HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Funny story and my Birthday MONTH

I forgot about this story. I will have to go to the mall and take a picture to go along with it!

Natalia loves to ride the merry-go-round at the mall. I think she has been on it twice. =) That means I have successfully avoided the merry-go-round many, many times. This is not the story. On the head of each horse there is a tri-colored duster, normally used for cleaning. They look like a thousand dirty little hands have touched them, and they are flat and dirty. I will post a picture of a new one, so you know what I am talking about.



While we were staying at the Marriott over Christmas, Natalia and I were walking down the hall. We passed a housekeeper pushing her cart. Natalia started to yell, and was very upset. I couldn't understand what she was saying, and as I kept walking she became more angry. Then as clear as day she said, "Lady taking pony's feather." I turned around and sure enough, she had a brightly colored duster sticking out of her cart. I can't imagine what must have been going through that little head of hers!

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By the way... I had a wonderful Birthday. Mom emailed me on Monday to wish me a happy birthday week, but I think this b-day is going to be stretched even longer! (I am good or what!)

On Friday, Lincoln took me to Kings Contrivance Restaurant. It was wonderful, and we had a wonderful time. If there is something weird on the menu Lincoln will order it. This time it happened to be pheasant pate. He said it reminded him of spam, and he was jealous of my flavorless lobster bisque. I ordered the Crab stuffed Rockfish (so yummy), and Lincoln got some kind of big steak. Both were wonderful. I got Creme Brule, and was in heaven.....Lincoln had Chocolate Rum Cake with a fancier name. Lets just say...they should have called it RUM and cake. I almost had to be the designated driver because of that dessert. We laughed so hard.

Lincoln got me my SWEATER SHAVER! I know this is not what the people who make this product call it......but I do. I shaved my coat! It looks brand new. I had to empty the lint out 3 times. Who knew I was so easy to please!

I had a wonderful Birthday brunch with friends at Panera on Saturday. We also celebrated Nicole and Daelyn's birthdays. When I walked in the door at home, I was greeted with, "Guess who threw up twice?" I will consider not having to clean it up a birthday present! Oh, it was Wyatt. We were supposed to spend the day shopping for new gym shoes, and a water aerobics *worthy* swimming suit. We stayed at home. I can just remind everyone (LINCOLN) that this happened two years ago too. SICK KIDS= NO BIRTHDAY PRESENTS! This year Lincoln went an hour long hunt for a RUBEN sandwich! People have to think I am crazy, but I love rubens! I remember my Dad making them when I was little. Oh, how I wish Lincoln had found a ruben like my Dad used to make.

My Birthday was Sunday. Lincoln got up with the kids, and then I was greeted with singing, balloons, and french toast with cherries and whipped cream! =) My children were so sweet and snuggly. Natalia kept singing to me, and Wyatt kept hugging me and telling me he loved me and my birthday. Then I got to sleep in! Hooray! Lincoln went to church and I stayed home with Wyatt and Talia. When Lincoln got home he started making the birthday feast! He made Cream of Crab Soup, Emeril's BBQ shrimp (which is the most complicated recipe on the planet!), and baking powder biscuits. Everything was made from scratch, and everything was wonderful. My kitchen looked like a bomb when off in it! =)






He also made a Boston Cream Pie, that Natalia told me repeatedly was a "CAKE, NOT PIE!" I walked into the kitchen to blow out the candles, and there was this high pitched ringing sound.
I said, "What is that noise?" I was looking all around the room.
"It's your cake, just blow out your candles," Lincoln said very annoyed. "It is supposed to be singing *happy birthday*. I paid four bucks for this thing and it doesn't work."

I quickly blew all the candles out, so we could get that horrible sound to stop! One of the candles had a little musical thing at the bottom. Too funny! The cake was good!

We didn't get to go shopping today. Lincoln was stuck at work, and I was the co-op helper at Wyatt's school. Wyatt and I had such a wonderful day. We had to bring "preschool trail mix" which is golden grahams, raisins, mini marshmallows, and goldfish. The kids love this stuff. I got to help them make their Valentines mailboxes.

Here's to tomorrow, may it be another day when we celebrate my Birthday!.......

A Fly on the wall....

If you were a fly on the wall in our home these are some of the things you could have overheard this past year.

