My Sweet Niece

My sister-in-law asked me to take some pics of her baby, my niece, McKenna. I warned her that in no way should she expect a professional, and it's a good thing because the ENTIRE photo session was taken with the ISO set at 800. Not good. I broke one of the major rules of photography. CHECK YOUR SETTINGS. Before they had come over Saturday morning I was fiddling with the settings on the camera because it was still slightly overcast, which is great if you're shooting outside, but not so great when we were planning to shoot mostly inside. And since I'm no photographer, hence no studio, I was trying to find the right settings for the light that was coming into my house. Unfortunately, I never changed it back to what it should have been. I really have no idea if the resolution is going to be good enough to enlarge to larger size photos, but we'll see. The smaller sizes look pretty good. But I'm just partial cause she's my niece and I think she's adorable!
I want to share a couple of my favorite, but go easy on me because a. I'm not a real photographer, and b. i don't have real photoshop software. Okay, that said....




The above photo I was going for an ethereal quality, because the light from my front window was streaming in. But again, always check your settings. I have learned my lesson. I suppose this looks slightly vintage-ey, but I don't think the resolution will be good enough to blow it up. I may have to make the poor girl pose again.

(Just a side note, after we picked her up to change locations, we discovered she'd peed and it had pooled underneath her. That's the chances you take when you photo a bebe naked. Poor bebe!






There is something about baby feet. There's just the cutest things to photo!

Po, Po Doggie

Some of you may already have heard this, but I'm writing this down so I'll have the memory forever. Well, as long as the paper it's printed on will last. Sorry if you've heard this, but it's just too funny to not share.

It's always an anxious moment when all is quiet and Zak is outside with the dog. In fact, we try not to allow Zak quiet moments with the dog cause we're just not sure what he's come up with. He's never mean, but he can get quite creative with the things he and the dog do. For instance, my mantra goes something like this:

"Zak, put the dog down; don't touch the dog while he's eating; Let the dog go potty by himself!!(this is a particular favorite as I am so COMPLETELY against fecal matter of any kind); don't put the dog in the BBQ; don't pick the dog up by the head; let the dog be alone; don't lay on the dog; don't bury the dog under the blankets; don't put the dog in the hamper." You get the idea. Well, I now have to add just one more. Here's how it went down:

I had let the dog out to do his business one evening a couple of days ago. Zak HAD to go out too. Whatever right? I was busy cooking dinner and I just wanted to get it done without burning it. As I finish cooking, I realize that it's fairly quiet. Now remember what I said- ALL IS NOT WELL WHEN IT'S QUIET. Okay- so I yell for Teaghan to just check on the dog and make sure that Zak is being nice. She walks out the back door and then comes running back in and says, "Mom, the dog is wet." I'm wondering how the dog could possibly get wet, maybe Zak turned on the hose. So we walk out onto the patio and there's no water from the hose. Truly perplexed now, I ask Zak how the dog got wet. The standard response was forthcoming: "I don't know." I happen to glance down at my son and notice that his pants are crooked, that the waist is all turned over and tucked in. Are you clued in yet as to what happened?
I then ask Zak if he pee-peed outside, to which his response was, "yes." Now, I don't know if he purposely peed ON the dog, or if the dog ran through the stream, but as Zakry thinks that if the dog can pee outside then so can he, I imagine we're going to have other episodes of the dog getting urinated on.
SIGN ME UP!!
So I have decided that I am going to name any and all stories 'The Dog Chronicles.' One never knows what will happen when two toddlers plus one puppy get together.

Soccer

It is so much fun to watch one of your children learn something new. Especially when they're very young. That's how we've felt watching Andon learn soccer. He's been taking this techniques class where they learn the proper way to kick and dribble, etc. He absolutely loves it! And what's more, he's not afraid to get out and try.

The class is made up and 3 1/2 to 4 year olds so it is the cutest age to watch them try to dribble and play this game. Some are shy and it takes a moment to coax them to play and some are just gung ho ready. The latter group my son falls into. He's answering questions, the first to 'tag' the coach, and just making us laugh. The other families around us would laugh at the things he would say and do. However, Andon hasn't quite mastered the art of "NO HANDS." Ah well, one can't be expected to rule the soccer world just yet.


