Hello to whomever may be reading this! We haven't updated our blog in SUCH a long time, I'm just wondering if anyone still checks on it. Comment if you do, and you'll make my day ;-)

Pee stinks!

Dallin is learning to use the toilet, he he's a BOY and it's a lot different than my first time around with a girl. For one thing, it's a lot more messy! He doesn't quite get "aiming" yet and although he does try sometimes, he doesn't really know what he's doing. For now I'm teaching him to sit down to pee, but ya know that little space between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl? Somehow he almost always manages to shoot right there! I'm getting tired of getting peed on. Any advice??

The big update with a funny story

I know that this will blow you all away, but I'm actually going to update our blog!!! I was talking with my sister-in-law today and she was giving me a hard time for not updating our blog in such a long time. So, thanks Linnaea (I know you're reading this) for the push to update once again.

Things at our house weren't too buisy (except for the normal life of a family) until a little over two months ago... Our stake was rearranging boundaries and the ward we were in before was being dissolved. Devin and I were excited to see what our new ward would be like and to make more friends in Billings. By the time the Saturday after we learned of the new ward boundaries rolled around, I was pretty confident that neither Devin nor I would be called in to see the bishop for any presidency callings. Well, I thought too soon because Saturday afternoon I got a phone call wondering if Devin and I could meet with the bishop that evening. Our wedding anniversary was on Sunday so we had decided to go out to dinner on Saturday. Before we went out we stopped by the church and Devin and I were teasing eachother about who the calling would be for. Well, to make a long story short, it was for ME and the bishop asked if I would be the PRIMARY PRESIDENT. Holy Cow.... I was very surprised, especially to be the president! I said yes with my eyes and mouth open real wide. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I don't know how many of you have been a new Primary president to a brand new ward, but it's a lot of work to get a program up and running for at least 75 kids and 21 callings to fill! We didn't even have one piece of paper or a pencil to start with. Soon after that Devin was called to be the 2nd counselor in the Elder's Quorum. He's been in the Elder's Quorum presidency a few times before, so he looked forward to serving there and still enjoys it. So, needless to say, our lives got a kick-start and then a good revving to liven things up. I don't know much about computers and like it that way, but I can say I am truly thankful for email and Microsoft Word. Without inheriting some computer files from another Primary, getting organized would have been a nightmare. My patient husband has given me many computer lessons since this calling, and boy am I GLAD he's around! Thanks, babe! Things have slowed down lately and I'm grateful to finally feel like I'm getting a handle on things. I do really like the calling :) That pretty much sums up our last couple of months.

Oh, I do have to add that two weekends ago, Billings hosted the Class C State Boys Basketball Tournament. And, Twin Bridges (the tiny town I grew up in) was there! My dad and Cheryl and Charlotte and her family came to visit for the weekend and we all went to the games together. We had a lot of fun and got to see some VERY exciting basketball! I don't want to leave you hanging because I know you all are just itching to know how Twin did in the tournament, so I'll tell you. Of course they WON!!! State Champs! It was a lot of fun and I've never been more proud to be a Falcon. OK, maybe that's going a little too far, but it was pretty cool. The next weekend I had withdrawal from family visiting and basketball excitement, but I managed to push through. Come visit again! I have to admit that I took advantage of the situation a bit. Devin went to high school in Gardiner, another Class C basketball town. However, they didn't make it to the state tournament. So, I enjoyed rubbing it in (just a little bit) that my team made it and WON, and not his. I'm just sure it's because I have such pure Twin Bridges Falcon blood and it still runs thick (even though I played volleyball and not basketball)!! LOL

Now, as I work my way up to the present, I need to include a funny story that happened earlier today. Lucy pushes the kitchen chairs around the kitchen so she can wash her hands (really it's to play in the water) and reach things she wouldn't otherwise be able to. Well this afternoon she had done it again and this time she was after a slice of bread and honey, her favorite snack. I was talking with Linnaea on the phone and Devin was in the middle of building us a computer in the living room, so I guess she wasn't as supervised as maybe she ought to have been. Not only did she get out the bread and honey, but she also got out the cinnamon/sugar shaker and the sugar. I walked in the kitchen and saw that she was putting honey on the bread, so I wondered out and after awhile wondered back in. She had poured a small mountain of sugar on top of her bread and was proceeding to lick it off, one delicious lick at a time... yummm. Like the responsible mother that I am, I confiscated the sugar and wondered out the kitchen again, knowing that I had done my duty to save this child's teeth from sugar rot! When I walked back into the kitchen the third time, I gasped in fear of the mess I would soon discover, but then couldn't hold in my giggles as Lucy turned to me and held up her hands like big bear claws and said, "ROAR, MOM! I'M A BEAR!", with honey dripping from every finger and each wrist. She must have dipped each hand into the honey jar and then had been slowly licking off the honey as it dripped. She's one funny girl. I think sugar and honey are her two favorite food groups.

There you go, Linnaea. I hope you've enjoyed the update.

-Susan

A post?...why not

Christmas is coming and kids are excited! They both rushed this morning to wrap their presents for their mama while she was in the shower. Thanks to the scissors, too much wrapping paper, scotch tape, and bows coupled with Dallin and Lucy's sweet skills resulted in wrapping jobs at least as good as I can do. We went to Red Lodge MT to cut a tree a few weeks ago and ended up driving through some very Christmas-like precipitation. Highlights included a very nordic diaper change for Dallin on the open tailgate of the pickup, a beautiful tree right off the road and delicious hot chocolate at a little cafe. Lots of fun was had by all and afterward we enjoyed a band concert at our nephew's middle school. We'll be spending the big day in Buffalo with Susan's sister, her family and Grandpa G. It promises to be lots of fun. There's been lots of snow and sub-zero weather to get us in the mood.

Thanksgiving and Family pics

We had a great time over Thanksgiving visiting my brother and his family in Laramie WY. He smoked a turkey and it was delicious! we had a huge selection of pie. My brother and I went out early to look for deals the day after. The best deal was the tank of gas my bro got for $18!! not bad, maybe lowering fuel costs will help spur some increases in consumer confidence coupled with lowered interest rates and soon people will stop saying we're in trouble. We had fun at the Laramie swim center and hanging out. We took advantage of my brothers photography hobby too: look pretty good huh?

Wall-E...From my phone

here's a video of Lucy and Dallin trying to say "Wall-E" like the movie. They saw it at their cousins' house and liked it. Lucy especially nailed it on the last one I think.

If you don't know what movie this is you'll get what they're trying to do by clicking here.

Thanks and Calling for help again

Thanks everyone for your help picking out pillows. It was fun to see your opinions. After much deliberations (and nudging from my husband) I picked........ the diamond pillows with the tassels. They were a little more feminine and I liked the variety of style. Thanks again for your opinions and I'm enjoying my new living room colors (light blue and dark brown - in case you couldn't tell.)

Also, one of my children (I won't name names for their sake) has a REAL bad habbit of nose picking. This habbit doesn't harm anybody, it just grosses me out, so I'm willing to just wait it out if need be, but if you have any pointers (pun intended) please let me know! Thanks

KIM'S COOL STUFF!

My friend, Kim, has a fun website where she's selling cute things she's made. There's lots of items ranging from hair bows to clothing to homemade cards. Have fun checking it out!