_UNSlnv4mxQhQ4OAY7HhhZ1G2o2GzlM/s1600/Mockingjay.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 53px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5jsDbAMnOOYJvHPNqQguB5ROd1rt21RKI8heML9njwSRD1pgi_W9E1IGLqjIAH_sEW0BTbYwJLkRbAllk3X-jHPsMt88CbO0EHFhCk5oJ1OD_UNSlnv4mxQhQ4OAY7HhhZ1G2o2GzlM/s320/Mockingjay.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558504458829363922" /></a><br />This book was my most anticipated read this year. Mockingjay is the third in a series by Susanne Collins about a girl forced to participate twice in a reality-show type competition where she has to kill off other kids to survive and "win." She ends up as the face of a revolution and suffers immensely for her efforts. The series is full of drama, heart-rending defeats, and little hope. But it's enough, and the ending was perfect, I thought. Her characters are messed up after their experiences, to be sure, but you're left feeling that the world is a better place because of them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58l79-DDjjiaIoc65I-4nTRZxLb6QjoCutjgA4qcOKzAifIokun_r_8r9MaI_vazAcZfGVX_2cC4Iwk90i2a1mYkGTDyoYxaPnjMs-dG_hXJBpKozH5P6NCJocsLhkv5rP18PfaGFhWw/s1600/Silent+in+the+Grave.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 50px; height: 74px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58l79-DDjjiaIoc65I-4nTRZxLb6QjoCutjgA4qcOKzAifIokun_r_8r9MaI_vazAcZfGVX_2cC4Iwk90i2a1mYkGTDyoYxaPnjMs-dG_hXJBpKozH5P6NCJocsLhkv5rP18PfaGFhWw/s320/Silent+in+the+Grave.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558504454182857010" /></a><br />Deanna Raybourn's Silent in the Grave is the first in Victorian-era series about a widow, Julia Grey, who becomes entangled in mysteries after the death of her first husband. Getting a taste for the intrigue, she follows Nicolas Brisbane around trying to vie for a place as an agent and possibly more. I absolutely love the temptestuous relationship between Julia and Brisbane, and this series fits totally within my current obsession with historical novels.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xF1XDejSK29MomifuoZVqRw2u9LxiJ0JF1u-SomHBF_dRrw1mLoKo98Yfy_w06rJAE34egntVDKfNCvkolrV6hyJfMt5z7N9P89a_DYdQ-Ns8p-qkDRsivhLcTyAqMcIi5nbx1NidEA/s1600/The+Guernsey+Literary+and+Potato+Peel+Pie+Society.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 50px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xF1XDejSK29MomifuoZVqRw2u9LxiJ0JF1u-SomHBF_dRrw1mLoKo98Yfy_w06rJAE34egntVDKfNCvkolrV6hyJfMt5z7N9P89a_DYdQ-Ns8p-qkDRsivhLcTyAqMcIi5nbx1NidEA/s320/The+Guernsey+Literary+and+Potato+Peel+Pie+Society.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558510522310770146" /></a><br />The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is one of those rare books that is just good all the way around. It's written very creatively through the letters of the characters to one another and takes place on an island post-WWII. Fantastic book!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDjkRNlFANRSeFyQC5M9ouYXI0V5ApCKZfvYiAai4W3uZnjjrtCQhRJS3PmpvnkDMPLUsEtIF3BYrVRjMn1s2LCoG0aSggRPpq4QLwlr_oNnZGmrXAH4WPU3cwpNNXMRBLKk6gwO94lg/s1600/Linger.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 48px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDjkRNlFANRSeFyQC5M9ouYXI0V5ApCKZfvYiAai4W3uZnjjrtCQhRJS3PmpvnkDMPLUsEtIF3BYrVRjMn1s2LCoG0aSggRPpq4QLwlr_oNnZGmrXAH4WPU3cwpNNXMRBLKk6gwO94lg/s320/Linger.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558509930158565746" /></a><br />Linger by Maggie Stiefvater is probably my favorite YA novel of the year. The story about teenage werewolves in perhaps not my favorite, but her writing is so fluid and beautiful. It feels like you're reading straight poetry. I love it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ehH6eIdxQvgdze4zgGSN_bBnZf32o-tOiIjlwKpaUDQdpA9-PQNrKIEJXKF9Rx1ZY8ywl6LV2DlgZk2r4Hgb2DFUHeaOZ1fQPuchuJ-LT0Z2WmRljJd21PQEMmjzB48SabGDHFLOyv8/s1600/The+Secret+History+of+the+Pink+Carnation.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 50px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ehH6eIdxQvgdze4zgGSN_bBnZf32o-tOiIjlwKpaUDQdpA9-PQNrKIEJXKF9Rx1ZY8ywl6LV2DlgZk2r4Hgb2DFUHeaOZ1fQPuchuJ-LT0Z2WmRljJd21PQEMmjzB48SabGDHFLOyv8/s320/The+Secret+History+of+the+Pink+Carnation.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558504529541865890" /></a><br />The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig is my absolute favorite book of the year. In fact, it's well in the running for my favorite book ever. Set in Napoleon French era, it's full of swashbuckling spies, and romantic misadventures. The characters are hilarious, and the plot to unmask the Pink Carnation was totally surprising. I love the commentary from our modern counterpart, Eloise. I love Richard, Amy, Jane, and the whole gang. I'm reading it a second time right now and love it even more. Side note: There's a couple decidedly PG13 pages in this book. Beware sensitive readers.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-83669822060111443012011-01-04T16:58:00.001-08:002011-01-04T17:08:41.435-08:00Silly Natalie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PJA15jFoSIDTTQm6x2VrTljYt-pHIiBmKt9eQR3THKjFkmZYT_P08c4GZ5A7Fj5njCys4BFQCPj3xiYMBQbbOuKBdxkyaiXBCNd-aMOVTX7Qp9NLJzwhJ6VC73VYQvGuTA_Qg6uF24I/s1600/033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PJA15jFoSIDTTQm6x2VrTljYt-pHIiBmKt9eQR3THKjFkmZYT_P08c4GZ5A7Fj5njCys4BFQCPj3xiYMBQbbOuKBdxkyaiXBCNd-aMOVTX7Qp9NLJzwhJ6VC73VYQvGuTA_Qg6uF24I/s320/033.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558500074004082610" /></a><br />Joe was cleaning out his garage and found Brooklin's infant carseat. Natalie was cold watching tv, so she found a place to sit. Ridiculous how comfortable she was inside there.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHpi_f6_zNxwEPUEoPRQq9GfKAcvMV_P3ZVdSyJIVFF4y1ETr6LHw1g8Gi366GEa5__IW5f0zU9BNc3gQpRm_FW06zFPvTwee0CXSt-UK_QlVRLvnmigezT42jkXyp_1OTs4tSmePzBA/s1600/036.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHpi_f6_zNxwEPUEoPRQq9GfKAcvMV_P3ZVdSyJIVFF4y1ETr6LHw1g8Gi366GEa5__IW5f0zU9BNc3gQpRm_FW06zFPvTwee0CXSt-UK_QlVRLvnmigezT42jkXyp_1OTs4tSmePzBA/s320/036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558500071235626402" /></a><br />One day, Joe put Natalie's tutu on his head and told her it was a new fashion. Later that night, I went to tuck her in bed and found her thus!