Sydney is getting Baptized!

This Sunday, October 5th at the Pasco Stake Center 6:00 PM

I Remember...

Playing this again and again...it was soooo hard!
Anderson (While watching this clip) "That is sad."

Carrying this to elementary school...

Driving these around empty pastures...

Sitting on this...My parents kicking us kids out of the room to watch this every Friday night...

Getting this little guy for Christmas and thinking he was soooo high tech...

Learning my letters in Kindergarten with one of these guys every week...
Using my little record player to listen to this...
Singing along with this....
Pretending not to like this but I think I saw every episode....

I tag Alicia, Noelle, Rachel, Brenda and Jan.

What 10 things can you remember?

Changes

So I've been able to keep my house clean for well over a week now and it's been easy! This morning I stopped to think about why this is suddenly possible when it has been unthinkable the last 10 months...er...years. Things are getting organized, the laundry is done and I'm vacuuming more than twice a month. It wasn't even a conscious decision it just seemed to happen. There are three things that changed in the last few weeks and I think all three have caused this amazing turn of events.

#1 I began Weight Watchers. Branson is almost 10 months and it is well beyond time to get rid of the unwanted pounds of my last three pregnancies. I started 2 1/2 weeks ago and have lost over 7 pounds. My goal is not to only focus on shedding the weight, but to eat more healthy and well balanced meals and snacks. My doctor has very kindly told me that if I don't lose 20 pounds (come on Doc...it's more like 40) I am at high risk for both diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. I feel great. I am not down on myself with that CONSTANT, awful, nagging, FAT feeling. Oh I know that I don't look like a swim suit model...yet, but I am finally doing something about it and that feels amazing.

#2 Don't judge me for this one...I am not doing PTO, I am not volunteering to help with the fundraiser and I am NOT doing the school yearbook this year! It feels wonderful to be at home and get things done. After years as PTO president, in a way I feel I have done my time. Oh I'll volunteer in the classroom and of course I am still doing the book fair, there's absolutely NO question about that! But my phone isn't ringing off the hook. And when someone does call I allow myself to say "no" and guess what happens....nothing! Lightning doesn't strike you on the spot, and your calendar isn't jammed with stuff. (Don't we LDS ladies have a busy enough calendar with Scouts, activity days, enrichment, Sunday School lessons, day camp, kids homework, choir concerts, Visiting Teaching...) So for those of you who are thinking bad thoughts about me right now because I am boycotting volunteering...I love you. When people call asking for help I will refer them to you!
#3 I am scrapbooking again. As I mentioned before I hadn't actually done it in a long time and it feels so good to do something for me again. Something that I love and feel good about. It helps when the house is clean and the laundry is being rotated to have a guilt free session at the computer to blog and scrapbook.

I feel so free!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I changed my blog background. It feels open and clean and new. Let's hope the feeling stays long enough to get the 3+ days of ironing I have to do!

Apparently...

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When I opened our side door to dump the garbage I found this cute little guy sitting on the door frame.

Apparently... either he wasn't over far enough or I was in a big hurry after taking this picture of him because several hours later...


Anderson: Hey mom, there's a squashed Preying Mantis in the door jam!
Mom: Is he still alive?

Anderson: Uhhhh, he's twitching...

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Cayden and Anderson loved playing on their crib mattress when they were toddlers.

Apparently... Branson does too.
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Anderson and Cayden get very frustrated learning how to tie knots. Grandpa Cazier gets very frustrated teaching how to tie knots.

Apparently... I am a smart woman for sending them down to Grandpa instead of teaching them myself.

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Sydney celebrated her 8th birthday yesterday.

Apparently... once you turn 8 you sleep with your head inside your brothers laundry basket.

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I DO NOT like dogs. I do not like our dog.
Apparently... I am out voted by yet another member of our family. (Dang it, Branson was my last shot)
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Our deck is way over due for a good refinishing job.

Apparently... playing in the sunshine outweighs slivers in the hands and knees.

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What a pathetic attempt at a creative post!

Apparently... I need to get out more.

What!?

Armpits

Cayden: Dad smell my armpits and see if they stink.
Dad: I am not going to smell your armpits Cayden.
Mom: I'll smell them.
DISCLAIMER: I really thought I was safe on this one, he's only 11, he showered this morning and Anderson hasn't smelled bad a day in his life and he's 13!
Mom: Oh my goodness Cayden you reek! Put on some deodorant.
Cayden: laughing
Dad: laughing
Anderson: laughing
Branson: drooling
Mom: No, seriously Cayden. If you smell like that you need to put deodorant on every day!
Cayden: See Anderson I told you. I do have B.O. Now I am truly a man!
Mom: Cayden...smelling bad does not make you a man.
Cayden: But that's how all the guys in high school smell.

Poor Danny

Cayden went to a birthday party last night and they handed out glowsticks that the kids could make into necklaces and stuff. While Cayden was using the restroom he dropped his orange glowstick into the toilet. According to him he was lucky cause even though he had already went to the bathroom, half of the glowstick was still sticking out and untouched by...well you know.