"I'll meet you when the sun is up, Mommy." -Wyatt
"Goodnight, close the door."-Natalia
"I think I am going to get another car. "-Lincoln
"Stop climbing on the counter!"-Jeri
"More raisins in my bowl please."-Natalia
"Wyatt, how many apples did to you eat?"-Jeri
"Mommy, I'm done!"-Wyatt and Natalia
"Where's Daddy?"-Wyatt and Natalia
"At work."-Jeri (or fill in the blank with a city name)
"I bought a guitar!"-Lincoln
"I am selling all my computer characters on ebay." -Lincoln
"Yes, you have to get dressed."-Jeri
"Did you record The Office?" -Lincoln
"I need help with my computer!" -Jeri
"My Mommy, My Mommy, My Mommy, Best Mommy." -sung by Natalia
"What should we do TO-day?" -Wyatt
"Play Tori morning?" -said everyday by Natalia
"Sit sit sit Cyrus!" -Natalia
"Can I play Lego Star Wars when Talia takes her nap?" -Wyatt
"I missed you!" -Lincoln
"Do you have a babysitter for Saturday?" -Lincoln
"I need to proof two sessions."-Jeri
"Do you need to go potty?"-Jeri
"Do you want it cut in half, or like a house?"-Jeri
"BIG hug!" -Natalia
"Family Hug!" -Wyatt
"What are you making for dinner?" -Wyatt
"Talia broke my robot, and ran away with the pieces!" -Wyatt
"Christie called." -Lincoln
"Nice dress Mommy." -Natalia
"Do you have lip gloss?" -Natalia (then checks my lips)
"Do you have the keys?" -Jeri
"Wear heart tights!" -Natalia
"I don't want to take a bath!" -Wyatt
"BATH TIME!!!" -Natalia
"I love you as much as all the grass in the world." -Wyatt
"I love you as much as all the sand in the whole world." -Jeri
"I love you much the world." -Natalia
"I love you more." -Lincoln
"Where is my wallet" -Lincoln
"Wow, how do you do that! You're the best babe!" -Lincoln after finding wallet
"Can I dig in the dirt?" -Wyatt
"Put the stick down and get in the car!" -Jeri
"Watch princess movie!" -Natalia
"Why are you awake, the sun is not up yet?" -Jeri
"SHHHHHHH! I am on a call!" -Lincoln
"Give me that sucker! Where did you get that?"-Jeri
"I don't want ___________!" -Natalia (Fill in the blank!)
"That says, "this is the best movie in the whole world"........."what does it really say Mom?" -Wyatt, after seeing the UNIVERSAL logo at the beginning of a movie.
"Ballet slippers?" -Natalia (pointing to my house slippers.)
"Where's my phone?" -Lincoln
"I'll call it." -Jeri

What is the best time to go to the dentist?

Lincoln has a dentist appointment today at tooth-hurty!
(Get it....two thirty..........tooth-hurty!)

Really he did. I thought that was funny. =)

A few for now...

Back lit baby! Sitting on the banister at Grandma Connie's. Lincoln is holding her...I photo shopped his hand out of the picture. =)
This one is from the day Wyatt *let* me take his picture. I love this shot!

Two of Maxximus from Christmas.....

James Family

This is the final family picture. I swapped a few heads. I couldn't find a single shot with Wyatt or Natalia looking at the camera, so this one will have to do. (Why doesn't that surprise me?!)

Can you believe all those people fit in your house Brina? Even in one room! What fun that was. I miss all of you like crazy. I will get little copies printed and send to you all. (Mom, you get a big one!)

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful family!!! =)

Wyatt saw this picture and asked if we could go there.

Date

Natalia was dressed for the day, but then wanted her little mermaid night gown over the top of her clothes. She went downstairs and found her "Target dollar section dress-up" high heels, which she calls "ballet slippers." After putting them on, she announced very excitedly, "GOODBYE, I'm going on a date!" Then she scooted out of my room.

Not 20 seconds later she was back. "How was your date?" I asked.

"Good," she said.

"Who took you on a date?" I had to ask.

"Daddy!" she was happy to report.

(If we can just keep it that way until she is 18!!!! =)

Soup

I always try to write down (or type) the funny things my kids say. I was reading a friends blog and was reminded of the following story.

Brian and Melanie were watching all the kids from co-op. Brian put in Star Wars for the kids to watch. (??????) This was Wyatt's first exposure to the movies, and he has been hooked ever since. In the movie, Luke starts a fire and burns something. Wyatt asked Brian what they were doing.

Brian told him they were burning Darth Vaders suit.

Wyatt sat for a moment and then asked, "What's in Darth Vader soup?"
................"chicken?"


I have another one...
We were at my parents' house a year ago. I put 3 meatballs on Wyatt's plate and said, "You get three meat balls because you're three." Then he glanced over at my brother Rob's plate, back to me, and then back to Rob's plate.
"How old is Rob?" he asked.
"23," I told him.
"How come he doesn't have 23 meatballs?" he asked.
"23 meatballs wouldn't fit on his plate," I explained.

Fast forward a few days. My Dad, Wyatt, and I went to go pick up Lincoln from the ariport. On the way back to my parents' home, Lincoln asked what we had for dinner. I told him that we didn't have dinner because we took my sister, Jana, out to lunch for her birthday. No one was hungry....yet.

"Oh, How old is Jana this year?" Lincoln asked.
"43, I think, " I said
"But 43 meatballs wouldn't fit on her plate," Wyatt added.

Happy day

I am so happy! I have the hardest time photographing Natalia. I have a million pictures of the back of her head. Even more with her eyes closed, or with a goofy face! I can't believe how much I love these shots! I am going to enlarge one of them for my new black and white collage.






