1,2,3,4 GO!

Last FRIDAY - I am slow - Andrew took Jackson for a little run to the park. My dad and I took the car :) It was gorgeous outside - such a nice change of weather and Jackson loved it. I can't even remember the last time we went to the park.

While Jackson was at the top of the slide, we learned that 1,2,3, GO isn't the way you do it - apparently you have to count to FOUR! What a dork!
And once grandpa and daddy go down the slide with you once, they HAVE To go down every single time - Jackson waited for them each time!

Keep It Going

These are always interesting - so keep it going! I tag all my blogging friends.

10 YEARS AGO
Oh boy I was 16!! I was working on becoming just me again because Andrew had just left in August and most of my friends graduated from high school. It was a difficult time for me and I remember gaining a lot of weight :( Everyone warned me that would happen when I became a JUNIOR - I had no idea!! Other than that life was normal, cheer, ASB, drama, getting ready for baseball scorekeeping - and I don't think I was working just yet. Wes and I hung out a lot at school and I made the promise to head my parents word and not write to Andrew. I don't remember much else...

5 THINGS TO DO ON MY TO-DO LIST TODAY
go throw Jackson's old clothes for Ryan
fold and put away my laundry
enter in some grades
rest so my rib goes back into place
watch Saving Sara Caine

5 SNACKS I ENJOY
(oh it so depends on the day!)
protein bars - with caramel
chocolate covered pretzels
(hmmm I'm really not big on snacks)
juice
German pickles
???

WHAT WOULD I DO IF I WAS GIVEN A BILLION DOLLARS
Pay off all our debt & our mortgage
increase our life insurance/college funds
go on a vacation
cry

3 BAD HABITS
(according to my dear husband, I don't have any!)
holding a grudge
being critical
being prideful

5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED
Corona, CA
Hawthorne, CA
Acton, CA
Malibu, CA
Woodland Hills, CA
Vineyard, UT
Simi Valley, CA
Arcadia, CA
oh you said five....

5 JOBS I HAVE HAD
Yoga instructor
a no name at Wesco Aircraft
high school & middle schol teacher
speech counselor
tanning bed rep

5 THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME
(I am a very open person)
I don't know how to type properly (thanks Bonny)
I hide my left toes as much as possible ever since my bad surgeries in 2003
I envy flat stomachs
according to Andrew I can be sensitive to what people say to/about me
I am ANAL - oh wait I don't think that's a secret!!

5 PEOPLE I AM TAGGING
if you blog or email me - you are tagged!

His Future is Wet

Ever since I came to Agoura High School, I have really come to appreciate the sport of WATER POLO! Then with Jackson's birth I though, what better sport to become involved in?? Can you imagine how much training that requires!!! So you can imagine how pleased I am each time Jackson demonstrates his extreme love for water... afterall, the boy often takes three showers a day (one with daddy in the morning before work, one with mommy, and then sometimes with grandma!). His skin is very clean yet very dry (thanks to the showers and Acton living!)

Trapped at Home

My amazingly hilarious friend Becca had a baby shower last night and I just couldn't get my big butt out the door. It was in Malibu at a friend's beach house and I can't tell you how badly I wanted to be there. I haven't seen Becca in forever, nor have I ever met her daughter, and I always love seeing the ocean... but there was no way. I would have had to leave around 5:30pm, drive to Malibu for the 7pm shower, hang out and try to talk without coughing(which at night is even more difficult!!) and then drive home only to drive back to Agoura this morning for work.... NOT POSSIBLE! I hate feeling so trapped. But Jena asked one day for a photo and I thought this photo, from last week, could prove just how difficult it would have been for me to venture out last night. Sorry Becca - I will see you soon though :)

Aunty & Me

Technically Dancin' Acton calls it Mommy & Me dance class, but due to my work schedule and my enormous belly and limited lung capacity, Jackson attends Aunty & Me! Well today I am off so I decided to take Jackson over there. I knew it wasn't going to be easy considering he was very clingy to me all morning, but we tried. Well guess who ended up dancing... me... not Jackson, me... He would not let go of me and his entire body became tense each time I tried to make his limbs do the moves. There were two activities he participated in on his own, the passing out of teddy bears and the jumping over the "river". Overall it was nice to get out, but I would hope that one day he will become a full participant.

Gordon B. Hinckley Tribute

Thanks Jena!

