{Simple Pleasures}

Here's a little tag 25 of your Simple Pleasures... I went all crazy with it.  This is my list of 

Yesterday's 25 Simple Pleasures

1- After I got Elizabeth ready for school, she looked in the mirror and I just knew she felt pretty.

2- My lovey hubby's man smell.  Mmmm... (the good just got ready for the day smell, not the ate something unhealthy for lunch smell).

3- Watching the sunrise.  This is really more of a love / hate relationship, but it was so pretty!

4- The way Caroline adds an extra syllable to the words Pic-a-nic, Preg-a-nent, and Mag-a-nent.  

5- A great sweaty workout!  Only I'm a lady, so I don't sweat, I "glow."  So, a great glow-y workout!

6- A nice hot shower after you work out, you put on a little make-up, and just feel good.

7- The way Louis sticks his finger clear up to the first knuckle into his nostril when you ask him where his nose is.  (This may be behavior that some of you think I should discourage, but he's still so little it's just hilariously funny to me!)

8- Chatting with friends on line.

9- Finding a funny new blog. SeriouslySoBlessed.blogspot.com

10- Elyse's lunch order: "A sandwich with peanut butter with the nuts (that would be crunchy) and honey with the bees on it (which means not jam)."

11- My hot Toddy calls me every day on his lunch break for just a little chat and an "I love you!" 

12- When Louis says help is comes out "help-a!"  Kind of like a Jewish Op-ah!

13- Little girls in aprons and the smell of fresh banana bread.

14- My new vacuum - it has a canister!  Ohh!  Ahh!  I love seeing all that gunk swirling around in there.  Makes me feel like I'm getting something done!  

15- Starting a new book.

16- You know those days when your IPod is just on a roll?  Seriously, it was on fire!  The best shuffle ever!

17- Watching Elizabeth skip to the house as she gets off the bus... after a little pause to inspect the drain spout.

18- The laughter!  Chortles, giggles, and good ole' gut busters.

19- The girls made little paper phones and played "texting" all afternoon.  We would have never dreamed of playing texting... it was too funny and too weird for me.

20- Getting the laundry done!  Well, as "done" as it can be without all of us standing in front of the washer nakey.

21-  All the different hugs I got.  Monkey hugs from Caroline, squeezy hugs from Elizabeth, stolen and leg hugs from Louis, and snuggle-in-his-neck hugs from Todd.

22- I found one last Cadbury Cream egg.  (The little chocolate kind with the crunchy shell that only come out at Easter, but you can never find!  Yum!)

23- After all the kids go to bed and you can collapse on the couch and just be...

24- Checking on all these sleeping little angels.  *sigh*  (In the wise words of my Dad, who probably was quoting a movie, "They're only angels when they're sleeping."  For the complete effect, say it in a crazy husky voice.)

25- I love my satin sheets!  

{Jiggle}

I'm back... sort of. The computer is up and running, but on bare bones. But that's OK, after almost two weeks, I'll take what I can get! I have some pictures I want to post, but that will have to wait, we'll have to make do with this funny story instead --

While Caroline and I went out to get the mail, my niece Elyse and her mom were watching us out the window. With her chin in her hands she says, "Aly's bum jiggles when she walks... *sigh*... she is so pretty!" (I've been working out, so do me a favor and let's all picture a nice firm jiggle here!) Then she hops up and struts her stuff across the room. "Hey mom, does my bum jiggle when I walk?"

I'm so glad I can inspire a new generation! Boy is my sister gonna have her hands full!!!

{Cough, Cough, Sputter!}

It's finally happened... we have the flu.  

Not the regular homo-sapien flu.

Computer virus flu... it's bad.  The thing won't stay on for more than two minutes max.  SUPER FRUSTRATING!  It just turns it's sick, tired, achy, worn-out little self off with no warning when ever we almost get something accomplished.  My sister let me borrow her laptop... she says I was getting the shakes with out my "fix."  She thinks I'm addicted.  She's probably right.

We welcome any good wishes for a speedy recovery.  It has an appointment with Dr. Geek Squad tomorrow.

On the bright side, I finally started a new picnic quilt that I've been wanting to get done for spring!  It's so cute!  I'll post picts soon... I hope!

{Oh, The Blackmail!}

The manly kilt dance...

I think I saw this move on that movie Braveheart...

...really he hated it and was so mad!

I think these pictures are the realization of his Aunt Leis' worst fears, but I think they're hilarious!

{"Our" Temple}

It's the first anniversary of the dedication of the Rexburg temple! We were still living in Washington when the temple was finished, and on our Christmas vacation I was able to take the girls through the open house. Brrr... it was so cold! The wind coming over the hill was freezing!

Ever since then the girls have called it "our temple." Every time we drive by or see a picture they will say, "Look mom! There's our temple!" I love it that the experience made such an impression on them. The temples are such wonderful places, like little pieces of heaven here on earth. I know they felt that. I am so grateful for these temples -- because of them now I know I have an eternal marriage and that I can be with my family forever! What an amazing blessing and promise from God! To celebrate, our local leaders have asked everyone to visit the temple in gratitude next week.

If you want to learn more about temples from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, click here!

{When the Boys are Away...}

...the girls will PLAY!!!

Todd and Adam were away last night on a scout camp out, so we decided to have a little party of our own... which somehow involved into a "P" Party!

Pedicures!

Pajamas!

Pink Pancakes!

James and the Giant Peach!

Popcorn!

Poor Louis!

was left to supervise all this girly madness.

...and finally, Peace & Quiet! Laura and I even spent a little sister time coloring our hair and doing our own toes!

{Super-Duper Bowl}

I wasn't planning on doing a post about our Super Bowl party, but Todd said, "Grab your camera, you have to put a picture of this on your blog!" I'm as shocked as you are! I'd hate to disappoint him, so here's the grand picture my Hot Toddy can't wait for the world to see:

Yep, that's a lot of food!

Todd and Adam placed themselves in charge of the party this year -- they even went to the grocery store (they called us about 10 times from Broulims, plus enlisted the help of a sweet old lady)! Shall I give you a run-down of their super party menu? You'll probably want to sit down... beef and pork ribs, brots, hot dogs, little BBQ wieners, 5 flavors of chips (pre-game flavors and regular game flavors), cheese ball, crackers, spinach dip with carrots, broccoli, red pepper, celery, cucumber, rolls, "sticky" popcorn, cinnamon and orange rolls, plus a huge candy bowl full of peanut butter cups, Milky Way Caramels (yum!), Nuggets, and Smarties for the kiddos and more. Then there were about 10 different kinds of sodas. They even bought themselves special trays to fit all their food on! I'm still cracking up. They were like two little boys, they were so excited!

The ribs were a big hit. Elizabeth ate all of this (I wish you could see her saucy face better!):

My little sister Kathryn enjoys a rib now and then as well:

And this post wouldn't be complete without a pic of Sam, their Man-Cave Mascot (he is sporting a tiny football in his left eyeball socket just for the big game)! Ewww!