He picked up the clean end, and after telling his buddy Ethan what happened they both laughed hysterically, said a few "ewwwwws" and tossed it into the garbage.

A while later Danny Ross came over waving an orange glowstick at Cayden and Ethan, "Hey guys, look what I found! Someone actually threw their glowstick in the garbage."

Evidently after discovering the reason behind the tossed out glowstick Danny through it as far as humanly possible.

Oh what do you do when you're feeling blue...

Do you pout? Just give up?Take a nap in the tub?
Or do you think about the things in life that you can celebrate?

I think I will focus on celebrating...

GOOD FRIENDS

Sydney has found a "good" friend in McKenna Moon. To me a good friend is someone who is kind, speaks nicely and treats others fairly. I love that Sydney can add another good friend to her list of people she enjoys being around.

OLD SCHOOL GAMES

GOOD CLEAN SILLINESS

BIG TIME HELP & BIG TIME LOVE

QUESTIONS FROM ANDERSON:

"Hey mom! Do you think Bill Gates ever has a yard sale?"

AMAZING WARD ACTIVITIES WITH ELEPHANT EARS, FACE PAINTING AND PHOTO CONTEST...AND SUGAR

WINNING AWARDS AT THE PHOTO CONTEST!

Sydney's picture received the 3rd place award in the ABSTRACT category.

Anderson's picture of Belle won the 3rd place award in the ANIMAL category.

My bird photo won 2nd in the ANIMAL division and my hallway picture won 2nd in the ABSTRACT category. My photo Rubik's Cube won 2nd in the craft contest. But beside winning a yummy chocolaty prize the kids loved getting to use my new camera and Cayden wasn't too sad about not winning after I gave him all my ribbons to eat.

BRANSON LEARNING TO PULL HIMSELF TO A STANDING POSITION

LEARNING AND LOVING MY NEW HOBBY OF DIGI SCRAPBOOKING!

Can I just say how incredible this is! I consider scrapbooking my #1 hobby right next to reading but I hadn't created an actual 12x12 layout in over a year and a half! This past week I have made at least 5 full layouts each day and it is fun and there is no mess, and it's free (until I print them out of course) What about all my patterned papers and rubber stamps and punches you ask? Oh I use them all the time for all kinds of crafts and cards and miscellaneous projects. I love love love digi scrapbooking!

So maybe I was feeling a bit blue...and maybe I stayed away from blogging for a week to pout...but there so much every day to celebrate! (Oh...and I've kept my house clean for over a week! Now THAT'S something to celebrate!!!)

Reflections

Branson in the Bathtub Sep 10, 2008

Answers...

OK so we don't always get the answers we want. Like I want to know why Sydney decided my cuts in the cornbread weren't good enough for her. But here are some answers that I can give...


Remember Logic Puzzle #1:
The answer is that Fred is guilty. They key point to solving this puzzle; each suspect tells 2 truths and only 1 lie. At closer look you will find that both Tom and Bill have two statements that plead their innocence. These have to be the truth since only one statement is a lie. Knowing that their remaining statement is false you can deduct that Fred did indeed through the brick.

Now the Results of Logic Puzzle #2:
A slightly easier puzzle, Jasper is a Bear. The clue here is that Bulldogs always lie. All you have to do is find the guy that claims he is not a Bulldog and you will know that he in fact is a Bulldog. Now that you know that Ted is the Bulldog you know that he lies so Jasper is not a bat. Then Joe and Sam are either Bats or Bears. Because Bears always tell the truth the guy who is the Bear will say he is NOT a bat...so Joe is our Bear, the truth teller, and he says that Jasper is a Bear. Clear as MUD?

Alicia reminded me that I never posted the answers to my book backgrounds from way back when...some of you were dead on...some of you were way off. But since it is all in fun, here are the correct answers...

Flipped was taken on a big fallen log on a beach along the Spokane River.
Peak was taken on the hood of my Dad's loaner car. I read while driving on a trip to Le Grand.
Fablehaven was taken at low tide on the beautiful flat rocks on Vancouver Island...nothing man made or unnatural about this "flooring".
I think everyone got Hidden Talents right. It was taken on a sandy beach.

I am sure you will all be able to sleep better at night now that I have set everything straight.

Cute Cousins

I got to watch Audrey all day Friday and despite what it looks like in this picture Branson was delighted.They played so well together, shared toys and Branson didn't bite down whenever Audrey put her pointer finger in his mouth. The cutest thing ever: after Branson woke up from his nap I carried him into the playroom and he immediately began throwing his head back and forth trying to look for Audrey behind my head....she was still sleeping.

Audrey 11 months~Branson 10 months

Stampin Up FUN!

Stampin' Up Workshop!

Tomorrow Night (Tuesday) 7:00

Cazier Home (email for directions)

Brand new Catalog!

Door Prizes

Make-n-Takes

Check out the new Scallop Punch below! It is so easy to use!

There are also several NEW stamp sets that are on sale for 15% off!