Tuesday, July 29, 2008

A trip down memory lane . . .

I've seen this on a few blogs and thought it would be fun to play. Here are the rules:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I have had together. It could also be a memory of you and Craig. It doesn't matter if you know us a little or a lot, anything you remember.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. (If you leave a memory about either one of us, we'll be sure to write one about you).

3. Remember, if you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all ☺

4. Consider this a Tag: if you've read it, you have to do it.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Just for fun!

A few of my friends have had this on their blogs and I thought it looked fun. You are supposed to go through the list and BOLD everything you have done. Quite the list but fun to think back on your life. Try it!200 Have and Have-nots!

1. Touched an iceberg

2. Slept under the stars

3. Been a part of a hockey fight

4. Changed a baby's diaper

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Swam with wild dolphins

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a tarantula

10. Said "I love you" and meant it

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Bet on a winning horse

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Taken an ice cold bath

28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Ridden a roller coaster

31. Hit a home run

32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

33. Adopted an accent for fun

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment

36. Loved your job 90% of the time

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Watched wild whales

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach

41. Gone sky diving

42. Visited Ireland

43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited India

45. Bench-pressed your own weight

46. Milked a cow

47. Alphabetized your personal files

48. Ever worn a superhero costume

49. Sung karaoke

50. Lounged around in bed all day

51. Gone scuba diving

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Done something you should regret, but don't (should I admit this?!?!)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Been in a movie(Does self-made work?)

60. Gone without food for 3 days

61. Made cookies from scratch

62. Won first prize in a costume contest

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Been in a combat zone

65. Spoken more than one language fluently

66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone

67. Bounced a check

68. Read - and understood - your credit report

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

71. Called or written your Congress person

72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

74. Helped an animal give birth

75. Been fired or laid off from a job

76. Won money

77. Broken a bone

78. Ridden a motorcycle

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph

80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

83. Eaten sushi

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

88. Gone back to school

89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands

91. Eaten fried green tomatoes

92. Read The Iliad

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch

94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

97. Been elected to public office

98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

101. Had a booth at a street fair

102. Dyed your hair

103. Been a DJ

104. Rocked a baby to sleep

105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours

106. Raked your carpet

107. Brought out the best in people

108. Brought out the worst in people

109. Worn a mood ring

110. Ridden a horse

111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap

112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe

113. Buried a child

114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play

115. Been inside the pyramids

116. Shot a basketball into a basket

117. Danced at a disco

118. Played in a band Does junior high band count?

119. Shot a bird

120. Gone to an arboretum

121. Tutored someone

122. Ridden a train

123. Brought an old fad back into style

124. Eaten caviar

125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need

126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

127. Published a book

128. Pieced a quilt

129. Lived in an historic place

130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise

132. Made a hole-in-one (Does mini-golf count?)

133. Gone deep sea fishing

134. Gone roller skating

135. Run a marathon

136. Learned to surf

137. Invented something

138. Flown first class

139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite

140. Flown in a helicopter

141. Visited Africa

142. Sang a solo

143. Gone spelunking

144. Learned how to take a compliment

145. Written a love-story

146. Seen Michelangelo’s David

147. Had your portrait painted

148. Written a fan letter

149. Spent the night in something haunted

150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

151. Ran away

152. Learned to juggle

153. Been a boss

154. Sat on a jury

155. Lied about your weight

156. Gone on a diet

157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget

158. Written a poem

159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox

160. Gotten food poisoning

161. Gone on a service, humanitarian, or religious mission

162. Hiked the Grand Canyon

163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks

164. Gone to the opera

165. Gotten a letter from someone famous

166. Worn knickers

167. Ridden in a limousine

168. Attended the Olympics

169. Can hula or waltz

170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books

171. Been stuck in an elevator

172. Had a revelatory dream

173. Thought you might crash in an airplane

174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert

175. Saved someone’s life

176. Eaten raw whale

177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint

178. Laughed till your side hurt

179. Straddled the equator

180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing

181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival

182. Sent a message in a bottle

183. Spent the night in a hostel

184. Been a cashier

185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

186. Joined a union

187. Donated blood or plasma

188. Built a campfire

189. Kept a blog

190. Had hives

191. Worn custom made shoes or boots (does my dad making them count)?

192. Made a PowerPoint presentation

193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course

194. Served at a soup kitchen

195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube

196. Know CPR

197. Ridden in or owned a convertible

198. Found a long lost friend

199. Helped solve a crime

200. Commented on a friend's blog today.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

You take the good with the bad (Williams Reunion, Edition 2)

We have a family reunion on the Williams side (my dad) of the family every summer. This reunion always takes place in Heyburn, Idaho at my Grandma Williams home. She lives right on the Snake River, so we have a good time. . . most of the time! Last year I did a post about the "good and bad" of the reunion, so I thought I'd do the same thing this year . . . good = green, bad = blue.

We celebrated Ambree's birthday again . . . along with Uncle Brian's birthday.

The cake had major issues with not cooking all the way through, sinking, etc. Oh, and I ran out of frosting . . . needless to say it wasn't very pretty, but it sure tasted good!

