"Thank You Grandma Great!"

My Grandma and Grandpa Fuller sent the kids a package yesterday. Ethan had forgotten his jacket at the family reunion, and Grandma ended up with it so she sent it to us. But she couldn't just send the jacket, that's no fun. She spoiled the kids instead. She sent Adia a beautiful porcelain doll, and a cute little mouse bell. She sent Ethan a toy 4-wheeler, some farm toys, and his jacket. They were so excited. They kept jumping around the house yelling "Thank you Grandma Great" over and over. So thanks Grandma and Grandpa, for making our day. We love you so much. Adia tinkling her bell as she sings a song she made up especially for Grandma and Grandpa.

Ethan showing off his toys.

With everything Grandma sent him guess what was the biggest hit. That's right, the Ziploc baggie that had his name on it. He's easy to please.

I'm a winner!

A few months ago my friend Shanna had a contest on her blog. You had to tell her your favorite holiday, and if she picked your name she would make you something that went along with that holiday. And guess what?!... She didn't pick me :( But because she is super awesome, talented, and wonderful (Shanna The GREAT!) She decided to make something for each person who commented! Wow, right? She is an amazing quilter. Really, I have tried my hand at making quilts before, and I have no idea how she does such a beautiful job. So this is what she made me. Isn't it beautiful? I love it. (I have actually been loving it for about two months now because that's when she sent it to me. I told you I am really behind on my blogging:) Can you guess what holiday I said was my favorite?

It was Father's day. I have always loved that one. I love my dad, and I love celebrating him. I love my husband, and I love that he is finally a dad, I love summer, and Father's day falls in the summer time. I also didn't have many summer decorations, so I thought, "Why Not" I really didn't think she would come up with anything Father's Day related, but she fooled me, darling little bow ties. See, she is amazing! I just wanted to show it off, and tell her thank you even if its a little late. Thanks so much Shanna. You have no idea how much this means to me:)

Flip Flops

We went school shopping on Monday night. Yes, it's getting to be that time again. At Old Navy they were having a sale that if you bought way too many shirts and a pair of pants you could get flip flops for $1. I knew that, I saw the sign, but I also know my son. Those of you who know Ethan, Have you ever seen him walk across the room without tripping? I don't think I have either. It's not his fault, he just has no sense of balance, and he goes too fast. He tries hard, he just doesn't have a graceful bone in his body. He trips no matter what, but add flip flops to the mix, and the poor guy doesn't stand a chance, so I decided to forgo the killer deal, and not mention the flip flops. But of course when we get to the check out stand the guy asks, "Do you know that if you buy fifty seven tee shirts and a pair of pants you get island safari flip flops for only a buck?" I nod my head, that yes, I know it, but want to pass. Unfortunately, Ethan hears the conversation. Yes, the ONLY time he listens to any conversation I have is the time that it involves him purchasing a one way ticket to the hospital for only a dollar. (Plus the cost of the four hundred eighty three tee shirts and the pants, and the hospital bills...) "What?" He exclaims, "Bright orange island safari flip flops for only a dollar! That's amazing. In fact I have a dollar, right here, in my pocket!" (Thanks Grandpa Lane, for paying him for all the work he didn't do this weekend) He animatedly pulls out the dollar slams it on the counter and tells the cashier to hook us up with a pair. What can I say, he's paying for it with his own money (Minus the 900 tee shirts, the pair of pants, the hospital bill, and the lawsuit that is inevitably going to be brought against us when Ethan tries to walk in the bargain flip flops, trips and falls through the store window, rolls into the street, totaling a car, and takes out an innocent bystander in a wheelchair... or something) So, we have flip flops. We have had them for two days. We have a broken plate, two skinned knees, one skinned elbow, a skinned toe, a sister with a goose egg on her head, a dent in our screen door, a kitchen floor that has needed to be mopped three times in the last 24 hours, an angry bus driver, and a concerned school teacher, all because the stinkin' cashier at Old Navy was doing his job! I think tonight while Ethan sleeps (If Ethan sleeps) the bright-orange-bargain-island-safari-flip-flop-monster might come and eat one for dinner... I'm off to track that guy down... Wish us luck... ALL of us.

They like me, they really like me!

My friend Shanna who I LOVE (Seriously, you should pop over and check her blog out, she has me rolling on the floor almost every time I read it) nominated me for an award! Thanks!

Here are the rules:

1. Put the award on your blog.

2. Include a link to the person who gave you the award.

3. Nominate 6 or more blogs

4. Leave a message on their blog letting them know they have an award on your blog.



So here are my nominations:

1. Stacy Her life is full of adventure! With two darling kids and a husband who works out of town she is always busy, and I love hearing all about it. (Plus I totally miss her now that we don't live very close, and reading her blog helps me feel less lonely:)

2. Brook She is super woman with five kids, three still just babies, and still she is so put together. I wish I could be like that.

3. Kathy She is a beautiful writer. (And a great aunt too:)

4. Carlie I met Carlie through an adoption group, and fell in love. She is such a cutie, and has two of the most darling little girls I have ever seen. (Plus she is an expert on twins. She has these cute little "Twin Tips" That she posts every once in a while. She is so organized!)

5. Roxy She is such a cutie, and she is a beautiful photographer.

6. Joanna She is a great friend, a great scrap-booker, a great mom, and a great inspiration. Any time I need to get a little lift I go visit her blog.

Happy Reading!

