Baby it's c-c-c-cold outside!

So much for global warming, right? Most of the week our highs have been below zero. I had to run a few errands with the boys on one of these fridgid days, and even though we ran from the car to the store and back, Carter's cheeks turned a rosy red and stayed that way all day long. We told him he looked like Santa Clause. We tried to fire up the pellet stove in the basement, but it keeps getting jammed and won't feed the pellets. On Monday we tried to stay warm by baking Christmas cookies for FHE. Poor Jared had to go out in the cold though because he drank the last of the milk at dinner and I didn't have any more to make frosting! Yesterday and today have been a little warmer (highs in the teens), but it's supposed to be really cold again this weekend. We are going to keep warm by cooking up a big pot of chili for the Griz National Championship game tomorrow night! I'll add extra jalapenos! ;-) Go Griz!

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Thanksgiving Weekend

The lists are in and the shopping is....almost done! I spent several days before Thanksgiving shopping online and got some great deals. Then I shopped a little on Friday and a little on Saturday. My kids are pretty much done, Jared is pretty much done, other family, pretty much done. I just have a few little things to pick up and I can enjoy the month of December. I plan on baking and watching lots of Christmas movies on our new TV. Yes I finally got sick of having to wipe the drool off Jared's face everytime we walked into Costco, so I decided there isn't a better day to get a deal on a TV than Black Friday. Jared was up bright and early at Walmart at 5 am, and he still missed out, so then he hit Costco (with both boys I might add). By the time I got home from my shopping he already had it set up. The DISH guy is coming Thursday to hook us up with HD and we'll be all set. We spent Thanksgiving here in Laurel this year. We ate at Jared's aunt's house with some of the Gage family. It was scrumptious (as Carter says). At one point the kitchen full of smoke, but it was just over flowing turkey drippings! Saturday we got together to watch the Grizzlies play in their first round playoff game. Jared's cousin Jeffrey is the 3rd string quarterback, but he got to start at reciever Saturday! I love Thanksgiving weekend... food, shopping, food, football, food, family, did I say food?


















Carter's first time with Santa. Not a bit shy!


















It was also Pason's first time sitting on the big guy's lap. He talked to him once a couple years ago, but wouldn't do the lap.


















I took some pictures of the boys Thanksgiving morning and some turned out really good, but when I loaded them on my computer the were all a little out of focus. I think my battery might have been low. Oh well!

What to get 2 spoiled kids

I have spent the last several weeks thinking of what to get my children for Chrismas. When I ask them I have got suggestions of...a Wii, a Lightning Mcqueen you can really drive, Spike the Dino,and a puppy (Dad could really go for this last one, but I would end up having to take care of it and I already have to feed and clean up after enough people!). All of these things are several hundred dollars. After lots of looking and a few trips to the toy store I think I found something Pason wants that is reasonable, but I am still at a loss for Carter. It seems like we have so many toys that there isn't anything left that's real exciting for his age that his older brother didn't get already. I really want to know what I'm looking for when I hit the stores Friday. Hopefully inspiration will strike soon!













Does it look like they need more toys?

We have a niece!

My brother Nathan and his wife Mary had their first baby last night. We want to welcome little Natalie Joy to our family! Carter's response to his new cousin's first pictures was "she's cute!" Pason's response, "why doesn't she have long hair? Girls are supposed to have long hair." Congratulations Nathan and Mary!

Dresser Disaster

This afternoon I was talking on the phone while the boys were supposed to be taking naps (Pason was, Carter wasn't). I heard a loud crash and then Carter's cry. Those are two sounds a mother never likes to hear together. I ran to Carter's bedroom, opened the door and saw his dresser tipped over. I couldn't see him at first because he was under the drawers. I quickly but carefully pulled the top drawer off him and then he started to stand up. That was a good sign that he was moving on his own. As I pulled the other drawers off him he said between his tears, "my wamp (lamp) is bwoke". At that point I realized he was probably okay if he was worried about his lamp. I checked him over and he stopped crying and told me he was okay. I took a picture (for the blog of course!) and then started to clean up. When I set the dresser upright and started putting drawers back and checking for damage I found a scratch in the paint with hair imbedded in it. I went to check Carter again and sure enough he had paint stuck in his hair. I previously thought this was just leftover from lunch. I felt immediately grateful for a Heavenly Father who is watching out for my family as I realized how amazing it was that I wasn't headed to the doctor's office for stitches or broken bones to be cast or worse. I guess he has that hard Rowan head. I love my Carter bug and he hopefully has learned a lesson about climbing on things!

My Political Vent

My head and my heart are full of uncertainty right now. I was not a big John McCain fan. In fact I really just considered him the least disasterous of our choices for President. However, I am still trying to wrap my head around how so many people fell for the smooth talk of Barack Obama. Before I voted yesterday I asked myself if there was anything in the scriptures that might give insight into my desicion. The passage "by their fruits, ye shall know them.." popped into my head. Obama made lots of pretty speeches and promises, but what are his fruits? Well for all those who said Sarah Palin was inexperienced, I would like to know where Obama's experience is? His few short years in the Senate give him a record as one of the MOST liberal senators. His opinions on social issues scare me to death. How could any one with any humanity favor partial birth abortions! His plans for the economy make no sense to me. While I would love for the people who make ridiculous amounts of money to take away some of my tax burden, I understand that it doesn't work that way. Raising any taxes right now can only translate into more job loss in our country, which means fewer people paying taxes, which means greater burden on those who are paying! And when it comes to foreign policy...I could go on and on, but I won't because Barack Obama is the President-Elect of the United States of America. As disappointed as I am in this, I believe that as our President he deserves our respect and our support (as much as possible without compromising our standards). I hope he can bring the country together. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to be right, but this is one time that I really hope I am wrong.

I hope I don't offend anyone with my opinions, but this is also kind of my journal, and I wanted to get my feelings out of my head!