Nov1st. Happy Birthday, Brian!

Brian, You have MUCHO AMIGOS!!! I love you with all my heart. Even in that hat! (and those pants, OH MY!! They still fit!) Hope you have a super birthday! Love, Anj

Leave a birthday wish if you wish. :)

Summer, Don't Go!

Good Excuse

Yesterday Aubryn was asked to clean her room. That would include picking up toys, clothes, and making her bed. She did not want to do it. She whined and complained. Then she said, "I can't clean my room because my bumb itches!"

I have never heard that excuse before. It really is not a bad excuse. Who wants someone picking up toys, that potentially will go into the one year old's mouth, with the same hands that have to scratch your itchy bottom? Good thinking, Aubryn. Very creative.

Memory Lane

Scrapbook page I made about our engagement.

It was 11 years ago this month that Brian proposed to me. He proposed at the Copper Mine. Before we were officially dating, we were "hanging out"one night and saw the lights over on the hill in the distance. "What are those lights?" one of us asked. We decided to drive out there and find out. It was after midnight when we got to the copper mine entrance. I remember pulling up and being embarrassed that we were there so late. I didn't want to talk to the guard at the gate, so I stopped the car and let Brian get in the drivers seat. We did that about 50 feet in front of the gate. Brian pulled forward and talked to the man like it was normal business hours. "Hi! Are you open?" Turns out they were not. So we turned around. I was now sitting in the back seat and my friend, Kendra, was in the passenger seat. Brian drove my car home to our different apartments. It was late and I was drifting to sleep. Brian told me later(much later) that he looked at me through the rear view mirror that night and knew he was going to marry me.

Here we are the night we got engaged! Remember when striped sweaters were cool?

The night Brian asked me to be his wife, he took me back to the copper mine. We walked around the visitors center. I remember wondering if tonight was the night he would pop the question. Especially because he had taken me to a sentimental place. But he seemed to rush through the visitors center. He didn't want to watch the video. He was anxious to leave. I wondered as we walked around, "Is he going to do it here? Here? Here? What is he waiting for? Maybe he isn't going to." So we left. I was a little confused!

As we drove down the hill Brian's 1988 Honda Accord started acting up, and then it died. We coasted to the side of the road and stopped. I then thought, "Great! Well, if he was going to propose tonight, it isn't going to happen now!" I was sad. He said he needed to get some oil out of his trunk. I sat there feeling bummed. Then he came around to my door, opened it, kneeled down, and asked if I would be his wife. He had roses and held out the ring with a shaky hand. I said, "I'd LOVE to!!" He put the ring on and with a hug and a kiss, off we drove. We had driven for a little while when Brian said, "What was your answer?"
"YES!"

Here is the mine today. We drove to visit it with our kids today.

Wow, look at us now!

Here we are on the side of the road and Brian is pretending to re-propose while Brad takes our picture.

I LOVE this guy! I am overwhelmed with gratitude that he loves me. I am blessed to be his wife.

Oprah called

She wanted me to be on her show. So I went out to Chicago. I drove to her studio. I was in the room waiting to talk to Oprah. They made me change my shirt. I was ready to go. Then I woke up! I have been having some crazy dreams lately. Most of them involve people attacking me. Scary stuff. So, it is probably a good thing I never met Oprah.

Just a taste...

of my day yesterday. Yes, Rylan is plugging his ears.

It's a Wonderful Life

Yesterday while I was folding mounds of laundry I turned the TV on for the kiddos. I don't think Sesame Street has been watched in our house for a very long time. I can't really remember Reagan watching it. When "Elmo's World" started Reagan said, "What the heck? What the heck?"

Later, during family home evening, the kiddos were not listening. So I go off, "You guys need to sit down and listen... blah blah blah." Reagan came over right in front of me and said in the sweetest voice with his head tipped to one side, "You are wonderful. You are wonderful." And he gave me a kiss. I don't even know where he learned that word. I didn't think I said it much. I am more of a "great" kind of person.

POST EDIT: Apparently I do use the word wonderful. After I clicked Publish Post, I noticed at the right in my "about me" that I described my husband as wonderful. Who knew!?

Is this disturbing to anyone else?

Love this Kid!

To Do

Check list to Drive Mom bonkers (written by Reagan).

1. Flood the kitchen. Make sure I'm quick before Mom gets back and be sure to use ample water so that it seeps into the floor and warps the beautiful walnut wood no matter what Mom does.

2. Draw with marker on the walls. (Next time find the permanent markers. Those washable ones washed off to easy!)

3. Push Rylan

4. Jump off the couch and land on Aubryn's face with my knees as she lays on the floor. Go to the corner right away on my own so that maybe Mom won't punishment me.

5. After being sent to my room for the previous tasks, find Brad's wallet and take all the money out. Rip the $10 bill in half. Dump toys off the self. Then sit on bed and look innocent and sweet when Mom comes in.

Done. Time to sleep.

Maternity Coverage

I went shopping over the weekend with my sister. It was fun. I bought myself some new shirts. Yesterday I wore one of those new shirts. I ripped the tag off and noticed a small word on it, "maternity." I took a closer look. The nice new shirt I was wearing was a maternity shirt! And what’s worse, it fit me nicely. This is not an announcement.

Passing Blame

As Reagan sat on my bed watching TV, Aubryn came in to me with dark lipstick on and around her lips. She said to me, "Mom, Reagan went in your bathroom and got in your lipstick and I was there and he just put it on me."