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMib2NFrlgbU1JLKgq4bLxB7dhzTeMG043rtnFNgv8BgqwX_f4ff7z7xUwK_eMivC2YXE9C125fRxYw_zn3YaA1UiYOR7K7JLXUjvTQW6kxzmW4ziFrFJYRB-LbG3jwq-3Jkc5sMkf90/s1600/SANY0041.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMib2NFrlgbU1JLKgq4bLxB7dhzTeMG043rtnFNgv8BgqwX_f4ff7z7xUwK_eMivC2YXE9C125fRxYw_zn3YaA1UiYOR7K7JLXUjvTQW6kxzmW4ziFrFJYRB-LbG3jwq-3Jkc5sMkf90/s320/SANY0041.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558502279883782082" /></a><br />Another night, we found Natalie like this. She told us the next morning that she just thought it would be funny to stick them to her head.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-51126237816950992122011-01-04T16:23:00.000-08:002011-01-04T16:56:46.831-08:00Christmas came early this year, really early<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBr3Bkdf0gmKJPWItGoKCgU9Qum1NZaIFq_nXYMydocKXwYMLygsMaiRBgvJ7XGoGHzwPyB4tziDNBnwnAxggf3yidmEIGN-NrOp9ymv0aIbU26Pe6Bp8YExeZ_n5takwSylmRVANcqyM/s1600/007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBr3Bkdf0gmKJPWItGoKCgU9Qum1NZaIFq_nXYMydocKXwYMLygsMaiRBgvJ7XGoGHzwPyB4tziDNBnwnAxggf3yidmEIGN-NrOp9ymv0aIbU26Pe6Bp8YExeZ_n5takwSylmRVANcqyM/s320/007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558492710844933890" /></a><br />Santa did in fact make it to our house this year, even though the kids were sketchy at best in December. AJ was so naughty one day that I wrote a letter to Santa telling him not to bring presents. But he managed a come-back before I sent it.<br /><br />And speaking of naughty, AJ woke up at 4:00 on Christmas morning, making it our earliest Christmas ever. But instead of waking up Mom and Dad, he just woke up the girls, and they started opening presents. We had no idea until half an hour later (still earliest Christmas ever) when Natalie ran up to tell us Santa brought her a pink scooter. We made them stop and go back to bed. Which turned out to be a great idea, because then they all slept until after 7:30. They only opened a few presents each, but I'm still frustrated that I didn't get to see their initial surprise reaction to Santa's coming. That's my favorite part!<br /><br />We told the kids flat out that they were not going to get everything on their wish list this year, partly because we couldn't afford it, and partly because there were things we didn't want them to have. But we talked a lot about being grateful and not complaining. This strategy worked very well until AJ opened his Sunday clothes from his mom and saw a purple shirt. He exclaimed, "Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" He stopped himself right there and wouldn't say anything else about it. I asked him later, and he said, "Mom, it's just that I HATE purple. I don't like it even a little bit!" So we'll be returning the trendy purple for another color :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SgycVlkaQBA8zszTrFpdOWAiii0lFB_lRyzGn3lgp2wC2nKog2XSV3bdqeg1OrnVC3do-j5PN5zOl5FjJXPNXK17mceczrvgH8nAeWJC_o0MrWS2Bbu54MHxQJ5Eu6_UwMaorm8cp84/s1600/064.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SgycVlkaQBA8zszTrFpdOWAiii0lFB_lRyzGn3lgp2wC2nKog2XSV3bdqeg1OrnVC3do-j5PN5zOl5FjJXPNXK17mceczrvgH8nAeWJC_o0MrWS2Bbu54MHxQJ5Eu6_UwMaorm8cp84/s320/064.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493123538202930" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQsEzKftOOn4e-dcVdr4HE9ZS30vhGjXolB83YexW-s7DQWVMN1g1ClEYFkyaV7zUAAJQ1xkcBN_z9nj8O4XvJ7kTYb8YXKivD70DL7fa1G4eUlKQXlQVvh3AgG9rAa7vvzRBHqM5C3M/s1600/065.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQsEzKftOOn4e-dcVdr4HE9ZS30vhGjXolB83YexW-s7DQWVMN1g1ClEYFkyaV7zUAAJQ1xkcBN_z9nj8O4XvJ7kTYb8YXKivD70DL7fa1G4eUlKQXlQVvh3AgG9rAa7vvzRBHqM5C3M/s320/065.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493117079047954" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ll__xfQowPUpPFRfWH_LnDURfteyxZl76Cpmuqg_Z25LIKRj1Yqu4NJpvqxfxrnIWs5iiPxG4mbhBDe2cntj6G-F-PPfFZW4buXg29xvhoTQwi5gPvKV1pXpVT8NSqHpXTXs0brau94/s1600/015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ll__xfQowPUpPFRfWH_LnDURfteyxZl76Cpmuqg_Z25LIKRj1Yqu4NJpvqxfxrnIWs5iiPxG4mbhBDe2cntj6G-F-PPfFZW4buXg29xvhoTQwi5gPvKV1pXpVT8NSqHpXTXs0brau94/s320/015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558492709485345874" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAh6Co98zjVwM-qdDQgR2JBAgxYmYeUEOo51tyTsezJGHhHkvAjmwR-p4zvu5RSJRRqPhz5ZbqZ9IZbgHKZQqgCYt0KCRHInQhxGREcWe11iXgkJmuhVAx2IpmtDiyr22FMy4iY0FYs7A/s1600/016_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAh6Co98zjVwM-qdDQgR2JBAgxYmYeUEOo51tyTsezJGHhHkvAjmwR-p4zvu5RSJRRqPhz5ZbqZ9IZbgHKZQqgCYt0KCRHInQhxGREcWe11iXgkJmuhVAx2IpmtDiyr22FMy4iY0FYs7A/s320/016_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558492701094457298" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6wlM4Q5IGZN-zqgokiVtUMWLqtMRL_3Z9mJMh1bkKBWNM5qFPxjJF0d1iVzzucYG1-tDNg3EEtrhty-sUy8CZQXesLR-aWixWIOiCLbFKU_WZEynjggBhot1UbghqS9w8qdQjtsQbks/s1600/070.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE6wlM4Q5IGZN-zqgokiVtUMWLqtMRL_3Z9mJMh1bkKBWNM5qFPxjJF0d1iVzzucYG1-tDNg3EEtrhty-sUy8CZQXesLR-aWixWIOiCLbFKU_WZEynjggBhot1UbghqS9w8qdQjtsQbks/s320/070.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493274281004530" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNqTM-GtPAT731p4k53ee2lGrkSqGsJtJAj3raMrijJVo36jnI6d2DDB0xnbJpQKotw4-9ZCfzFBizMr-Kd4TguIjWeCpq6vo0xu3wZnbx0OdBjiqlgIE3VEiH4eeL3NTlNWXVyGT1YA/s1600/024_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNqTM-GtPAT731p4k53ee2lGrkSqGsJtJAj3raMrijJVo36jnI6d2DDB0xnbJpQKotw4-9ZCfzFBizMr-Kd4TguIjWeCpq6vo0xu3wZnbx0OdBjiqlgIE3VEiH4eeL3NTlNWXVyGT1YA/s320/024_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493132951530546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8oRxC5n444AEexB8Bu-fOpRmWGWJNR0etvVPswvFqxgI5_BCEbgpUkGowSXcTWb8yn2s5S2-vols_fLqNfy1ufjI9Peuq76AkmhWAowJPsuoKVOwbp8oF3G88pALwr02DDPOAH159vg/s1600/025_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8oRxC5n444AEexB8Bu-fOpRmWGWJNR0etvVPswvFqxgI5_BCEbgpUkGowSXcTWb8yn2s5S2-vols_fLqNfy1ufjI9Peuq76AkmhWAowJPsuoKVOwbp8oF3G88pALwr02DDPOAH159vg/s320/025_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493127070136098" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUsnqm4UBpnEcS_6hiyt3gB29yr0iB1WHmZJCPXODtnUd-nu9fadDxsjEgP7GqtW5HhBESMyrEqhdCzjrgl0pDM50fSSo5LzWpVYYHPwCD0xgpxkTL1hZQQyzh4OWMeoKaXBphzb8k_U/s1600/031_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUsnqm4UBpnEcS_6hiyt3gB29yr0iB1WHmZJCPXODtnUd-nu9fadDxsjEgP7GqtW5HhBESMyrEqhdCzjrgl0pDM50fSSo5LzWpVYYHPwCD0xgpxkTL1hZQQyzh4OWMeoKaXBphzb8k_U/s320/031_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558493123665726114" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rWrNWry47RjrsFdE1ocYlEyGJIAgXiXolaPmazNPP4IWskd3tajynUXsUjkPtTN_cAKNu_yFpeWQH4Xlohgp0mZqe0OqWxTwCV23xL8WtzpSjWtoynm4uE8bKmccCU2e0MqalpHCutQ/s1600/018.