A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words...

Which is true if you can take one!!! Okay, so our camera officially died!! I laid it to rest after last weekends attempt to pull the lens out by hand in order to snap a picture of the kids!!! It really was only a matter of time...we've had the thing for 5 years, and in technology years...that is forever!! So I'm in the market for a new one! There are so many out there, that I'm at a loss for which one to choose. Anybody have any good suggestions???

What's new??

So, I feel like I haven't updated on what's going on with everyone in a while, so here goes...

Aspen Taylor

Her Stats:

Age: 4 years, 4 months
Height: 3 ft, 3 inches (39 inches)
Weight: 31 pounds

Aspen is at such a fun age! It's so fun to be able to have conversations with her! Right now she loves playing dress-up and princesses! She's quite animated when she plays with her little Polly's in her doll house! It makes me happy to see that she has a good imagination! My favorite thing right now is when I hear her singing the Little Mermaid songs and acting out scenes from the movie! I don't know about any of you, but this reminds me so much of when I was little! I remember when my friends and I used to do the same thing (we also used to argue over which princess we got to play)!
Favorite song: the "hoo, hoo" song (All I want to do) by Sugarland
Favorite book: "Fancy Nancy"
Favorite TV shows: Blue's Clues, Dora the Explorer, and Little Einsteins
Favorite Movie: The Little Mermaid
Favorite Toy: Polly Pocket Princesses
Favorite Food: Cereal,

She said the funniest thing the other day...we were driving to day care in the morning and she saw a school bus. She said, "Mommy, when I get big I'm going to ride on that school bus and I'm gonna wipe my own bum!" It was so funny because we have been trying to teach her that she needs to learn to do this before she can go to kindergarten next year! Aspen, you are our favorite little girl and we love you so much!!

Clayton Joseph
His Stats:
Age: 2 years, 1 month
Height: 2 ft, 10.5 inches (34.5 inches)
Weight: 29 pounds

Clayton is at an interesting little age! He tries my patience (which hasn't been that great lately) on a daily basis! He loves climbing out of his crib...but won't sleep in his big boy bed! And this makes for a battle at bed time!! Anybody have any suggestions? He is such a cute little boy though...so it's hard to stay mad at him for too long! He loves to do everything that Aspen is doing...so this leads to some sibling rivalry...which leads to him biting. Any suggestions on how to stop that? Okay, on to some of the good things he has been up to...he loves anything Batman or Spider man. He calls them both "mat, mat". He is talking a lot more...and we are able to understand what he is saying more and more too! We sometimes laugh when we have to ask Aspen what he is saying! He calls his sister "Ah-ha" because he hasn't quite conquered "Aspen" yet! She doesn't seem to mind and even calls herself that sometimes when she talks to him! They are good little buddies...most of the time!

Favorite song: the "hoo, hoo" song, and the Rock Star song (by Pink). He dances too pretty much anything with a beat! It's so cute!
Favorite book: What do you see?
Favorite TV shows: Blue's Clues, and Little Einsteins
Favorite movie: Flushed Away(fwush-ay) and Cars (McQueen)
Favorite Toy: His four-wheeler and transformer guy
Favorite Food: Hot dogs (I wonder if that has anything to do with my cravings for HD's when I was pregnant with him?)

Clayton, I can't wait for these terrible two's to be over!! However, I'm trying to enjoy them at the same time! You make us laugh everyday and you keep us on our toes! We love you so much buddy!

Joey
Joey has been busy working, going to school, playing softball, and hunting! He is such a hard worker! I've been kind of a bratty wife lately and I need to let him know how much I appreciate all he does for us. He is such a great Dad! I love that when he comes home he automatically goes to the kids to see how their day was. They love to wrestle with him!! Joey and Aspen have a song that they sing together and it is the cutest thing ever!! It's "Times a waistin" a duet by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. One day I'll get them on video... Also, lately Clayton has been such a Daddy's boy! He loves hanging out with Dad on the couch...and he will only fall asleep on Joey, never me! I'm so jealous!!

Me
I have been thinking a lot about the goals I made on my 101 in 1001 days and trying to decide which ones to work on next! Any suggestions? I do get to cross off a few though...

#64 Vote: I voted for the first time last Tuesday during the early voting at the U. I've been registered to vote since I turned 18, but not having come from a very political family...never really felt the need to vote. This year I really felt that it was important for me to vote and educate myself on the people I was voting for. It's silly...but I'm kinda proud of myself!

#61 Write 5 people letters and let them know how much they mean to me: Sounds easy enough right? This was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be...I balled the entire time! But it was a good thing to do!

