New to the Blogging World

I finally convinced my sister Stephanie to start a blog, and started one for her Daughter Chylie. I am excited to have her join the beloved world of blogging, and hope she enjoys this world as much as I do. Welcome Steph, it's nice to have you on board. For those of you interested in seeing what Stephanie has to say, go check out her blog, http://chaiandstephsfamily.blogspot.com/ it is a work in progress, but I know that in time she will be as good at this as all of you. Thanks, and now I am on to hounding another one of my sisters to join the world of blogging.

2008 Dodge Caliber

For almost a year now Ray's Buick has been giving him some problems, and he has known that he would be needing to get a new car. He has had his eye on a new Dodge Dakota and has test drove it several times, but after giving it some thought, and knowing that our van is old and starting to have problems as well, he decided that a car would be the way to go. With that in mind, we set out to find the perfect car for our family. I have had my eye on Dodge for a while now, and have researched Caliber. I liked the look, and all that it had to offer, and so after a handful of test drives we decided that this new 2008 Dodge Caliber would be the vehicle that would join our family. We absolutely love this car, and so far have no complaints. We can't wait to take it on a family vacation just to see how it does.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE

Today my little guy turned 5 years old. I can't believe how time has flown. He was so excited to blow out his candles, and was even more excited for the presents. He did a really good job with blowing out the candles all by himself, and was even able to sneak a taste before we cut it up. We decided that we weren't going to do birthday parties but instead spend the day doing what ever the birthday kid wanted to do. I just was not sure I wanted a bunch of hyper kids at my house. :) Here are a few things about Jake that you may not know, but that I love about him.

1: He loves to snuggle first thing in the morning with me before we get up.

2: He has the cutest little giggle. He can light up any room with his funny little laugh.

3: He has the greatest imagination, and can quickly become whomever he is playing.

4: He is such a good little brother, and the worlds biggest tease when it comes to Ellie.

5: He thinks his dad is the coolest person around and wants to be just like him.

6: He has a serious obsession for anything Lightning McQueen/Cars, and has quite the collection.

7: He loves to sing along to Disney songs, and is quite the singer.

8: He loves to go to school and enjoys learning, but loves riding the bus most of all.

Happy Birthday Jake, we love you and hope that all your birthday wishes came true. Love Ya!!!

First Time

Today I decided to be brave and make my own background. I was pretty excited that it turned out as well as it did. I know it could be better, but for a first try I think it looks pretty good. I let the kids pick out the paper, and they chose the St. Patrick's Day theme. I think I am going to do so more practicing so that my Easter one will be even cuter. :)

Snow much snow...

I love snow, but yesterday I felt like we were going to be swallowed by the snow fairies. The snow at our house was melting, and we were finally getting a good look at our grass. But then we woke up to snow which I was somewhat excited for, but then it just kept coming. It snowed the entire day, I don't think it stopped once. I shoveled the sidewalk and driveway several times. Picking up Ellie from school was a total nightmare. You always have the moms who think they are the only ones in the world, and park where they want at the school, even if they are parked illegal, but yesterday with the snow coming down as hard as it was, and even more self absorbed moms/dads picking up their kiddos left for some major traffic jams in front of the school. After picking up Ellie, we headed to Kent's for a few items I would be needing for dinner. The parking lot was so icy, we watched two accidents take place. Then as we were leaving we started sliding backwards down the hill at the stop light, we slid through the stop sign at the rail road tracks, and almost got stuck in our own drive way. CRAZY!! By the time Ray left for work the roads and sidewalks had turned to a sheet of ice, and I was stressing, hoping he would make it to work safely. By the time I went to bed the stars had come out, and the fog had set in. This morning when we got up to get ready for school, the skies were clear, and the sun was out and shining. CRAZY!! So above are pictures of the storm. The bottom picture is Jake's cute little snowman, well what is left of him from the storm. I love snow, and I love winter, but maybe spring could just hurry up and get here already, and then stay here the rest of the year.