Due to so many people and much room in the house, we slept in a tent outside!

I don't mind camping, but our air mattress had a leak, the sprinklers were on all night and they were noisy, and birds start chirping really loud at like 4:00am!
We had a beautiful view of the Snake River and very convenient access to it (this is the view from my grandma's backyard) there are steps that lead right down to it.


I did worry often about my kids drowning!

There was a huge yard for my kids to play in!

We got to go boating!
Cade got to go tubing behind the boat for his first time! Here he is with his Aunt Brittany.

Ambree went tubing behind the boat for her first time too! Here she is with her daddy! Yes, I was a little nervous!

Ambree loved this and didn't want to get off!
We decided to go on a little hike up by a lake and have a picnic.

Unfortunately there was snow blocking the road, so the hike started a little earlier than planned!

We had fun anyway! Nothing like hiking in snow while wearing shorts and T-shirts! :)

We enjoyed the beautiful scenery!

And found a trail without snow!
Cade pooped while we were hiking.

Fortunately he was wearing a pull up.

Unfortunately I didn't have an extra one with me.

Fortunately, we were close enough to our starting point for my sisters to run back to our car to get one.

Unfortunately, there were not trashcans around, so I had to carry the poopy diaper with me on the rest of the hike.

Fortunately I did have a zip lock bag to put it in!

We had lots of fun with family! My dad, Dennis, Ambree, me!

The whole trail wasn't snow free, however. My cousin lost her shoe on the way and I rescued it for her!
Ambree was able to practice her modeling skills!

And so did Craig! ;)

We did a little kayaking!

One of the kayaks got a hole in it!


No, Ambree didn't really wear this life jacket . . . she was just playing with it!

The picnic after the hike happened to be the meal that Craig and I were in charge of.

We bought the food, packed it up, loaded it in the car, carried it to the picnic tables on the trail, and right before we were going to eat, a storm came, so we decided to pack up the uneaten food, take it back to the car, drive home, unpack the food, and then we ate the food in the same kitchen that we packed it up the first time . . . if only we had known, we could have saved ourselves a lot of time!

We had a fun talent show and talked about memories of Grandpa Williams.

Right before it was time to leave my kids found a mud puddle . . . Once again!

We made a lot of good memories and can't wait to go back next year! Gotta love Family Reunions!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Just Another Day in Paradise?

I finally had a "free" day today. Free is a very loose way to put it, but basically I had no errands to run and no place I had to be. Sooo, I decided to use today to catch up on laundry, clean bathrooms, prepare my talk for Sunday, and to do all the other tasks that raising children involves. Well, as I sit here (taking a break) I have showered, but still no make up, the bathrooms are still dirty, the laundry is half way folded and laying on my bed, and I haven't even attempted the talk! The funny thing is, I have been "working" all day! So, what is it that I have done you ask?

Worked out, made breakfast, cleaned up breakfast, gave the kids baths, got the kids dressed, showered and got myself dressed, did this one's hair . . .

Worked on keeping this one's underwear dry and poop free . . . an ongoing task! I still clean up messes daily!


Tried to keep this one's diaper and pants on . . . she has discovered how to take them off on her own . . . at least there wasn't any poop involved in this one . . . let the FUN begin!
Found this one's hair, that I worked so hard on earlier in the day, looking like this after her nap . . . really what is the point?

Made lunch, cleaned up lunch, played with the kids for a while, cleaned up various messes, did some laundry, did the dishes, made a veggie tray for a family dinner tonight, and now here I sit.

Many people ask when we will have another child and I say, "when I can keep up with these two", but I am beginning to think that may never happen, so why not have another?! Then I see this picture of when I was pregnant with Ambree and my uterus hurts just from looking at it!

Why oh why would I ever want to put myself through that again? I guess there is the positive side to parenting (what was that again)? Oh, and the commandment thing! Maybe we will try for another one after all . . . some day! Oh, by the way this is NOT an announcement! LOL!

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Ambree's 2!!

Ambree turned 2 on June 23! She shares her birthday with her Great Grandpa Poulter, her Great Great Grandma Clegg, and President Hinckley! A little document of the festivities . . .

The Shirt . . .



The Girl . . .
The Cake . . .

The Presents . . .



The Cake being devoured . . .
The Family . . .




What more could you ask for?! Ambree seemed to have a lot of fun, so I guess the party was a success!
A few things about Ambree:
  • She is very social and will go to anyone.
  • She loves to have a good time and is always on the go.
  • She loves Dora.
  • She loves to sing really loud.
  • She has no fear of things like fire, water, fast rides, people, etc.
  • She talks a lot.
  • She loves blankets and to cuddle.
  • She is a great sleeper and sometimes asks for her nap.
  • She loves the color pink.
  • She loves to wear shoes and her swimming suit.
  • She loves to go to nursery.
  • She loves corn on the cob, fresh raspberries, and marshmallows.
  • She is the life of the party.
  • She is very independent and wants to do everything herself.

Happy Birthday Sweetie . . . We love you!!