Some Funny Happenings

Jenny has been studying her heart out. She's done a really good job most of the time. Here is her not doing a very good job.




Later in the week, Sam came over and while Jenny was putting clothes away in the bedroom, Sam must have gotten a little lonely while watching cartoons and grabbed some of our dolls/figurines from the book shelves

DONE

I am officially finished with school.
You have no idea how good I feel right now.
Papers are completed and turned in.
Graduation is May 6.

Grades will be posted.
As long as I pass all my classes, I take a licensing test.
Then hopefully have a job.
Then we move out of this cinderblock cave.
Jeff and I thought this would never come!

So what are we doing to celebrate at midnight?
Making peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
Mmmm, boy.

If guys were like girls...

This is SO FUNNY!

Pedicures

Yes. These pictures are of Jeff. Getting a pedicure. Reading a Cosmopolitan magazine. He's secure in his manhood. Kyle was a good sport.
We got pedicures post-marathon on Saturday. Andrea, Amy, Kevin, and Joey all participated in the bike/1/2 marathon/full marathon. The rest of us supported them at the finish line.
Way to go, guys! And thanks for the excuse to get pedicures to massage your achy legs and feet.

Right Now

I'm listening to my 28-year-old husband and his 21-year-old brother giggling like little school girls while playing Super Mario on the Wii.

It's funny to me.

Check us out

Our cute friend Becca created a love story blog. Jeff and I did our story on it. It will be up tomorrow (Sunday) so check it out!

Click here.

Musical

Being married to Jeff has turned my life into a musical and I think it's absolutely hilarious.

He always breaks into song and can sing a made-up song about anything. Anytime. Anywhere.

Often times, he'll use the tune of a song either from the radio or from an actual musical such as these in the pictures. The words are generally all his. A lot of times, though, he'll just sing a random song that has to do with whatever he is talking about.

Examples from today:
"Please forgive me...I know not what I do...Please forgive me...(and this is where he changes it) You can't stop loving me..."

"You say it best...when you say nothing at all." Then, just to be funny, he continues and the next chorus he sings, "You say it best...when you keep your mouth shut."

In primary, Jeff sometimes doesn't know the right words or the right order or whatever. He sings loudly and throws everyone off.

During our lessons, when we are supposed to be using a song to illustrate the lesson, I'll say the words and Jeff makes up his own tune and sings like mad to the kids. It's awesome. He and Maddie often belt it out together with their own renditions of who knows what.

I think musicals are awesome. I love that the people just break into song at any moment and all is right with the world.
It's pretty cool living my life in a musical.

Blessed

I am so blessed.

I realize more and more every day just how blessed I truly am.
I am blessed to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Jeff is such a blessing in my life.
He holds the Priesthood worthily.
He works hard to support our little family.
He is a gentleman.
He constantly tells me how much he loves me and how lucky he feels to be married to me.
He always tries to make me happy and will do whatever he can to fulfill that.
He is so incredible with kids. I know I've posted about that several times, but he really truly is. This last week while watching our niece and nephew, I have realized more than ever before how amazing of a father he really will be. He has been so great all week with helping me get the kids to bed, clean up, have dinner, etc. I don't know how women/moms/wives can do it all without a supportive husband.
There is never a doubt in my mind that I made the right choice in marrying Jeff.
He is kind and gets along so well with my mom and everyone he meets.

My mom thinks he's cute.
I agree.

He always makes me feel like the most important person in the world and will drop anything when I'm having a rough time.
We have been sealed for time and all eternity in the temple and are able to enjoy the blessings that come along with that.
Thank you, Jeff.
I love you.
There is no one else I'd rather spend eternity with.

I also am blessed with 4 amazing sisters and hard-working, understanding, supportive, and loving parents who shaped me into the person I am today.
I don't know where I'd be without them.
My sisters have always been there for me. We have had so many great memories together and I love each of them dearly.
I also have a little brother who has taught me so much.

I couldn't ask for better in laws.
I'm so thankful to each and every one of them.
I married into a wonderful family.
Dave and Susan are the kindest, most accepting and compassionate people.
I appreciate them and love them so much.
I love all my brothers-in-law.
They crack me up and right after Jeff and I got married, Joey would ask if he was treating me well and if he wasn't, he'd take care of it.
My sisters-in-law are equally fabulous.
I love crafting and shopping with them.