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rWrNWry47RjrsFdE1ocYlEyGJIAgXiXolaPmazNPP4IWskd3tajynUXsUjkPtTN_cAKNu_yFpeWQH4Xlohgp0mZqe0OqWxTwCV23xL8WtzpSjWtoynm4uE8bKmccCU2e0MqalpHCutQ/s320/018.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558492705806584578" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDgicf4VPloIoSoGp6_Lye4zJ9oc_OjF1Bwc2kDynky5bj5CLsDdRArDsV0lFzTkdHoH8dJkL96z3SuSVLNxAWDHcYyMSqE-rso6KyjZ-LJbGq7m0bR1AHVtv8T6t8Upv2LrEbR2qcrg/s1600/022_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDgicf4VPloIoSoGp6_Lye4zJ9oc_OjF1Bwc2kDynky5bj5CLsDdRArDsV0lFzTkdHoH8dJkL96z3SuSVLNxAWDHcYyMSqE-rso6KyjZ-LJbGq7m0bR1AHVtv8T6t8Upv2LrEbR2qcrg/s320/022_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558492701996386274" /></a><br />We had Christmas Eve dinner at Liz and Nathan's house this year. It was Italian de-lish!! So good! We all ate way too much and enjoyed doing it.<br />We escaped the post-unwrapping apocalypse at our house Christmas morning by heading over to Grandma Johnson's house for fabulous prime rib dinner and more presents. <br /><br />The holidays were very good to us, and I just want to say how grateful I am for the incredible gift of my Savior's life. I know He lives! I am blessed every day by His love. We love all of you and wish you a Happy New Year!!Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-54525236869942224702011-01-04T15:50:00.001-08:002011-01-04T16:22:39.553-08:00Preparing for ChristmasOur Christmas season began right after Thanksgiving with the annual "Put-up-the-tree-and-see-how-many-ornaments-the-kids-can-break" celebration. Although, believe it or not, the kids didn't break a single ornament this year!!! We can't claim a total victory though because two of the ornaments we got in the mail from Grandma Muhlestein were not handled with care. Nothing a little super glue can't fix! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xzDjnW4UJIGgbTxmtsxh7luU4yb-Nsu2se23luXEZXfoVsdFJDQcFqcpyueDkS-YlHbAaCM6L5Plyj3q5RHCWODfYWSIQQn3zYmBqs_Di9rvTi5QGabcyVnzRWdTVGYkCLnhnAOIHG8/s1600/014.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xzDjnW4UJIGgbTxmtsxh7luU4yb-Nsu2se23luXEZXfoVsdFJDQcFqcpyueDkS-YlHbAaCM6L5Plyj3q5RHCWODfYWSIQQn3zYmBqs_Di9rvTi5QGabcyVnzRWdTVGYkCLnhnAOIHG8/s320/014.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558485738370857442" /></a><br />It seems the older our kids get, the busier we are. This is especially true during the holiday season. The kids participated in the annual school concert early in December. If you remember a few years ago, when AJ went to a different school, we were not impressed with the holiday program. There wasn't one Christmas song!! Not so at this school. The program had a bunch of super-cutesy songs about Christmas and jingle bells and all the things that a school holiday program should include. It was well worth our time. Not only that, they were smart and didn't try to crowd everyone into the elementary school gym during the middle of the day. Instead, it was held at the high school in the evening, so the parents could actually come and see.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW3dwPrwVG83FnEJArB6SVVYcGkKQVrMT3J7zYPA8e-Tm5oUgBwDBodOPZOvVGrJyVM3AkydsxtOHi2bBBn9HqHuC6ZWpbsttXrvM6h6cgirCDmzI1lU5Ly5uJOqcbtaCjRrHkCyirQE/s1600/016+%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjW3dwPrwVG83FnEJArB6SVVYcGkKQVrMT3J7zYPA8e-Tm5oUgBwDBodOPZOvVGrJyVM3AkydsxtOHi2bBBn9HqHuC6ZWpbsttXrvM6h6cgirCDmzI1lU5Ly5uJOqcbtaCjRrHkCyirQE/s320/016+%25282%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558482709653600530" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7C2MFB3bhL9klrnyxH0Jjz1uomYjOD3FoQ17NJtoA-iwjnVLrYVzqnAIP6GkOd8oYnzfC_159-sMyLZ9Ph7bGP01xI2sklG6BDqOWtaW-wCu0lYN-7MhYrUafHNALqOckQGsT5eM9hGM/s1600/024_edited-1+%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7C2MFB3bhL9klrnyxH0Jjz1uomYjOD3FoQ17NJtoA-iwjnVLrYVzqnAIP6GkOd8oYnzfC_159-sMyLZ9Ph7bGP01xI2sklG6BDqOWtaW-wCu0lYN-7MhYrUafHNALqOckQGsT5eM9hGM/s320/024_edited-1+%25282%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558482702318819234" /></a><br />Natalie and AJ were also part of the nativity for our ward Christmas program. AJ was a wise man, and Natalie was an angel in the choir. I decided to sing a solo for the program. I sang, "A Baby Changes Everything". It was terrifying, but I got lots of positive comments. The program was maybe longer than it needed to be, but very spiritual. And afterwards, of course, the kids got a visit from their favorite jolly old elf.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_suEggIPbx092KEUpek1-VIyDylVCCvdbENv4PRo7LhqvIya3WLfTQhcsiXWKBgMzAICEReRtSrhmme32pxTh-i75dsRNdUag0wNSA_eBAn8MSUuUaWv_wronrPnFzzK4F7h2Uf_bIf8/s1600/032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_suEggIPbx092KEUpek1-VIyDylVCCvdbENv4PRo7LhqvIya3WLfTQhcsiXWKBgMzAICEReRtSrhmme32pxTh-i75dsRNdUag0wNSA_eBAn8MSUuUaWv_wronrPnFzzK4F7h2Uf_bIf8/s320/032.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558482699393198434" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RGu244Rk0zC8bLrGG0ReOR7K7Q-fIMuxAPJ0mHcgisjcxbtwMLvZMUT028PFIZ9UuLmf4e47FEtH94lEhjk2CYlXcGpQVxD819M7CqtVzu6YGg5Y2eD8pVVHASKiqtKfSx49d7tOwX4/s1600/031.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RGu244Rk0zC8bLrGG0ReOR7K7Q-fIMuxAPJ0mHcgisjcxbtwMLvZMUT028PFIZ9UuLmf4e47FEtH94lEhjk2CYlXcGpQVxD819M7CqtVzu6YGg5Y2eD8pVVHASKiqtKfSx49d7tOwX4/s320/031.