life in the turning lane

all i want for christmas

2009-12-09T16:37:00.010-07:00

Dear Santa,

I wont two wokey tokeys,

handcufs and foot ball shoos.

and mak the Texas longhorn's win.

your bud Adam

i've got you covered

2009-12-05T18:47:00.006-07:00

Here's a quick, easy, inexpensive Christmas decorating tip:

Go to IKEA.
Buy pillow covers in the Christmas colors of your choice.
Cover your existing pillows.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy your "craftiness."

one year ago...

2009-04-23T21:32:00.003-06:00

happy fall, y'all

2008-10-22T13:06:00.003-06:00

Photo courtesy of: unknown...somewhere floating around the internet

the final answer

2008-05-04T21:20:00.002-06:00

She said "yes." I can't blame her.

cupid 911

2008-04-28T22:37:00.004-06:00

We had an emergency late tonight. It went something like this:

Austin: Mom, I really need your help.
Me: What's up?
Austin: I thought prom was in three weeks, but it's this Saturday.
Me: Are you planning on asking someone?
Austin: Well, yeah, but I don't know how to do it.
Me: Can you just call her on the phone?
Austin: That's so...you know...boring.

Somewhere, sometime, long, long ago, somebody decided that in order to ask someone to a dance it needed to be more than just a polite question. "Would you like to attend the prom with me?" "Oh, I would be thrilled!" Sounds good to me. It's just too easy, I guess.

We're new at this. Austin only has one "semi-official" date under his belt. So we put our heads together, sat down at the computer, sent Chad to the grocery store for fortune cookies and Panda Express for a take-out box. We replaced one fortune in a cookie with "The Invitation to Prom," filled a take-out box full of the fortune cookies, and within thirty minutes Austin was out the door to deliver his request.

Confucius says boys who are slow to ask girls to prom are fortunate to have a smart cookie for a mom.

please, oh please!

2008-04-11T19:48:00.008-06:00

Please, please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top, will you please watch this video and then rate it? This is a video Clay made for a contest sponsored by our credit union. Prize? $1,000. Not a bad dent in a mission or college fund...

http://www.bemoneysmart.org/videos/index/video:28

When you rate it, just click on the highest star you think it deserves (not one at a time). The more people who rate Clay's film with a high rating, the higher his film will move up in ranks. Help us out, people!

Disclaimer: None of the actors were paid. Okay, they are not even professionals. Actually, they are not really actors. And they hardly even practiced. And they are not for hire. And it was a windy day. All names have been changed to protect the innocent. Except "Mom." And she wasn't even that good.

If, and I mean IF, Clay gets a good rating (like four or five stars), he may even do a sequel. Lucky you. And I promise I'll rehearse next time.

holey moley

2008-04-03T14:54:00.006-06:00

Folding laundry today I discovered this:

These are all of Adam's jeans. I know distressed is in, but this is ridiculous.

I'm afraid other kids will say, "Nice pants." And not in the Dockers commercial "Nice pants" kind of way. Looks like it's time for some new jeans.

sprung

2008-03-30T15:41:00.004-06:00

Spring has sprung!

Oops! I spoke too soon.

b is for...

2008-03-28T19:21:00.004-06:00

B is for baptism. My niece, Emma, was baptized last Saturday.

B is for beautiful. Isn't she beautiful?

B is for baby. This is Baby Ruby. She is Emma's new little sister.
B is for blessing. Baby Ruby was blessed last Saturday.

B is for big. This is a big yawn.

Baby Ruby was tired after such a beautiful day.

sugar bugs be gone!

2008-03-25T15:23:00.015-06:00

Just because my dad is a dentist doesn't mean I don't get cavities. Truth be told, I forget to brush occasionally. Sometimes I'm just too tired. Just like my dad warned me, I ended up with a cavity. So today I'm visiting my dad's office. He's going to get the sugar bugs out. And I'm going to be brave. Very, very brave.

Jenni is my dad's helper. She is putting this funny elephant mask on me. I think it looks more like a Star Wars mask, but I won't tell Jenni. I don't want to make her feel bad. Jenni thinks I'm brave. Very, very brave. And cool. Very, very cool.

Jenni said the elephant mask will make me feel funny. I don't think I need a mask to feel funny. My mom already thinks I'm funny. Very, very funny.

Whoa. Now I'm feeling funny. And kind of fuzzy. Very, very fuzzy.

I'm getting a little nervous. Do you think I look nervous? Very, very nervous?