This is an example of what I used to be happy with!!!! She is crazy! I love her to bits!

Two personalities

My Little Sith!


My Little Angel!

100 things about me...

I have a good friend that challenged me to write 100 things about myself. (You can read her list here....http://corinneedwards.blogspot.com) It was very hard...especially when I passed #50. I just couldn't think anymore.

1.I am happy.
2.I love photography.
3.I still love dancing, and dance around my house when my kids are asleep.
4.I miss taking dance classes.
5.I miss my family.
6.The only self confidence I have is fake.
7.I have one stretch mark.
8.I got married in theMount Timpanogos Utah Temple.
9.I had my first child at 24.
10.I don't love to read.
11.I always regret talking too much to people.
12.I need to get a handle on cleaning my house.
13.I have 10 empty picture frames upstairs...waiting for photographs! I have had them for 9 MONTHS.
14.I can't photograph my own children.
15.I love to make gourmet meals.
16.I love the smell of clean sheets.
17.I want a hammock.
18.I hate maple syrup.
19.I love fruit.
20.I love to indulge in nice shampoo, conditioner, and skin care.
21.I am a make-up junkie. I own too much!
22.Most the time I go shopping, I buy nothing for myself.
23.I love dressing my daughter kind of crazy!
24.I love sitting in our hot tub, but I hate getting out.
25.I found out, I don't go to the gym by myself.
26.I am not an independent person.
27.I love having two kids....the thought of three terrifies me.
28.I want to live close to the beach
29.I think my name is feminine, even thought most the Jerry's I know are fat and bald.
30.I have horrible skin! (head to toe)
31.I remember having birthday parties when no one came.
32.I always think I am bothering people.
33.I hate yard work, and unfortunately so does my husband.
34.I wish I had a backyard where my children could play, and I could see them from inside the house.
35.I want to take a darkroom class.
36.I have a very tender testimony, meaning I can't share it without crying.
36.5. I love my testimony!
37.I can eat a ton of food!
38.I stay up way to late.
39.I let Wyatt sneak into my bed when Lincoln is out of town.
40.I don't like to think about high school. I was crazy.
41.I still own clothes I bought in 1998.
42.I love grilled pineapple.
43.I love anything Lincoln makes on the grill!
44.I usually forget breakfast for myself.
45.I love to sleep in.
46.I am a rule maintainer.
47.I hate laundry.
48.The last speeding ticket I received was when I was 16.
49.I don't mind letting my kids make a mess....play dough, paint...whatever. I don't mind cleaning it up either.
50.I love frosted animal cookies.
51.I still love lavender roses.
52.I don't have enough closet space.
53.I have curtains I bought in October 2005 that I need help hanging!!! (hint hint Lincoln.)
54.It is so easy for me to love someone! So I do.
55.I wish I could sing. I don't like to sing in church, but I will sing for my children.
56.I didn't speak up in school, because I would always blush.
57.I take things way to personally and over analyze everything.
58.I don't wear make-up everyday, and will go anywhere with out it.
59.I love having cute lounging clothes...mostly to proof photos in. (Thanks sweetie)
60.Nothing makes me happier, than seeing my kids hug and really be kind to each other.
61.I have a bad knee.
62.I could live on crab legs.
62.We go out to eat WAY TO MUCH.
63.I didn't have an epidural with either of my kids. (9 lbs. and 8 lbs.)
64.I despise skiing.
65.I have 22 nieces and nephews.
66.I don't own very many pairs of shoes, but most of the shoes I do own are black.
67.I love u-pick farms.
68.I am usually very easy going.
69.I am a horrible speller.
70.I need to try to be nicer to my children on the fourth day that Lincoln has been gone. That is always when I lose it.
71.I need to be less hard on myself.
72.I still rock Natalia, but only when she asks. She didn't let me do it when she was little.
73.I love to read to my children....I wish I had more book for them.
74.I don't go to the library for fear of losing the books in my house....and also forgetting when they would be due.
75.I am too nice, and get walked on by people frequently.
76.My eyes look like tye-dye. Blue on the outside, then a ring of green, and then brown in the middle.
77.I would take a nap everyday if I could.
78.I love Modbe shirts, and own tons.
79.I need to vacuum my car.
80.I am either very organized, or super scattered.
81.My favorite dinner to make is a fancy salad.
82.I am not a picky eater.
83.I finish all the food on my plate....which is not a good thing.
84.We watch "America's Funniest Home Videos" as a family all the time.
85.My favorite TV show is "So you think you can Dance."
86.I have seen No Doubt in concert twice.
87.We have amazing sound systems in both of our cars.....I only put them to good use when I am alone. =)
88.One of the things I was sad to leave in Oregon was my herb garden.
89.My favorite beach is Ecola Park near Cannon Beach in Oregon. I also LOVE Hug Point...good memories. =)
90.I make Lincoln and Wyatt each sardines outside.
91.I have 8 brothers and sisters...I am number 7.
92.I had the two greatest parents on the earth!
93.I think I have the greatest husband on the earth! (When I don't have PMS)
94.I think it is possible to have several BEST friends...and I do.
95.I love Cadbury mini eggs.....AND the new holiday candy cane kisses!
96.I don't scrapbook...I have all the supplies, but I haven't touch them.
97.I love my kids.
98.I hate figuring out how to discipline them!
99.I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints......and not because I was raised as one.
100.I can change my own flat tire!