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558482689494378098" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcaO4VW9X5Iqv7sXhAWAU67r1aXjojP-s0gZ4R1zx1uOtauByUT_APvAy0oZ8YZmLa0fbl1H_mS5NXkAuz4Oi7yw9LrdnHgAUWlGTN5Igv-3XJzhpzb6zVYdecKD6mJyYApRyar7gWto8/s1600/042.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcaO4VW9X5Iqv7sXhAWAU67r1aXjojP-s0gZ4R1zx1uOtauByUT_APvAy0oZ8YZmLa0fbl1H_mS5NXkAuz4Oi7yw9LrdnHgAUWlGTN5Igv-3XJzhpzb6zVYdecKD6mJyYApRyar7gWto8/s320/042.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558485734945402066" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0MlhixvB4vMGPcReeOjK_cS1XCkzvH9obD0A7cwNxj3gZ3yKnvM2uVEVxE9PX4wz-41cbl7YakFxithDPMSrAYR927TiEek66ipHHUP6xL7y9jy5TaK27Gb3Sxijqbjb8285Lah7iVw/s1600/043_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0MlhixvB4vMGPcReeOjK_cS1XCkzvH9obD0A7cwNxj3gZ3yKnvM2uVEVxE9PX4wz-41cbl7YakFxithDPMSrAYR927TiEek66ipHHUP6xL7y9jy5TaK27Gb3Sxijqbjb8285Lah7iVw/s320/043_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558485729910362338" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElJricEln0XMtbq4wVX138CceJGMYjoK2GyKuCtJaaXhDeVmH13R8FHtPhQxXKq3yZ9nIxXTaW7QS8vveS3IN1Efi3y2UHGwfIVDxNkiWB68KoK1lbkBQFFkiisAi_Khn9DXrpdCpHPA/s1600/044_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElJricEln0XMtbq4wVX138CceJGMYjoK2GyKuCtJaaXhDeVmH13R8FHtPhQxXKq3yZ9nIxXTaW7QS8vveS3IN1Efi3y2UHGwfIVDxNkiWB68KoK1lbkBQFFkiisAi_Khn9DXrpdCpHPA/s320/044_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558485729381333346" /></a><br />AJ had a piano recital last month. He played "Silent Night" and "I Saw Three Ships" and did great as always.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zFUE_4zsHvYkOD4rP-ZWI0wBfy36rYS3VCjXR1DCxavR_yPsaasfViQ1oIwr3p1rIU9mjFV4D7QxsV5nnNkhZADBq2V1iOVPWvn8hSpmbjsvo5YVArn5psM7QpPayhVwKuF43-tiuLY/s1600/045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zFUE_4zsHvYkOD4rP-ZWI0wBfy36rYS3VCjXR1DCxavR_yPsaasfViQ1oIwr3p1rIU9mjFV4D7QxsV5nnNkhZADBq2V1iOVPWvn8hSpmbjsvo5YVArn5psM7QpPayhVwKuF43-tiuLY/s320/045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558487961991819698" /></a><br />Natalie's ballet studio and another dance company in town performed, "The Nutcracker" this year. Natalie was a cute little mouse. Her favorite part was in the battle between mice and nutcracker soldiers, one of the soldiers got to lift her up. <br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06YjoEXbv9NCq3E6SJR1cKhezDXfbriCkFqqZ8V61ChR9w6xVQ_v8io0inWMw43PcGq1keHv0sGXufqchRSRG3UF1XWPjdfBqOEOcrzmXUQDv-kqlfzdjDa2axkm2DbvEfFTmCstAZts/s1600/004_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06YjoEXbv9NCq3E6SJR1cKhezDXfbriCkFqqZ8V61ChR9w6xVQ_v8io0inWMw43PcGq1keHv0sGXufqchRSRG3UF1XWPjdfBqOEOcrzmXUQDv-kqlfzdjDa2axkm2DbvEfFTmCstAZts/s320/004_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558489838740894594" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxm_CZKn8lNTC-KGYJlHzYf4pmLh_ES4Ebf24iPtivCt5vn7xmHss1RT8LdOCKgNhsLgLdN99gSlOh5VBvOAReChmt3Czc7-ZOg5rQS8Fhdjx5F3h1l6J3pHuraKbBaAaCac-hSz9sBU/s1600/012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxm_CZKn8lNTC-KGYJlHzYf4pmLh_ES4Ebf24iPtivCt5vn7xmHss1RT8LdOCKgNhsLgLdN99gSlOh5VBvOAReChmt3Czc7-ZOg5rQS8Fhdjx5F3h1l6J3pHuraKbBaAaCac-hSz9sBU/s320/012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558489838392191074" /></a><br />It seems even the weather was in a Christmasy mood. We got three or four decent snow storms in December, which is unusual for this area. It would have been a whole lot more fun if the city did anything to actually take care of the roads. Instead, they just let people drive on it, compact it, and turn into a giant layer of ice. Here we are building a snowman with Natalie's friend, Miranda.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwSQlZFeluDlfGkhJOMPJntinjrOwU2bR18YO_ayamT23z-uXEhmPQIRGUd1ZWxzfy772ML8lZ4hr3H8yJ52WpR9yuD3um13sZetTsOwwtJGO_n1qjeE392csDOVDL6eWLANWBZMQWLM/s1600/003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwSQlZFeluDlfGkhJOMPJntinjrOwU2bR18YO_ayamT23z-uXEhmPQIRGUd1ZWxzfy772ML8lZ4hr3H8yJ52WpR9yuD3um13sZetTsOwwtJGO_n1qjeE392csDOVDL6eWLANWBZMQWLM/s320/003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558485760861415746" /></a>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-26744187620098415522011-01-04T15:40:00.000-08:002011-01-04T15:46:51.337-08:00Tie trickJoe has been quite the member missionary lately, making friends with the full-time missionaries and going on team-ups and such. This has led him to reminesce about his mission days. One of the things he liked the best was competing for the biggest tie knot. Here he is with his big ol' knot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD08IvKg4LTVEG-pN7kXlpsP8WL8H4rM7mCGE5WPQAn_Kw6yYzQyuTzxI6rYajIooDgjf0F-IVoT1AwVvXhAu1eqsPa6WHgZ-JwUhRnKffH0J1guzkU7jrAuyAgXjQ8Ud9Zsep6BuNRbk/s1600/047+%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD08IvKg4LTVEG-pN7kXlpsP8WL8H4rM7mCGE5WPQAn_Kw6yYzQyuTzxI6rYajIooDgjf0F-IVoT1AwVvXhAu1eqsPa6WHgZ-JwUhRnKffH0J1guzkU7jrAuyAgXjQ8Ud9Zsep6BuNRbk/s320/047+%25282%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558480544882421794" /></a><br />And here's the secret to this knot...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL93DOnAMH4KfWBH565agrZJh5GNb3vonSrjXuh-4a7a15rUozBiUTEC0Q1dgKYbgfdrTvcpf29nPfTFAD92Vrk0ZnzA-cxhGrH05ilkujzx0fuSRUoqbDXb1_QRl5-FsxJwn27g_mMDk/s1600/048.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL93DOnAMH4KfWBH565agrZJh5GNb3vonSrjXuh-4a7a15rUozBiUTEC0Q1dgKYbgfdrTvcpf29nPfTFAD92Vrk0ZnzA-cxhGrH05ilkujzx0fuSRUoqbDXb1_QRl5-FsxJwn27g_mMDk/s320/048.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558480551327663282" /></a>Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-51619153915706811342011-01-04T15:25:00.000-08:002011-01-04T15:40:24.018-08:00Because my Boo is just cuteBrooklin can be such a stinker sometimes (like when she decides to randomly empty her dresser). But other times, I love her so much it hurts!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDAicQBcIcHxWG6jOC9y2w1oAltLmWH1xiPKbouqP7abXNuA-ScbkCoVmIloFnwJ1qf64V_C4DmfzgKA3XmAq4ujVxjnnbKC6X1EjQPQ3gETv8zfd7YTXHvTR_iKQKMOWFgFZVvS02_Y/s1600/074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDAicQBcIcHxWG6jOC9y2w1oAltLmWH1xiPKbouqP7abXNuA-ScbkCoVmIloFnwJ1qf64V_C4DmfzgKA3XmAq4ujVxjnnbKC6X1EjQPQ3gETv8zfd7YTXHvTR_iKQKMOWFgFZVvS02_Y/s320/074.