My dad must be really brave to put his fingers in my mouth. I hope I don't bite him. I bet he hopes I don't bite him either. These glasses make me look cool. Very, very cool.

I'm keeping my arms straight down by my sides just like a soldier. That way I won't grab the sharp instruments. That would be bad. Very, very bad.

My mom said that if she wasn't married to my dentist, she would stop brushing her teeth forever just so she could go see him more often. I think my mom is funny. Very, very funny.

twinkle, twinkle little star

2008-03-04T16:27:00.006-07:00

Guess who is Star of the Week at preschool this week... Yup. It's Adam. According to Adam, Star of the Week means you get to sit in The Big Chair, be The Line Leader, and bring The Snack to share with the class.

It's definitely cool to be Star of the Week.

It's also enough to make any little four year old boy get a little wild and crazy.

It's good to be a star.

Shine on!

it's the thought that counts, right?

2008-02-27T09:11:00.004-07:00

Adam, who is four, likes to climb in our bed in the early morning hours. This morning was no different. Except that today is my birthday. We had this conversation when he woke up:

Adam: You like hot cereal for breakfast, right?
Me: Yes.
Adam: With just bananas, right?
Me: Right.
Adam: And how much water do you put in it?
Me: Half a cup.
Adam: So how will I know what buttons to push on the microwave?
Me: Why's that?
Adam: I want to bring you breakfast in bed.

So of course I got up and made it with a little help from Adam, but he was so sweet to think of it on his own. I took the picture with my new 50mm 1.8 lens from Chad. The black candles...they are left over from my last birthday so you know I am on the other side of 40 now. All of the sudden 40 doesn't sound too bad!

homefun #4

2008-02-26T14:19:00.008-07:00

This week's assignment: candid and posed portraits. I didn't really get a "candid" shot but I'm not really going for the "posed" look either. Just somewhere in between. I am trying to learn to use natural light...so I guess I'm in the "no flash" camp. I used a flash on photo #4 and I think it shows. The more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn...

A big thank you to my kids and their friends for being my willing subjects week after week after week after week. Like they say, practice makes perfect...and I've got a long way to go!

homefun #3

2008-02-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

Taking a photography course in the winter is proving to be tricky. I can think of so many wonderful shots that could be taken in the summer. But winter...gotta think a little bit more. I took my camera along on a trip to the library. Our assignment this week: one photo with short depth of field (the amount of the picture in focus) and one photo with a longer depth of field.

v-day

2008-02-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

hair today, gone tomorrow

2008-02-13T08:49:00.001-07:00

I signed Adam up for Itty Bitty Ball--a four day program at our rec center that exposes kids to all kinds of sports involving balls. Yesterday focused on basketball. While eating lunch before Itty Bitty Ball we had this conversation:

Adam: I'm going to get hair under my arms.
Me: Why do you think that?
Adam: Whenever Austin comes home from basketball he has lots of hair under his arms.

Just don't grow up too fast!

homefun #2

2008-02-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

All this spinning is making me dizzy. Our assignment this week was two photos: the first using a slow shutter speed and the second using a fast shutter speed.

Kendall was a good sport and spun 'round and 'round for me.

I was glad to be on the other end of the camera.

live at the grand ole opry

2008-02-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

We were in Nashville last week. You know, Country Music City, USA. While there we met up with:

Yup. Mr. Garth Brooks. Who says real men

and cowboys don't wear pink?

We must not have "friends in low places" because we had front row seats.

We didn't leave with any "unanswered prayers."
He sang every one of them.

We were glad we "showed up in boots."
It was definitely not a black tie affair.

Thanks, Mr. Brooks, for playing long into the night...

and we "ain't goin' down 'til the sun comes up!"

homefun

2008-02-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

Homework just doesn't seem like the right word...so...homefun. This is my first assignment for my photography class. One black and white photo showing contrast and texture; two shots using lighting before 9 a.m. or after 3 p.m.

forty-one-derful

2008-01-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

Just when the smoke from the birthday candles had cleared,

we lit them up again!

This time for Chad...Mr. Wonderful himself.

He is now on the other side of 40 which is kind of nice.

No pressure.

Here are ten things you might not know about Chad:

He speaks Trukese fluently.
Training for an Ironman Triathlon is his latest "hobby."
One of his legs is shorter than the other. He makes up for it in good looks!
Preston is his first name.
His graduation present from dental school was our sixth child.
Alaska is the only state he hasn't visited.
He has a police record for vandalizing a stop sign when he was a kid.
He has a blog. (Go visit and wish him Happy Birthday!)
He went to school for 27 years.
He is the best husband and father anyone could ask for.

