Sorry, it has been forever. We finally have internet hooked up so I will be posting lots this weekend...pictures of the house and some other things that I have been involved with that are really, really exciting, to me anyway. So, just be patient and I will get this blog updated soon. I miss it!

Wanna help us move?

Wow...Didn't think I would get the response I did. I had about 50 new emails to read this morning. Anywho, the house is coming along great. We were trying to wash the walls and rid it of candle smoke and spiderwebs, but it is really nasty, so we are painting almost every room in the house except for Brinley's purple room and the hallway...which may evetually get painted also. I will have to paint the cupards in the kitchen too, but for now, that is not happening.
SOOO...Anyone wanting to help us move? Be at our new house THIS saturday at 9:30am with a truck or at the storage unit at the corner of Argonne and Montgomery about 9:45am....We will provide the krispy cremes....

My little house

Yesterday we got the keys to our house. (YEAH!) I love my house...mostly because it is mine. My little house that I can do whatever I want to with. My own backyard with a cute little fence. My own laundry room (It's huge and will eventually be turned into a bathroom plus it is already plumbed for a toilet). My own craft/office room. I am just so excited.
Matt and I did a walk through and saw that they didn't clean (it was sooo disgusting!) very well so I spent today cleaning the kitchen, mostly the refrigerator and stove ( i can't handle putting my food in something with some one elses dirt all over it...gross!). I realized that being in that key lime green kitchen all day gave me a headache, so I ended up painting it also. It made for a long day...thank you mom for dropping me by some dinner. Then Matt and I decided that we didn't want a yellow bedroom and since I was already painting the kitchen, why not the bedroom too. I left my camera at home today, so I will post before and after pictures tomorrow.
We will officially move in on Saturday, but, I have already move some things over. I am just not that patient. It's just too exciting!

Saturday

While we were in Utah, some friends of ours, the Lymans, were also in town from Wyoming and we were able to go to lunch with them. It was a lot of fun. Emily wasn't feeling too well though... hope your feeling better. We went to the plantarium...way cool...and FREE. This place was so neat and there is the biggest elevator there. It's huge!
The toy store had some really cool things to play with.
This is the way to walk around a large city.
We got to see Matt's adorable neice, Quinn. I am so glad we got to see you. (I wish I would have taken pictures of everyone we saw there.) Quinn works at a place called Smart Cookie in Lehi. This place has the BEST sugar cookies in the world and my cute little niece here makes them.

While in Utah, Megan introduced me to IKEA...OH MY GOSH, where have I been? I fell in love and wish I lived closer to one (Seattle is 4 hours away). I can now see why everyone talks about this place...it's an experience. Amazing...I could post just on how much I love it there, but I'm sure you would all quit reading my blog.

Museum

We took the kids to see the "I Am a Child of God" exhibit at the Church History Museum. What a fun place, and thank you, Hope, for posting about it. Ash and Brinley could have spent forever in there. In this section, they play like they are working in a hospital nursery. You can even make a birth certificate for the babies. This one, Brinley named Boyan. He is 8 lbs. 15 oz. and 4 inches long...a very chubby baby.
Ashleigh named hers, Ashleigh. She was 14 lbs and 40 inches long.
This part you got to put together a stained glass window.
The kids got to walk the "straight and narrow path" and hold to the "Rod of Iron". Brinley loved this.
Here we got to build temples from blocks.

I totally recommend taking your kids here. Let them get some energy out and best of all. It's free!

Utah

On the way to Utah, we stopped in Montana to use the potty. This is what it looked like...the snow, not the potty. This is not a berm, but actual snow fall. I couldn't believe how much snow there was. Luckily, the roads were dry and we had no problems getting to Utah. We did it in 10 hours...not too bad. Matt's nephew, Nick, and his wife Megan, let us stay with them for the weekend. We had so much fun! Thank you guys so much for letting us stay with you. Ashleigh, Brinley misses you already. We are told we look like we could be sisters, yet, there is no relation. I would take you as a sister though, Megan. Your adorable! This is Nick and Megan's adorable little boy, Preston. He was so much fun I could have taken him home with me. I love to watch babies sleep.
Ashleigh and Brinley loved being together. They didn't fight the whole weekend, just painted nails and dressed up like princesses and like twins.

Olivia's Valentine

Olivia got a valentine early because we were traveling all day on Thursday. Matt couldn't go out with us, so Brinley and I bought flowers and headed out. The roses are from my cousin, Amy, and the other bouquet, Brinley picked out. She ended up taking the purple flowers home. She loves purple.
The apple was still there from the Sunday before. I'm sure the deer could smell the roses and made their way over to eat them and the apple.

Over the Clark Fork River (at least 10 times) and throught the woods to Utah we go

We are in Utah this weekend. The weather the whole way down was GORGEOUS and I am wondering if the "big storm" that hit Salt Lake, actually happened. What a way to spend Valentine's Day. Has anybody driving from Spoane to Utah ever noticed how many times you cross over the Clark Fork River? Holy Cow!
We have had a great time so far and I have pictures to post when I get home. We got in last night, just in time to see Matt's neice, Lindsay, finally get a ring! It was exciting and she didn't even know that we were there taking pictures. She is so cute. Anywho...I'm off to see friends and family and I won't be blogging until probably Wednesday....well, maybe sooner.

Today Brinley and I made valentines for Matt and Olivia. She is always entertaining and so stubborn...just like me. We argue a lot because we both want to do it without the others help...I am the adult, I should know better. Homeschooling her is going to be lots of fun!