Dizzy

I was just spinning Natalia on the kitchen floor. She was on the ground, flat on her back with legs sticking up in the air. Then I spin her in a complete circle, while holding her feet. She kept saying "again, again," so I kept doing it. When I picked her up she said "Look!" and pointed. I said "what are you pointing at?" Then she said "Kitchen falling down, HOLD ME, keep me safe!"

She is silly.
=)

eta... Yesterday during lunch. Natalia got down off her chair and pick something up. Then she handed it to me. IT WAS A SPIDER. I don't really care about them, but something about her squishing that, and handing it to me grossed me out. I couldn't finish my lunch.
I said, " Natalia that is gross! EW!"
"It's not EW," she said back to me.

How we do co-op!!

Look at each and every kid.....I can't help laughing. We really are lucky that these kids are so well behaved. We have been co-oping for more than a year together....We watch all eight kids one night out of five Fridays. In return, Lincoln and I have 3 date nights. It has been such a wonderful set up! Natalia loves everyone, and says their names anytime we get ready to leave the house. "Go a Tori's house? Eye-li? Agwis? Liza at school? Sadie's house? Micah?" (She says Agwis for Alex..........we all laugh so hard when she says it!)

Ballerina girl

A farewell to our squirrels

Squirrel game
(click me)

We just paid over $1000 to fix our chimney. That is how the squirrels were entering our attic, and they had caused quite a bit of damage to the chimney.

The chimney sweeps were here. As they started to clean, they flipped the flue and a dead crispy fried squirrel fell down. GAG! I almost died. We have never lit a fire in our fireplace....we have been here two years. That means that squirrel had been there for a LONG time. Yuck. I am glad he is gone now, and I am glad no more will be getting in.

The game site is www.orisinal.com and they have cute little games with pretty music. My kids sit on my lap and "help" me play! =)

Punch you and rock you

Wyatt has a habit of pulling his arms into his shirt. If is he is sitting he will pull his knees into the shirt, then catch the bottom of it under his feet. I hate what this does to his shirts, and am constantly telling him to stop! Tonight the three of us were watching TV, and he was doing it again. Then he straightened his legs with the shirt still hooked around his toes. I reached down (without anger, I will add) and grabbed his shirt close to his feet and started to pull up, at this same moment he wiggled his toes free......and the shirt proceeded to snap back. Then my fist collided with his face. His eye really. I felt so bad, and he cried so hard. He asked me to kiss it. I kissed his cheek, he said "you missed my eye, will you try again." I kissed his eyeLID, and the crying stopped. I have magic kisses you know. I used them earlier today on Wyatt and Talia. Isn't is amazing that a child seriously believes that a kiss from their mother makes pain disappear.
Wyatt was getting ready for his bath, and I pictured him at school tomorrow saying "My Mom punched me in the eye!" I asked him "Wyatt did I punch you on accident or on purpose." He sat for a second with his "thinking face", and said "well.....I don't want you to have to go to time out, so I say accident." I couldn't help but laugh, and ask WHO would put me in time out. (Please don't turn black! Please, please don't turn black!)

Tuesday Christie, Christina, and I took our kids to the Maryland Science Center. We love that place! We had so much fun, and only went to 2 1/2 areas. Wyatt was so disappointed when we left, we will have to go back soon. We came home and had naps, ate dinner, we all had a turn talking to daddy on the phone, we went downstairs and organized the toys, and went upstairs for bed. Natalia asked me to rock her, and bye-golly (did I just say bye-golly??) I am going to rock that girl as much as I can.........because one day she won't ask me to. I held her and said "We had such a wonderful day today, didn't we?!.... We got to go to the Science Center and"...... Then she interrupted me and said "A talking Daddy a phone, Daddy love Talia SO much." I got a little choked up. How wonderful is it....that the highlight of that little girls' day was talking to her Dad?

We miss him!

Holidays

We had a wonderful Christmas vacation! I wish I could say I was glad to be back, but I am feeling a little homesick today. Lincoln is in Oregon.........I wish I was there with him.

A recap of our travels....
We flew to Utah to stay with my family. It was so much fun to see everyone again. We had a James Family Christmas Breakfast on Saturday, and we took a photo of ALL 32 of us! (Sorry guys, I will get working on it, and post it soon!) That is just my Mom and Dad, brothers, sisters, their spouses, and all our kids. =) Our party started with a wonderful breakfast that in included my mom's homemade cinnamon rolls (worth the trip just for these!), casseroles, fruit, hot chocolate, bacon, and sausage links (our food assignment because of the "links"...ha ha ). We had a gift exchange with the grand kids, and white elephants for the adults. We came out with a Pirates DVD. =) The kids also did a talent show. I was so happy to be there!! The last time I had Christmas at my parents home, was when Wyatt was 7 months old!!!