Here they are before starting. Aren't they so cute?!!



The man in the hat is Coach Adam and his assistant. (I forget his name. I'm rather good at that.) Coach Adam is amazing! He relates to these boys so well. He does games with them that are really different forms of drills, just age appropriate. I was somewhat surprised that he could command their attention like he did.
He was talking about a animals and how he himself had a dog. Then he'd show them something with the soccer ball and the kids would mimic it. Then he asked him what animal was even bigger and faster. Andon yells out, "YOU'RE DOG!" This illicited quite a few chuckles as Coach was actually talking about a cheetah and being fast like a cheetah. (ie dribbling the ball quicker)

This was actually warm ups. He was having the kids chase him and yelling "GOTCHA!"








Look at the concentration on this face!






I can't wait to go watch him next week!!

More Climbing Pics

I can't believe I didn't include these in the last post! Perhaps I meant to, but by the time everything was loaded I had spent WAY too long on the computer. Some of you have seen the boys right after the climb and thus don't need to scroll through these couple of photos, cause really, real life has much more drama than these pictures. They were absolutely FILTHY!!! In fact, I thought I had taken a picture of Zak with all the dirt CRUSTED ONTO HIS FACE. But, alas, I hadn't, so you'll just have to envision his face more dirty than the picture. The joke was that he'd suddenly turned into a child of another race. HE WAS THAT FILTHY!!! I kid you not. But whatever. The boys just like dirt. What can I say?

Rock Climbing

This past Saturday Jeremy Judd took us up to the mountains for some rock climbing fun. Troy and Carter Mattson went with us. It actually was a lot harder than I had anticipated. The kids went first. Teaghan was afraid of heights so she didn't go up all the way. Britt got 3/4 of the way and then freaked out, and Andon got about half way before Jeremy had to go up and get him down.










This is Andon.





Carter, however, scaled the mountain like he was Spiderman, and he's only 5!




I was so proud that they even tried!! Next came the adults. Doug and Troy went first and both finished.










Then there left me. How could I not go all the way when both the 'boys' did? SUCH PRESSURE!! Of course, when Jeremy said he wasn't going to let any of us down until we'd climbed it to the top, it sort of makes you push yourself.

Did I make it?





I SURE DID!! And I couldn't be more proud of myself. That was a tough climb, especially when I haven't been in 12 YEARS!!
(one doesn't notice how big one's bottom is until one wears a harness! Holy cow!)

Thanks Jeremy for taking us!

