Merry Christmas!

Stick- Lips or Chap?

I was just complaining that I forgot to tell my co-teachers about something adorable Audrey did two nights ago. PJ said "Well, Blog about it!" SO here I am... blogging about it.

Audrey is a lot like her daddy in the evening hours... for some reason she just cannot go to sleep. She quietly sneaks out of bed for hugs and kisses or occasionally sly around her room. Sunday night PJ heard her rustling around in her room. When he went to check on her I hear "Rachel! Come here!" The girls' bedroom light is on and I see a sleeping Janie (completely zonked out) with chapstick all over her chapped face (right above her upper lip). I BURST OUT LAUGHING! Audrey was worried about her sister's face and put chapstick... a ton of chapstick on her face! It was TOO cute!

Well, thank you for reading my little story since I forgot to tell my coworkers about it. I also hope you enjoy the picture. It wasn't the same night nor was it chapstick... it was the hot pink lipstick we used for Audrey's Abby Cadabby Halloween costume. It only happened a few weeks ago as well. You gotta love 2 year olds!

Itchy, Itchy... How Bizarre!

Well, for those of you who have been wondering about the bite on my leg from my last post, this post is for you! First, of all, I never go to the doctor because face it, I don't get sick that often due to my teacher immune system or maybe the fact that I tough it out for as long as I can even if I am miserable. Well, I went to the doctor last Thurs. (7/31) and guess what... staph infection! The doctor put me on these giant antibiotics that made the pain go away and the infection to grow smaller. However, I was still going a little crazy because I was itching here in there constantly thinking that another spider or some little bug was crawling on me. I thought I was just being paranoid. But, on Friday (8/8) I was sitting there in my teacher meeting (Yes, I have already reported back to school) and I just started itching like CRAZY! After the meeting I made a comment to one of my team members and suggested that I might be allergic to my meds. I went home for lunch to find that I had HIVES all over my back and stomach! I wasn't being paranoid about spiders and bug bites... I was ALLERGIC to my meds! I called the doctor made and made and appointment, ate my lunch, went back to school to work but didn't get much done. I left early to go to the doctor but by this time, my arms, legs neck, face, back, stomach, and even my throat started to hurt a little. I told the receptionist what was going on and they brought me right back. (NO WAIT! I waited 30min at least last time and I had the girls w/me so I was relieved!) The nurse checked me in, the doctor came in quickly and decided I needed a shot... but not any shot... they put the meds right in my vein... just like a druggy... I'm telling you that I will never ever be a druggy because that horrible tingle through my body did not feel good... in fact it scared the living daylights out of me! The doctor stayed with me a few minutes to calm me down and then just told me to lay there and take a little nap. I layed there a while and daydreamed and stared at the lights above me.... afraid to get up in case there were some side effects to this medicine. After 30 minutes of relaxation he came in, gave me a prescription of one thing and some samples of another. One to help the itching and the other to make the red whelps all over my body go away. Seriously, I look like a red and white Leopard! I have taken some of the meds and they knocked me out early this evening... poor girls had to go to bed early, but they suprisingly only got out of bed once and I think it was more to come check on my mommy than anything. Well, since I was completely out of it by like 7:30 last night I am wide awake now and starting to itch a little. Having school on my mind doesn't help and the fact that I have a garage sale in the morning and I need to put my signs on boxes. I've made the signs, but they aren't completely ready to go out yet. Anyway, thanks for indulging in my itchy and bizarre experience! Hopefully, along w/my strep, wierd tongue scolding from a virus, and this staph/ allergic reaction I am done for the year! I will keep you posted if any other bizarred illnesses find their way to our little family....because in a way.... it just so bizarre!

Tag.... You're IT!

Tagged by my cousin Carrie...

How To Play This Game of Tag:

Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog!

Joys:
1. My family! Technically, I could use them each as a joy but I thought that might be cheating! PJ for constantly adding mischief to my life! Janie for being so grateful for everything! She ran up to someone in the primary presidency right after sacrament meeting and thanked them for Primary! How cute is that?! Audrey for being so dang funny! She just cracks me up with her personality and variety of facial expressions!
2. The gospel of Jesus Christ for allowing me to truly know who I am, why I am here, and where I am going.
3. Dance! It is my stress and creative outlet! AND isn't quite as messy as scrapbooking!

Fears: Oh my husband could name a bazillion!
1. People walking alongside the road.... I literally lock all my doors even if I am on the highway!
2. My girls reaching the HS years and going to the dreadful Intermediate HS!
3. A spider bite infection that could infect my leg so bad that I could no longer use it! That would mean no dancing w/my girls! (FYI I have a bite of some sort on my leg.... and I get a little paranoid)

Goals:
1. Buy a house in the next few years!
2. Read more often for the sheer enjoyment of it!
3. Actually do that Yoga Booty Ballet Video Workout that I bought... Well, I've done it, love it, but don't make time for it. :( I need a Yoga Booty Ballet Buddy.

Current obsessions:
1. My upcoming Garage Sale
2. Planning Audrey and Janie's Bday parities! (Carrie you aren't alone!)
3. Planning for the upcoming school year... new reading series here we come!
4. Looking at houses online.

Facts:
1. I set my hopes up really high and often get disappointed easily (ie: the miniature golf adventure)
2. I absolutely LOVE my family! (extended family as well...they are really the only people I talk to outside of work)
3. I love to organize, but then after all the trouble... I can't seem to stay with it! My organizational abilities last a week if I am lucky! haha!