Happy birthday, Chad! I love you as big as the planet.

back to school

2008-01-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hesitant is an understatement. Adam was extremely unsure about attending preschool And if you think he was a little sad, you should have seen me. But, like anything else in life, with time it got better. Try two days. He now can't wait until the days he has preschool. He has the best teacher in the world. Besides me, of course.

I chose this picture because I will be starting school today. Well, not actually school. It's a class. A community ed class. The last time I actually paid to learn was in college about 15 years ago. I can't tell you how excited I am. The class is an Intermediate Photography class. Hopefully you can watch my progress. If not, maybe I can get my money back.

Do you think I should go buy a cute backpack to celebrate?

Or at least a purse?

We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

2008-01-27T22:08:00.001-07:00

Our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley,

passed away tonight. He was 97 years old.

“Now, my brethren and sisters, the time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow. It is a time to be found keeping the commandments. It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain. It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all of our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike”

Gordon B. Hinckley 1995 April General Conference

His sweet wife was waiting for him on the other side. Can you imagine the joyful reunion? Of this picture of Sister Hinckley it was said, ""If people don't believe Mormons are Christians, just have them look at this picture of Sister Marjorie Hinckley."

Photos by Scot Facer Proctor

3, 2, 1...it's your birthday!

2008-01-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Kendall started her birthday countown a month ago. Her big day has finally arrived! Kendall turns nine years old today. Her birthday requests: crepes for breakfast, lasagna for dinner, and North Pole Toffee Cake...our family birthday favorite. Easy enough!

Can you guess what the first thing was that people noticed about Kendall when she was a baby?

This is my favorite picture of Kendall when she was a little girl. I'm not quite sure why...I've just always loved it.

I found a list of things that Kendall wrote about herself recently. I couldn't have described her any better myself. Introducing Kendall...in her own words:

Blue eyes

Brown hair

Long eyelashes

Happy smile

Cute person

Loves her dog Hazel

Has one sister

Has four brothers

Loves her family

Always chooses the right

Gets really good grades

Makes people happy

Has a kind heart

A good friend

Has good friends

Happy as can be

Loves her parents

Has a helping heart

Has people who love her

Finds everything happy

Kendall, you are a sweetheart. I hope you never ever change. Happy, happy birthday!

sixteen candles

2008-01-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful 16th birthday for Austin.

But as soon as the candles were out and the smoke had cleared...reality hit. Our auto insurance DOUBLES. Apparently teenage boys cost more to insure than teenage girls.

Our despair was shortlived when we found this:

never say never

2008-01-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

I swore I would never be one of those mothers. You know the kind. They let their kids drag around those blankets. Tattered and torn. Loved beyond recognition. What color was it originally? No one quite remembers. And then it happened...over time. I became one of them.

I was sitting at the sewing machine last week hemming some pants for Austin and Clayton when Adam came up to me. "Mom," he asked, "Do you think you could fix my blanket?" Are you kidding? I would climb Mt. Everest for him. Backwards.

So the journey to repair the blanket began...

This was Adam's blanket. The picture doesn't do it justice. It was much worse than this. He started wearing it like a cape by hooking the loose edging around his neck. The front and back panel were attached only on one edge. Shame on me.

I started by trimming off all of the edges. Not one was spared.

I tried to be as minimally invasive as possible. Alas, there were casualties.

I pinned the edges. Okay, the corners aren't perfect. But Adam thinks I am.

Adam waited patiently...

on pins and needles.

"Will it smell the same?" I reassured him that it would. Is that a good thing?

The sewing began...

and was finished before lunchtime.

All is good and right in the world again.

And once again...I am NOT one of those mothers.

help!

2008-01-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

Look who showed up in Lynne's prize package from correctly answering my question. Let's go meet him...

Hi there!

Oh, are you shy?

Don't be nervous. It's just us. Do you have a name?

No name? No wonder you are sad!

I know. Let's think of one together. Think, think, think. Hmmm....nothing's coming to mind. I know...should we ask everyone for some help?

YESSSSSSSS!!!!

I bet they'll think of a really handsome name. One that shows off your wonderful qualities. Your toughness. Your rugged self. Or maybe your softer side...

Now don't get too excited. They might give you a silly name.

Alright now. That's better. Just hang tight while the suggestions come in. You'll have a name before you know it. Maybe before the sun sets. Who knows? Maybe even before I find the mates to all of my other socks.