A little R & R

I just got back from three fantastic days with my best friend/lover/my whole world. Thanks be to Coleen and Erik and Grandma Collette for watching my kids and making it possible.
As I was making arrangements to leave, and listing things of what I needed to do, who I needed to talk to, and what I needed to buy before leaving for San Fran, I realized something. In order for me to "get away," there was an inordinate amount of stuff to be done and schedules to be juggled. All just for me to leave for 3 days! I realized that, by golly, I am important! Without me, this whole family thing would just... fall apart! No really though, it takes a lot of rearranging. OTHER people have to rearrange their schedules so that I can get away. And that, my friends, is priceless!
I really do have amazing family members!
Doug had CPE training to keep up his CPA license in San Francisco. Yeah, go look up those abbreviations. He wanted me to go with him, and luckily it worked out that I could! The first day, while Doug went off to class, I watched two movies, jumped on the bed (yeah, that's right, and it felt ridiculously great!), tried to avoid crazy-psycho-guy trying to pick me up! (Why do I always feel like I have to be nice when this happens? Is it because I don't want them to feel the sting of rejection? I've learned my lesson though. Smiling politely only ENCOURAGES them!!), and I got lost. Downtown San Fran can be very confusing when you're direction challenged. I finally made it to Union Square, did a little shopping, and tried to make it back to the hotel. But I couldn't find the hotel!! I know what you're thinking- "How can you not see a BIG ole hotel?" Well, that's cause the door to the hotel was only ONE little front door, the advertising was spiddly, and I must have walked by it 100 times!! As I felt the blisters on my feet pop, cause I was stupid enough to wear fashionable sandals, I finally caved and walked into the post office to ask directions. What better place to ask directions than the post office! Am I right? Well, I was. He told me it was just on the corner over there yonder. Guess what? I STILL MISSED IT. That's how camoflauged the door is. Finally though I made, but not without wondering if I was going to have to sit on the corner with the panhandlers and wait for Doug to come and get me.
We saw the Giants play, spent $40 bucks on two hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, and ONE drink. I swear, the ball park prices should be considered un-american!
We went to the Exploratorium, cause I have never been. Spent three hours there and made our way over to the Golden Gate Bridge where we walked halfway across. You know, it's REALLY high. And I REALLY hate heights. I didn't use to, but the older I get the more paranoid and safe I get. I used to be quite the daredevil, but some internal part of me decided that it really liked its organs, and preferably still working.
We ate out, and if you know me, this would be vacation enough. I DIDN'T HAVE TO COOK!!!
Doug spent the last day in class again and then we headed home. The last hour and a half spent in the car was horrible!! The A/C in the car quit. QUIT. On the HOTTEST day of the summer thus far!! We were so hot driving home, cause even the WIND was scorching, that we soaked our clothes just sweating. Our faces were red, and before we could head over to Back to School night at the middle School, we had to stop at Target and change. And cool off!
But it was so nice to get away and not have to worry about anyone but myself and Doug. The hotel was old and charming, even though they really should think about enlarging their door. It really was wonderful!!!
No, no pictures. We thought about bringing it, but then decided not to. Of course we regretted it right away. I mean, sheesh! No one goes anywhere without their camera anymore. It's like leaving without your purse or cell phone.

New Addition/Edition

Here's the newest addition to the family. No, I'm not prego and really, that would take a miracle not seen since the likes of Moses. No, this ones not as demanding, can feed itself, put itself to bed, and entertain itself, for the most part. However, he whimpers and cries at night like nobody's business!!

We waited 8 weeks for this little guy!

Introducing ARCHIBALD VON NIBBLES
or ARCHIE for short. I tent to shorten even nicknames so he's now become Arch. How sad is that. Ah well, that's just who I am.




Isn't this just the cutest face?!! I've so fallen in love with this dog it's mildly pathetic. I'm the one who dragged my feet for years about getting a pet. ANY PET. Well, there was the goldfish 6 years ago. But you know what happens to goldfish right? I finally relented. And in doing so, this little boy has found it's way into my heart. I just love him!



What kind of dog is he? He's a Dauchsand. If I wasn't so lazy I'd go look up the spelling on his pedigree chart. But alas, I am. In layman's terms, he's a short hair, black and tan weiner dog. And he is adorable! He's extremely playful, has such a great personality, prances like he's a deer, and loves hair. And I love to watch his back end. It's like watching a cross between a bowlegged cowboy and a pitbull. I tell ya, that little touchie is sooo cute! I'll have to wait for another post to show you. The light's gotta be just right. (JK!)

Thanks to Aaron and Melissa for letting us take one of their puppies home! We're so going to enjoy being his family.


On another note, I meant to post these a week ago. This is Andon and his cousin/best friend Treven. They went on their first train ride, Amtrak, with Grandma and Uncle Erik down to San Fran. THey rode BART and a bus and they thought it was the most fun! I just love these two! Even though Treven isn't mine, I so love him like he is. I'm thrilled that they're the same age and like each other. Way to go guys!

I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES

I don't know if you've noticed any of the links that I have on the side bar, but if you have you'll know that one of the sites I LOVE is called Cake Wrecks. Side note: My sister in law put me onto this blog when there were just one or two commentors. Now it's up to 175 comments on each post and I'm still happy to contribute my two cents. Today was no different. I always go to Cake Wrecks whenever there is a new wreck to look at. Believe me, there are some real humdingers and I'm ALWAYS looking for a good laugh! So as I'm checking out the newest post today on Cake Wrecks, I was scrolling through the comment section to see what people thought about it. I didn't find too much to say about it so I didn't comment, but if I do comment, I never leave my URL address. It's just simply Kristin. Again, as I was scrolling through the comments, one particular commentor caught my interest. His name is GI POO. I thought, oh an enlisted man. I have a soft spot for anyone who defends our country, so I decided to have a look. Now keep in mind that I was expecting to see some pictures of an enlisted man that his wife had posted, or just something cute like that. I know what you're thinking, "poor naive Kristin." I know, I really can be quite the innocent.