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558476793410245506" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14h1gXIAorA9P6s9a869t7KpHVxPBWPNZRARcZjErMO8mF3gB205O-WwCFZPYjiCTfxMOpmLXmiHpcEhvbvAPQWZK2h-7k4KxtXEm3dgn-IydHe2YxVG9FXZ58Fa6fuFlrkYTHpDhCa0/s1600/077.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14h1gXIAorA9P6s9a869t7KpHVxPBWPNZRARcZjErMO8mF3gB205O-WwCFZPYjiCTfxMOpmLXmiHpcEhvbvAPQWZK2h-7k4KxtXEm3dgn-IydHe2YxVG9FXZ58Fa6fuFlrkYTHpDhCa0/s320/077.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558477148708270226" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4d_Jv0zZWBar49dIyBe-sayfvMNOjb5mWfPG43zgryKDjAY97ubzG1xpkdryN7IYgzsh93smravnFwigJSCFE-buG2nxpUUJmRuOGk8pFvu34J7m5iAhh3JBAMGeviyDDsCALtu_Pl4/s1600/044.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4d_Jv0zZWBar49dIyBe-sayfvMNOjb5mWfPG43zgryKDjAY97ubzG1xpkdryN7IYgzsh93smravnFwigJSCFE-buG2nxpUUJmRuOGk8pFvu34J7m5iAhh3JBAMGeviyDDsCALtu_Pl4/s320/044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558476805067701954" /></a> <br />She's decided to learn how to dress herself. It's pretty funny.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaWRl_FqdVuZ5IURsfXaBq4PCk8EY6Wigwazo2ke8DlJiUItSMJeiVo2-vTd9foI9KswV5QGiZByQREo8yI58JLImKFU2a_vyo4s480LsDBdqa-MF9RPsbQgFhQi6Y926pAQtJiKh8T0/s1600/IMG_0113.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaWRl_FqdVuZ5IURsfXaBq4PCk8EY6Wigwazo2ke8DlJiUItSMJeiVo2-vTd9foI9KswV5QGiZByQREo8yI58JLImKFU2a_vyo4s480LsDBdqa-MF9RPsbQgFhQi6Y926pAQtJiKh8T0/s320/IMG_0113.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558477146750738370" /></a><br />She's realized that being in a toddler bed means she's not physically obligated to stay put, but she's smart enough not to show her face after she's supposed to be in bed.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R2MAn-2-G-DghzrmpWKQ4lCO-t2sQ701QBrc9q41h4gJnDL6Gb2LNQoSYlltTwo5RlZEqBlkopuCKY86wNaQDCc6KPZY_wUcM07PdxdHf6TDiOmzbFJ5TcmKQGQ0581aoQUOTnpmJtQ/s1600/022.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R2MAn-2-G-DghzrmpWKQ4lCO-t2sQ701QBrc9q41h4gJnDL6Gb2LNQoSYlltTwo5RlZEqBlkopuCKY86wNaQDCc6KPZY_wUcM07PdxdHf6TDiOmzbFJ5TcmKQGQ0581aoQUOTnpmJtQ/s320/022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558476815828281042" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHLxdAQi-02wMzerhkyvjhYmn9Se18iMdIQB6g0VoZhN7c1NaEqATim1eDp_QvsQrXFLvy6wdDYo0BI5s_zjvrNXkvAeSgnEiULFlztzqAXSX-OYWhAn-exdmNNFU_p7zoDiTx40OtRQ/s1600/047.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSHLxdAQi-02wMzerhkyvjhYmn9Se18iMdIQB6g0VoZhN7c1NaEqATim1eDp_QvsQrXFLvy6wdDYo0BI5s_zjvrNXkvAeSgnEiULFlztzqAXSX-OYWhAn-exdmNNFU_p7zoDiTx40OtRQ/s320/047.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558476800262954194" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyERntr8YwiEs3J_p6ObGZzhsfVFtyFTl8qBuq5zl-paxvx1-PXugXY7QT0noAE1fbQOGXU66xgJ6AvVgfB56z1KfaQ3L2sbrLSlT-CiWd9tXsQyPfHR6noV8eEi7BJ4gzXv9bktOqjSI/s1600/062.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyERntr8YwiEs3J_p6ObGZzhsfVFtyFTl8qBuq5zl-paxvx1-PXugXY7QT0noAE1fbQOGXU66xgJ6AvVgfB56z1KfaQ3L2sbrLSlT-CiWd9tXsQyPfHR6noV8eEi7BJ4gzXv9bktOqjSI/s320/062.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558476796155825186" /></a><br />Here's a few other random pics. What a funny baby!Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-49400830370815230452011-01-04T14:13:00.000-08:002011-01-04T14:35:04.841-08:00Of absenteeismLast summer, the night shift got together and decided that we wanted a set schedule. Let me explain. Working nights is not like working days. I can't work one on, one off, etc. I will die. When my schedule is the same every week, I work two on, five off. The first day home after working, I just sleep. I get up some time in the late afternoon and pretend I don't feel like death. Then, I try to go to bed at a decent time and lay there half the night wide awake, still feeling like death, knowing that I'm gonna have to get up and take care of kids in...three hours now. The next day, I feel mighty crappy, but try very hard to get something done around the house. Day three is usually better, but still tired. Day four, I'm starting to perk up a bit. Day five is when I feel my best, but then I have to sleep all afternoon because I have to go back to work that night. Anyway, I never get any good sleep, but it's doable. <br /><br />Now, after we had done the set schedule thing for a few months, one of our nurses decided that it wasn't fair that she wasn't working any weekends (because you make more money on the weekends). Technically, it says in our contract that everyone is supposed to work every other weekend. So we had to do away with the schedule and rearrange everyone. Then, I went to working one on, three off, one on, two off, two on, two off....etc. I wanted to die. Without a set schedule, I pretty much spend every day in either day one or day two mode. I always feel awful, and I never get anything done. And then, the holidays rolled around, and people had requested vacation time (oh, and that particular nurse who was not happy quit), and a few more people quit, so they rearranged our schedule again to fill the needs. Which, by the way, was extremely unsuccessful. We spent more than one night two or even three nurses short. (PS I would like to apologize to anyone who had a baby during the last two months because I'm sure they didn't get nearly as good a care as any of us would have liked due to the shortages.) <br /><br />So basically what this means is that I've had no real sleep for months, and my blog has taken the back burner in a major way. We're back to a semi-set schedule now, and I'm hoping it stays that way. There's talk about not allowing people to take vacation time during the days they usually work because it messes up everyone else's schedule so badly. Not that they wouldn't be able to take those days off, but they'd have to use PTO, and the hospital would need to find someone to come in extra to cover the shift. Or we could switch shifts with another willing nurse. <br /><br />If you didn't read my entire rant, I'm sure you're not the only one. Just don't be upset with me if I (A) don't answer your calls in the middle of the day, or (B) growl over the phone, or (C) answer the phone strangely, agree to things, and never follow through (because I'm talking in my sleep).Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-48482495807312553832010-11-23T10:21:00.000-08:002010-11-23T10:25:00.339-08:00Oh, the weather outside is frightfulThe best part of being self-employed is taking a snow day with your kids!<br /><br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-b7f2cb6cdb8fa35a class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="b7f2cb6cdb8fa35a"></OBJECT><br /><br />We really need to figure out how to attach a snow shovel to the front.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-67170765417896323912010-11-17T22:07:00.000-08:002010-11-17T22:20:08.120-08:00Because we are going to learn to like fish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD9UPWWJ0YME8M2tRWfaZcz_ZtcxctQ-xEiw0ZK8CqxR0ua7oRY-SmyWvxjotncTXQUG2Py6JQSTOeagkM4sMLuoGlRcJjR5PgVnlASqFjGJhdp9_rrWNp-tDJL2Ln0lQjQsvhgV6gT8/s1600/spokane-salmon-spill.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD9UPWWJ0YME8M2tRWfaZcz_ZtcxctQ-xEiw0ZK8CqxR0ua7oRY-SmyWvxjotncTXQUG2Py6JQSTOeagkM4sMLuoGlRcJjR5PgVnlASqFjGJhdp9_rrWNp-tDJL2Ln0lQjQsvhgV6gT8/s320/spokane-salmon-spill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540769246612686930" /></a><br />Joe, growing up in Washington, actually already likes fish. My early experiences included ... trout, so I'm not as big a fan. But I'm going to learn or die trying because we recently inherited one big fish. Apparantly, a tanker filled with fresh salmon rolled over on I-90 near Spokane, and a few people from our ward were lucky enough to happen upon the spill. So we got a share of the spoils. That fish is huge!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEzrbpWNLqYzPLmjyGUEICy67pgvf4XyjKxORDNF9zf86y2cjhCzxjfHIc_oEJLC8wMiASOqOSDYvnYNDwb384IFvnljtFPabjsJPqFkWA_t0juJmFDy3Et9HCmsIZcnMuBmkZSP7OEA/s1600/231.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEzrbpWNLqYzPLmjyGUEICy67pgvf4XyjKxORDNF9zf86y2cjhCzxjfHIc_oEJLC8wMiASOqOSDYvnYNDwb384IFvnljtFPabjsJPqFkWA_t0juJmFDy3Et9HCmsIZcnMuBmkZSP7OEA/s320/231.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540769252315765522" /></a><br /><br />As a side note, we put the fish's head in the fridge right next to the milk. I can't wait to see what our kids say in the morning. We're going to tell them that it's for dinner. If all goes well, I might even go so far as to put it in a pot of boiling water in the evening to see what they do.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-28123094770159738462010-11-14T18:32:00.000-08:002010-11-14T19:02:14.330-08:00HarvestingThese last few weeks have flown by. I had multiple training meetings to take up my spare (not!) time. I recertified for ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support), which is like CPR on steroids. So drop dead in front of me...I dare you!! Okay, please don't. Survival rates suck no matter where you are or how good a nurse I am.<br /><br />Joe is doing well at work. He keeps saying that he should have done this years ago, and I agree! Being self-employed is so different, and in a good way. (Except for health insurance). He's also enjoying being a part of the classic car club with all the old fogies in Moses Lake and his friend, Aaron.<br /><br />Our ward's annual Harvest dinner was last week. I volunteered to make two pies. One of which was my famous lemon meringue, which went over quite fabulously. It was the first to be gone, and everyone raved (yeah me!!). I also made a cream cheese pumpkin that was pretty darn good. I put the whipped cream on too soon, though, and it melted all over, but still tasted good.<br /><br />I took Natalie in for a check-up this week. She is 35 pounds, and 43 inches tall. Which is 10% for height, and below the 3rd% for weight. But she keeps growing, so we don't care that she's small. Interestingly enough, Brooklin is now 28#. She's catching up fast. All 3 kids got flu shots. Brooklin got hers first. She cried for a minute and got over it. I had to hold AJ down to get his, and he complained the rest of the day about how badly it hurt. ("Oh, I can't shut the door; my arm hurts so bad!" "Oh, I can't clean up my toys because my arm still hurts bad!" "Oh, I punched my sister because my arm hurts so bad!") Right after AJ's tantrum, it was Natalie's turn. She responded with, "I don't need your help, Mom. I'm a big girl. I know it will hurt a minute, but then, I'll be okay." <br /><br />Joe and I are part of a babysitting co-op, so we actually got a date on Friday! We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant, so the whole date only cost us for the meal and gas. Babysitting is so expensive; it's no wonder we haven't been getting out regularly before this.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal7XGR2QKN7jsofqc1dbh5fl1OsaGsYKIxBMT1ROfoXWVEuuu14zCdmYTuarg9bJBvnZLIbyoXUdhGsAgVJ9VwIdF8Eg-pM9oEXrZ87dt0TAvIU5338eOUf1hRThZ4sOhqbbT-UucDiQ/s1600/megamind.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal7XGR2QKN7jsofqc1dbh5fl1OsaGsYKIxBMT1ROfoXWVEuuu14zCdmYTuarg9bJBvnZLIbyoXUdhGsAgVJ9VwIdF8Eg-pM9oEXrZ87dt0TAvIU5338eOUf1hRThZ4sOhqbbT-UucDiQ/s320/megamind.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539602501991129442" /></a><br />Joe's mentor/manager owns the movie theater in Ephrata. He invited us to a private showing of Megamind yesterday, and we obliged happily. It was pretty enjoyable, for a cartoon.<br /><br />I went to the worldwide leadership training meeting yesterday. There were some very intesting changes made, including getting rid of all the committees and a huge push to get people at home more often, especially the bishop.<br /><br />Joe is watching "Supersize Me", reaffirming how badly I hate fast food. Gross!Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-14562637032044262292010-11-01T13:49:00.000-07:002010-11-01T16:40:08.654-07:00When things go bump and BOOThese last few weeks have been pretty hectic. Holiday season is upon us folks.