On Christmas Eve we went to church. It was a one hour meeting that turned into a two hour meeting because it took them 40 minutes to pass the sacrament. That night my Mom made a delicious leg of lamb for dinner. At the table she said "Wyatt after dinner we can tell the Nativity story with my puppets, and I even have a DVD." Wyatt said "Um...... No Thanks, I think I have had a little bit too much God today." (How embarrassing!!) After dinner we did tell the Nativity story with the puppets (so cute by the way), and Wyatt was very concerned because the sheep only had one googley eye. My Dad just kept whispering to him that it was okay. After we finished I asked Wyatt what he had learned. He looked at me and said "I learned that we ate the Sheep." Everyone covered their faces to hide the laugher. We tried to make the evening spiritual, but every time we tried Wyatt would say something funny.

I was sick. I always seem to get sick before I come to my Mom's. I have to admit it was nice to have someone take care of me for a change. I got to sleep in.......my kids were waking up at 5:00 am for the first few days...so I tried to sidetrack them with cartoons....but then around 7 they would go upstairs and my Mom would make them breakfast. I am teary eyed typing that....not for my sake but for theirs. What a special memory for them. I had such a simply wonderful time at home. It was rejuvenating and peaceful, and I wish I would have eaten more homemade bottled peaches!

We were able to meet two sets of friends while in Utah. Brian, Melanie, Isabella, and Gracie from Maryland.. now living in California, and Kayelynn, Travis, Justin, and Tyler from Oregon. It was so good to see them. We had such a wonderful time talking, and eating, and chasing our kids.

The day after Christmas we drove down to Arizona, to be with Lincoln's family. We got to stay in his mother's guest home, so it felt like a home away from home. We only slept there that night, and then drove to California for Lincoln's Grandpa Tidwell's 80th birthday party! What a party it was! I don't know exactly who did the planning, but they should get an award! The decorations we Grandpa things....for example we sat at a table with some of his beloved books fanned out in a circle with a beautiful bowl in the middle. The other tables had themes such as a sailboat table, or a fishing table. Photographs of Grandpa (at all stages of his life) had been laminated and were at each table for you to take home. The food was top notch! Ceasar salad, pomegranate salad, two gorgeous brie cheeses, the biggest bowl of shrimp cocktail ever, a baked potato bar, fruit, ham, tri tip roast, and a chocolate fountain. There was a wonderful slide show with many pictures from Grandpas life. Oh, and birthday cake. The best part....Maryanne's daughter Abby adopted Natalia for the night!!! It was like I brought along my own sitter, and I got to enjoy most of the evening kid free. (Anyone that was there...please forget that it was my daughter that ran on the stage DURING the slide show!) Natalia has named her new baby doll ABBY, and repeatedly says "Abby nice, Abby nice girl". =) Becka and Maxximus, Spencer and Maricela, and there new baby Blake went with us...and we all stayed in a Marriot and used some of Lincoln's points to pay for it. Our room had two separate rooms with doors, and a fold out couch...so it was perfect for our 3 families.

We drove back to Lincoln's mothers house...which was a little crazy....Wyatt got sick, and Natalia has figured out how to unbuckle her car seat. Maricela kept having to buckle her back in.

Connie's (Lincoln's mom) house is unbelievable. I can't even describe it, I tried to for my Mom...and failed. It is gorgeous....it's right on the river, and has tons of windows (just one of my quirks...the windows are always the first thing I notice in any house...I am like a light meter!), the floor is fossilized limestone, the entry way has a gold leaf ceiling with a huge chandelier that spins, there was enough room in the living room for 3 children to ride big wheels AT THE SAME TIME and not bug anyone...........I can't go on.....there is too much. Oh I have to mention, there are two full sized kitchens in the house, and one in the guest house. Crazy, and beautiful!

I have to mention the food we ate there too....because it was wonderful. There was so much that Lincoln and I both have got to get back to the gym ASAP. We had Pies...chocolate, coconut, banana, cheesecake, and we had prime rib, shrimp scampi, fettucini alfredo, cheese fondue, fondue that you cook meat in (don't know what its called), a chocolate fountain twice, racelet (a swiss grill thingy), cinnamon rolls, and Belgian waffles with all the breakfast extras. Amazing!

We got to have Christmas morning (yes...take 3) with Adam and Penny and kids over the xbox camera. It was fun to see them........and torture them by opening presents and making them watch!! =) Just kidding.