#97 Have an A-1 Reunion: My first year at Snow College our apartment number was A-1. We had an A-1 sauce bottle as our house decoration! Six girls from all over Utah in one apartment! It was crazy...but also lot's of fun! I have stayed in touch with 2 of the girls since then...but haven't seen the other 3 in about 6 years! So, we decided it would be fun to have a reunion with everyone! Tara and Christine planned the whole thing and we all showed up today all grown up and lugging our kids! Pictures and more to come in another post!

I have the 1st 18 presidents of the U.S. memorized...just need to work on the next 25...almost 26! I'm working on a few others...they just seem to take a little more time! Can't think of anything else to say about myself...

A hunting we will go...

This year I decided that I wanted to try out my hunting skills during the general rifle hunt! Joey never hunts during the rifle hunt (because he's a bow hunter) so he was my personal guide! Saturday morning was the opening day...so we shipped the kids off to Grandma's and Papa's house Friday night for a sleep over! We woke up super early and were up on the mountain way before the sun came up. Joey's sister, Kimberly and her friend Kelly came with us. We all hiked our butts off to the top of the mountain and waited...and waited! Joey's buddy Travis came a little later...and it was nice to have them on the other side of the canyon...they saw some bucks that were headed our way!! So we got ready...one popped over the top of the mountain...I shot...and missed!! :( I didn't feel too bad about myself after we calculated how our morning went: we saw 11 hunters that...heard 17 shots...and only 1 deer killed (not by someone in our group). And it took one shot with a rifle and 3 shots with a pistol to kill the dang thing!! After we hiked all morning and into the afternoon...we decided it was time for lunch and a nap!!

Joey and I came back later that evening on our own...hiked the other side of the mountain...and it nearly killed me!! We spotted some doe's but never saw any bucks...so we headed down when the sun went down. It was so pretty on the top of the mountain, you could see the entire city! I went to take some pictures and realized I forgot to put my memory card back in my camera! :( So, I took a few with my phone...

My handsome Hubby!
He looks so thrilled in this picture!
We saw tarantula's all over the place...they were so freaky!! This was the biggest one we saw...you can't tell by the picture, but it was HUGE and NASTY!!

So, today I am definitely feeling it!! My whole body hurts! We didn't get a deer yesterday
but we will keep trying until the 26th...wish me luck! Hopefully next time I won't miss...I don't know what's with me this year...it seemed like a piece of cake last year!

Tag #2

I saw this on my friend Lindsay's blog...and thought in light of my recent play date with some high school friends, this would be a fun tag. So here you go...a little peep into my high school years!

Copper Hills High School (West Jordan, Utah)

1. Did you date someone from your high school? Yes. For 3 months my Sophomore, all of my Junior and half my Senior year I dated a kid named John Stosich (That's a long time!!). I met Joey (who went to Taylorsville High) and started dating him towards the end of our Senior year.

2.What kind of car did you drive? I didn't get my license until the summer after my sophomore year...but then I drove my Dad's "Beast" a sweet old Chevy truck...avoided if at all possible driving the van...and then later got my "cool" and cursed 1992 Chevy Corsica!

3. What is your most embarrassing moment in high school? We used to wear our cheerleading uniforms on game days...well in between periods I was going downstairs and tripped and slid down the whole flight of stairs! It was kind of hard to disguise myself in my cheer uniform!! It was totally embarrassing at the time!

4. Were you a party animal? I don't think so...I was pretty tame until I got to college!!

5.Were you considered a flirt? I don't know if people considered me one...I definitely did it though!

6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? No, I gave up my flute after 7th grade! I really have no musical talent!!

7. Were you a nerd? I don't think I was...but maybe!

8. Were you on any varsity teams? I swam varsity when I was a freshman...I will always regret not sticking with it through high school...and then I don't know if you would count Drill Team as being varsity?? I did letter in 3 sports...swimming, cheerleading and drill team!

9. Did you get suspended/expelled? Not in high school!

10. Can you still sing the fight song? No, but I still remember some of the dance we learned to go with it!

11. Who were your favorite teachers? Monica Spencer: she was my cheer coach for 2 years, but also my history teacher! Dr. Love was also an awesome teacher...I had him for agricultural science my senior year...he was the only one that actually realized/cared what was going on with me that year.

12. Where did you sit during lunch? I mostly sat with John and his friends...after that was over I have no idea??

13. School Mascot? Grizzlies

14. Did you go to homecoming and with who? John Stosich

15. If you could go back and do it again, would you? No way!! I wouldn't want to put myself through the emotional roller coaster! It was fun while it lasted...but I wouldn't trade it for what I have now!