Random Mouse Moment

I am SOOOOOO behind on blogging I still have things from June that I want to write about. Unfortunately it has been a busy summer and is showing no signs of letting up. We just returned from the Fuller Family Reunion, so today is full of unpacking, cleaning, getting back to normal-ing, plus we have three extra kids today. (They are being very good, and we love having them, but it still doesn't leave a lot of time for blogging) So I am just going to tell you a quick little random adventure story...
We were stopped in construction for about the eighteenth time on our way back home yesterday. When I saw a mouse run over to the SUV in front of us. I told the kids, and we all watched it for a while. It kept running around the back tire, and then it ran right up the tire and disappeared. I am not a mouse fan to say the least. They creep me out. So we kept watching and I was wondering what had happened to it. Then I remembered that I had heard about mice getting into cars before. Then I wondered how they got in there. I wondered if that was how, and what if there was a mouse in that car in front of me right then, and what if there was a mouse climbing into my car...! Suddenly I REALLY wanted to start going again, and I got the shivers thinking that I could feel something touching my feet, UUUGH! (did I mention that I REALLY don't like mice...or that I have a slightly over-active imagination... Oh, and I have a story about being in high school and riding the bus and there was a mouse on it, and it started climbing up the driver's pant leg, and she started freaking out and the bus was swerving all over the highway, and it nearly ended in disaster-remind me to tell you that one some time...Oh, and I also might have Adult ADD) So finally we started moving, much to my relief, and the kids and I kept watching for the mouse to run out, but it never did, so I was sure that it was in the car UUUGH! we were well on our way, going about 65mph when suddenly the mouse flies out of the tire, and HITS OUR WINDSHIELD!!!! AHHHH! I Squealed, and the kids squealed, and right in the center of the windshield there was a grimy, dirty, furry, mouse print. UUUGH! and it wouldn't come off when I pressed the cleaner button, and the stuff sprayed on and the wipers wiped. It was still there. I had to stop at the next gas station (45 miles away) and use the little squeegee and totally scrub it to get it off. Yuck.
Random, I know, but hopefully that will tide you over until I have a chance to write about the important things.

A Story... By Ethan

Today for his summer program Ethan went fishing. When he got home he had a huge adventure he wanted to tell me about. It might be a bit of a "fish story" but it involves not a fish, but (What else?) a toilet. Here goes, as told by Ethan...
I was fishing, but then I needed to pee, but I didn't want to pee in my pants, and there was a bathroom, so I decided to use it. (good choice dude) So I went in there and locked the door like POW! locked. And then I peed. And then I was done so I tried to get out, but I couldn't get the door opened, so I cried a little... but really it was a lot. And then I was in there for a really long time, just cryin' and wishin' I could get out. Then my teacher was worried that I had flushed myself so she came inside and looked for me and found me in there except she couldn't see me because the door was locked. She tried everything to get me out but she couldn't and then she almost cried a little, and I almost cried again, and I thought I would have to live in there forever. And it didn't smell good! (Scared face, sad pause for effect.) But then I remembered I am ETHAN THE GREAT so I used my super hero strength and I was like BOOM, BAM and the door opened and I was safe. (sighs with relief) And that's the story.

I love to see the temple...

Last week our family and some friends went to see the Oquirrh Mt. Temple. For those of you who don't know, normally the temple is only open to people who hold recommends (Which means that you have been found worthy, and met the requirements to enter the temple) That means people who aren't members of the church and small children, and many others can't go inside. But when a temple is first built, before it is dedicated as a house of the Lord on earth, it is open to the public. Anyone can get a ticket (Free of charge) go to the temple, see all of the rooms, feel the spirit that is there, and get answers to thier questions. This is one of those situations. Anyway, We went there. The kids haven't been through a temple since we were sealed as a family three years ago. I was excited to take them back, and surprised when they actually remembered things about some of thier experiences. It was beautiful and special, and we all had a good time. (And we took the opportunity to make them commit once again to being married in the temple. One more time can't hurt, right:) The darling little girl in the pictures with the kids is *S* She is in the process of being adopted by our friends, and we were excited to be able to share this experience with her.

There was a fountain at the temple that we had a doosy of a time trying to keep the kids out of, so later when we went out to dinner the plaza that the resturant was in had a huge fountain, and there was no keeping them out of that one. At first we told them to just tinkle thier feet in the water, but it wasn't long before they were all drenched. It wasn't until we were getting them out and dried off that we saw the sign asking that no one get in the fountain...oops...:)

4th of July

We had big plans for the 4th... They all changed... It all worked out in the end, and we still got to see the fireworks...

The very best part of one of my favorite holidays!

But Mom...

I'm not even tired...

Computer blues

Have ya missed me? (Have you even noticed I haven't been around for a while?) Well, let me tell you where I've been. First of all I went to girls camp for my church for five days (More on that to come) so a couple of days leading up to it, and a couple of days after I was busy doing the getting ready and unpacking stuff. Then just as I got home my computer crashed. I had an identity stealing virus. (Fun right!) So for the last week I have been waiting and hoping, (and complaining and going crazy) to get my computer back. (Good thing I was busy changing all of my important identity info - account numbers, passwords, etc.- all week so I didn't have too much time to miss it. I discovered the importance of backing things up. Fortunately most of my photos were backed up, but NONE of my writing was saved- including my BOOK - You know, the one that I have been working on for the last four years, the one that I was nearly finished with, yeah, that book...
Oh, well, the computer is back now, my identity is safe now, and many great lessons have now been learned, so stay tuned for updates of what has been going on for the last two weeks, probably in no particular order...

This is what happens...

...when you climb all the way to the top of your brother's book case and jump off onto his bed...
and you miss...
(You can't tell very well in the picture, but her little leg was swollen, and scraped, and she ended up with a bruise that covered her entire leg.)