One of the things I loved about the trip, is how much my children really loved everyone. Natalia and Wyatt ran to my mom as soon as we pulled up to her home, they remembered my brothers and began asking for favors immediately (Uncle Rob can you turn on the xbox?), they played with their cousins and laughed themselves silly. My kids loved seeing Grandpa walk in the door, and would say "Grandpa's here!" Natalia would talk non-stop about Grandma Connie, Grandma Ginger, and Ellen when I was TRYING to get her to go to sleep at night. She would say "Mommy has a nose, Talia has a nose, EVERYBODY HAS A NOSE!" Then she would name as many people as she could possibly remember and add "has a nose." She did the same thing with hair! Wyatt loved playing with Uncle Paul and his real light saber. There was a time that Daisy, the dog, thought Paul was really trying to hurt the kids during a light saber duel, and she stepped in between the kids and Paul...and wouldn't budge. He was fighting Natalia, Maxximus, and Wyatt and they all had light sabers. It just make me mushy to think that they love all these people and we are so far away. I hate it. I am so thankful for the memories they were able to make on the trip.

I'll post pictures.....

LINCOLN GAVE ME HIS COMPUTER! Can you tell how excited I am! His is super fast, and my post processing workflow for my business is going light years faster. I am so happy I could dance. He also gave me an external hard drive that will AUTOMATICALLY back up new music and picture files everyday! (This is me crying tears of joy!)

Dance!

We went to the ward Christmas party last night. It was a fun one, and very well organized. Natalia is the child I am going to loose someday...because she just runs away. She has no fear of loosing me, she just runs, and occasionally looks back just to show me her smile! How considerate.

They do a slide show of all the families in the ward. But...this year it was almost like Jeri Tidwell Photography portfolio. He he he . I had images for our family, two clients, and of course Christie's family. I submitted Wyatt's Jedi picture, he was so proud! =)

The children were called to go up to the stage to sing, and Wyatt ran away very excited. Natalia was heartbroken, and ran after him....saying "kids going?". Lincoln went to go get her, so I just sat back and relaxed. Wyatt was a mess up there. Every child just stood calmly. Wyatt yelled, waved, and danced. They hadn't even started singing yet. All of a sudden, I see Natalia ON THE STAGE! Lincoln put her up there! I was mortified. My two year old daughter was on the stage. Lincoln just looks back at me and smiles.....Adrie and I call that smile of his "the sheepish grin." She was happy as a clam up there. When the music began, Natalia started to SHUFFLE!

Shuffle A forward brush followed by a back brush to the front, side or back, executed rapidly in a 16th note rhythm and counted "a 1".

Even though I was still so embarrassed....I WAS BEAMING. My little girl is a born performer. She even put her hands on her hips. The shuffling stopped, and there were turns and such. Wyatt was still crazy, but he sang most of the words, in between hugging his sister. I think I better send the primary chorister flowers. =)

Turducken

This year for Thanksgiving Lincoln and our friend Andrew decided we were going to have Turducken. For those of you that don't know what that is.......it's a turkey, and inside of that is duck meat, a layer of stuffing, and then chicken. Sounds weird doesn't it. I was against it at the start, and even more so when I saw the price. I can't even say how much this hunk of meat cost, without stammering.

I was wrong. It was good. There I said it.

We had the Baca's and the Wall's over. It was such a nice day. The kids had their own table set up in the front room, and the adults were in the kitchen. Along with the turducken we had sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, raspberry jello salad, homemade rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, cranberry-sierra mist, pumpkin pie, and oreo cheesecake. Yum!


Turducken and dumplings the next day was good too!

Fall pictures

Funnies

We were telling Wyatt the Christmas plans for this year. (We are flying to Utah, to see my family. Then driving to Arizona, to see Lincoln's family. Then driving to California, to Grandpa Tidwells' 80th birthday party. Then back to Arizona, to fly out of Vegas.) He said "That means Grandpa Tidwell gets to choose anything he wants for his birthday dinner, right?" I nodded. "I hope he doesn't pick anything spicy," He said.

Talia is a tape recorder. (That is what we used to call my baby brother that repeated everything we said. I should probably come up with a name that is more fitting for this day and age. =) She says anything and everything, but so silly. You can't help but laugh when your around her. This is a perfect example....sorry it takes place in the potty room.... Everytime she goes potty, she repeats everything I have EVER said to her while teaching her the ropes. She sits down, says "hold shirt....don't pee shirt.....don't pee floor (points to the floor)....don't fall in....done.....I so proud of you (or good try)......I so proud of you mommy...dora panties....wash hands...potty treat.....chocolate bar."

She also has the BEST memory. I am able to remember where anything is.... If Lincoln misplaces something he never actually looks for it, he just asks me where it is. I usually know, and he always says "I LOVE YOU!" Well, the other day I was looking for the honey to make sandwiches. I couldn't find it. I knew we were almost out...so I thought Lincoln threw it out. I told the kids they would have to have jelly, and Natalia said "honey in fridge." It was in there....Lincoln had put there. (who wants cold honey?) If I lose something....now I ask Natalia where it is......and she has known quite a few times!! Maybe it's a "woman thing".

The Out takes

We went to Brookestone gardens this evening to take family pictures. I am showing some of the out takes because they are so funny! We did get a good one for the Christmas card though. =)



It was too cold by the end of the shoot. The kids' noses started to turn red.

