Most Popular Song

Here is a site that lists the number one song on any given day. It is really cool to look up what song was popular when you were born, first met spouse, married, concieved kids, kids birthday's, or whatever! Here are some of our highlights!

Brian's Birthday: "Centerfold" by J. Geils Band
Marilee's Birthday: "Abracadabra" by Steve Miller Band
Isa's Birthday: "Do I Make You Proud" by Taylor Hicks
Layla's Birthday: "My Boo" by Usher and Alicia Keys
(I think this is cute because we call her Layla Boo)

First Met: "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112
Brian left on Mission: "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child
Mission Return: "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z

Married: "Hey Ya!" by OutKast
10 yr Anniversary: "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's

To check out your dates go to Flashback Charts

Just for Fun!

Okay so last night Brian and I collectively wrote my creative writing assignment for humanities. I really wanted to dust off my favorite old story and tweek it just a little but instead I was honest and wrote something new but on the very same topic. Here it is hope you enjoy!

Memorial


My first day of school in ‘88
There was one just two seats down
The very next summer, when school was out
A whole family of them moved into town

Soon after, I started middle school
They appeared to mulitply
I assumed it must just be a fad
And I hoped it soon would die

So I waited it out through the rest of school
While it started getting great names
Like the “Tennesse Tophat” and the Billy Ray “do”
And basked in its hour of fame

It was then that I started beauty school
Believing it soon would be gone
But to my dismay and disbelief
It filled the entire salon

Now 20 years since my initial viewing
This style has been seen everywhere
In tabloids, in music, and Hollywood too
Is it me or does no one else care

Though now it’s diminished in most peoples eyes
And children need no longer fear
The world can’t forget that not long ago
That horrible MULLET was here

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home!"

In case you missed my subtle movie reference... I am counting done the days until I go home from my birthday. I am not so excited to turn 26 but I am happy that I will be in my favorite place when I do. There are a lot of beautiful places I've been and even more that I want to visit. But nothing beats the feeling of being home. Though my parents how live in Kansas (hence the reference) it is still Kansas City with the millions of things I love about HOME! So if I am absent from the world or am spending way too much time on the computer it is cause finals are coming and I am getting stressed. At least I will spend some quality time with family and friends and I can count down the days on my hands!

Good News!

Isa's test results have come back from her EEG and everything looks normal. So now we just wait. If she is seizure free than great but if she has another one then we will have to start her on meds. The good news is that she hasn't had a seizure in two months now which is the longest she has gone. So hopefully those were just weird flukes and she has outgrown this phase. Wish us luck and we will pray for the best!

Our budding Model!

Here are my favorite pictures of Isabel. She was my model for my photography assignment and just loved every minute of our little photo shoot. She is so full of personality that I am glad a caught just a glimpse of her many faces!

Loving Nature!

My sweet little Isabel

As most of you know little Isa has been the healthy kid in our family of early birds. Recently though she has been having seizures. We took her to the doctor and they referred her to a neurologist. He then had her have a EEG done. She really was a trooper. After blood work, EEG, cat scan and many other tests we are still as clueless as before. But luckily since we went to the doctor she has been seizure free. I have learned that in life there are trials waiting behind corners everywhere I go. And that in my life when it rains it pours. But I think that for the first time I am ready for what life is throwing at me because I have a grounded testimony and understanding that I AM NOT ALONE. Without this knowledge I don't know if I could possibly have made it out sane from the last 6 years. So I hope that all of you have that same assurance but if not then work to get it. There isn't anything that will help you be happy more than knowing for yourself the plan for life and that you are never alone.

Anyways enough of that serious talk here is a cute picture of Isa during her most recent test!

I actually learned something in school!

Okay like I said before, this semester has been crazy but if only one good thing comes of my hard work it will be the fact that I have learned to take MUCH BETTER photos. We had a photography assignment where we had to do four different types of photos. I really am proud of myself (so don't comment unless you have something nice to say cause my self-esteem is getting a bit small these days with stress).

Depth of Field
(aka close up shot with blur in distance)

p.s. this is my favorite new way of shooting!!

Action

Landscape

Portrait

Blogging Slacker!

Okay so I have a really good excuse for not posting anything in weeks... I am actually in school. I know who would think that I would randomly go back to school after 2 years. But with Brian getting ready to finish up here at BYU-Idaho I thought I should take some time for myself and learn something other than the best way to get out grape juice stains. Anyways I am enjoying classes and learning a lot but man it is a fast little session and I am totally exhausted everyday. I barely getting my homework done and finding a few minutes to spend with Brian everyday. The house is usually a mess when he gets home from work and not much better when I leave for school in the morning. And oh my gosh I haven't been ready for the day by 7:30 this many days in a row in YEARS!

