Christmas Eve breakfast of champions

My breakfast this morning... All from neighbor gifts.

Dear Neighbors, I love you... But none of you are my friends right now. I consider all of this loot sabotage.
Love, Mandi

Awesome Pictures by Rachel

Rachel drew us some pictures today.



I love the tree: it's a Blueberry tree. And you will notice that she is reclining in the grass under the tree. Cute.



I love the dog in the sky. Also our house numbers.

Baby Kobra comparison

Look what 8 months can do!

Dude it would suck to be and Elephant

Brad, Cody, Austin and Rachel

NickleMania on Thanksgiving Eve

Mike was off work last night and we decided to make it an FFA (Forced Family Activity). FFA's are the best!

We went to Italian Village for dinner. Yummy Pizza Benders.
This was the only time these two were not fighting:

Then we headed for the NickleMania. We had a blast!










A pretty good FFA all around.

It's true!

For weeks now Mike and Rachel have been telling me that she climbed the rope at gymnastics all the way to the top. I had not seen it, so I did not believe it happened.... But today I saw it!!

There she is all the way at the top ringing he bell like crazy. I'm so proud.

2 year anniversary

Gymnastics

On the way down. Apparently she has gone all the way up the rope to ring the bell, but I have yet to see it.

(don't ask me why she decided to wear tights. I told her not to.)

University of Utah homecoming game vs Washington

Worst part of the game: kickoff... Who are we?... BYU?

Second worst: 4 turnovers ;(

Best part: the guy with a white shirt and red tie .... And a sign that says "my wife thinks we are at conference" and a follow up sign that says "text me if they announce the second coming"




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Chores

I left a list of chores for the kids Tuesday. I got home and saw this:

Rachel wrote "rachel is dun with hr churs" (translated to "Rachel is done with her chores")

Dax's birthday

Black family gathering at Beef's house for Dax's 1 year birthday. Dax is the sweetest boy. He always has a big smile. His first touch of his cake he put on his chest and he only wanted to eat it with his fork.

Then Miles decided he wanted to eat the rest of Dax's cake. And Winston asked To take a picture with the two of them. They are little stinkers together.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oh, what a beautiful morning

For work today I got to go to a different office. On my way I stopped at the cemetery to have breakfast with Randy. I looked toward the mountains to appreciate their beauty, and this was the view I got.

I'm so happy to live in a beautiful place.



And here's what happens when you walk thru grass on an early fall morning in heels.

Remember that time I had blonde hair?...

It didn't last too long.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

March 13 thru March 20

***I asked Mitchell if he finished reading The Diary of Anne Frank. He had, so I asked his what he thought about it. He said, "She was kinda whiny." Apparently he doesn't think she had anything to complain about.

**Mike and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary on Wednesday. It's a miracle!

**Went to the Sportsman'sExpo and bought a loaf of Jewish Rye from Volkers Bakery. I handed out a piece to the kids and Mitchell of course didn't like it, but Austin and Rachel did. Austin says, "Those Jews know how to make GOOD bread!"

**got a facial. It was fabulous!

**Family Movie Night. Watched "Despicable Me" While Agnes was singing about her unicorn while trying to go to bed, Austin pipes up and says, "Wow, she's annoying. Now I know how you guys feel about me." Classic Austin.

**Mike got a massage. Now I don't have to rub him for at least a day.

** Chose our new carpet for upstairs. No more green.

Sportsman's expo 2011

Elbow's just a tad high, here, Austin.

Anniversary dinner

Our fifteen year anniversary was this year. I can't believe it. It seems sometimes like I've never been without Mike.... But then sometimes I feel like I don't know him at all. Strange. Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels like this.

For our anniversary this year, Mike surprised me by not telling me where we were going to dinner. And then scared me by saying he did not know where he was going... But then he drive right to it. We went to a quaint, posh, uppity Restaraunt named Franc's. (you have to say it with a Martin-Short-Father-of-the-Bride accent) (and can a place be quaint and posh, or quaint and uppity? You decide)

The food was fabulous. Mike had the meatloaf which came highly recommended... And was very good. And I had... Something pork medallions? Maybe. It was good, too. The highlight of our night, though (or maybe I should just say our dinner, and not the night!) was the soup Mike got. It was picture worthy:

See? We were told that they had been open for 3? Years and the chef had never repeated the same soup. Ours that day was a green apple and popcorn soup. It was surprisingly good. Not that we'll ever have it again...

2-7 thru 2-13-2011

*I found Rachel and Austin's backpacks and found we had not done their homework packets for 3 weeks. (Parent of the year award to be issued later this year)After working on it with Rachel for 45 minutes she says, "Ow, my head. There's just so much math in my head it's starting to hurt."

*We have started laying out Rachel's clothes for the week on Sunday. We make sure everything is washed and put away, and then we can choose the outfits and shoes. I let her do it this week, and when I came in to look at what she had done, this is what I saw:

She had made labels for each day of the week! And the best part is that she did all the letters by herself, no help from anyone! I am so glad she is learning her letters,... and practicing her organization skills at such an early age! :)

January 31 thru February 6

* Guava coconut cake from Pounders. YUM.
* New haircut (which I LOVE) includes bangs and a darker color.
* I called 911 for the first time (on purpose, at least). I drove up to Fresh Market (that's Albertson's for everyone), and saw smoke coming from a car hood. Parked and waited for a minute until I saw flames coming from the wheel well. Reported to 911. Fire department arrived and put out the fire. I felt like a responsible citizen.
* Filled out a "Juror Qualifying Form". Yipee.
* Discussing with Austin going to Utah Gymnastics meet. Told him we need to wear pink for Breast Cancer awareness. He asked if we could buy an "I (Heart) boobies" bracelet. Who knew it started so young?