I got a new camera. I am in love!!! It is a canon 5d, and I got a new 85 mm lens. I love the combination of the two. Now to get a new computer!!! =)


I had a session last Saturday that was just plain hard. It was for family photos, and the 18 month old wanted NOTHING to do with it. We did a reshoot on Wednesday......can I just say.. MAGIC! We were able to go to my client's in-laws home, and it was on a gorgeous 3 acre lot. I feel a little guilty (okay, not really) but my favorite image was not one of the family photos. The little 5 yr old's Grandpa came outside and started pushing her in the swing. We were still waiting for her Dad, so I started snapping! I love this image! LOVE IT! There is so much emotion in this image...it really speaks to me. I hope they like it! (Click on the picture to see it bigger,.....so you can see his "grandpa hands".)




Another fav.



Here is the 18 month old. I like how tiny she looks here.

Halloween snaps...

Snow White and Qui-Gon Jinn before the ward Halloween party.

Twirling Talia
(I was going to iron the hem...but the tag said "no iron". As well as "hang to dry".I was going to hand wash the whole dress, but she had to wear it FOUR different times...and we just ran out of time! Who cares anyway right!? She still looked cute. Look at her flippy hair! Yes I said HAIR! =) Finally!
I reworked the lightsaber...I think it looks pretty cool! Wyatt sure likes this picture! I am going to print it for his room. =)


Snow White in the moon bounce at our neighborhood party.

Safe

I had a jewelry party here on Thursday night. I realized I have such an amazing husband. He took the kids out during the party, (they went to the gym) and then came home and put them to bed. He did a lot to help me get ready for the night too. Our house still looked like a construction zone, so he carried a lot of "stuff" down to the basement and out to the trash. What a pain I am..."help me, and then get out of here for a few hours, and take the kids." Looks like I owe him again! =) He wants to go hunting...I will have to do some planning.

I was busy making treats for the party, so dinner was well....a little lacking. We had corn dogs. Wyatt was watching me make homemade hot chocolate and wanted some so bad. I told him I would save him some. Later he came down the stairs at 11:00 at night. I could have been a mean mom, and sent him back up to bed. I didn't. I whispered, "I think now is a good time for your hot chocolate!" =)

"I have a good idea, put some marshmallows in it," he said. He drank it up quick...(it wasn't very hot anymore.) I gave him a big hug and a kiss on his cheek, and THEN he wiped my kiss off his face. I asked him why and he said, "Don't worry Mom, I have it. It is safe here in my hand."

--Talia is still doing a great job being potty trained. She has been in "big girl pants" for four days, and has been dry for three of them. She had a little accident last night and that was her first in those four days.
We borrowed a Snow white costume from our friends, the Mahaffeys, for Talia to wear for Halloween. She looks so cute in it, and she holds the sides of the skirt while she walks around on her tip toes. She doesn't really look the part with that blonde hair though. =) We also borrowed a GREAT jedi get up from them as well. You should see Wyatt!!! The best part of his costume is his smile. He is so happy! (I will take some pictures.)

Santa Claus is coming to town....

I use this song quite a lot lately!

I got done singing..."He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake."

and Wyatt says "it's okay if I act a little silly or something, right?"

Talia putting the stickers on her birthday card from Great Grandma James.




Wyatt worried about Talia climbing up the ladder after him.


I LOVE this pictures. It is so her. Who else would eat two apples at the same time!!! =)

Busy.....

I haven't had time to update this blog in so long. We have done so many fun things I will have to try to get to those pictures so I can post them.

I am going to make a quick list of the crazy things that have been going on for the last month and a half.
-My new web site launched YESTERDAY!! I am so excited. www.jtidwellphotography.com
-I received my BMT info net (Bone Marrow Transplant information network) calendar in the mail last week. I am happy with the image they chose. .....I better explain. I photographed a sister and brother last May for the calendar. It honors survivors of transplants, and it is very rare that two people from the same family have to undergo the same procedure. The little boy was only 15 months old when I photographed them. They want me to photograph a young lady in Virginia for next years calendar!!! =)
-We got hard wood floor installed. The entire first floor.....of course Lincoln was in Canada during the construction.
-Lincoln has also been in Oregon, and Ohio...and somewhere else....???
-We went back to my favorite place....the u pick farm!! =) (I have pictures!)
-My brother Brad and his family came to visit last week....the day after the floors were done. I am so happy they came. It was so fun to see family, and I hated watching them drive away!
-I had so many sessions...I need to look at my calendar to remember the number!!!!!!! My business is really taking off. =)
-I got to spend an ENTIRE Saturday at the mall! I didn't buy very much, but that is not why I went. I had so much fun, I owe Lincoln big time. Or do I???? I have been alone most of this month. I had to move all the furniture with the "floor guy". It is harder to move furniture when you are trying not to scratch the new floor! Now that I think about it...I had to do a lot of "crazy things" while he was gone. I think he actually may still owe me! =)
-Natalia is wanting to be potty trained. UMMM>>wait a second, she has only been two years old for three weeks. I keep finding her dora panties on the floor, and then I find her getting off her potty...saying "I did it." This may be easier than I thought. (Fingers crossed)
-Natalia got a little kitchen for her b-day. We didn't have a party, because we took daddy to the airport. I can't believe she is two. She is talking very well, and just as nutty as usual. She gave me the biggest hug today. Both of her tiny arms wrapped around my neck and then she said "I wuv you....much........much." She just kept holding on. It was the longest and sweetest hug....it made me cry.
-I got to be the co-op parent at Wyatt's school last week. It was on "black cat day". We had a lot of fun. Wyatt was good. I don't know how a little boy can make playing with play dough into a rough game....but Wyatt can. He was using the rolling pin as a sword. Enough said. How embarrassing.