But I am enjoying taking some time for myself. I probably won't attempt to take on these short terms EVER AGAIN but I have learned that I need to spend more time thinking about me and cultivating my interests and desires. I love being a stay-at-home mom but this mom needs to remember who she was before the kids and the never ending potty training. So sorry for the lack of posts but if I can I will take some time to put up some pictures and until the end of the month I hope everyone is having a good summer!

Getting better at the splash park!

So the Girls are total girly girls and don't like to get into the cold water at the park. Slowly over the course of the summer we have been working on getting them to go down the slide. However this might take the rest of the summer to get them to enjoy it, we have gottan them to at least play in the water and get wet while still having fun!

4th of July

Ohh to be a kid again!

Okay so I am totally not the cool mom I want to be because I am still not good at coming up with fun things to do everyday. I swear we do the same thing over and over everyday. I am not surprised that the girls get bored, I get bored. But when my mom came out I remembered how to just make it up as you go. This is just a picture of the girls getting turned into a mummy together and then they attempted to walk. Suddenly looking at this picture again I thought of three legged races and running with spoons in the grass. Nobody tells you that when you become a mom you also have to become a game specialist! But keeping two toddlers happy and excited day in and day out you must be able to come up with a new game at least 2 times a week.

So to all moms out there thinking I am bored too... lets all just try to come up with at least one new game every two weeks and then SHARE so we all don't die of boredom. I mean I love hide and seek but after playing for a year there just aren't any new places to hide.

All dressed up!

After church we actually got a few pictures of everyone in their Sunday best! The best is that we got a few pictures of Brian and I which never happens!

Jackson Hole

Saturday we went to Jackson Hole. The girls had a blast and it was nice to get out of Rexburg for the day. Here are some of our highlights!

Running around with Grandparents

The girls and I loved to have Grandma and Grandpa here because we actually got out of the house and did stuff all the time. The girls love the park and are even warming up to the splash park these days. Anyways the girls had a blast running round while having Nana and Papa tell them how cute they were. They went into show off mode for sure! It was cute and we had a blast. As for Grandma and Grandpa, I think they finally realised why I sound exhausted every time they call. Girls this active wear you out. I can't imagine having boys!

Happy Birthday Isabel!!!!

Isa had her 2ND birthday hence the random trip from my parents! It was a small party just family and her best friend Addi. Seriously besides Layla this is her best friend in the whole world. It really is fun for me because I remember being little and having my best friend Mary. We were seriously the same. We spend all our time at each others houses pretty much EVERY DAY! I really hope that they remember this time once we have all moved on from this stage in life and move out of Rexburg. As much as I want to leave and go to a bigger city and be closer to my family I am happy we are here cause I love that the girls and me have such wonderful friends just a dozen steps away!

The girls decided that opening presents was more of a group effort so they all worked together to open the present from the Clews Family. Needless to say it is a present for all and man do they use it. The girls have dancing time everyday when they just twirl around in princess dresses pretending to be at a ball. The music is driving me nuts but it is fun to watch them in their own little world.

Like the pretty cake, that would be a wonderful homemade cake... yeah right! This was a no stress party so this cake is complements of Broulims Grocery!

What do you remember?

This is a fun tag that allows me to share with all my friends meaningful memories we've had together! My friend had it on her blog and I thought it was great. So here are your instructions-

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me 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 me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Have fun reading all the cool things that people remember about you and sharing your favorite memories with your friends.

LOVING PAPA!!!!!

"It's always fun when Grandpa comes, when Grandpa comes Hooray!!!
He always says the kindest things and in the kindest way!He has a wrinkly, crinkly smile he's happy all the day!
It's always fun for everyone when Grandpa comes!"
The girls just love their Papa, almost as much as I love him. It was so great to spend time with my dad. The girls from the first moment were attached to his hip. And since he has left the song above (by the way those are words to a primary song) has been all they sing when we are outside playing! I can't wait until September to go out and see my parents in Kansas!!!!

Long awaited update!

I know that you all have been stalking our blog and wondering if we were ever going to post anything new. Well you will be happy to see that we have a dozen posts to check up on for your viewing pleasure! Anyways it will probably take me all day and night long to finish since today and laundry day. But keep posted for all of our fun happenings and stories of life with two DRAMATIC GIRLS!

Craigo's Pizza Again

The girls were so excited for our "special visitors" that were coming that we decided to get them out of the house and away from cleaning for a little while. And of course the girls wanted to go to Craigo's for some pizza!