Codemaker, Codebreaker

One of my favorite games (this relic picture courtesy of Wikpedia - the best news source ever). For those who have wondered what the picture was. I am proud to announce that Jessica beat it in 4 trys today.

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(Ok its to long to explain the rules if you have never played. I'll let Jenn Ann to this)

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Just wanted to let you know she is a genius

My Top Vacation Spots

The Bucket List version of Rest and Relaxation

1. Hawaii
2. Greece
3. Mexico
4. Budapest
5. Austraila

Cute Kid?

This was captured on a commerical for ADD medicine. All I can think is "What you talking about Willis?"

Happy Birthday Larissa

Finallly 2! We love you!

Happy Birthday Jeffrey

The coolest kid I know is a year older - hope its great!!

Take your Child to Work Day

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I took Melody to get her eyebrows waxed ("Mom please dont take me to a Chinese place, they always hurt because they dont care about the pain"). When we get there we go to the backroom which clearly is no longer a place to get waxed, but the children's playroom.

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My observation was "This could be a great place to take your child to work" Melody's was "What a diasaster, does someone live here?"

Half Birthday 2008

This post has everything to do with my half birthday. While I know the majority of the world does not celebrate this invented day, I take it as the opportunity to reflect on the half way mark.



*So I am half way to 37. Brittney is half way to 13.

*I have 385 posts

*Kim has a baby (as announced 1 year ago today)

*I now have a facebook profile (I know, I know not near as many friends as all of you)

*And life is grand!

Jessica and Rascal (2004)

Jessica used to love poking her fingers into Rascal's cage. It was also her favorite place to play when Rascal was outside.

Bigger than Life

Ok so the picture doesnt do it justice. But what it captured above is the biggest hair of all times. It randomly appears in the mole on the right side of my face (poor Brittney she has the same mole). Literally I look in the mirror and the mole is fine and then I look in the mirror and a big, long, monkey looking, course hair bigger than my head is exposed wanting to be plucked (except that it curls up and trys to get a way from my finger nails) from my mole that now looks like a "witch" mole instead of a "I want to be Cindy Crawford" beauty mark.

Happy Anniversary Alice and John

Still my favorite photo! Have a great day!

Monsoon Season

Monsoon Season in Arizona is July-September. For those of you that have never experienced the incredible hot rain down pour it is hard to describe. It literally goes from 104 (and mom I am so hot can I pleaassssssse have a snow cone) to 77 degrees (and mom I am drenched where is the car?) in seconds. The Monsoon hit tonight right before the swim tournament. We couldnt get home soon enough.

My bet is by tomorrow the national news will pick up some moron who decided to drive through the washed out road trying to beat the already flooded streets.

Ann, I did it!

Ann used the terminology a couple weeks ago and now I see it everywhere: A staycation. So this weekend was my turn to try it.

Kim and I took 7 children to the Arizona Grand Resort (previously the Pointe South Mountain) Water Park.

Waterslides, Lazy River, Wave Pool, Kiddie Pool, Regular Pool and the Dive in Movie.

The best part was we didnt even sleep at the hotel (sure made it easy not having to pack up bags).

Herston update 7-21-08

It is said a picture says a thousand words. Hopefully with this picture everyone can see the power of prayer. Herston was taken off the ventilator on Friday night. By Saturday he was awake and trying so hard to communicate with his eyes. He has progressed significantly and if he can remember how to suck (therefore eat on his own) he will get a one way trip out of PICU to the childrens unit.

Thank you for positive energy and throughts. If he continues getting better he could look at going home at the end of the week.

The story behind the flashback friday story

December 26, 2003 was The First Annual Goodwill Day

Instead of the siblings exchanging christmas gifts we exchanged a goodwill outfit.

Instead of the siblings giving the parents gifts we did "goodwill" (which turned into 10 hours of hard labort/service)

Instead of the parents giving the siblings gifts they watched the grandchildren while the siblings went out on a date in the goodwill outfits.

Sidenotes:

• It was John's first exposure to the Young family and he still married Alice
• Ruth purchased out my outfit
• I purchased out Megan's outfit (what a find huh?)
• I had to crimp my hair to trake away from the fact that I wasnt purposefully wearing an 80's prom gown
• We never had a Second Annual Goodwill Day

Goodwill Day

Sidekick

Last night the Skinner's can over to hang out. Trying to keep from getting overwhelmed from the child count doubling I decided to assign side kicks (coming from a big family this is a survival technique).

