Every Thing A Girl Wants

Last week we had a birthday dinner for my sister-in-law, Linda, over at her house. It is always fun for the kids to get together and be able to play with their cousins.

Happy Birthday Linda!

The men (Chris and his brother, Jeff) watched about three different basketball games.

The girls had fun decorating Halle up.

The girls go punk.

The boys had fun playing video games and with racing cars.


For birthday gifts this year, I decided to treat each of my sister-in-laws to the best book in the world - Porn for Women. Linda absolutely loved it!!!!!! We giggled about it all evening. But, for some reason Jeff was not very amused.

A must have book for all married women!!!

Not a Pole Dancer

Sean and I have a weekday tradition. Everyday at 11:35 we leave the house to walk down to the bus stop to greet Halle home from the bus. Every day Sean takes off running as fast as he can and I walk as quickly as I can to keep up with him. (I did have to slow him down while it was snowy and icy - but now the sidewalks are clear again he is out there full speed ahead.)

Well, the other day his legs got a little carried away from him. Just as he made it to the corner of our street he ran right into the street sign pole. I didn't quite see the whole thing. Just saw him running and the next thing I remember hearing a loud ping and then Sean falling down onto the sidewalk. Then it was silent for a minute before a huge cry of pain ushered out of his lungs.


At first I thought he had hit the pole with his head - so I looked for any bumps but there was nothing there. When his crying finally came under some control, Sean told me he had bumped his leg. I gave him a little cuddle and carried him the rest of the way to the bus stop.

After telling Halle his sad story, his little feet started running all the way home. He forgot that he had been hurt at all.


The next day the evidence showed up. Two big bruises starting to form. One over the knee and one on the shin. They looked pretty nasty for a while but are finally on the mend. And now when we pass the pole on the way to the bus stop he makes sure to run as far away from it as he can and calls it "the stupid pole that got me."





Sean Quotes


My alarm clock climbed into bed with me this morning. As it was a Saturday I was in no hurry to get up. I convinced Sean to give me some cuddles before I got up to make him his morning hot chocolate. As we were cuddling he said, "Mommy, I love you! I love big girls. I love mommy and nanny. I love bompa and grandma." And then he gave me a big kiss.


It is so nice to know you are loved and that a three and a half year old will still give you cuddles. I just wonder if bompa knows that he is a big girl yet?







Enjoying the Flying Nanny


My mother's visit started off a little rocky, and not because of the kids. She ended up being quite sick the first few days after her arrival. But now that she has fully recovered we have been having a great time.

I can finally see the toy room floor in probably over a month.


My laundry keeps getting magically folded and my vaccum has felt loved.


The kids play outside more because someone will go out and play with them (not me!!! It is still too cold).

We saw Halle at gymnastics.


We saw Chad practice and play a basketball game.

In defensive position.

Halle reads to Sean during the game.

Sean hasn't wanted to go to preschool extra much because he wants to stay home with nanny.

We've had KFC (my absolute favorite) and happy meals at McDonald's (my kids favorite).

My kids all have new clothes and shoes.

I am completely (well almost) ready for Easter.

Chris and I were able to go to the temple, see Ham on Regal, and tonight are off to see a movie.


We all love the flying nanny!!!!

Great News

I had success at shopping and am now the proud owner of two new pairs of jeans!!!!

The Flying Nanny is again visiting with us!!!! I love having my mom around.

Wardrobe Malfunction

So, how many pants are in your closet? Me, I'm down to two. I absolutely hate to go shopping but I'm afraid I'm going to have to.

Why do I hate shopping? 1) It is too time consuming and tiresome (plus there are usually always kids tagging along). 2) It requires money - and I hate spending it. 3) I hate looking at myself in mirrors (once a day is plenty) and 4) My body is not my dream size and it is always disappointing having clothes either fit too tight or having to go to the next size.

A few weeks ago, I actually had three pairs of pants. But my favorite pair died when the zipper teeth popped out. So, doing the math, I am down to two. But not just any two - two horrible pairs. One pair is a dark denim, at least they used to be. They now have a hole in the butt - which is getting bigger and some white-wash thing going on in the knees.