<br /><br />Natalie's birthday was the 19th. I can't believe my baby girl is already 6!! (I know, that last comment was unbelievably trite. Get over it.) Natalie is Miss Popularity in her kindergarten class. Every time I drop her off, there's huge grins on the faces of the kids waiting for her to get out of the car. She runs towards them with arms outstretched as they all shout her name and join in a big group hug. No joke. Kindergarten is awesome. So she insisted that she needed to invite a lot of girls to her party. And I, for some inexplicable reason, agreed that she could invite who she wanted. I think we had 13 girls at her party that afternoon (if you include Brooklin...and I do because she's a force to be reckoned with). We made cute pictures of fairies, decorated a poster of Natalie as a fairy, decorated and ate cupcakes, played on Natalie's new bed, and opened a whole bunch of presents. Natalie is loved; that is for sure. <br /><br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_QKnXMBeL_A9UC1qiuZAsjIuVifZyubZqN7mlwt_DQnEvLH1F_JHzABaVns28Ck8ETLiwSYyA9dkZ2LQaBCyskUg6BehXhlLzfxZiyvUkbHGlDzb0VmEE4AcOSynUlF6fSNo6SOdyCA/s1600/SANY0100_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534696924021734898 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_QKnXMBeL_A9UC1qiuZAsjIuVifZyubZqN7mlwt_DQnEvLH1F_JHzABaVns28Ck8ETLiwSYyA9dkZ2LQaBCyskUg6BehXhlLzfxZiyvUkbHGlDzb0VmEE4AcOSynUlF6fSNo6SOdyCA/s320/SANY0100_edited-1.jpg"></A> <br />AJ had a recital on the 22nd. It was a costume recital, so he dressed as a clone trooper from Star Wars and played the Star Wars theme. The first song is "Pumpkin Party". So cute.<br /><br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-b03d6fc8cad94e27 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="b03d6fc8cad94e27"></OBJECT><br /><br />The next day we attended the Gimmeson's annual power-tools-only pumpkin carving contest. Joe and my pumpkins turned out great, but the contest was rigged. They ended up giving the trophy to a kid (who did not use power tools, by the way). We got ripped off. <br /><br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4077nZGhfzxpWy0xHcD-V2056uu79KSOVUUXcqW3uupMP1uQqSnAQFSSO15XBQyXs-uV_MPRt6l4BttbOZfluDRgSbyAUrB8Xpa7syz9LkOQ56NH4qfKUF_9wZFaEStwL4TMT-zXzSs/s1600/IMG_0084.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534696925455651458 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4077nZGhfzxpWy0xHcD-V2056uu79KSOVUUXcqW3uupMP1uQqSnAQFSSO15XBQyXs-uV_MPRt6l4BttbOZfluDRgSbyAUrB8Xpa7syz9LkOQ56NH4qfKUF_9wZFaEStwL4TMT-zXzSs/s320/IMG_0084.jpg"></A> <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNnSsS5YPw1NERADBpsfE9Mvxsct4NisVdSfh20cGaymgsTpkXxlZVyZixLM5afxNXr2SdDeQMM-BX_EO0avPvvO3tTfrNOxh4OeW4N1QJPlK-d_oA4tjm0Hu9v9sNqTtCH440qaQblk/s1600/SANY0115.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534696911173290594 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNnSsS5YPw1NERADBpsfE9Mvxsct4NisVdSfh20cGaymgsTpkXxlZVyZixLM5afxNXr2SdDeQMM-BX_EO0avPvvO3tTfrNOxh4OeW4N1QJPlK-d_oA4tjm0Hu9v9sNqTtCH440qaQblk/s320/SANY0115.jpg"></A> Luckily, we didn't have to boycott Halloween this year just because it landed on a Sunday. The town opted to move its celebrations to Saturday, so we were able to fully participate. Every fall, I forget that I'm busy and decide that I want to make my kids' costumes. So they finalize their orders by the first part of September, and we start planning. <br /><br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GJFfQOYmpSz53fAcsIKDVC-38xJLxuNG7TZUhIJ5uDqiISN9Ac9NovEPp-y_93tXWM1sEEBgO_e2VNXX_ZlKsCymJfoPl-_-kD_h9K0YOsBxopBnt7OBPcvmWK6LpjGd2_Ks0Aa34iM/s1600/SANY0112_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534696903086658834 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GJFfQOYmpSz53fAcsIKDVC-38xJLxuNG7TZUhIJ5uDqiISN9Ac9NovEPp-y_93tXWM1sEEBgO_e2VNXX_ZlKsCymJfoPl-_-kD_h9K0YOsBxopBnt7OBPcvmWK6LpjGd2_Ks0Aa34iM/s320/SANY0112_edited-1.jpg"></A> <br />AJ decided to be a knight this year, which included a sword that is the best thing/toy he's ever seen and/or played with. He loves nothing more than using it to torture innocent victims (mostly, his sisters when his parents aren't looking.) We very smartly didn't give it to him until Saturday, and I think it's been in time out as often as it's been in his hands since then. <br /><br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeJWq40XeA6BeBfchjAHZTMjj7a3nPINfSkTiYgr_auMxTCEmJrL-1vQgyKqwzLGT72ONrLsjx_9AlN3iN7RetJ0QbaqcxHzlkrHFmzQE_8s1v81RTrDx1u9xk1WKNEo3RLhjf4rbZzA/s1600/SANY0110_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534696899185591218 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeJWq40XeA6BeBfchjAHZTMjj7a3nPINfSkTiYgr_auMxTCEmJrL-1vQgyKqwzLGT72ONrLsjx_9AlN3iN7RetJ0QbaqcxHzlkrHFmzQE_8s1v81RTrDx1u9xk1WKNEo3RLhjf4rbZzA/s320/SANY0110_edited-1.jpg"></A> Natalie wanted to be Queen Clarion from Tinker Bell. Before you get all "Uh, Queen Clarion has a gold dress..." on me, let me explain that she wears a pink dress in one of Natalie's books. And since the pink fabric at Joann's was way cuter than the gold fabric, Natalie decided she'd better go with pink. <br /><br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyRSnaKqynukxRVO3LOrRDbciUvfgEncZU55unNVL1JD_mXLE2aZBLcRzFK1eWrUtgFhJyA__hZj35iVsIStSlLp0IrX9QZ-RL7tMh0SdkX2YByDDrQBRo7NzTVD1G5E_5HlT0q3tI0Q/s1600/SANY0108_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534697171488489490 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyRSnaKqynukxRVO3LOrRDbciUvfgEncZU55unNVL1JD_mXLE2aZBLcRzFK1eWrUtgFhJyA__hZj35iVsIStSlLp0IrX9QZ-RL7tMh0SdkX2YByDDrQBRo7NzTVD1G5E_5HlT0q3tI0Q/s320/SANY0108_edited-1.jpg"></A> <br />Here's where I admit that I'm a horrible mother. I didn't finish Brooklin's costume, so Brooklin wearing a hand-me-down from Natalie (that she wore when she was 3). She was terribly adorable as Dorothy, and it was incredibly fitting that the one word that Brooklin says consistently is "doggy", and she got to drag Toto around. But I still feel bad. <br /><br /><A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pZEOG6LCQIhqN2r1lWgS099ZTr8O8nOcfUSi2BxKX-V0RE-n-eJmN9-s26qKr2LNGU8ryPZjZ3SZmvf3lD-X-CVfFq9DAib7jozXdBCno2pNvYLJLhBGB-3FCjOCtUn9ZR4zonj5cnc/s1600/SANY0103_edited-1.jpg"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534697168745252946 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pZEOG6LCQIhqN2r1lWgS099ZTr8O8nOcfUSi2BxKX-V0RE-n-eJmN9-s26qKr2LNGU8ryPZjZ3SZmvf3lD-X-CVfFq9DAib7jozXdBCno2pNvYLJLhBGB-3FCjOCtUn9ZR4zonj5cnc/s320/SANY0103_edited-1.jpg"></A> It's