16. What do you remember most about graduation? Excited that it was over...ready to move on to college...the super cute black dress I bought...standing in line with Tara...hoping I wouldn't trip down the isle...and Joey waiting for me in the end!

17. Where did you go senior skip day? There was a specific day? I must not have been there to get the memo!!

18. Have you gained weight since then? I will be hated by everyone for this...but I actually weigh less now then I did when I graduated...don't worry I'm sure it's the loss of the boobs after nursing 2 kids...oh wait...I didn't have any back then either! ha, ha!

19. Who was your prom date? Junior Prom: John Stosich. Senior Prom: Joey, we went to both mine and his.

20. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? I think if we have one...it would be interesting! I think after 10 years we'll be able to forget all the crap that happened back then...and be happy for each other's accomplishments. So if I can drag my husband there and if our Student Body actually plans one...then yes I would go!

21. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Go to class and pay attention! Learning is actually fun!! Be more outgoing...be nice...it doesn't matter what other people think of you...Do things for yourself and not for other people. Be more punctual...I could probably still use that advice!!

Tag #1

Tagged by Lis... One Word Answers Tag!

The rules: Answer the following questions with one word answers and pass it on to seven others.

Here are the questions:
1. Where is your cell phone? Couch
2. Where is your significant other? Couch
3. Your hair color? brown
4. Your mother? California
5. Your father? Golfing
6. Your favorite thing? Sugar
7. Your dream last night? Upsetting
8. Your dream/goal? Sacred
9. The room you're in? Kitchen
10. Your hobby? Crafting
11. Your fear? Unpreparedness (is that a word?)
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you're not? Prepared
15. One of your wish-list items? Car
16. Where you grew up? Utah
17. The last thing you did? Read
18. What are you wearing? Sweats
19. Your TV? On
20. Your pet? Dead
21. Your computer? Old
22. Your mood? Annoyed
23. Missing someone? Brother
24. Your car? Toyota
25. Something you're not wearing? Socks
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Fast
28. Love someone? Family
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Sunday

Tag...Anyone that wants to do this...

Play Date!

A couple weekends ago we had a playdate with my good friends from high school, Tara (Kennard) Catmull, and Melanee (James) Blackburn and their adorable kids! It was so much fun to get together and reminisce about the past (we had way too much fun on high school drill team together!). It was also nice to catch up on what we've all been up to lately! It's so great to be able to get together and act as if no time has passed at all! Our kids got along great and it was so fun to finally meet Mel's little boy Chanler...he was so cute and confident (must get that from his mama!). Here are some pics from our fun playdate! We will definitely have to get together again soon!

The Kids...

L-R: Tara's boys- Aiden 3, Grady 1, Aspen 4, Melanee's little boy- Chanler 1, and Clayton 2

The kids being acrobats on the couch!!Melanee, Tara and Me Being totally ridiculous!! So much fun though!!
I think we've all lost the affect of the kissy face...it used to be so cool!
Thanks again for bringing your cute kids to my house for a playdate!! We had so much fun!

NHL game in Utah!

Last weekend the Utah Grizzlies hosted an NHL preseason game between the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings!! We went to the game with our friends, Travis and Marcie. Before the game started Joey said he had his money on the Sharks...and me not knowing much about either team I said the Kings would win! We bet dishes for a week...well about halfway through the game I told Joey that I wanted to switch my team!! The Sharks beat the Kings 3-1! So needless to say I've been doing the dishes this week!

I couldn't believe how many people were there...almost 9,000! It was like going to a game back in the day when the Grizzlies were good! It was pretty sweet to see what it would be like if Utah had an NHL team though...people would actually go!! And even better...Mark and Amber would be able to move home! (For those of you who don't know, my older brother Mark is the head equipment manager for the Houston Aeros, which is a much higher league than the Grizzlies...which is why they have to live far away!) Anyways, a girl can dream right? Here are some pics from that night!

Enjoying the game...and a date night without the kids!!
Marcie and Travis (sorry it's blurry...my camera sucks!)

Evgeni Nabokov (In Joey's words...a BAD A**)

Jeremy Roenick...who is still playing awesome for how old he is!! He's 38 years old people!!
I am thinking this should count as #95 on my list of 101 things in 1001 days! Now it technically was not what I had in mind when I decided to go to an NHL game with Joey...but it works for now. We both still really want to go to a home game in the NHL league...somewhere!

Bath time!

