Happy Valentine's Day

Well, here it is...another Valentine's Day. I have decided to tell a little love story...not about Joel and I but about our five year old daughter. Jenna is in love. She met this little red-headed boy named Cooper, Jenna pronounces it Coo-pa, at preschool and apparently it was love at first sight because they are going to get married...or were going to get married. This is how it went down.

Jenna enters the room...

"Mom, I just have to marry Coo-pa right now!"

I am a little surprised by the sudden random outburst and ask why.

"Because, I just have to!," was her seemingly desperate reply.

I ask, "Well, where are you going to get married at?"

Her reply, "The temple."

My proud reply, "Well, that is a good place to get married." But then realize once again that I am having this very adult conversation with a five year old.

Jenna's response, "Yeah, and we can decorate it!" (With the cutest, sly smile on her face)

My motherly reply, "But Jenna, if you get married to Cooper where are you two going to live?"

Non-chaluntley she replys, "I live with you and Coo-pa live with his family."

I am thinking in my head on how to end this 'I want to marry Coo-pa conversation that has taken place more that a dozen times in our house once and for all' and reply..."Well, if you and Cooper get married you have to live with your husband and leave home. Drew, Daddy, and I would miss you so much."

Jenna's reply after a second of thought, "I want to live with you forever...I don't want to marry Coo-pa anymore."

And just like that it was over...no more "I have to marry Coo-pa!" fits in this household. We already told her that she can't get married until she is atleast 25 and she seems to be taking the news well--and so is Joel. Lets just say that I can wait until she hits puberty! And I also want to say on this the day of LOVE that I am so in LOVE with my husband and kids and am so glad that we can be together as a family forever. Happy Valentine's to you and your Coo-pas!!!

P.S. Jenna still has a crush on that little red-headed boy.

And how could I forget...

Today is Joel and mines 2nd Anniversary...Happy Anniversary. We spent the night at Hotel Lusso downtown and had dinner at Fuggazi restaurant. We had a great time and also went and saw the movie Juno--really a good movie. Anyways, how could I forget to mention my handsome, wonderful, amazing best friend and husband Joel!

It's been a while...

Well, it has been a while since I have posted anything. This has a lot to do with that I misplaced my memory card adaptor to my camera--okay I lost it but then found it when cleaning out my diaper bag. Many of you moms out there probably know what I am talking about--the diaper bag that seems to swallow up many small important things and are never to be found only until you find the right time to clean and organize it. This happens for me about twice a year so I was happy to find the adapter so I could post some holiday photos. Besides, December was a whirlwind of a month. Jenna's 5th birthday was on the 15th and we had a fun little tea party with two of her friends Ava and Marie. We invited a friend down the street but she didn't show up. We had a big Dora fiesta party last year so this year I wanted something much smaller. It was really cute and the girls had a blast. The only down fall is that when it came time for Jenna to make a wish and blow out her candles she goes, " I wish, I wish with all my heart...that Lizzie come to my tea party." Lizzie is the little girl that didn't make it...oh well...some wishes can't come true I guess.

Then Christmas came and went and we had a wonderful time. The kids were soooooooo much fun on Christmas morning! Jenna said she got everything she ever wanted and is already counting down til next Christmas...this is going to be a long year. My parent came over to help on Christmas morning and it was a good thing or else I think my small family would have been swallowed up by out of control wrapping paper and cardboard boxes. We had a nice breakfast and later that evening Al and Gretchen, my parents, and my grandma came to our house for turkey dinner (my Mom cleaned and prepared the turkey--I don't do well with raw meat-thanks Mom) and a competitive game of Monopoly. Since Christmas I have been trying to control all of the million little pieces of toys that came with all of Jenna's presents so Drew wont choke on them--this has been driving me crazy!!! Christmas was a success and not even one word was mentioned about the lame Butterscotch Pony--see previous blog if you are confused!!!

After Christmas we were pretty lazy and just enjoyed the season. On New Years Eve we decided to have a family fun day and we went bowling and on a cruise ride to the "North Pole" at the Courdalene Resort. We had a blast and the kids were great. We found out that Jenna is quite the little bowler as well. She scored a 97--Joel barely beat her in the 10th frame with a strike and an extra bowl at 122--and I came in first with 129!!! No one helped Jenna at all--she just took her 6 pound ball and let it rip. She did great! The cruise was really fun and you go across the lake to a house were there is a real Santa and Mrs. Claus. You put your kids names on a list so when you arrive and go out on the balcony to see Santa he talks to you and mentions all the kids on the boat. Jenna thought that was spectacular and Drew just loved the lights and the motor on the boat--I guess he is a real McCombs. We ended the night by putting the kids down for bed and Joel fell asleep on the couch--only to wake up 2 minutes before midnight. I on the other hand stayed up the whole time to watch Dick Clark's rockin new years eve--but after a short New Year's kiss we were off to bed by 12:02. Well, that was our holiday fun. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Joel and Amber plus...

I have been extremely busy this past couple of weeks and a little slow on my blog...what's new. Anyway, I went to the doctor a week or so ago and got an ultrasound of the baby and we found out much to my surprise and Joel's that we are having another baby boy!!! We were a little shocked especially since Jenna was so sure that we were having a girl and told us we were prego about three weeks before we knew or suspected. Anywho--now Drew and this baby can be the best of friends and share a room, get bunk beds, play on the same sports teams, etc. We are really excited. I think I am especially because I was a little overwhelmed thinking about even having another baby right now let alone get all new clothes and changing the nursery. But now everything is pretty much taken care of...for right now anyway. I'll post a picture of the new baby when I find the ultrasound pics...they are in a pile of papers somewhere that I need to organize...oops. Well, I just wanted to share one last Jenna"ism"...this morning she told me that Drew speaks spanish because he says, "Goo, gaga, ba-ll." I guess it does sound a little foreign. I just thought it was silly and cute.