Rumor has it that Lynne will be taking The UnNamed Sock on a few adventures. Be sure to check in with her...you just might be able to take him on a few adventures of your own. Now wouldn't that be fun?

Won't you please help us think of a name? Get those thinking caps on and those creative juices flowing. I know you can do it!

Sock on!

clear your social calendars...and the roads!

2008-01-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Austin turns 16 today {sigh}. He now has a license to drive...and to date. Applications for possible dates are now being accepted. Screening will be done by none other than yours truly. Me. Austin's mom.

Wasn't he a cute baby? He's still cute. And I'm not just saying that

because I'm his mother. It's the talk around town.

Austin gets good grades (straight A's) and is an Eagle Scout. Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Can I add handsome? And hard working? He works at an assisted living center serving dinner to the residents and doing the dishes. I'm not even making that up. Add "athletic" to Austin's list of skills. Basketball is his first love, and tennis takes a close second. He still kisses me goodnight.

Do I sound like a proud mom? That's just what I am.

Oh...and about clearing the roads. Austin is an awesome driver. Extremely cautious...10 and 2 position at all times. Absolutely no fiddle diddling with ipods or cell phones while driving. It's not him that I don't trust...it's all of you out there.

Happy Birthday, Austin!

winter

2008-01-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

Of winter's lifeless world each tree

Now seems a perfect part;

Yet each one holds summer's secret

Deep down within its heart.

Charles G. Stater

goodbye

2008-01-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

Luckily for me Chad doesn't work on Fridays. At least not at the office. He is the one that finally announced today that it was time to take the tree down. It always makes me kind of sad, but when it's all said and done, it's nice to get back into the swing of things. I'll just quickly say my goodbyes and get on with it.

Goodbye, favorite nativity. You are my favorite Christmas decoration. Did I mention favorite? I'd keep you up all year if I could...but then again, it's my house so why not? Hmmm...

Goodbye, bright and sparkly Christmas ornaments. We didn't break any of you this year. I guess it helps that we don't have any toddlers toddling around anymore...that and the fact that half of you are plastic. Thank goodness for plastic.

Goodbye, rustic star stocking holders that I had welded in Texas. Not me, personally. It was a big, strong welder in Texas. You know, everything is bigger and stronger in Texas. Did I mention previously that we have a sweet spot in our hearts for Texas?

Goodbye, twinkly white lights. You were such a pain putting up and taking down, but no matter what, you'll always be a part of our festivities.

Goodbye, sparkly golden topiaries. You looked beautiful above our front door. I promise to dust before putting you up there again. I bet your allergies drove you crazy.

Goodbye, faux berry and evergreen wreath. But then again, I may just keep you up for a while longer until I can find a wreath to replace you. Don't worry, I'm not replacing you for good. You'll be back out front and center next year.

Goodbye, O Tannenbaum! You were majestic in our front window...all twelve feet of you. I'm sorry we had to trim your top, but you just wouldn't fit otherwise. We all need a good trim now and then.

Goodbye, jolly old St. Nick! You were good to us this year. Very, very good. And we promise to be good this next year. Very, very good.

Goodbye, crazy wanna-be photographer. As your husband says, "Don't you think you'd better put that camera down and get busy putting all of this away?"

See you next year!

7,832

2008-01-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

Not only is Lynne a prolfic writer, she's also a prolific mathematician. She even did the math before I did. After completing my computations, I checked my answer against hers and lo and behold I was wrong. She even calculated in Leap Year. Now that's thinking ahead! The sheer number of socks makes me dizzy. Downright nauseous. Is there life after socks???

Now the Big Question is: Would Lynne like the five handmade cards for various occasions, or will she choose the "single socks" in my laundry room? Since these are "mateless" are they considered premarital socks?

this socks!

2008-01-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

I love being a mom. I really do. I love that I "work" at home---teacher, chef, nurse, chauffeur, maid (what?? I am NOT the maid), planner, defender, referee, comforter, cheerleader (I promise I don't use my megaphone, although it might come in handy!)...but one job that I struggle with is being a laundress (if I make it sound fancy, will I like it more?)

The worst part for me is the socks. I know, I know, most of the socks in this picture are inside out. That's the way they give them to me; that's the way I give them back.