Between the 2 sides of our family, Jeff and I enjoy 3 sweet nieces and one wild nephew.

I love my family.
I love my husband.
I love my life.

So Tired

I'm so exhausted. We were up at 5 this morning because Maddie was wide awake and wanting me to feel her wiggly tooth. She also had a million questions and just wanted to chat. Sam is a little kick boxer in his sleep. I have been jabbed, kicked, and groped all night for the last couple of nights.
I love these kiddos dearly. I am also really excited to sleep next to my husband in our own bed in a few days. I will never again take a full nights sleep without little elbows jabbing or voices talking for granted!

Things I've Learned

Jeff and I are watching Maddie and Sam all week while Emily and Ben are in Costa Rica. In my few days of being a full time mommy, I have learned a lot.

1. Do not leave a wild 2-year-old alone with his 5-year-old sister while he has a cane in his hand. It will only end in tears.

2. Having 2 children means endless laundry, dishes, and messes. It also means having birthday parties (with homemade party hats) for Mr. Potato Head and his friends. Cake and everything.

3. Do not wear a white shirt to church when you have a 2-year-old with you.

4. Just don't even bother wearing clean shirts period because by the end of the day, you will be covered in tears, snot, food, and mysterious other substances.

5. There is a reason that when you have kids, they start out as babies so when they have 2-year-old tantrums, you remember how cute and pleasant they were as babies.

6. The innocence of kiddos is amazing. They have so much faith and understand that Priesthood blessings really do help when you're having a rough time.

7. Sleep is NOT overrated. I'm so excited to get sleep again come Saturday night.

Breakfast Disaster

Joey and I decided to head up to Rexburg, ID to visit with Kyle and see his last choir concert of the year. I was looking forward to it because we were going to make a couple of exciting stops for some well-earned quality dining. We left on Friday around 2pm and stopped for burgers at some place in Roy. Very good. We went to the concert and after we had a decent pizza buffet and did some bowling. We were so excited to eat some really good flapjacks. So we went to the Flapjack Shack.



When we went in, it seemed pretty shady. Mom at the register, 12yo son doing the dishes and Dad cooking the food. Plus there was a line, so we decided to go to JB's instead. Redemption attempt #1: We arrived at JB's and decided to get the breakfast buffet, major mistake, major. The buffet was expectedly horrible and they had no pancakes. Joe asked 4 different people to bring out more, and they all said they were on it, but alas, no pancakes.



After sampling the fine cuisine at the buffet line, we decided we'd had enough and we headed back to the flapjack shack to try once again to redeem our morning. I ordered one flapjack and Joe ordered two, reasonably priced pancakes. That was at 8:57. After 43 minutes and a couple of episodes of Gilligan's Island later, we finally got our pancakes. They were okay, but not worth a 40+ minute wait. Dejected, rejected and disillusioned, we departed Rexburg for our long drive home. We had one last attempt to redeem our Saturday morning: we stopped at Five Guys in Centerville. Their burgers and fries are spectacular. Partial Redemption.



[Now i have to stop here and add a little commentary. I've been to Jb's before. I've had their breakfast. I've had their breakfast buffet. I know their breakfast buffet is terrible. So why did I agree to get the buffet? That is a really really good question, and I think I can answer it after looking deep into my psyche: I have a problem with food. I love it too much. I love it in great quantities, and I don't like my supply to be limited [This stems from childhood, but the why is for another post altogether]. Simply put, I was blinded by my inner mind. When my logical side said "Jeff, this buffet will be horrible" my inner mind said "Jeff, this buffet will be so good." When the logical side said, "the food is going to be cold and the grease level will be off the charts" my inner mind said "Just think of all the food you can eat, quantity supersedes quality." And who do I listen to? the one what has been working well for decades, the one who knows the world and how things really work, the one who knows my inner mind and how it works? No, I repeatedly listen to the stupid illogical side, the inner mind. Inner mind, with all my heart I stab at thee!!!]

