rachel had a birthday

Happy Birthday Dear Rachel, Happy Birthday to Yoooouuuuu!!!! We had a quick little celebration at home then headed to the State Fair for the rest of the evening. Dave and I haven't been there in years. This is Melanie's 3rd time there this month.

I'm not sure who I snapped a picture of. The ride was making me dizzy to even watch and this was the best photo I could get.

Then we had to see the freakishly large steer.
The girls spent more time trying to decide what sun glasses to buy than they spent on any other ride or game. I'm not sure Dave appreciates the fact the shopping is as much of any event as the event itself.

Why oh why would anyone want to do this:

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

There was only one long line but obviously we are easily entertained while we waited.

it's a happy holiday

We have passed a major milestone in our family. Everyone who wanted a halloween costume this year made or assembled or purchased their costume ALL BY THEMSELVES!!! I didn't sew, glue, build or purchase a single thing! Am I one lucky mom or what?

what are the chances?

Do you remember the fire hydrant that got knocked out a couple weeks ago at our client's warehouse? It got run over again this week. What are the chances? That hydrant has been standing in the same place for over 30 years and the poor thing got run over by a semi twice in a month. Go figure. The good thing is that Dave knew exactly what hydrant to purchase at our supplier, intalled it in record time and we could just re-date the invoice, send it through the copier and mail it out again.

4x4

Tagged by Debbie

Here is the fourth folder, fourth picture.

This is Brady. Not the best picture in the world, but luckily not as bad a many pictures we have saved on our computer. I've got to edit and organize our photos one of these days.

We were having breakfast at a park and soon after this was taken the kids (well, and Dave) started taking pictures of each other jumping on and over these big tractor tires.

I know, I was supposed to post one picture, but it was a fun day. Good times . . .

I tag Suzanne. Open up your pictures and post the fourth picture in the fourth folder.

where i spent my weekend

Melanie and I spent an extraordinary amount of time painting this little closet. What compelled us years ago to paint it the same color as the room?!! never again. The closet will remain white forever and ever. It took an eternity to paint.

See the little door in the bottom left of the photo? Years ago the girls talked Dave into building a secret passageway between their rooms. The door is in the back of their closets. It is a double door system so no one can barge through unless they both unlock their doors. They are a little too old to crawl through their secret door much anymore, but once in a while I hear them laughing together and I know where they are. The best thing about it is that they built it during a week that Rachel and Brady were out of town at a summer camp and the girls were able to keep it a secret from them for about 6 months.

Anyway, Melanie was tired of her "little girl lavender" room and we decided to make a color change. It went from lavender to a bold teal with lots of white trim. I was very unsure about the color when she picked it out, and I was very unsure about it when we opened the can. But once it was on the walls, we both LOVE it. She's got a lot of white accessories with a splash of bright red to go with it.

We also updated her little girl furniture and bought a new dresser at IKEA. You know that their furniture is sold unassembled, don't you? I guess I kind of knew that but forgot that detail until I saw the box on the shelf. The box definitely was not the size of the dresser we saw on display in the showroom. Did you know they don't actually have written directions for the furniture at IKEA? The box comes with 37 pieces of wood, a pile of drawer slides, and millions of screws, bolts, and hinges. And no written directions. However, the ingenious system they have devised is an entire set of instructions all in pictures.

I always think we have a pretty smart family when it comes to making things, building things, assembling, repairing etc. I have come to the sad conclusion that only 5 of the 6 of us really are mechanically inclined and spatially gifted. Fortunately, Melanie took charge and I just handed her the tools. I guess that has always been my role whenever we have work projects around here. I always feel kind of smart too because I do get to hold the tools (and I know the names of most of them). But if I were to be honest, I am the weakest link. Usually when we have work projects, you will find Dave in most of the photos. However, he runs for the hills when it's time to paint. He hates to paint. This is where he spent his weekend: That's right. In California. That's how much he didn't want to paint.

txt msgs lol

I'm a chronic saver of things I don't need to save. Sometimes because I might "need" them, but usually because they remind me of someone or something - good times, good memories. I have realized I have been doing that on my cell phone. I have a lot of messages from friends and family that are funny or feel good messages and they are clogging up my text message memory. So I'm going to save them right here instead:

Roxanne Our driver has been playing Michael Buble on the way up here and I woke up to that "Cuando, Cuando, Cuando" song. All I could picture was Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle singing it the whole time. haha

Rachel: Mom, this book is going to give me an anxiety attack. I keep having to stop and calm myself down. This is getting ridiculous!

