Electronic/mechanical/technological (whatever you want to call it) stuff . . .

I love all the luxuries that we have these days, such as computers, digital cameras, video cameras, etc. but they can sure be a pain when they don't work properly! This past couple months we haven't had very good luck with a lot of our electronic/ mechanical/ technological (what ever you want to call it) stuff! It seems like it is just one thing after another that is causing us time and money to get fixed! Luckily some of it has been covered under warranty, but not everything. . . Here is a list of the various things we have been having problems with:

Video Camera- Would just show a black screen, even when the cap was off!

New Digital Camera- Wouldn't turn on and we just got it new in February!

Portable DVD player- Stopped working and it's not even a year old yet!

Portable CD player- Stopped playing CD's two days ago . . . it just makes a clicking sound!

Computer- Froze and needed $100.00 worth of something to fix it!

Car- Needed some flushes and oil change, brake stuff, and the locks fixed . . . a grand total of $600.00

My watch- Craig got me a nice Fossil watch for Valentines day and I lost it at our family reunion in Idaho (has anyone seen it)? I guess that problem was my own fault!

I guess along with these luxuries of life, also comes the money, time and effort that it takes to repair them and keep them in good condition. Sometimes I think maybe it would be easier to live without all of this stuff to worry about, but then I think of not being able to just pop in a CD to listen to, or having to travel across the plains with my children in a covered wagon and no portable DVD player to keep them entertained, and no digital camera and computer to do my blogging with, and I decide that all the hoopla involved with the electronic/ mechanical/ technological (whatever you want to call it) stuff is worth it in the end!


Does this look like a family that could handle life without all this electronic/ mechanical/ technological (whatever you want to call it) stuff? We can't even take a family picture without our children fighting over an ice cream cone! Craig and I thought we are taking a cute family picture . . . little did we know what was going on between us . . . silly kids!

What were you two doing?

Maybe the kiss at the pool wasn't their first kiss after all! Lindsay sent me this picture that she took of these two while we were at the Children's Museum a few days before the pool. . . Cade looks guilty and Brooklyn looks giddy! What are we going to do with these two!?

Young Love . . .

Do you remember when you started having crushes? I don't remember much from when I was as young as these two kiddos, but I do remember having crushes in the first grade! Although I had the crushes, I was very shy and never acted out on them, and I never ever told a soul! I actually never even admitted to liking a boy until I was in the seventh grade. Apparently my son does not take after me . . . . . .

Cade and Brooklyn Palmer were pretty much inseparable while we were at the pool today! Here they are having a very deep conversation, but apparently not deep enough . . .


They decided that they had to be face to face to have "eye contact" and a more meaningful conversation about their future . . . after all, their families will be going their separate ways in only 10 short weeks!

Ohhh, even closer now! It is very obvious that this separation will definitely take it's toll on the two little love birds. I know Cade is 1 year and 7 months younger than this little lady, but after all, his daddy is 1 year and 4 months younger than me, so he knows it could work! They so desperately want to hug one another but those darned floaties are in the way . . . If only they were older and could swim on their own!


After enjoying her dip in the pool, Brooklyn decides to dry off in her towel. It appears, however, that Cade doesn't enjoy the pool quite as much without her in it, and so he follows her to her chair. Obviously Brooklyn doesn't mind this a bit and proceeds to whisper sweet nothings into Cade's ear. By the look on Cade's face, he doesn't seem to mind either . . .

Oh, what is this . . . it looks like Cade's first KISS (from someone other than family)! Good girl, Brooklyn for keeping it on the cheek! We still want to keep Cade young and innocent for quite sometime now . . . at least until he is old enough to go to the bathroom in a toilet on his own, sleep in something other than a crib, not need a car seat or booster seat, and can eat without getting food all over everything, including himself! LOL!


In order to make sure Cade doesn't escape before the kiss is complete, Brooklyn does the old "hold the cheek" maneuver . . . wonder where she learned this from? Ha Ha! It worked, Cade stayed there as long as she wanted . . . wonder where he learned that from!? Ha Ha!

After Cade warmed up from being in the sun and from that wonderful kiss, I guess he needed to cool off again! He definitely looks pleased with himself . . . oh wait . . . it actually looks like he is giving Brooklyn the eye and that smile as a way of inviting her to go back into the water with him! With the way the day has gone so far, I'm sure she will oblige! Awww, young love!

I Love Surprises!!

A few months ago, I mentioned to Craig that Tim Mc Graw and Faith Hill were going to be doing their "Soul to Soul" Tour in Anaheim at the Honda Center. He isn't as big of a Country Music fan as I am, and just smiled and said, "Do you want to go to it?" After thinking about it for a while I just thought it would probably be way too expensive and didn't mention it again.

Well, on Saturday night Craig and I decided to get a babysitter and go on a date to celebrate the end of his first rotation . . . yay! When we were talking about what to do, Craig said that he wanted to plan

it and surprise me! Since I really like surprises (especially from my hubby) I said that sounded great! Anyway, as I'm sure you have guessed by now, he took me the Tim and Faith, Soul to Soul Concert! What a good surprise! And what a good husband! We were pretty far away from the stage, but it was still a lot of fun to be there with my hubby and NO KIDS!! Check out some of the pictures from the concert . . . . . . . .