That is so not what I saw.

It's sort of like viewing a train wreck. Your forehead crinkles, you think you see something bad, but you just can't seem to stop looking. And then you realize what you're seeing. This was just like that. I was so grossed out that I found myself trying to click the back button without looking at the pictures. GI Poo can literally be taken as just that. POO, PEOPLE!!! Oh my gosh!! Holy crap! Except that there's nothing holy about it! I can hardly believe that somebody would actually take a picture of their various bathroom excursions. I have the heebie jeebies and the gag reflex going as the memories come back, and I only looked at the first picture!
As I was fumbling with the mouse, trying desperately to vacate this blog, my eye strayed to the upper left hand corner, to a picture located there. I won't tell you what I saw, but if you want to sneek a peak cause you're daring like that and you're curiosity got the better of you, or if you just have a stronger stomach than the rest of us weak stomach weaklings, then have at it. If you're one who has a fairly resilient stomach, check and see if there are any comments. I'm really interested to see what feedback this fool/idiot/too much time on his hands is getting. I may just have you leave one on behalf of me. Honestly, I think we ought to man a coalition to dump this guy. Oops, no pun inteded!!! LOL!

This is probably a guy who can belch the star spangled banner in one breath, who picks his nose and then with his teeth retrieves it from his fingernail, who thinks farting is how you claim your space as a MAN, and who's hero in Homer Simpson. AHHH, bet you that's true!

Beware: gagging may come on in convulsions here.

Have you viewed it yet? Can you stop gagging enough to read this, or are you just back from running to your toilet to upchuck?

Prop 8

I've had many moments in my life where I was afraid or nervous, or usually both. Saturday was one of them. Me and Doug were asked to go walk the neighborhood and take a poll as to how people were apt to vote on Proposition 8 come November. I know that in no way is this being put out there as a religious thing, but it has religious roots for me. Anytime I've talked religion I've never been sure what the response will be. I suppose I'm just a big chicken when it comes to sharing the gospel. If I'm asked, then I have no problem, but if someone confronts me wanting a debate I've usually given them one. That was when I was younger and more passionate about being right. Now, I just want the message to go across and the person can take it or leave it. How does this apply to yesterday's walk?

Well, I was super anxious because this is such a touchy subject for soooo many people, and I wasn't sure if people would share their opinions about it. But they did. At least the ones that answered their doors. We even started closer to 10am so that they would be dressed! But that's a side note. It was very interesting the response we got. I think we talked to maybe 5 people and some spouses, and the response was mostly in favor of Prop 8. One married couple who is expecting their first baby in a couple of months said that he was for it, but his wife was not. That may make for interesting conversation! In fact, there were a lot of married couples that had different political party affiliations. But I digress.

I was so nervous so we said a prayer and I told Doug he could do most of the talking and I'd just follow up. That seemed to work really well. He told me that this was just a small taste of what the missionaries go through. I didn't serve a mission but I have more empathy for those who do, who brave the heat and take it on the cuff when people gun for them. We only had one lady yell at us, so it went way better than I had anticipated. I always anticipate the worst! I don't know why I do that. I was reminded of my husband's fortitude yesterday. Even though he was nervous too, he took the initiative and talked to people. I felt like this was a little window into what he was like on his mission. There was one house we went to that had two guys in the front driveway, working on a car. My first thought was that they could possibly be gay and I wanted to hightail it down the driveway and not talk to them. But my husband walked right up to them and introduced himself and had a nice conversation. He eventually said no that he wouldn't vote for Prop 8 but he thanked us for our time. It was slightly awkward when we left, but Doug just walked back down the driveway, asked me what the next address was, and we went on. This just reminds me of what I saw in him when we first met. I love to be reminded of those traits that made me fall in love with him. Here's to you babe!