The last pair just came out of the wash with some permanent pink stain all down the right side. (It is not fair!!!! I washed them with only darks and other jeans. There was absolutely nothing pink or red in the wash to make them go that way. And what kills me is last week my husband washed my sweeter, with white collar and sleeves, in with all the reds and it came out perfectly fine!!!)

I guess having only two options helps free my mind of any complicated wardrobe dilemmas. So if you see me tomorrow (or the next day, or the next day) you can check out whether I am wearing the holy jeans or the pink jeans. At least you will hope I am wearing one of them - what would be the other option?!?

Book Tag

I was tagged and instructed to follow these directions.

Pick up the nearest book (one with at least 123 pages)

Open to page 123

Find the 5th sentence

Post the next 3 sentences

Tag 5 people (or as many as you'd like)

Well my nearest (and only book) out and about my house at the moment is East of Eden. John Steinbeck is NOT one of my beloved authors but I am reading the book because it was next on my list for my book group (just finished The Thirteenth Tale which I thought was absolutely fabulous). I actually didn't mind this book too much at first until the character of Cathy was introduced then the book went down hill for me from there. And so, ironically, the passage as requested by the tag, is some dialogue from Cathy.




He'll get a little drunk and he'll feel better."

Cathy modestly looked at her fingers. "Adam, I can't be a wife to you until I'm well."



No profound words of wisdom for those in the world but not of it - but great words for worldly people and it does rather some up the book.






I'll tag any one game to see what comes out of their book on page 123.

A Day Without a Cell Phone

You know we have all had it - the dream about being naked. Running around and hiding because we don't have any clothes on. Well that is how I felt today. I felt naked, or exposed, or missing a limb because my trusty security blanket was lost.

It is so funny that I felt so deprived and vulnerable because I hardly use my phone. My calling plan allows 700 minutes for both Chris and I and between us both I think we use an average of 30 minutes a month. Half the time I forget to recharge it so it is not working anyway. But it is always there for me just in case I need it. I mean it would be tragic if Chris couldn't get a hold of me at the grocery store and I forgot to buy his favorite potato chips that are on sell.

Seriously! What if I had not had it the day I picked up Sean from preschool and a couple of my friends were running late and needed me to keep their kids for a few minutes while they arrived to pick them up. :-) The poor kids would have been escorted back into the building and the parents severly reprimanded with dirty looks. Instead I got to host 6 preschool kids in my van while we all sang "Wheels on the Bus," and played musical chairs. It was the funnist moment I had had all day.

My tragic nightmare started as a result of going out to the movies last night. Before the movie started I set my phone on vibrate and then tucked it under my legs. (Just incase the babysitter had an emergency and needed to get a hold of me - I'm always such a positive thinker!) The movie ended and we gathered up our coats and popcorn bucket (very important detail as we had yet to get our free refill). We were also with friends, so my mind was occupied by adult conversation instead of lementing on how my kids and the poor babysitter were doing. Usually the first thing I do after the movie is to put my phone back on regular mode, so I can hear Mozart calling me if there is an emergency, and then put it back in my pocket or purse. But last night I didn't remember my trusty friend at all. Just let the poor phone drop onto the floor as we made a hasty exit from the theater.

I should have known something awful was about to happen. My premonition? Just before entering the theater I visited the little girls room and the zipper on my favorite pair of jeans (you know, the kind your husband says you look really good in) busted and I was left exposed. Thank goodness I was wearing a long shirt!!!!

It wasn't until this morning that I even realized I had abandoned my security blanket. I had a photography class at the church this morning and as I grabbed all my stuff to leave I couldn't find my cell phone anywhere. I searched and searched but to no avail. I knew I had had it at the movies but hadn't remembered seeing it since that point. So I guessed that I must have left it at the movies.

After the class, I asked my friend, who we had gone to the movies with, if she would search her car in case it had fallen out of my pocket on our way home. She looked, but the answer was no. When I returned home I called the theater - and again the answer was no. They had not found a cell phone. I started to panic partly because I didn't know where my phone was and mostly because I just couldn't remember what had happened to it. The thought of old age and loosing my mind just made me even more aggrevated.