Depressing

AREN'T YOU ALL SICK OF THOSE HIGH PAID TEACHERS??
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work
>> >>>> nine or ten months a year! It's time we put things in
>> >>>> perspective and pay them for what they do... baby-sit!
>> >>>>
>> >>>> We can get that for less than minimum wage. That is right. I
>> >>>> would give them $3.00 dollars an hour and only the hours they
>> >>>> worked, not any of that silly planning time.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 AM to 4:00 PM with 45 min.
>> >>>> off for lunch).
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to
>> >>>> baby-sit their children.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Now, how many do they teach in a day... maybe 30? So that's
>> >>>> 19.5 X 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180
>> >>>> days a year! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Let's see . . . that's $585 x 180 = $105,300 per year.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> (Hold on! My calculator must need batteries!)
>> >>>>
>> >>>> What about those special teachers and the ones with master's
>> >>>> degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage just to be fair,
>> >>>> round it off to $7.00 an hour. That would be $7 times 6-1/2
>> >>>> hours times 30 children times 180 days =$245,700.00 per year.
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Wait a minute, there is something wrong here!
>> >>>>
>> >>>> There sure is, duh!
>> >>>>
>> >>>> Make a teacher smile; send this to someone who appreciates
>> >>>> teachers!
>> >>>>
>> >>>> (Average teacher salary $50,000/180 days = $277per day/30
>> >>>> students = $9.23/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student.) Very
>> >>>> inexpensive babysitter and they even educate your kids! Crazy!

I'm Not Talking To You!

I can't tell you how many people I have annoyed by talking on my bluetooth. Many respond to me as though I am speaking to them, and this frustrates them to no end when they realize, I am not talking to them. BUT - I don't think I have ever ticked anyone off this badly!!!

An Email

A nurse on the pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones chests, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response equal to four-year old David's comment. Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk over his heart. "Listen", she said..........."What do you suppose that is?" He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap - tap - tapping deep in his chest. Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked, "Is that Jesus knocking?"

He Went Home

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/

Everything

Today I rearranged our bedroom (with my dad's help), did a couple loads of laundry, went through some bills, played with Jackson and did some other random things around the house. At 35 weeks and sick with bronchitis, I guess you could say I did a little too much. So here I am, sitting on my butt, not wanting to grade, posting random pictures. Enjoy!

Jackson's Mom (Hi Ash!)

Is 35 weeks and two days along and can't wait to be done.
She also has bronchitis right now so between frequent bathroom visits and difficulty breathing, sleep is very minimal.
She's measuring just right but looks GIGANTIC!!!
And she's still working and will be working until Ryan arrives - she hopes to go into labor at school so she's only 15min. away from the hospital because her home is 45min. away!!

Visiting Abuelito

It was a long day for Jackson - he made the journey with grandma to Riverside to visit his bis-abuelo in the hospital. He waited and waited and once he heard that all was well, Jackson called grandpa to inform him of the situation!! Once my dad got the good news, he was able to pass it on to me. Thanks Jackson!

Bri & Wes

Happy Birthday! It's a day to celebrate two amazing people!! Here's a special thanks for all the memories you guys have given us and for the blessing it is to know you both. Happy Day!

Busy Man!

Sick!

Sunday - Slight runny nose

Monday - cough, clingy, warm, runny nose

Tuesday - 103 fever, coughing, draining nose, sleepy, cuddly

Wednesday - cough, sleep, cuddles, trickling nose

Thursday - HOPEFULLY BETTER!

*You know he's sick if he falls asleep in the living room on grandma's chest!

Dayna: Make Gift Details

ANDREW MAKE: a horse corral for Zoe's fake but oh so real Smore's (have you seen them?)
ANDREW RECEIVE: a Walmart vest, badge and gift certificate because he has such a love for Walmart
RACHEL RECEIVE: a shirt that says, "Does this baby make me look phat?"
RACHEL MAKE: a dog collar adorned in rhinestones and pennies for Wes and Paige's dog Bella (Paige was given a poem about how Pennies are from our Angel's above... I couldn't find her poem, but this is the one I gave her:

I found a penny today, just laying on the ground. But it is not just a penny, this little coin I found. Found pennies come from heaven, thats what my Grandpa told me. He said Angels toss then down, oh how I loved that story. He said when an Angel misses you, they toss a penny down. Sometimes just to cheer you up, make a smile out of your frown. So don't pass by that penny when you're feeling blue. It may be a penny from heaven, that an Angel's tossed to you. By the way, today my dad took Andrew golfing and he just sent me a text to tell me there is a penny lodged in the back of their golf cart!! Wes always loved to golf - especially with Andrew.

My Little Man

Anderson Make Gifts

Some of you may remember our tradition of making gifts instead of purchasing them. Well Saturday was the day we exchanged and I have to say, there wasn't a disappointing gift in the room. We had a blast admiring every one's creativity and thoughtfulness.

It was sad to see Shay and Paige leave us again. They had to return to their homes in Utah and I hope to see them soon - maybe when Ryan arrives! We always have so much fun together and I look forward to the day we are all living in the same state.

“For there is no friend like a sister, in calm or stormy weather, to cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.”

Twice Belated

Shay didn't have the privilege of celebrating her 24th with us on Dec. 16, so when she was in town, we threw her a surprise, belated party. It included a crazy game of Capture the Flag that went until midnight or so and a game of Apples to Apples. The evening did not come to an end until 2:30. It was around 30 degrees outside, but that didn't stop the fun!