Naughty and Nice

Well, this last week we took a trip with Grandma Gretchen, Scott, Cassie, and cousin Asher to the Silverlake Mall to get Santa pictures. It was quite the ordeal as you can tell by Drews reaction to the jolly old fellow. The funny thing is that Drew looks exactly like I did when I was that age when I saw Santa...just put a red polka dot dress and a blonde curly wig on him and--twins. Jenna on the other hand was so excited to see Santa. She ran up to him and gave him a big hug and when he asked her what she wanted for Christmas she replied, "Everything." Well, let me clarify what everything is...Butterscotch the pony. This is the lamest toy I have ever seen. It is a three foot robotic horse that doesn't even give pony rides! You can pet it and it will move it's head and even nay--oh, and you can feed it a fake carrot--but that is all. Not to mention that it is three hundred dollars. I think I could probably buy a real horse for that amount! Needless to say, Santa will not be bringing Jenna Butterscotch this year. But no fear, I have spoiled her rotten with many other fun plastic toys and a Barbie with a horse and horse stall. The Barbie horse will actually move it's legs and at a fraction of the price. We are getting really excited for the holidays and I even have most of all my Christmas shopping done...so exciting. Anyways, we hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a great Christmas season!

Tag! Your it!

Okay, okay. This is the second time in a week that my sister Natalie has tagged me so I guess I will make her happy and finally reply I guess. It is either that or she knows my password to blogspot and she threatened to do it herself for me. Who knows, she knows me really well and probably could...but here it goes...probably way boring but...

1-The best thing you cooked this week: Cook!? What kind of a question is that...anyone who knows me well, knows that the closest thing I cook is when I watch the food network--BUT--I did make some delicious potato soup--from scratch!!! this week--and it is only Wedensday!

2-If money and time were no object, where would you go and with whom?: I would travel to Europe with my hubby Joel--we would backpack around Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany--everywhere!!! Then on the way home we would stop for a relaxing week somewhere very warm--like Tahiti.

3-Last time you cried?: Honestly can't really remember--but my eyes did get a little weepy with happiness as I watched my cute 4 year old bear her testimony in the primary program this last Sunday...so sweet.

4-Things you were doing 10 years ago: Well that would make me 16 so....learning how to drive my Dad's crappy '78 Datsun pick-up truck (it was also a stick shift) and playing a ton of fast pitch softball.

5-5 things you did today: Well it is only 2 in the afternoon but...we went to Jump and Bounce with Marianne and the Evergreen ward, changed some poopy diapers, watched Take Home Chef on TLC, grabbed lunch at McDonald's, and I am now updating my blog!!! So impressive--I am kidding.

6-5 favorite snacks: Gummy peach-o's, pringles spicy guacamole chips, cucumbers w/ vinegar, asparagas, and apples w/ caramel--This was hard...I am pregnant!!!

7- 5 bad habits: Some times I curse (I really shouldn't let out my dark secrets), I sleep in, our family eats out way too much, I have road rage (stole that from my sister but I guess it runs in the family), and I watch too much television

8- 5 Favorite foods: mexican, anything from Olive Garden, chinese, McDonald's Big Macs (should have been one of my bad habits), and chicken--everything I make has chicken in it or so it seems

9- 5 places I have been: Rexburg, ID, Tahiti, Hawaii, Banff, Canada, and the Cayman Islands--I love to travel!!!!!

10- Favorite memory: SOOOOOOOOO many...like I could talk about giving birth, my wedding day, my honeymoon, past holidays......but this is a shout out to you Nat--Natalie is my best friend and my sister. I love her to death. When we were young I would play lots of practical jokes on her like rigging up the computer with my dear friend Marianne when Natalie was on the computer and made her think she had a stalker and so on. Well, when we were very, very young we use to share a room. We had a bunk bed and being the older sister I got to sleep on the top bunk and she on the bottom. Well, every night I would hang over the side and say, "Hey Nat, look at me!" She being so innocent and sweet would peep her head out and I would let a spit ball fall out of my mouth onto her forehead. This happened for a little while until she became skeptical of me. I would then promise, "Nat, I just want to say goodnight!" Well, I being very persistent leaned so far over my bed one night to spit on her that I flipped out of it and landed spread eagle between two bars on a clothes horse--I hurt myself so bad I just fell off and quietly crawled up into my bed and needless to say--no more spit balls. I guess I got what I deserved.

Thanks Nat for all the special memories...I love ya!!!!

Burnin' buns

Poor Drew. For the last two days he has had skin eating, acid poops. Sorry, this post is a little gross--actually that is the most I will describe of the tummy issue--I do want people to enjoy my blog. Anyways, this morning he was in a total fit because his bum is completely raw and sore, the poor baby. So the only thing that made him happy was putting him in the kitchen sink with warm water and baking soda. I was bored while sitting there so I grabbed my camera that was right by and decided to take some pics of my little guy. Most people find dirty dishes in the sink at their home, at mine a little man trying to cool his burnin' buns.