A long, long time and post

I know it has been about a month since I last posted. A lot has been going on with our life, and now that we are finally settled again, I am ready to jump on the blog wagon. I think?
As most of you know, we headed to Southern Utah in October to get away from some girls who had been being really mean to Ellie at school. The sad thing is that they were girls from our ward as well. Ellie was having a hard time dealing with this, and so we decided to try life in Southern Utah. We unfortunately only lasted a couple of months. It was really hard living away from Ray, and Ellie was not doing as well in school as what we had hoped. So, at the beginning of December we decided to come back home. We decided that we would just keep a closer eye on Ellie. It is probably what we should have done in the first place, but when you have a child that is in need you do anything and everything you can to protect them. So, here we are back in Northern Utah, and loving being a whole family again. I have tried to keep a closer eye on Ellie, and the (mean girls) and hope that these girls will soon grow out of their cruel ways. I am so proud of her and her willingness to forgive those who have been so mean to her.

Ellie was placed at the top of her class in reading, and loves to read a book from beginning to end all in the same day. I was hoping this day would come, and am glad that her glasses have helped her as much as they have. She was excited for the new year to be hear so that she could do cartwheels again. After she broke her arm the The Dr. told her to wait until the new year before trying any so that her arm would have time to heal completely. I think she tried one on the first day of 09' and has been getting better everyday.

Jake was glad to be back in his old school, and has quickly moved back to being the best singer on the bus. :) We are hoping he will be ready for Kindergarten in the fall, and are working with him everyday to be the best Jake we know he can be. He will soon be turning 5, and reminds us everyday that he is almost a big, big boy. He is such a tease to anyone who is around him, but is also one of the most loving kids you will ever meet. He loves to snuggle, and smooch anytime he can.

As for Ray, I think he is happy to have us home. I do think he got kind of used to having the house to himself, but he acts happy to have us here, and we sure are happy to be home again.

I didn't do a Christmas Card this year, or letter or even pictures. I apologize for not sending them out. I guess I got overwhelmed with just being, so please forgive me. I promise to do better next year.

We got a new cat, his name is Skeeter. Jake proudly named him, and we think it fits perfectly. I know we said after our cat Fred passed away that we would not do it again, but we found that our house was lonely without the purring of a cat around. So, when Stephanie had a kitty show up at her door without a home, we decided we would keep him. I think he is one of the best cats we have had so far. Fred was a good cat for Ray, but this cat is good for us all. He loves to spend time with all of us (not just Ray) and that is what we love most.

We have had lots of snow this winter, and have even had a few bugs that have left us home in our pajamas for a day or two. We have had fun building a few snow men and women, and have also watched them melt as days have gotten warm. We had watched almost all of our snow melt when we were hit with a snow storm the other day that left us with enough snow to build a little snow boy for Jake's school assignment. Below are some random pictures that I have taken over the last little while.

Skeeter loves playing in boxes, and sat in this shoe box for probably 30 minutes before finally getting out.Here is a picture of Jake and Ellie with Jake's little snowman.An up close picture of our handsome kitty cat Skeeter.Aren't these girls beautiful. I am so proud of them and their accomplishments in life.My kids posing in their new PJ's Grandpa and Grandma Oliphant bought them.I think Ellie is Skeeters favorite person in the whole wide world. He loves to snuggle with her.Jake's snowman he built for a school assignment. He did it almost all by himself. CUTE HUH?Can you find the smiley bug in the leaves?

Here's Jake posing with his very own "REAL COOL, & TOUGH" snowman.