OUCH

my mom + ice =
yesterday morning when my mom and I left to go walking, she slipped on some ice and broke her finger. Isn't that lovely...just what she needed.

Today marks 13 weeks since Olivia was born. Tomorrow will be 3 months.
After church we took a drive out to Olivia's grave. We haven't been out to the cemetery lately because of all the snow. The roads have been horrible. Even today, I had to hop the fence to get to her grave. It was halfway to my knee and deeper in some spots. It's finally melting though. I could only imagine how bad it was a week ago.
I haven't taken a lot of pictures the past few weeks and today was a great opportunity to get the camera out.

We took an apple for the deer. I am going to take some flowers there this week. My sweet cousin, Amy, sent me money for some and I haven't bought any yet. So Olivia will be getting a couple of bouquets. Plus, with Valentine's Day this week, both my girls are going to need flowers. We will hopefully be on our way to Utah Thursday (V Day), so Brinley may have to wait until we get back to Spokane to get hers.
Brinley wanted to ring her chimes. There is the apple for the deer by Olivia's marker.
Brinley isn't all that fond of going to see Olivia's grave. This Spring, I thought it would be nice to have picnics and things with Olivia, so that Brinley won't think that being there means we have to be sad.
Matt hasn't been in quite some time. I go pretty often. I'll proboably a lot more when the weather gets better. I am going to start looking at headstones as soon as we get back from Utah and are moved in...okay maybe not after I am all moved in, that could take months, even years. Brinley got a little sad and cold. I forgot to charge my camera battery and this was the last picture I took.

Music

Every time I log into my blog, Brinley starts to hum the song being played. So, today I let her choose a song to play on the blog. "Mahna Mahna" is Brinley's song choice. She loves this song

Funny things

Since the snow is finally melting, we get lots of ice at night. Tonight, while leaving a birthday party some one told us to be careful because the puddles have iced over. I overheard Brinley say "Oh nuts!...Oh crap and nuts!" I couldn't help but laugh, but great, I've taught her such a wonderful word and she even knows how to use it correctly. I am so glad my daughter catches on to all the things she isn't supposed to and doesn't listen to me any other time...the joys of parenting. I guess I could have taught her to say something worse, but it sure makes me wonder what other things she hears ans how horrible I am as a parent to say those things around her and that it's okay for me to say them.

However, I love the show Project Runway... and last night the episode I watched was about a bunch of (gay) designers making "outfits" for women who are proffesional wrestlers. I am sure you can imagine what the costumes may have looked like. Well, I thought Brinley was asleep (I don't usually watch that show when she is in the room) and when they showed some of the finished outfits, I hear Brinley say, as she puts her hand over her eyes and says, " oh yuck, Mom, that is so not modest...turn the channel." And then sticks her tounge out. At least I have taught her what it is to be modest.

And just because I can...my Brinley is always getting words wrong. I am sure every kid does this, but right now she is obsessed with Charlie and Lola. We were watching an episode about them getting lost and they were telling the story of Hanzel and Gretel. I was asking Brinely to describe it for me and she kept saying it was "Handsome and Gretel." Maybe she thinks Charlie is cute...

She calls Top Romen "Taco Romen". It makes me laugh every time.

I have been a total slacker this week with my blog. but i have been so out of place...no home. We have been at my parents for a total of 1 week now and have at least 1 more to go. My parents are awesome and have been great to let Brinley leave her stuff everywhere... toys in the front room, underwear in the bathroom, toys in the tub, cereal in the cupboard...you get the idea. I am glad I have such accomidating parents. Their house has always felt inviting and comfortable.
Today I have been watching my friend, Lindsey's kids. They just love to play together and I never have to worry about them. Today they were playing "grandparents". An interesting game of "I am the grandma, come have tea with me" type of game. Well, Chloe, who is 7 was the grandma, Cooper, who is 5 was the grandson. Brinley, my unusual child, played the "grand-cat". She loves being a cat. It was quite entertaining, but at least she has fun!

Boy, was I tired

Saturday: My mom and I got up early and went to weight watchers...is that cheating all of my weight loss friends? I had a really hard time waking up, the meeting was at 7:30 and Saturdays are usually my sleep in day. I did get to see some good friends there though. After, we got 2 miles in at the mall and then I just wasn't feeling all that great...I hadn't been all week. So when we got back from walking, it was about time for President Hinckley's funeral to start. I layed down on the couch and 6, yes SIX hours later I woke up...feeling much better. Holy Cow! I guess I really hadn't been getting any sleep all week, and with feeling crappy, my body finally gave in.
Sunday: We got up too late to go to our own Ward at 9am, so we went to church with my parents, at 1pm. When we got home, I took another nap, only 2 hours this time. And yet, both nights I actually fell asleep before midnight. WOW!
Monday: After not going to school all of last week, today was Brinley's first day back. She had been used to sleeping in a little and it was really hard for her to get up. But she did good.
After getting in 2 miles at the mall, I cleaned that stupid house all day...i call it stupid because I am sick of "moving out" of it. It feels like I haven't got anywhere with it, but I know I've made a ton of progress. Just a few more rooms to clean and then I am done. I would have been done this weekend, had I not slept most of it. Our storage unit is packed full and we still have a couch and entertainment center to move...thank you Ami for letting us use your garage for a few weeks. Oh I can't wait to not spend a day cleaning.
I used to clean apartments after people moved out of them, so I have learned to clean every nook and cranny. Maybe that's why its taking me so darn long!

Quick update...the storm missed us completely, thank goodness. More snow is expected this weekend, but not enough to matter. I will hopefully be done cleaning the house and have everything moved today. I really don't ever want to move again. It stinks!