*****THE TIDWELL SQUIRRELS*****
The squirrels get their own section on the blog. They are such a prominent part of our lives! =) I hate them, they are evil. I have several stories to prove it. (I am sorry if some of you have heard these before.)
#1 Our kitchen contractor was on his way up to the attic to give us a bid on finishing it. I warned him that I thought I had heard squirrels up there. He said "I think I have met that squirrel before." (meaning other homes)
After he had been up there a while I hear VERY loud banging. Lots and lots of loud banging. He comes back down after a long while, with a stack of paper and two Christmas ornaments. "I destroyed their nest, and I hit one of them with a 2x4...but I only got his tail. I think there were six of them." He shows me what he had pulled out of the nest....there were old bills, checks, mail, and of course the chirstmas ornaments...all from the previous owner.
He told me to put a radio up there, and they wouldn't come back. It worked.

One night Wyatt came into our room. "I can't sleep, I keep hearing this weird music."

I turned off the radio.

The squirrels came back.

#2 The short version, of the Cyrus/squirrel incident.

Cyrus (our dog) went out for a potty break....a squirrel RUNS right at HIM! Now the squirrel is in his teeth...Cyrus starts to shake him. I yell "drop it", he does. Squirrel runs...Cyrus gets him again. Shake shake shake . "Drop it", he does. Squirrel runs...Cryus gets him again. "DROP IT", he does....squirrel doesn't run away. A dead squirrel outside my door! gross. (it happened so fast...it was crazy!) Of course Lincoln wasn't home. (This was last year.)

All I can say is, what a good boy for dropping it THREE times.

#3 Lincoln tears apart the place in the attic where the squirrels made their nest again. Radio is back on as I type. Lincoln also shoots a squirrel in the bottom with a weak pellet gun. The squirrel just runs off. Lincoln doesn't realize this....but now the squirrels HATE US.

#4 Every time I load the kids in the car the squirrels ambush us with acorns. The are getting very skilled with their aiming. One day I had Talia in the car, but ran back inside to grab my phone. On the way in, I heard a squirrel in the tree. I yelled to Wyatt..."quick get in the car, the squirrels are in the tree."
Wyatt stayed there. As I came outside, I saw an acorn drop to the ground and bounce, about 12 inches from Wyatt. Then he ran to get in the car. I leaned my head in to buckle him, and BAM an acorn hit the top of the pathfinder. Wyatt and I were laughing so hard. I kept saying "those squirrels are crazy, they are evil."
I ran from Wyatt's door to jump in the drivers seat, and as soon as I shut the door...BAM, another acorn hit the top of the car.
They do this all the time.

#5 My friend, Christie, dropped off her three yr old. here. She still had her baby in the van, and left the sliding door open. We were chatting on the front steps, when she gasped and said "I just saw a squirrel jump in my van!!"
We both ran down the driveway, and she yelled at it,.. "get out of my van!" It did and ran up a tree as quick as he could. Imagine if she had not seen it jump in!! That would have been a funny story.

#6 Lincoln went to buy a stronger pellet gun. The man behind the counter said "you shooting squirrels?"

#7 A small rodent (we say squirrel) chewed through the wiring harness in our pathfinder. $800.00 to fix.

#8 Last week Lincoln was out of town. At 4:30 am I heard a loud crash. I sat up thought what could have made such a loud noise? I thought the worst. A MAN....in my house..here to hurt my children and I. (I was sleepy and alone..what do you expect.) Then I decided it was the stroller falling down the two steps below the landing. I had propped it up on the landing when I swept the floor, and that was the perfect explanation for the crash. I turned on the bathroom light and stuck into hall. My heart was pounding so hard...I was still picturing the MAN! As a peeked down the stairs I saw the stroller....right where I left it...on the landing. I began to cry...I mean bawl! I was so mad I was alone, angry that I didn't have a phone upstairs at that moment, and I just didn't know what to do. Should I be doing something to save my children from the MAN, or should I just go back to bed? I prayed. I had a very sweet spiritual experience, and went back to bed. =)

I think that loud crash was a squirrel, knocking something over in the attic. Nothing else was out of place.

I think that is all the squirrel stories I have for now. I sure there will be more. =)