Madeline, after reading our blog about our fig tree coming down: You know, you could have made a lot of jam and preserves with all those fig turds.
My reply: haha. what would I put on the label? "Fig Turd Jam"?
Madeline: Yes, then send them out as Christmas gifts.

Madeline: Just seen at the fair -- nineties old man, jeans, plaid shirt, farm hat, oxygen tube and tank on motorized wheelchair. Now here's where it gets weird - the chair has chrome skulls on the handles, strobe lights, and flames. Obviously he has been a victim of "Pimp my Wheelchair"
Me: What, no pictures?
Madeline: I'm telling you, he was fast.

Me, texting from women's conference at BYU last spring: I get to listen to the prophet. He just walked in.
(then I turned off my phone after I sent that message - really.)
When I turned on my phone later that afternoon, I read Roxanne's reply: AND YOU'RE TEXTING??? haha. cool.

Madeline: I am embarassed to say that Grant and I were just saved from a disgustingly huge flying roach by my 12 year old daughter who didn't even blink . . . sad.
Me: didn't blink? yes, sad.
Madeline: I know. She had no fear as she stalked, squished and flushed it. Grant and I screamed like . . . well . . . girls.

Roxanne: I have that Fancy Pants song stuck in my head. I have the urge to get up and start dancing too. haha




I was out of town on prom weekend. Roxanne sent me this when she got home from her hair appointment. Isn't she sweet?

Brady: Check it out. October 4th. First snow sighting when I climbed Mt. Humphrey 12,633 feet. Tallest point in AZ.

This one needed no text. Joe and Madeline are in Salt Lake City picking up Drew from his mission!










Me, very late at night: Text of them you get in the dor, k? I an gong to bed.
(I meant to type, text me when you get in the door, k? I am going to bed.)
Roxanne: That was confusing haha. But yeah, I will :)
Me: See? I need to go to bed. Good Night.


Roxanne: WooWoo, I know! ( I saved this because I've never heard Roxanne say woo woo. I'm curious how she would use it out loud in conversation.)

And how could I not save these love messages from the people I love the most (and Melanie, I love you the most too and I am acknowledging your grief of not having a cell phone, and I realize you surely would entertain me with messages daily).

Rachel: Night :)

Brady: Love you. gnight

Roxanne: Love ya too, Night


Dave: I love you, I really miss you.

water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink

Did you know that when someone runs over a fire hydrant, it really does spray up in an enormous fountain just like in the movies?

One of our clients called this morning and had this new water feature in their parking lot. A truck was backing up to the dock and the hydrant was out of the line of sight. It was a 6" line running for about 10 minutes before it got turned off. I don't know the math of how much water that is, but maybe 50,000 gallons. The parking lot was completely full of water and the street was full from curb to curb.

Dave had to leave our office in a hurry to get a new hydrant installed for them. When he woke up this morning, he had plans to sit in a chair all day and work on blueprints. You just never know what is going to come our way.

fyi - if you ever actually do run over a fire hydrant on the surface streets, it probably won't spray like that. The on/off valves for most hydrants on the street are way underground with a stem that connects up through the top of the hydrant, so the barrel of the hydrant is dry. This one at this warehouse was a "wet barrel" hydrant and was under pressure right to the top of the hydrant. I'm just telling you this in case you run over one someday and are disappointed that you don't get a dramatic spray of water.