The Ball

the other day, i yawned. a big yawn. and i happened to be sitting next to maddie. she says,
"i saw your ball!"
me: my ball?
her: yeah. the ball in the back of your throat.
me: ah, yes. that ball.
her: can you make it bounce?
me: seriously?
her: yeah. make it bounce. stick your finger back there and bounce it.

we then had to discuss the gagging that would occur and we each gagged a little just talking about it. needless to say, i did NOT stick my finger back there to bounce the ball.

Thoughts from Primary

Primary lesson today: Being Missionaries.

Me: "Have you heard the song 'I Hope They Call Me On a Mission'?"
Savannah: "My mom doesn't actually know that song. But we have the cd's so she can learn it."
(Don't worry 900 court friends. Kari does know the song. She sometimes just forgets the second verse.) :)

Me: "Do you know how old you have to be to go on a mission?"
(Blank stares from all children.)
"Boys have to be 19 and girls have to be 21."
Savannah: "You could like be dead!"

I love that 21 is so ancient to little kids.

Me: "The Lamanites were very wicked people. Do you guys know what wicked means?"
Jarrod: "I like to play Mario."
Savannah: "Um, it means sassy."

Me: "How could you be a good missionary?"
Jarrod: "Play Mario."

Our little 4 & 5 year old class is the best. We love going to primary!

So Soon

Thursday May 6.
7:30 p.m.
College of Social Work graduation.
I love that I get to do it the day before the university wide graduation.
It's SO close...yet so far away...
Can you tell that I am just beyond ready for this?

Date Night

Dating gets better and better the longer we're married.
We're driving an hour out of the way to go to dinner tonight.
We're both excited.
Delicious Mexican food.
Lots of time to chat and laugh in the car.
Hanging out with each other after not being together all week.
La Casita, here we come!

Mac N Cheese

In my hanging out with Maddie and Sam today, they decided they wanted Mac & Cheese for lunch. This is a very common meal for them on Wednesdays. Luckily, there was some in the fridge (leftover mac & cheese is nasty to me, but the kiddos don't seem to mind) so I didn't have to make a new batch.
I was doing some laundry so Maddie took it out of the fridge. When I went out to the kitchen to warm it up, I couldn't find it anywhere.
After getting the kiddos to search for it with me because "Sam took it" (everything is his fault), Maddie yells,
"Hey Jenny! I found it! It's right here." Yep. In the laundry hamper.
Later, we took my mom to physical therapy so we were telling her about the mac & cheese hunt.
Maddie said,
"It wasn't in my mom's room. It wasn't in my room. It wasn't in the den. It was in the hamster!"

Massages

I LOVE rice bags. They're so comfortable and relaxing and warm and delightful. So today, I was domestic. Very very domestic. I created a truly amazing work of art. A custom rice bag for my cute husband.
Yes, it's ugly. But look how cool it is!
It kind of has a body armor look, but it keeps the rice divided semi-equally so it doesn't all sink down to the bottom.
Jeff requested straps/handles so he could adjust it on his back as needed. So, the two little parts go up on the shoulders and the straps go down in front so it can be adjusted however. Because it's really ugly, I made a fun little cover for it. I was DONE sewing so I just made it a square instead of the exact same shape and will put a little snap on it.
It took about 2 hours and my back hurt like mad after I finished it. Thanks to my mom for use of the sewing machine. I didn't want to change the color of the thread, so I kept it black even though I was sewing on white. Whatever. I was pretty impressed because I'm definitely not a seamstress and totally made it up as I went along.

Jeff, in return offered to rub my back because it was super sore. Now, when I think of massages, I think of relaxing, long strokes.
Jeff gets bored easily and his strokes are short. And choppy.
He said he got a chair massage at work the other day and started doing stuff the massage lady did.
Jeff starts doing this thing with his fingernails, moving them out from the center, so I ask "what is that?" Jeff answers "the massage lady did that, I'm removing the energy from your back."
Then, all of a sudden, he starts slapping...or maybe chopping...not really slapping, but kinda like when you would tap cheeks or something...know what I mean? and I ask,
"Did you learn that from the massage person, too?"
His response: "No. I'm just making this up."
Thanks, babe.
Later he says,
"You're so tense...Just kidding. I have no idea. People always just say that."
He notices a scar-looking thing on my back (probably just a stretch mark or something. I've never been a small girl.) and says,
"Hmm, you have a weird line on your back. Did you have back surgery? Get burned with acid or something?"
Nope. Neither of those.
You probably had to be there for any of this to be somewhat funny, but Jeff never ceases to amaze me with the random comments that come out of his mouth. It cracks me up.