I know he will hate me for this when he's older...but I had to post this cute bath picture of Clayton! He loves taking baths and practically begs to take one every night! Isn't that the cutest little baby bum you've ever seen? And look at that...he's actually smiling and looking at the camera!!

Nights in Rodanthe

I went and saw this movie last weekend with my sister-in-law, Kimberly. I had been totally excited when I first heard that another favorite Nicholas Spark's book was being made into a movie! Especially because it was starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane! The movie was a little different then the book...which is to be expected...but it was weird that they left out parts of the story line. I'm a little undecided...but I think it was still a really cute movie! I laughed and of course got all teary, but it's hard not to while reading any of his books or watching his movies for that matter! Have any of you seen this movie?? Have you read the book?? What did you think of it??

A tag from Lindsay

My friend Lindsay tagged me back in September and I totally spaced doing this...since I can't fall asleep and I'm not used to it being so quiet (no kids and no husband)...I thought I'd take advantage of it and finally do this tag!

The tag is this - Go take pictures of things in your house AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW! No fixing before you snap the picture. Bear with me... this could get ugly.

1. My Closet...Your typical, home built in 1973, plain, nothing special closet! It's pretty bare right now because the laundry needs to be done!2. The Kitchen sink...Luckily when I decided to do this post it's after I had people over earlier...so it was clean!! Again...nothing special...however I do love my new faucet that Joey just recently installed!! Thanks babe!3. The toilet in the main bathroom...well we only have one bathroom so far and it's in pretty bad shape! We had a leaky pipe back behind the toilet a while back and still have yet to replace the flooring/wall around the toilet! 4. Kids in their best form...I love this picture because it describes our kids so well! Aspen being the protective, loving older sister! And Clayton being the annoyed, playful younger brother!! It helps that they were both clean and cute here too!
5. A place you want to visit...Scotland! Ever since I started reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, I have been obsessed with everything about Scotland! This is my dream destination...and I don't care who I have to sell...I will go there someday!!











6. Something I do not enjoy...I had to steal this one from Lindsay! I hate doing laundry...it's never ending...and this is how it makes me feel! I love that the title of the picture is "death by laundry"!7. My fridge/freezer...Pictures, B-day cards for Clayton (notice the one with the little boy and the notty word- that one came from my Dad...thanks Pappy!), and kiddie magnets!
8. My favorite room...I really couldn't decide between Aspen's Room and Clayton's Room. I like them both!

The pictures really don't do them justice...it's such a cute little girls room! Aspen always asks everyone who comes over..."Do you want to see my room?" I'm glad that it is so magical for her! I love her framed baby swimsuit too!
Sports... and more sports! It was fun to incorporate some of Joey's trophy's and old sports stuffin Claytons room! And there is a story behind the monkey picture! Clayton looked just like a monkey when he was a baby...he was so hairy!! So a guy Joey works with made this cute little hockey magazine cover with a picture of a monkey and Clayton's name on it and I had to frame it!

9. Self portrait...Ya, so I'm not about to take a picture of myself in my glasses, messy mom ponytail, and jammies at...ooh look it's 1 am! Sorry...not gonna happen...here's one from earlier this summer!
10. My favorite shoes...I love ballet flats, these ones are my favorites right now! Picture taken on my cool coffee table (that Joey made)!
I tag Tara, Melanee and Mo (and anyone else who wants to do this...if you don't want to...I won't hate you!

Clayton's 2nd Birthday!

I'm a little behind on this post...

Clayton turned 2 years old on Monday, September 22, 2008! We had a little get together with family and friends for cake and ice-cream. Speaking of cake...I can't believe how much they sell cakes for these days!! It's ridiculous...especially when they screw up your order and when the writing on the cake looks like your two year old wrote it!! I think Joey and I decided that from know on...we will bake our own cakes! Especially when you spend that much to have half of it not eaten! Anyways, Clayton still enjoyed his "Lightning McQueen" birthday cake! Thanks everyone for coming! Clayton got some really nice gifts...his favorites were the (annoying) chicken that Auntie Mo-Mo and Uncle Poot got him...(you guys just wait til you have kids!!), the hunter Dan toys, his crashing car, and his Batman PJ's!! My favorites were the much needed warm weather clothes!! I can't believe that our little guy is already 2!! He is growing up so fast! Here are a few pics from our fun birthday bash!!

Auntie Mo-Mo and Uncle PootHe finally got his "McQueen"!Playing with my hunting guy and eating some cake! Mommy was smart and stripped me down!
Me and Mommy
Clayton and his "bigok"