January 24-30

* We laid out all Rachel's clothes for the week last night. She comes up to me this morning having quite a problem, "I don't know what to wear... they are all so cute!"
* I have a new owner at work. Lots of changes to keep me busy.
* Went on a date with my BFF, Ann, to Utah Gymnastics meet. Was so fun!
* Date # 2 with Ann involved our husbands. Movie: The Dilemma and Dinner: Epic (yum!)
* New favorite place to shop for clothes: Deseret Industries. I totally get more for my money!!
* Come home from church to find Austin's shopping list:
Cheese nips, Ritz bits, Raisn Bran, Nerds rope, Reses Pese, gummy worms, diet coke, gummy bears, oreos, 5 lunchabeles, dog treats, tolet paper. There was a little something for everyone in there.
* Conversation with Mike while he was at work on Sunday: "Ok, well, I'll see you on..... (crickets) Wednesday." For those of you counting.... that's 3 days!

January 17-23

* Rachel keeps writing her last name as "Blachel". It cracks us all up.
* Family Movie Night with Mike (Yeah for HAVING to use his holiday hours in the same pay period)We watched "Big". The kids had never seen it, and they loved it.... right up until the big "F" bomb at the end. In a PG movie. What is the world coming to? Mitchell especially liked it since Josh in the movie turns 13.
* Discovered what all the "dropping" noises are when Austin and Rachel take a shower. They are playing Soap Soccer, also known as Shower Soccer with the soap.
* Austin makes lunch for the family (hamburgers on the grill with dad's help). He then proceeds to tell us we can thank him for lunch... and dad for passing on his awesome grillmaster skills (gangsta hand gesture included).
* While watching "The Black Stallion" last night, Austin and Mitchell have all sorts of comments about the movie. It drives me crazy. Favorite one: "Hey, mom. They are just "horsing around". This gets giggles all around... until I yell at them to go to bed.
* I HATE video games..... and the X-Box 360. Enough said.
* Dinner with Siggards (Cherlyn used to babysit the Black kids when they were younger). So fun to hear stories from another point of view. And all the kids came home with a new toy!

January 10-16

* Started round 2 of P90X, classic which entails a Plyometric video (with lots of jumping). Amazed that a guy with a prosthetic leg can do the workout... and proceed to almost die. Soreness lasts 3 days.
* Yoga with the Young Women. Wonder if I have joined a new religion.
* Did research on Kindle vs Nook. Happily neighbor, Nikki, has a Kindle and is generous enough to let me borrow it for a couple hours. Do "research" while watching football. Decide I need a Nook so I can "borrow" ebooks from the library.
* Watch football (Ravens vs Pittsburgh). Comment correctly on some plays. Not sure how I feel about this.
* Read Kyra's updated blog. Scream a little... and cry that she has updated.
* Go to Saturday Evening session of Stake Conference while my family goes to In N Out. Leave early because I decide that family is more important than Stake Conference (besides it was almost over by then anyway). Get home in time to kiss my kids goodnight.
* Make churro's with my new Kitchenaid (breaking in slowly). Kids love them. House smells like frying oil. Not my favorite smell.
* Discover Gingerbread Granola. I am addicted.
* Saw Dr. Dave with Austin. Austin's vision is 20/20 with his glasses. Has made lots of progress over the past 3 years from 80/20. He's so good about wearing his glasses all the time.

Highlights for January 1-9th
*Christmas tree was already taken down on January 1st, and Mike was mad at me. But I loved it, so there.
*Sunday was the first day of 9 am church for 3 years. Am I happy about it? Yes, but the jury's still out on what to do with my kids in the afternoon, so I don't kill them.
*First week of Mike's set schedule was a success. Wednesday evenings off: nice (except I am at YW, so I don't truly appreciate it.. but kids do). All day Saturday off: LOVE IT!!
* Tried to go bowling with half off coupon on first Saturday Mike had off: FAIL. Dumb bowling had another "thing" going so wouldn't honor the coupon. Alternate activity: Sizzler for lunch at 3 pm.
*Friday: spontaneous Girls night with Rachel after BFF, Ann, told me she was going to Utah Gymnastics. Parking: something to be desired. Gymnastics meet: Awesome with free tickets... and finding Ann and sitting next to her on the 9th row right behind the vault. Rachel LOVED it, and said to me that she HAS to learn how to dance like the floor routines... and that she was going to DIE if she did not get to do gymastics. Successful outing.
* Saturday: Bowling = FUN. Austin says he uses his mind control to guide the ball. Rachel was a great cheerleader for everyone, and did pretty well. Mitchell is left handed and struggled to keep his ball right down the lane. Mike did the best... although I got 3 spares in a row. Yeah for bumper pads!!!!
* I have been wanting a Kitchenaid mixer for about 15 years now, and Mike won some money from a sports "thing"... and surprised me with a beautiful mixer. I have yet to use it.
* I was feeling ambitious and cleaned out our "pantry". That's all I want to say about that.
* Made a Buttercup Purse