Playlist Explanation

Due to the fact that I have borne 4 "grinchy" sons (well, maybe not Morgan...he doesn't check my blog so he has not filed any complaints, as of this moment), I have added songs that are "appropriate" for the season we are in now, hence, Halloween. I refuse to remove my Christmas music..."Santa Baby" used to be the ring on my cell phone when my sweet hubby called me, that is until we got an LG phone and I could not record my own ringtone...They will just have to endure, hopefully in silence!! There you go, sweet sons - especially Nathan - Halloween Holiday music, mixed with Mom's favorites! And may the Great Pumpkin pass by your pumpkin patch this year!! Remember, a happy Mom is a Mom who gets you Christmas presents!!!

Challenge Met

Well, I finally finished Kayty's room. (I just needed to sew the dresser cloth...she tends to spill on the furniture, and this seems to help.) When she asked for pink camouflage and skulls, I was rather hesitant. None of the older kids were ever even allowed to wear black (I confess, kids, I have thrown in the towel here.)

However, she so happy with her room, and I still hear her in there laughing with the movies she loves to watch, and singing Broadway show tunes and playing her keyboard, so I guess I will survive this challenge.

She wanted more black in the walls, but I won on that one. Now, watch, six months from now, she will want to be blonde and for me to paint the room sage green and have a floral print bedspread. If she does....

Another Friday Night at the Football Game

Nathan's team played the team from Camp Verde High School last night at Glendale Community College Field. The game did not have a great outcome for the team (lost 54-3) but Nathan got a chance to play. He did so well on this play, he tackled the guy, and the next thing I knew his name was being announced over the loud speakers as doing a good thing!! (I looked at these photos up close and he tackled someone...maybe the quarterback - not sure) I was so excited.

Now, I know I was supposed to be trying new camera settings for my camera club tonight, but I got all mixed up, so I just set it on auto, though I did try to "follow the subject" when Nate was running on the field. I did better, too...not so many blurry ones this time.

Seven Things About Me

7 Things I plan to do before I die...
1. Serve full time Church Missions with Dee, at least one to Bangalore, India
2. Be in the temple with all six of my children and their spouses, who are/will be as dear to me as my own children.
3. Go to New York City and see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the beautifully decorated store windows
4. Hike the Grand Canyon
5. Learn to paint so that I can paint paintings
6. Play with many grandchildren (come on, you married ones...Allison gave me two grandbabies...with only two each, that would give me six in the next few years...)
7. Be A Great Photographer

7 Things I Can Do
1. Drive - I transport kids a lot!!! and there are only 2 still at home
2. Paint - From Christmas Ornaments to Camouflage Walls in kids' rooms
3. Cook - I love to cook for Dee and to try new things...and he never complains about the experiments!
4. Schedule and Organize - I love my lists... I clean by lists, I have a spreadsheet (not made by me - husband works at Honeywell...nuff said!) for our budget, our years supply
5. Do my exercising, and running or a hike
6. Help Dee with house and car projects - I have stuccoed, tiled, scraped grease from a front end, put together an engine, layed block walls, sanded, scraped, etc.
7. Camping

7 Things I cannot do
1. Be apart from Dee for more than 4 days (India trip proved that one big time! I still cannot go to sleep unless I have my hand on him!)
2. Run more that 4 miles...3 is my usual, 4 is pushing it
3. Eat okra - a vegetable complete with its own snot!
4.Figure out Excel
5. Hunt with Dee without being a "girl". Okay, when I went dove hunting with him and I finally got one, I jumped up and down and cheered for myself...until I saw the other hunters near us looking with horror on their faces...Apparantly, jumping up and down and screaming is not appropriate "hunter behavior".
6. Stop worrying about ALL of my kids; Allison, Mike, Adam, Grace, Ethan, Cameo, Doran, Danyel, Morgan, Katelyn, Nathan...you are always in my thoughts and prayers
7. The most important...stop praying. I would not be able to survive without being able to communicate with my loving Heavenly Father and pouring my whole soul out to Him. He is ALWAYS there for me and has blessed me in abundance!!