So thank you to those of you involved for giving us the call to go and do it. If felt so good to help! Sometimes, okay, a lot of the time, the Lord asks us to go out of our comfort zones and I've found that when I do, I learn something about myself. This time was no exception. So if anyone reads this that has an opportunity to help in the fight for this Prop to pass, please take it. You won't regret it!!

Journal Jar Prattle #4

"What jobs have you had during your life? When? Where? What did you do?"

I've always liked working. There's just something about doing a job well. And having my own money was always really cool when you're young. Think about it? Your parents pay your bills, feed and clothe you, etc, and so any money you have is yours to do what you want with.

How I long for those days. (Sigh)

I was always babysitting when I was young, but then the summer I turned 13 I became a sort of nanny. I would go over to the house at 7:30 in the morning, watch three kids all day, and go home about 3:30. I did that for two summers. Then I realized that there was more money to be made in an actual job-job, so I started working at 15 at a fast food resteraunt (sp?). A friend of mine got me the job. I didn't know it until after I was hired that the owner only hired girls to work the counter because he believed they attracted more customers. Hence the cooks, with the exception of one, were male. It was a tiny, one franchise store. There were 5 cashiers and three cooks. Next door was an Allied, sort of a home depot but on a lower budget scale. There were some cute guys that worked there that would come over for dinner. Maybe there was something to the my boss's idea that girls attracted more business! I worked there for two years. Granted it wasn't my dream job, but we pretty much ran the place ourselves, and it was a really entertaining job to say the least. I sometimes miss those Allied boys. LOL! I suppose I just miss my youth.

I then worked for TJ Max until I graduated high school. I was one of the other high schoolers who worked nights and weekends. Gosh that was fun too! We all got to be good friends and so would hang out after work sometimes. Mostly just a party a lot of the time! After a few months they moved me up to head cashier and I didn't have to do anything but hang out and chit chat at the service desk. It doesn't sound like that much fun, but when you're working with a bunch of kids from other high school, and the store was dead, it was tons of fun!

After my first year at Ricks I came back home and got a job at a local specialty boutique. That one wasn't nearly as fun. Maybe because I felt like I'd entered the real world somehow. She offered me a management job that I turned down to return to Ricks.

Then I got married and moved to Logan. There I worked at a research company. Within a year I was made a supervisor and then onto the assistant to the boss. Not exactly my dream job, but it paid the bills. A few months later, Doug graduated and we moved to California, and I haven't worked since!! Well, at least at a job I get paid for!

Gosh I miss a pay check! I wonder what my pay would be for taking care of 4 kids and being "my kids mom." (Dr. Laura) Any ideas? I think it would at least be in the $100k mark.

School Starts!

School starts today! It's so weird not having the girls home. I've gotten so used to having them around that the house seems very vacant. But then the boys start fighting and it doesn't seem so vacant anymore. Funny thing. I seem to always feel this empty nest, so to speak, when school starts, but when school lets out, that's a bit of a knock to the head too. Suddenly they're home ALL THE TIME, when I'm used to having them gone. Then as I'm used to having them home, they go back and are gone for the bulk of the day. Up and down, up and down. Life really is like a roller coaster! Whoever came up with that analogy was spot on. I wish I could be clever like that.

This year I think my schedule is going to be even busier. (Like I need more of that!) However, time does fly when you're having fun! Even though I'm busy, I do enjoy my life and its pace. Perhaps it just makes me appreciate the down time when I have it. Not only are the girls in school, but the boys are in speech. So between trying to coordinate carpool, dance schedules, school schedules, piano schedules (this one I actually enjoy!) and now speech, and whatever after school activities the girls decide to do, this year is going to fly.