Zoo Fun!?

A little over a week ago I took my kiddos to the Santa Ana Zoo with a group of girlfriends and their kiddos. It was fun to get out and visit with friends, but I just don't think I am a huge fan of zoos, or animals in general. I mean, they are OK, but I just don't understand why people like to stand in the sun and stare at them, and pay to do it . . . for the kids, I guess (that's why I do it). Here are a few pics. from our adventure. . .

Cade's Negotiations: This is not actual conversation that we had, although, I did tell him a few times not to climb on the rails. This is pretty typical of conversations that we have very often, without the do whatever you want part at the end (even though sometims that's what I feel like saying just because I get sick of repeating myself over and over again). Cade is quite the negotiator!

Me: "Cade, please don't climb on that rail . . . you might fall."

Me: "How about climbing on this turtle instead . . . see, isn't that fun?"

Cade: "Uh, it's OK mom, but what if I just step down a little on the rail . . . that will be safer."

Me: "I still don't think that's very safe . . . let's go take a cute picture of you and Ambree in that egg over there . . . that looks like fun."

Cade: "Look mom, what if I squat down like this . . . that will be very safe."

Me: "Cade, please get down, I don't want to have to tell you again."

Cade: "Oh, come on mom, everyone else is doing it!"

Me: "I give up, just do whatever you want."

Ambree's Thoughts: Yes, I can read minds . . . OK, not really, but I'll bet this is what Ambree was thinking!

Uhhh, mom, this isn't quite my idea of having fun . . . how about letting Cade climb some rails and you can take some pictures of me with those cute goats over there!"

All right, which one of you goats wants to get a picture taken with me?

I choose . . . you!

Oh no . . . you get back here! Now that I've got your ear, there is no escaping!

OK . . . now look over there at the camera and smile. Don't forget to show your eyes . . . oh well, I guess your name and nose are better than nothing!

Kids say the darndest things . . .

Some funny conversations I've had with Cade lately. . .

Me: Wow, I have a lot to do today.
Cade: Do you need any help?
Me: That's OK, just keep coloring and then we need to run some errands.

Short pause in conversation . . .

Me: If I did need your help, would you help me?
Cade(after a serious look, like he was in deep thought): No.

Funny how at the first of our conversation I thought he was so sweet and at the end, uh, not so much! LOL!
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Cade: Mom, I hurt my leg pit.
Me: Your what?
Cade: My leg pit.
Me: What's that?
Cade (while pointing to the part of your leg behind your knee, that bends): You know, this part right here.
Me: Why do you call that a leg pit?
Cade: Because, mom, it's just like the armpit!

Well, not exactly, but I guess he has reason. . . what is that part of the body really called? I guess leg pit works! LOL!
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Cade (while pointing at a dump truck on his puzzle): Look mom, this dump truck has yellow dump in it!
Me: Yep, it sure does!

I guess if a cement truck carries cement, and a garbage truck carries garbage, a dump truck must carry dump . . . right?

Hi, my name is Trenda Poulter and I am a READER!

Throughout my life I have NEVER been what you would call, a "reader". I don't think I ever read a novel, cover to cover until I had a children's literature class in College. What about all the assigned reading throughout High School, and other college classes? I faked my way through it! I read movies, I skimmed really well, and skipped pages, I looked at Cliff Notes, I talked to others who had read it, etc. At the time I didn't think much of it, but now I will admit it, I basically cheated! Anyway, when I had Cade almost three years ago, the first "Work and the Glory" movie came out, and I wanted to know what happened next! Since I was nursing Cade, and therefore sitting around a lot, I decided to start reading the second volume in the series, and I loved it! Since then, I have read every volume in that series, which are waaaaaay better than the movies . . . they don't even compare! I've also read a series called, "Children of the Promise" by Dean Hughes, and just recently finished another series by Dean Hughes, "Hearts of the Children". Throughout the last few years I have also read other novels here and there (most, courtesy of Lindsay . . . thanks again), and I think I would call myself a "reader" now! Weird! If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would read all these books for my own personal enjoyment, and actually like it, I would have laughed in your face! Anyway, about these two series by Dean Hughes, they are about an LDS family (Thomas Family). The first series takes place in the 40's, during World War 2, and the second series is about the same family in the 60's, during the Vietnam War. Throughout all these books, of course I really got to know these characters, and would think about them throughout the day and wonder what was going to happen and if they would be ok, etc. Now that I am done with the series, I am having with drawls! I feel like some of my good friends have moved away, and they are not keeping in touch with me! It looks like I need to find some new books/friends and get to know them! Any recommendations? I really like Historical Fiction, if you haven't guessed! My favorites are about the wars, church history, and the Holocaust. I dont' feel like I am wasting quite as much time if I am learning thing as well. . . don't get me wrong, now and then, I do like fictional novels as well.