Just for fun, here's a little story problem:

Let's say that there are eight people in my family. Each person wears one clean pair of socks each day of the week (or at least I assume they do.) Two of these people also run/exercise five days each week which requires a pair of socks each time they exercise. Two of these people play basketball at least one day a week. This also requires a pair of socks each time they play. Two of these people are in gymnastics once a week which also requires a pair of socks each. Whew! This makes me tired just thinking about it. Throw in three more pairs just for fun (because you know when you're watching T.V. somehow the couch just sucks them right off your feet and they get stuck between the cushions so you have to go get a new pair.) Throw in an extra two pairs since it's winter and when you go out to play in the snow you swear you were wearing socks when you shoved your feet in your snowboots but when you pulled them out they were nowhere to be found...and chilly toes need a new pair of socks! Now for the big question:

How many socks do I wash in one year?

The first one with the correct answer gets 5 handmade greeting cards for various occasions. Either that or all of the unmatched socks in my laundry room. Take your pick.

The joy of socks...

it's a big, big world

2008-01-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

Earth is estimated to weigh 6,585,600,000,000,000,000,000 tons.

The area of the earth is almost 200 million square miles.

It took four years, 21 million steps, and 22 pairs of leather shoes for Dave Kunst to complete his record-making 14,450 mile walk around the earth in 1974.

The equatorial circumference of the earth is about 24,900 miles, or 256,948,534 dollar bills laid end to end.

That being said, I probably tell our youngest son, Adam, that I love him at least five times a day. (I love our other children, too, but he's pretty much by my side all day long and responds well to my outpouring of emotion.) Being the mom that I am, I love to hear it in return and sometimes have to resort to asking for it. Sometimes it takes prodding; sometimes not.

Me: Adam, do you know that I love you so much?

Adam: Yup.

Me: Do you love me?

Adam: Yup.

Me: How much?

Adam: As big as the planet.

note to self

2008-01-05T22:20:00.001-07:00

What do you want to do when you grow up?

houston, we have a winner!

2008-01-04T08:54:00.001-07:00

She did it, folks! Maryanne is the new owner of a Sonicare toothbrush. Her canines, molars, lateral incisors, and husband will thank us!

The puzzle was finished in record time. By 10:00 a.m. New Year's Day the last piece was placed. Granted, we did this puzzle last year so maybe we don't earn bragging rights. It's much larger than the picture above (everything's bigger in Texas, right?), but this gives you the idea. For those of you who know us well, Texas has a sweet spot in our hearts.

Thanks to all (two) entries! Y'all missed out...

trial and error, error and trial

2008-01-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

So I've been trying to figure out how to make my own header (the title of my blog.) I've been playing around on Photoshop much too long today and the header is still not fixed. But I did figure out how to do this:

One small step for me, one giant step in the world of blogging. The only other productive thing I did today was make sure that they all had clean underwear for their first day back to school from Christmas vacation.

through a child's eyes

2008-01-01T21:20:00.000-07:00

Adam and I were driving down the road through a very industrial part of town. You know the areas...railroad tracks, dirty buildings, ugly sheet metal near and far. We drove by a row of smokestacks when he announced, "Look! There's a cloudmaker!"

bruthas

2008-01-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

Look who we found on the top of Matt's bunkbed this morning.

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout?

puzzled

2007-12-31T20:49:00.001-07:00

One of our traditions on New Year's Eve is to eat shrimp. Lots and lots of shrimp. Mmmm, mmmm, good!

We also do a puzzle as a family. We usually do a new one each year, but since we liked this one so much we're doing it again this year.

Since you're not here with us, we're having a contest.

First one to tell us what this puzzle is about wins a prize.

No shouting out! Just post a comment, please. Since this is our first contest, we thought we'd make it worth your effort. The prize is a Sonicare toothbrush (unused, of course!) If you've never used one, your mouth doesn't know what it's been missing. The best thing since sliced bread. Sure bliss. Heaven on earth.

No kidding.

Have a happy new year, ya' hear?!

merry, merry christmas

2007-12-20T00:56:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Love,

Chad, Lynette, Austin, Clayton, Hannah, Matthew, Kendall, and Adam

P.S. Check back in a few weeks and we'll update you on life in our neck of the woods. We'll make it worth your while....promise!

practice, practice, practice

2007-11-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

the original 'mater

2007-11-13T16:06:00.001-07:00

i am thankful for...my laundry

2007-11-13T15:55:00.001-07:00

2007-10-24T09:25:00.000-06:00

sink or swim

2007-08-19T19:29:00.001-06:00

Ready,

set,

GO! (Is that great form or what?!)

We're taking the plunge...hoping you'll jump in

and join the fun!

hang on tight!

2007-08-14T11:16:00.001-06:00

Welcome to our blog!

We hope you enjoy the ride!