I first assigned Jessica and Raea. I then asked Brittney to be Larissa's. The following conversation follows:

Brittney: What does that mean she is my side kick?

Mom: You just make sure she is with you when we go somewhere or help her when she needs to go to the bathroom

Brittney: But mom is she even potty trained?

Mom: She's got a diaper on, but just check with her every once in a while

Mom: Melody, Ethan's your side kick

Melody to Ethan: Your potty trained right?

Herston Update

Herston is still in PICU a fighting to get better. He has had lot of tests but not alot of results yet.

Please visualize him as a football player bigger and stronger than his dad and pray for his well being.

Metal Mouth

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Never having had braces before I do not understand the true pain that Brittney is enduring getting her on today. I am however being super sympathetic. I made soup for dinner and will be serving a smoothie later.

Jessica on the other hand is a terrible tease mocking Brittney's teeth brushing technique and over the house intercom whining, "oh my braces hurt so bad.". Its a shame she is the youngest and in 7 years will have the wrath of a 19 year old to deal with when she gets hers.

Best of Both Worlds

If you could build your own workshop with your own male and female assistants (their role could be business adviser, personal coach or solution finder among many other duties). Who would you pick?

I pick Jean Luc Picard and Reba McEntire.

That means I get the past, present anf future (with the cool toys that come along) and a sassy red head who is a creative business women with southern charm.

Happy Birthday Sophia Blair!

Hope your day is great, we love you!!

To Tami and Dan

Lucky 7/11

Yeah, Faith Hill cut her hair in 1990 too

Laundry Room Art

In honor of Ann's obsession I am giving you all a view of the artwork in my laundry room. I got this framed beauty last November. I have looked at it daily as my way of visualizing a Harley (deep purple with lots of chrome) in my garage.

‘My feet grew from a size 5 ½ to a size 7 in flats,’ says the singer

Poor Christina Aguilera having to deal with pregnant weight gain in the public.

Haircut of the Year

At the beginning of the year Tamara announced that her entire family was going to be in 1856 the Musical. Talk about dedication. Not only did practice occur multiple times a week at the earliest of hours. But it also required the men to grow out their hair for their costumes. The last performance was Thursday and the hair couldnt be cut quick enough.

Dan is now the Man again

Dallin is no longer a Jonas Brother

and Clark is Superman again!

How hot are you?

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The two older girls have swim every morning at 630 am. Poor Jessica has to get out of bed and sleep in the car while mom reads in the front seat. Last week while it was 103 at 7 am, Jessica climbs through to the front and declares, "It is tooooooooo hot and you will have to deal with 60"

Jane's Independence Day

What a great lazy day:

Watched 6 episodes of Season 2 of Lost
130 PM Shower
Shopping with mom to JC Penney
Dip and chips at the Skinners
No Fireworks (cancelled due to weather and safety)
Finished Top of Friends Quilt
Finished Season 2 of Lost
130 AM Go to bed

And the Trees are still up in Reno

It's Diane's Day!!

LOST

It is true I am officially addicted to LOST. I am watching the DVD's and have finally finished Season 1.

Yesterday while on a turbulent plane ride back to Phoenix my mind wandered to "What if". What if the plane went down. No panic, just "What if".

These poor people on LOST. The people they have to interact with. So, I choose the gentleman in 2A (looked high maintenance and a pain in the rear however he looked like he had a lot of technnical gadgets). I choose The girl in 15B. She appeared to be the only one on the plane was close to my same size. She only had a carry on packback, which is more than i had for clothes - but hopefully she would share. I also choose the women in 18A. She was kind and motherly.

I do not choose the girl in 7D, she looked high maintenance (in a bad way) and do not choose the girl in 8F, she was happy and friendly but not sure how she would handle stress.

Back home. Just finished Season 2 Disk 2.

Crazy Hair Day

I picked up Jessica from Raea's the other day after crazy hair day at Boredom Busters. I asked Jessica who did hers, "My sisters - it's an ice cream cone"