I'll keep BLOGGING, I promise!!

Some of you are worried that I won't keep up the blog now that Ron is coming home. No worries, I am addicted. Besides, halfway through the deployment Ron couldn't check the blog anyway. I do it more for my family and friends now. Blogging is the easiest way for all of you to keep in touch with our family. So, for all my loyal readers, I'm not going anywhere. And for some of my friends that read this that don't have a blog of their own (Sara M.), you should get one!!!

HE'S ALMOST HOME!!

We are down to DAYS not weeks or months till Ron comes home. We are so completely EXCITED!!! I've told the kids he doesn't come home till Halloween so I'll just surprise them when its time to go pick him up. It has been a very long 14 months but its almost over YIPPEEEEEEEE!

Sad commentary on our times...

I have a sad commentary on our times. Before I went to France I needed to buy a new big suitcase. I went to Penny's because they were having a sale, and I found a nice big rolling suitcase. When I started packing for my trip I discovered that inside my suitcase was a smaller suitcase - the store had never taken the smaller one out. Well I discovered this two days before my trip so I didn't have time to return the extra suitcase. Then when I got back from France we immediately left for California for the rest of the summer. So the suitcase just sat at the bottom of Ron's closet, taunting me. So I finally got around to returning it to Penny's yesterday. It eventually took an associate, assistant manager, and manager to figure out what to do with it. When I told each person in turn my story they were all completely SHOCKED!! They could not believe that I was actually being honest and returning it to the store. I was so glad that I did it, but I was also sad at how surprised they were at my honesty. What has this world come to that being dishonest is the norm and honesty is a rarity? It was definitely an eye opening experience for me.

I was tagged...

Okay, I was tagged to come up with 6 of my quirks. I don't know if I have many quirks. I definately have things that drive me crazy that are weird, maybe those are quirks. So here goes my attempt. Maybe my family can help me come up with some of my quirks.

1. I hate the sound of gulping, it drives me crazy. It started when I was first pregnant with Tess and I was off my anti-depressents for a while (very bad idea), and sounds started to drive me crazy. Gulping is the only sound that still really bugs me. In fact I am kind of hyper about it, the kids know not to gulp!!

2. I sleep with a teddy bear when Ron is gone. I bought him at the BYU bookstore when Ron was in Korea. He was so soft and cozy and I just had to have him. He is usually just a decoration on my bed, but when I am really missing Ron he becomes my sleeping companion.

3. I hate taking showers, or baths for that matter. I just wish that I was always clean. It is such a pain to get wet, get dry, and then redo your hair. It takes way too much time and I wish I didn't have to do it!! ( I promise that I do keep myself clean)

4. I have a thing for tote bags. I have quite a few now, and in fact this summer I bought one for each of the kids and had their names embroidered on them. They were perfect for all our travels. Each of my bags has its own purpose, and there is no mixing them up!!

5. I get tons of catalogs and I love to "pretend shop" through catalogs. I get out a pen and I slowly go through every page and circle everything I wish I could have. Then I feel like I have shopped and I feel better. Emma is now a great "pretend" shopper. Her favorites are the Lands End Kids, Pottery Barn Kids, and Oriental Trading Company catalogs, and she circles away.

6. I can only read happy fluff books. And when I find a book or books that I love I read them over and over. I have decided that I have way too much drama in my life to add to it by reading about it. I tend to internalize everything I read, so it has to be happy and uplifting. My latest addiction was the Twilight Series (number 3 was my favorite) and I have re-read Harry Potter too many times to count. If anyone has happy books to suggest I would love it!!

Okay, so I guess I do have a few quirks. Now I tag: Sara Mendenhall (I know you don't have a blog but you should start one, so heres your excuse), Tory Jackson, Megan Purcell, Kerri Burch, Jenny Eckton, and my sisters Adriann and Jacque! I can't wait to learn about your quirks!!

Sticker Family

You know those cute stickers people have on the back of their cars to represent their family? Some are fish, flip flops, stick people, you get the idea. Well I have always wanted those! So I am thrilled because I finally got them!!! Some friends from church bought the machine that makes them and they started a business. I was their first people customer and I am beyond thrilled with the outcome. Doesn't my family look cute?