a good thing she won't remember how her mother slighted her in favor of her siblings. And none of you better point her in the direction of this post. I'll deny everything. I fully intend to finish her costume in time for Christmas. Joe insisted that we dress up as well, so I wore an 1800s style dress and crown. Joe pulled out the mullet for an 80s flashback. Oddly enough, we didn't manage pictures of either of us. I wish I'd brought my camera to the Bruneel's costume party that night though. There were some really great costumes. The First Councilor in our Bishopric was the Hulk. One teen totally committed to Superman, spandex and all. Our former stake Young Women's President was Wonderwoman. Joe had a lot of fun scaring teenagers in their haunted house. <br /><br />Here's some fun Johnson Halloween traditions. First, one of us takes the kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. We stop and dump out the kids' bags every so often and sort the good candy from the bad candy. The good candy (Snickers, Milky Way, Reese's, etc.) gets put up and away, and the crappy candy (anything generic, Smarties, and the like) goes into our own basket to regift. Second, we insist the kids pay "Mom and Dad taxes" on their goods. Actually, what we usually do is put all the goods into one basket and everyone gets to eat out of it. Although, the full-size candy bars generally end up stashed elsewhere... Third, when we're tired of giving out candy, we pawn off the last of the basket to whoever comes next. Sometimes, this means multiple handfulls of our cast-offs, which unsuspecting children are thrilled by, even though it's mostly Tootsie Rolls. This year, we had another party to go to, so Joe traded the rest of the basket for a full-size Snickers. It was great! We love Halloween!!Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-31825029432916634382010-10-17T19:04:00.000-07:002010-10-17T19:29:27.033-07:00Of talks and primary programsToday was our ward primary program. This being my first program while in the Primary presidency, it was a little stressful. We put together a practice/pizza party on Friday. I can't tell you how many kids didn't know their parts at that point, but it was most of them. And they had no idea when to go up to the podium. We were still working out getting kids where they needed to be to sing solos, play violins, etc. It was crazy. <br /><br />But it somehow all worked out. The kids sang their best; they were fairly reverent (well, as reverent as 40 children ranging from 4-11 years old can possibly be when on display in front of 100+ attentive adults and various toddlers making googly eyes and laughing at them...that would be Brooklin, in case you're wondering), and most of them had miraculously figured out what they were supposed to say. Interestingly enough, Joe got more than a few comments about how our son apparently can't hold still to save his life. He was dancing to all of the songs. At least he wasn't trying to pretend fight with the other boys in his class like usual. I got roped into giving the introduction of the year's theme, which is "I Know My Savior Lives." I actually wrote the program, and when I presented it to the rest of the presidency, I told them I thought that one of us should introduce the theme. They said, "Oh, I'm sure you'll do a great job at it!" Thankfully, I only had to talk for a few minutes.<br /><br />Other than that, Joe passed his final exam for work (Yeah!!!), so he is a full-fledged investment advisor representative. There are other designations he'd like to pursue in the future, but he can do everything he wants to for now. Now begins his hunt for clients. They even added him to their <a href="http://www.waypointwealth.com/aboutus/advisors/josephjohnson.htm">website</a>. Check it out!Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955159838540402555.post-81589389129840768392010-10-10T21:56:00.000-07:002010-10-11T08:58:15.170-07:00Celebrating old age (Just kidding Joe!)I really like to tease Joe about being old. He's two years and four months older than me, which means he's ancient at 32, while I'm still in my prime at 29. And he has gray hair. I have a picture somewhere to prove it. His mentor at his new job says it makes him look distinguished. I don't know about that...<br /><br />But today is his birthday, so I think I should say some nice things about him too. First of all, JOE PASSED HIS BIG TEST!!!! I'm so proud of my brilliant, hard-working, ever-patient husband for going after his dream career. Being an investment advisor is what he was made to do, and I know he'll be awesome at it. He starts bright and early tomorrow morning. Second of all, my husband is a fantastic father to our children. He sets a great example of a righteous priesthood holder in our home and helps me be a better wife and mother. Third of all, he just flat out makes me laugh. After going-on ten years together, he still surprises me with his humor and positive outlook on life. <br /><br />We spent yesterday at Joe's parents' house canning applesauce. To keep things lively while we were working, Joe and his brother had a heated policital discussion about gun laws, the constitution hanging by a thread, the fact that Obama might be a terrorist (according to very reliable internet searches, according to Jeremy), and how Joe doesn't vote (not really, Joe just likes to spur his brother on). It was great fun.<br /><br />Last night, we got our first date as part of a babysitting co-op. We got together with a few other couples in the ward and switch off babysitting for each other. We went bowling. I'm happy to report that I did not break any of my appendages. I did break my thumbnail in half, BUT it was much better than the last time I went and lost a toenail after I dropped a ball on it. I will not be posting my scores, but Joe got a 156!<br /><br />Joe and I think this video is hilarious. <a href="http://vimeo.com/2042969">http://vimeo.com/2042969</a> But don't watch it all the way to the end. If you get to CPS, you've gone too far. It's way funnier without that.Joe and LeiAnnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00466430128308027508noreply@blogger.com2