I tried to go throughout my day normally but I couldn't. I felt so naked and vulnerable. I didn't even go down to the kids museum, even though I had promised to take my kids to see the tooth fairy who was visiting between 11am and 1pm. I was too stressed and struck with the fear of needing my cell phone but not being able to use it. How could I ever ask anyone else for help if I were in an emergency? You just don't do that now days do you?! (Okay, that and I was also over scheduled and had too many other things going on.)

It was almost time for us to leave for Chad's basketball game. I called the theater again in great hope that it had shown up. But again the answer was no. Then just as we are leaving the phone rings - it is the movie theater and they have found my phone. Hallelujah!!!!!!! I couldn't believe the relief I felt!!! I wasn't so crazy after all - just a little absent minded.

So, after Chad's basketball game, which was at Glover Middle School we swung on over to Northtown Mall. Chris dropped me off in the parking lot and I ran in to retrieve my long lost friend as fast as legs would take me (and also not so fast that I looked too dorky infront of all the smoking teenagers aligning the ramp to the entrance).

My phone was waiting for me and I could feel the electricity flow bewteen us as we touched yet again (okay - way cheesey but all too fun to write). United again at last and hopefully never to be seperated again. I held my precious phone in my hand the whole way home. It is now tucked snuggly and safely into my coat pocket once more. And if I am really good I will remember to give it a little recharging tonight before I go to bed.

Just think, only a few years ago I wouldn't have been able to write this story. I was not yet the proud owner of a cell phone. How quickly we fall into technology addictions! I don't think I could go cold turkey again. 18 hours without my phone fix was quite enough for me. I don't ever want to go through withdrawl symptoms again.

Leaving in Style

This week has been an emotional one with my in-laws taking off for their mission. We are so excited for them but also so sad that they wont' be around. I know there will be plenty of tears from my children when they finally figure out what going on a mission really means.

On Monday we got together for one last hurrah. We had a great BBQ dinner at Jeff and Linda's house. Then we celebrated Valentine's day with gifts and also celebrated my niece's Valentine birthday.

Happy 14th Birthday Alyssa!

Who wants to open presents?

The boys get puzzles and piggybanks.

The girls get heart-picture holders and piggybanks.

Thank you Grandma and Bompa! Have a great mission!!!!!

Then on Wednesday night, Herm and Jeraldine's last night here in Spokane, one of Chris' old high school friends drove by with a limosuine. He is just getting into the buisness (so give me a call if you want to use him) and drove by to say goodbye to Herm and Jeraldine. He (Tim) drove our family, Herm and Jeraldine, and Roger and Vonnie Reed around the nieghborhood a few times.


It was really fun. I've never been in a limo before - the kids had a great time. Lots of buttons to push, funky lights all over the place, two TVs. Why did we buy a minivan? We should have invested in a Limo!!!! (Wish I would have remembered to take a picture - I'll just have to have Tim drive us around again!)

Basketball Chad

It is basketball season! Chad really wanted to do basketball this year. Although I get so worn out from soccer and wasn't looking forward to more practices and Saturdays being used up - I signed him up. But I am already liking basketball so much better!!!! It is a much shorter season. Chris actually likes basketball (hates soccer) and so is more excited. And the best is that it is indoors where it is warm and there are chairs to sit on.

As usual it is pretty fun to watch a bunch of little kids running all over the court trying to figure out what to do. Chad didn't do too bad his first game, too bad his only basket was made during practice time. The other team they played only showed up with three players so two of our team's players helped them out. Unfortunately it was our team's best two players. The other team pretty much took over the game. But Chad still thought it was the coolest thing in the world to play a "real" basketball game.

The coach and team Hawkes - ready to get the game on.

Chad shoots and scores - too bad this was just warm ups.

The Caviness men - basketball players and fans.

I am so disappointed in my pictures - especially as I had just taken a photography class. But after some more advise and lots more practice I hope that I can take some good sport shots as the season progresses.