Birthday Ramblings

So today I turn a whopping 31, and for some reason I am very mellow and reflective today. Birthdays are usually bad days for me, long story, but Ron knows that so he usually trys to make them really special for me. This is my second birthday without him and it makes me really sad. Sad not just because I have to make my own birthday cake, but because it marks 13 months that he has been gone. I miss him so much. Special events like birthdays just aren't special without him. And most of the time I just want him to hug me and tell me how grateful he is for me and how much he loves me(I still don't know why he is, but I've stopped questioning that one).

So today is bitter sweet, as usual. I spent all day doing mommy things, especially this afternoon which went like this: 3:10 wake up Tess from nap, 3:15 Emma and Zach home from school, 3:20 get in van to pick up babysitter, 3:45 drop off Zach and Tess at home with babysitter and grab Tyson, 4:00 Tyson guitar lesson, while we wait we run to the grocery store to buy birthday cake supplies, 4:45 Emma hair cut, 5:30 pick up pizzas for dinner, 5:45 go home and eat pizzas with kids and babysitter, 6:15 Tyson and I ride our bikes to his school for his Open House, 7:00 get home and grab kids to take babysitter home, 7:30 get home and make birthday cake (pre-made angel food with whip cream and strawberries- yummie!!!), 8:00 eat birthday cake, 8:30 throw kids in bed, 8:45 ME TIME! Despite the craziness it was a good day. I spent some great quality time with Tyson and we both needed that. It was especially fun to go bike riding with him. I forgot how much fun it is to ride a bike.

I want to thank everyone for showering me with love. My phone was ringing off the hook today and I got several emails as well. Thank you for thinking of me, especially since I tend to forget everyone's birthdays except my kids, Ron included.

My birthday goals: that this year I will find ways to be a better mom (that should be pretty easy since I suck at it most of the time), and to show my husband through my words and actions just how much I love and appreciate him.

HAIR CUT

So I went for my regular 6 week hair appointment today for my fun color touch up - yes I have to color my hair because I have way too many gray hairs for being 30 (thanks Dad :-( ). But anyway. I was planning on growing out my hair again, I cut it this spring, but I was looking through magazines and I saw beautiful Katie Holmes,and loved her hair. So after a quick consult with my fabulous beautician Gabriel, I decided to cut it. What do you think? I like it a lot. Of course I haven't had to style it myself yet, so my opinion could change tomorrow morning, which is why I took my picture today. And that blue shirt really makes my eyes stand out, I'll have to remember that.

Finished with France

Okay, so I finally posted the last 3 French adventure entries. I hope you enjoyed having a peak into my trip. If you ever want to see all 460 pictures, just let me know and I will email them along.

Eifel Tower

These pictures should speak for themselves. The Eifel Tower - tall and magnificent! One picture is from the top of the Arch de Triumph, and the rest are on site. I didn't go up to the top (I have height issues), but I loved admiring it from the ground!

Musee de Orsay

I was in heaven in this museum. I absolutely love the Impressionist painters and they had the best of the best at this museum. I even discovered that I loved painters like Piscarro, and I didn't even know it. The fist picture is a Piscarro, and the next two are of my very very favorite painting of all time, Water Lillies by Monet. Monet is my favorite, I even bought a Monet tote bag, calendar, and pencil!! I took a bazillion pictures at this museum and I could have taken two bazillion!! I highly recommend it.

Luxemberg Gardens

Jacque told me I would love these gardens and I did!! If anyone wants to know where all the Parisians hang out, it's here. There were people reading, cross stiching, and taking their children for pony and donkey rides (yes donkey)! It was beautiful, and I loved the flowers





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First Day of School

First Day of School is always so exciting, and not just for Mom!! The biggest deal this year was Tyson started Middle School, yup you read that right, Middle School. Here Elementary School is K-4, Middle School is 5-6, Jr. High is 7-8, and High School 9-12. So he was really excited to be a really big kid now. We bought him a new cool BMX bike so he could ride to school and new teenage "cool" clothes. He even spikes his hair now, with gel and everything, so exciting! I can't believe he is growing up so fast! Zach is in 3rd grade and Emma is in 1st. Tess and I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet day with everyone gone. It was heavenly!! Yea for school!