Today was Teaghan's first day at Middle School. Why do I feel like I've thrown her to the wolves? As I pull up to drop her and Jacob off she says to me, "Mom, maybe you should come in." I told her I would, but I'd have to park. Plus, there were no other parents standing around, so I wasn't sure she wouldn't be embarrassed to have her mother walk her in. She says okay and then walks off. No backwards glance, no hug. Nothing. I know, it's so sad. But really, I think she was just so nervous that all she could think of was getting into school and finding her friends. She shouldn't have too much of a problem as they're all wearing the same shirt!

So I pulled out of the parking lot and am heading home but I just keep thinking about her and wondering if she made it okay, so I turn around, park and walk in with the boys in tow. I can't see her anywhere, so I just sort of walk around the front of the school, cause it's open campus, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but not wanting to walk into the middle of campus looking for her and possibly embarrassing her, so I just act like a fool and stand there with the boys. Like that's a whole lot less embarrassing! I finally see one of her friends mom's walk out and I ask her if she's seen Teaghan, and she said that she had, that all the girls had met up and were walking around. Whew! Now I could leave. The other mom had said that there was just a few parents over in the 6th grade area and that was it. She was feeling very conspicuous and her daughter was off with the other girls, so she decided to leave. I suppose we always want our kids to need us as much as we need them, but they seem to not need us the way that they used to. I suppose this is what I miss. Teag doesn't need me to walk her to her classroom. She doesn't need me to set up play dates. She doesn't need me to pack her lunch. My little girl is not so little anymore. Sure, she's still a kid, but she's not my baby anymore. She'll just need me in different ways. Hopefully she'll still want to talk to me about her day before she goes to sleep, or if someone hurt her feelings. Hopefully she'll need me to help her with her homework, though I don't know for how much longer, and most importantly, hopefully she'll just still need me. For something. For ANYTHING. Life has just gone by so darn fast that I feel like I'm running along a horse, holding onto the reigns, hoping that I can just slow it down. Luckily I'm not dragging my feet behind the horse anymore, trying to stop it. I suppose as one ages one gets a little more perspective. Fortunately I still have Britt that I can walk to school!

So with every year that goes by, and every grade the kids will go through, makes me appreciate the wonder of my children and the reality that they don't stay little forever. That every moment needs to be an opportunity, because every day goes by, every second counts down to the time when they no longer need you like they did when they were really little. I suppose this is why I get nostalgic when school starts, because it's one more year that they grow and get older. And thank heavens they do! To be able to watch my kids, especially the girls, grow and mature has been the most amazing thing to behold! I can't wait to see what they're like as young women. On second thought, maybe I can. I don't want to speed this up anymore than it already is!

Just a few More

I had to add these last pictures. I don't know if you can tell or not, but the one right below is a warning that you're standing on the edge of a cliff. We went and saw this lighthouse that hasn't been in operation since the 1960's. The original lightkeeper's house and his assistant's houses are still there but have been preserved. The Lightkeeper's house has been made into a hotel. It's very cute! (See below pictures) Anyway, if you look close at the warning sign you'll see a person falling off. The kids definitely understood the picture more than just the
word warning. Especially the boys!



This house is the assistant light keeper's house. It's still the same exact house, just restored. It's so beautiful!




This house is the light keeper's house. It's a little bit bigger than the assistant's house. Go figure right? It's a hotel now. There's no electronic stuff other than lighting and cooking. You really do feel like you've stepped back in time when you visit these grounds.



This is just one of the spectacular views from the lighthouse.



Here's the Lighthouse. All nicely restored.





I don't know what kind of flower this is, but it was SOOO stinky! We were walking down a path and this smell just suddenly permeated the air. We couldn't figure out what it was at first, and then realized it was the flowers! Or maybe they're weeds. Either way, PEEEE-YEEEWWW!



This last picture is one Doug took. It's gorgeous!!! The people are some friends of ours that we camp with every year. With views like these you now know why we love it there. These next pics are some that Doug took. He loves taking landscape pictures. I don't. At all. So he did and he took some amazing shots!







Our campground was just between those trees at the end of the path. I love being that close to the ocean. At night you can hear the dull roar. It's so soothing. It's no wonder that the ocean is so loved.



This is what we got to see EVERY night. How fantastic is that!