7 Things That Attracted Me to Dee
1. His gorgeous crystal blue eyes- they are beautiful and they show his pure heart and soul
2. His hard work - I remember when we met at Phoenix College Institute, he was in an engineering class and had built a bridge out of toothpicks and it was still a little wet because he went to school full time, rode his bike miles to get to and from school to save on gas, worked many hours at a grocery store, and still was trying to keep up on homework. He was so cute in that brown sweater as he worked on that bridge so he could get it to class. That just was a foreshadow for years of very hard work, working 3 jobs at times, to take good care of our family.
3. His spirit. He loves the gospel and it always shows. He was converted to the church from reading the Book of Mormon. He loves the Lord and dedicates his every action to honoring Him.
4. His sweet smile - It just lights up my heart!
5. His dedication - nothing stops him...He thinks and thinks and then conquers. When he was made editor of the Phx. Institute Newspaper after I had been it, he just worked and worked until he could get it just right, and that was before computers!
6. His voice - that is the first thing that made him stand out. We were in a Doctrine and Covenants Class. He was behind me. I didn't even know what he looked like, but when he answered a question and I heard his voice, something from within just...well, I didn't recognize what was happening at the time, but it was like in Saturday's Warrior..."...I've heard that voice before..." He is so calming when he talks. He has gotten me through 5 labor and deliveries with no medication and that calming voice (thank heavens for epidurals and Nathan). And when he sings...I just can't get enough.
7. His looks...hey, he is sooo hot! No one even comes close for me!

7 Things I say most often
1. Wake up...
2. Stop it Kate and Nate (constantly fighting!)
3. When do you have to be at ... ?
4. Let's go Falcons!
5. I love you
6. Who are you?
7. Nathan, bring those stinky clothes out to the wash!


7 Celebrity Admirations
1. Sarah Pallin
2. Beau Bridges - I swear he came in the delivery room when Allison was being born!
3. Julie Andrews - I am a die hard Sound of Music fan
4. Sandra Bullock
5. Robert Redford - the early years
6. Martha Stewart
7. Paula Deen

7 Favorite Foods
1. Raw Cauliflower
2. Salad
3. Chimichangas from TeePee Restaurant
4. Red Devil Pizza - the old restaurant on McDowell and 24th Street
5. My Mom's turkey dressing
6. My Mom In Laws Cauliflower with Cheese
7. Chocolate- though it gives me a terrible headache to eat it now!

7 people I think should do this
1. Allison - but I know how busy you are
2. Jannicke
3. Danyel
4. Jackie
5. Sharynn
6. Annie
7. Kathy

Fun With Photography

I am in a photography club at church, so now I try to think differently when I take photos. It was interesting...as I was looking over my camera manual, I found that I had buttons to help me take pics...portraits, sports, landscapes, etc. and the camera would "pre-set" for the conditions. It did help, just a bit, but I have a long, long way to go before I can photograph any sporting event of any consequence.


The school he played at had visitor bleachers that were just right on the field...no elevated seating here, so I just went right out on the field and sat down...me, an old lady down on the field on the grass taking pictures. Nathan couldn't believe it...and was even more surprised when the team didn't just run over me...so was I!!






This is one of my favorite warm up drills...looks like he is bringing a basket of goodies to Grandma's house!!


This was one of those "picture tells a story" shots, though I should have moved the camera either way...there's this thing called the rule of thirds. Anyway, the guy was telling Nate something about being a tight end, at least I think that is what Nathan just said.

Alas, the old lady had to stay in her seat, at least periodically. But this was such a good pic of Nathan's coach giving him instructions.

Now, as you can probably tell, since Nathan got to play, the team either was creaming the other team, or was being creamed. (It was the latter situation...final score 45-3) But, Nathan is getting really good at this football stuff, if I do say so myself. He's a sophomore playing varsity football, so next year...watch out!!

Photo Op

Kayty came out this morning, ready for school, and said, "My hair worked today, if you want to take a picture." Well, it was two minutes before we had to leave to get Nate to seminary, but these words had never crossed her lips before, so I jumped at the chance. I set my Nikon for portrait (amazing what you learn about that dial on the top when you read the manual!) and took a few pics. Ain't she a beauty!!

Now, I am in our Thunderbird Hills Ward photo club, so I used her to accomplish a few of the ten different pics I need to take this week. Thanks Kate...

Halloween/Fall Are Here!

Well, it is finished...I am putting up before and after pics...hopefully you can see the changes! The little pictures are the "before" pics...

New jack o lantern cookie jar, bats from the chandalier, fun tablecloth, and lots of pumpkins and ghosts that you cannot see very well. Also, Candy Corn in the dish in the window, in the entry, and in the living room. (Allison, I am trying to lure you back to Phoenix...can't you tell!!!)

Jack o lanterns, fall leaves, ghosts, witch on the table, Fall and Halloween pillows.

Witch, pumpkins, bear on the fireplace

Shelves are full of all sorts of things...Frankensteins, Candy Corn, Ghosts, witches, fall leaves, pumpkins...

Adam, Grammy did it...and I didn't get any wonderful help like Mommy has with you!! I remember when you were a tiny baby and I bought you a little pumpkin, just your size, when we went to Albertson's. Every time I see baby pumpkins, I think of you!! Ask Mommy put some pictures up on your blog of your house, when she gets some time.