Let's see I tag...Krystal, Shana, Janelle, Genelle, and Alicia

Miniature Golf

Well, PJ has been obsessed with golf lately! That's all he really talks about.... and last weekend he got the chance to go golfing with a friend. However, he started getting sick! He went anyway and later promised the girls to take them miniature golfing. They were sooooo excited! And, I was looking forward to spending some quality family time together! We went Saturday evening once the humidity had cooled off a litte... and by that time PJ was barely talking. He didn't want to disappoint us by not going.

Well, we got there. We each had a golf ball and club. We all took turns. There was no one in front of us! However... there were TONS of people behind us. We couldn't let people play through though because there were soooooo many behind us! PJ tried to patiently teach Janie and Audrey how to play but whenever he talked he sounded so MEAN (because of his fading voice). After a while he gave up on talking and we decided to break the game down into two clubs and two balls. PJ and Audrey were a team AND Janie and I were a team. We felt sooo rushed that we really didn't get to enjoy our time together. Some fun family time! We also came to realize that while Janie seemed to enjoy the golf thing... Audrey didn't quite have any interest! She was happy and followed along, but not interested in the actual attempt to get the ball in the hole.

The girls did, however, pause for a few cute pictures.

Afterward we went and grabbed a bite to eat.... where Janie ended up dropping one hamburger on the ground and then throwing up the next! WOW, what a night! I have learned my lesson... Do not go on family outing when Daddy is sick.... and could be passing those germs on to other family members. AND my family is not perfect... we will not have perfect fun every outing. I do love them dearly, but my fun filled evening wasn't actually all that fun! I still love them and nursed them all back to health over the following week. We are now in much better spirits... and I am planning our next family adventure: a garage sale! Wish me luck!

More summer time FUN!

It has been a while since I have posted... again this summer is going waaaaaaay to fast! BUT, I'm enjoying my time with the girls. I just thought I'd post a few pictures of our summer time fun! Enjoy!

Audrey helping in the
yard.



















































Oklahoma Aquarium












































KrispyKreme Donuts















































Janie's Swim Lessons

































Summer Dance Classes

4th of July

Being a MOM!

WOW! The month of June if half over and I haven't posted a blog! I guess being a Mommy full time takes more time than before and after work. I guess I have been enjoying my leisure time with the girls a little too much because most of the time I don't even get the dishes done! lol I have plenty of time to do sooo many things, but then again, there are sooo many things that I wanted to do this summer. (summer reading program at the library, dance recital, dance classes, work on teachery things for the Fall, Scrapbook, train new puppy, play in the water, make crafts and new foods, swimming lessons, live, laugh, love, and the list goes on...)

Well I must say... I have been having fun! We have had our dance recital, the new puppy hasn't had any accidents in the living areas all week and can do many tricks, the girls are getting their summer reading program awards tomorrow, Janie has started tap dancing, Audrey gets to start ballet this week, I've got several scrapbooking pages done, learned how to make a new DELICIOUS cake!, I've been very productive with the new reading series for school, we've had playdates and MORE!

I guess all we need now are some pictures to show off our summer fun!!

























Swimming in the super cool inflatable pool!



























Our new puppy Gidget and the girls at the pet store getting her toys!













The girls at the Bass Pro Shop Story Time! The loved feeding the fish!

Dance Recital 2008

Our New Puppy!

This will be our little puppy on Saturday!!! We are so excited!

5 Years

Well, this past weekend (the weekend before Mother's Day) was the anniversary of mine and PJ's first date. We celebrate every year by revisiting the place we first went... the ZOO! We had fun but things didn't go exactly according to plan. But first, a few pictures of our zoo trip!

My little monkeys watching the monkeys

The polar bear was very exciting and came right in our faces!

Once again, my little monkeys!

They are getting sooo BIG!

A lot changes in five years!

After our visit at the zoo we were going to have a picnic that the girls and I got all ready that morning. They were so excited about it! However, due to the ice storm that damaged all the trees leaving debris piled up and Oklahoma rain the park was a complete mud hole and not to mention very smelly! Thus, we returned home and had the picnic on the leaving room floor! The girls enjoyed just as much, if not more! Overall, we had a wonderful anniversary weekend! :)

I LOVE SATURDAYS!

Well, this Saturday was much better than last weekend by far... for one I am vertical and moving! And another, we had a genuine fun evening together as a family!
At dance class, Janie decided to join the big girls for at least a few floor exercises, but then got shy again.

After class, we went out to eat but our options are getting minimal due to poor service at a number of surrounding restaurants. However, we were quite pleased with our service and the food was pretty good as well... even the girls ate almost all of their food! And then, as we were about to leave the waitress brought the girls some fish food to feed the Coy Fish in the pond out front! They loved every minute of it!



















In fact, we were having so much fun together we went to a park to play! It was so much fun to watch the girls climb up the playground and go down a slide over and over and over again. You would think it wouldn't be as fun after 20 times of going up and down, but it sure was! It was just as fun to watch them that many times as well! Janie learned how to climb up some of the BIG kid ladders and wouldn't you guess who was right behind her trying as well... Audrey. Only, she isn't quite as coordinated yet.















Overall, it was a Saturday evening full of fun, laughs, and lots of love!