Tagged by Brandi

1. Started your own blog? YES
2. Slept under the stars? YES
3. Played in a band? NO
4. Visited Hawaii? NO
5. Watched a meteor shower? YES
6. Given more than you can afford to charity? YES
7. Been to Disneyland? NO
8. Climbed a mountain? YES
9. Held a praying mantis? YES
10. Sang a solo? YES
11. Bungee jumped? SORT OF
12. Visited Paris? NO
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea? NEXT TO THE SEE
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch? YES
15. Adopted a child? YES
16. Had food poisoning? YES
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty? NO
18. Grown your own vegetables? YES
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France? NO
20. Slept overnight on a train? NO
21. Sluffed school? YES (Don't tell my kids)
22. Hitch hiked? YES
23. Taken a sick day when your not ill? YES
24. I don't know what happend to 24?
25. Held a lamb? YES
26. Gone skinny dipping? IN MY BATHTUB
27. Run a Marathon? NOPE
28. Ridden a gondola in Switzerland? NOPE
29. Seen a total eclipse? YES
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset? MANY TIMES
31. Hit a home run? YUP, BEEN MARRIED TO HIM FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS
32. Been on a cruise? NOPE
33. Seen Niagra Falls in perso? NOPE
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors? NOPE
35. Seen Amish country? YES ( VERY BEAUTIFUL)
36. Taught yourself a new language? YES PIG LATIN
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied? DO YOU NEED MONEY TO BE SATISFIED?
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person? NOPE
39. Gone rock climbing? A FEW TIMES
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David? NOT IN PERSON
41. Sung karaoke? A TIME OR TWO
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt? YUP, NOT AS COOL AS I HOPED IT WOULD BE
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant? YES
44. Visited Africa? NOPE
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight? YES
46. Been transported in an ambulance? UNFORTUNATELY
47. Had your portrait painted? YUP BY MY KIDS
48. Gone deep sea fishing? NOPE
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person? NO
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris? NO
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling? NOPE MAYBE SOMEDAY
52. Kissed in the rain? YUP
53. Played in the mud? LOTS OF TIMES, IT'S FUN
54. Gone to a drive-in theater? OF COURSE
55. Been in a movie? A HOME MADE ONE
56. Visited the Great Wall of China? NO
57. Started a business? GOING TO ONEDAY
58. Taken a martial arts class? NOPE NEVER
59. Visited Russia? NOPE, MAYBE SOMEDAY
60. Served at a soup kitchen? NOT YET
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies? NO BUT ELLIE WOULD LOVE TO
62. Gone whale watching? SOMEDAY
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma? YES
65. Gone sky diving? NO
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp? NO
67. Bounced a check? NO
68. Flown in a helicopter? NO
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy? YES
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial? NOT YET
71. Eaten Caviar? YA, IN HIGH SCHOOL
72. Pieced a quilt? TRIED, DIDN'T TURN OUT REAL WELL
73. Stood in Times Square? NO
74. Toured the Everglade? NO
75. Been fired from a job? NOPE
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London? NO
77. Broken a bone? YUP, MY FOOT AND MY FINGER
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle? NO
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person? YA, A TIME OR TWO
80. Published a book? NPE
81. Visited the Vatican? NO
82. Bought a brand new car? IT WAS NEW TO ME
83. Walked in Jerusalem? NNO
84. Had your picture in the newspaper? WHEN I WAS LITTLE, A TIME OR TWO
85. Read the entire Bible? YES
86. Visited the White House? I HAVE VISITED A WHITE HOUSE, BUT NOT THE ONE IN DC
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating? NOPE
88. Had chickenpox? A TIME OR TWO
89. Saved someone’s life? I DON'T THINK SO, BUT AL SILVIS THINKS I SAVED HIS.
90. Sat on a jury? NO
91. Met someone famous? YES
92. Joined a book club? NO
93. Lost a loved one? TWO MANY TO COUNT
94. Had a baby? HAVE SEVERAL
95. Seen the Alamo in person? NOPE
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake? WALKED ALONG THE BEACH
97. Been involved in a law suit? DON'T THINK SO
98. Owned a cell phone? YES
99. Been stung by a bee? SEVERAL
100. One cavity or less? I WISH
I tag, EMILY GREAVES, TRACEY JAMES, & KELLIE SPENDLOVE
Now come on ladies don't let me down here....