One last thought:
You know how with little kids you do raspberry blowy things on their stomachs? Is that what they're called?
Anyway, I did that to Jeff the other day and asked if it tickled. (Yeah...we're mature like that). He said no. So I suggested that maybe kids like it so much because of the sound it makes.
Jeff's response?

"No. Because deaf kids like it too."

Right. Do you know a lot of deaf kids who like it? Bless his heart.

Doctor Visits

These are Jeff's nemesis. He doesn't want to seem like a hypochondriac, so he refuses to go until I make him.
I can appreciate this, because even though I come up with the worst diagnosis for myself possible, I also don't want to seem like a hypochondriac.

Anyway, Jeff's foot has been hurting for almost 2 months. I said, "Maybe you should get that checked out." He said, "No. It's fine."
So yesterday morning, he says, "I was really close to making a dr. appointment for my foot."
Me: "Why didn't you?"
Him: "Because I'm fine. It's not a big deal."
Me: "Just do it. Find out what's wrong with it. Please."
Him: "Fine" (in one of those I-don't-think-it's-necessary-but-I'll-do-it-so-you-stop-bugging-me kind of tone).

He goes to the doctor. The doctor says, "Hmm. If we had an x-ray tech here today I'd get you an x-ray. But we don't so go see a podiatrist."
Doctor visit unsuccessful. Jeff annoyed. Me just fine with the whole situation.

We purchased some ice packs from the local Walmart where the sketchy people seemed to be out and about more so than usual. It was a little on the "Um, we could get shot or mugged at any moment" kind of times for me. But, luckily it didn't happen. Ice packs and an ace wrap=a somewhat satisfied Jeff.

Good news, though. Earlier this week, Jeff lost his wedding ring for the second time (yes...we have only been married a little over a year). He looked everywhere for it. He found it this morning! In his pants pocket. Hooray! No saving up for a new ring.

Don't Drink Mercury!

Just an FYI, the liquid metal MERCURY IS POISON. Do not drink it! Don't order it from the internet. Don't have it around the house. Don't drink when it's in the house. Don't wager a shot of mercury as part of a drinking game. Even if you loose that drinking game, DON'T DRINK THE MERCURY!

Do Not Drink Mercury!



We talked in one of our meetings about a guy from Utah County who, a few months ago, lost a drinking game and drank a shot glass full of mercury (acquired from the internet). His friends took him to the ER after vomiting all night. Some of the mercury from his vomit vaporized and he breathed it in (which is way worse than ingesting it). He died in the hospital a bit later. Good times eh?

Family

We have been blessed to have amazing families. Last night we had my fabulous in-laws over for dinner and a little Wii action. (We missed you, Andrea, Kevin, Avery, and Dave!)

Kaitlyn, obviously, was the star of the night. I love how confused and/or annoyed she looks in this picture:
Isn't she darling? Big brown eyes, cute baby soft brown hair, and the most adorable little face...
Grandma and Kaitlyn:
I don't know why, but I love little baby jeans and feet. They're just so cute. Anything in a smaller version of normal sized things is adorable. I know this is blurry, but I just love it.

Kaitlyn got into the Wii playing a little. Carly and Spencer are getting in some good preparation to be parents. :) They're getting married in May and we're SO excited for them! Carly is finishing law school back east so they've been away from each other the majority of their engagement. I don't know how they do it!
Jeff and Kyle:

Joey and Amy:

Susan and Jeff:And, one more cute picture of Kaitlyn. She's SO close to walking! It's the cutest thing ever.
We love you guys! Can't wait for Kaitlyn's first birthday party tonight and then the wedding in May so we can ALL be together!