Breaking Dawn.. cont. (In reponse to my comments)

Just so you all know, Tim thinks this whole thing is HILARIOUS!!! He is feeling a great amount of power right now. As to me being a saint... or a Cullen... It's true that I have really been holding out on you. My job has been to test all of you and see how you all handle challenges and then report back to... Let's see is that St. Peter, or Dr. Carlisle???

I must say that I am really grateful that I had checked out so many other books from the library that I didn't get around to starting my re-read of the other three books until Monday of this week. My original plan was to start two weeks before the premiere, but then I would already be done and I really would be sitting in Tim's office reading away. Wouldn't you all go crazy knowing that I knew how it was all going to turn out!! - Well that is how I'll feel Saturday, so HUSH!!

By the way - waiting until Monday?? Somehow as the week progresses I'm finding that harder to imagine. I'm 2/3 of the way through New Moon and we're just getting back to Edward - I'm not sure I can take that long of a break!

Breaking Dawn Sneak Peek...

So I got a phone call from Tim tonight (he is at work - he manages a Harmon's and apparently they were unloading a shipment) This was the conversation

Tim - So guess what I am holding in my hand?

Me - What?

Tim - Breaking Dawn

Me - (after a moment that I had to process) WHAT!!!

Tim - Here, I'll read you the last page

After that I won't repeat it because it involved a lot of yelling on my part to cover the sound of his voice and a lot of laughter on his end. They got their shipment in to hold until the release!!

Many of you know that I am trying to be really good because Kayleen's baptism is on Saturday and I don't want anything to interfere with that so I am not going to the party and am not starting the book until Monday. At least that was the original plan. I didn't want to start it after everyone left on Saturday because then I would be totally useless on Sunday and that seems kind of wrong. I've held very strong on that ... until this week! I started my re-reading of the series. I finished Twilight this morning and am half way through New Moon (yes it's kind of been a wasted day). So my resolve is wavering. I really think I'll be able to hold out until after the baptism, but waiting till Monday???

Just a reminder to all of my lovely friends - go and have a wonderful time at the party - but NO whispered conversations about it at the baptism!!!

24th of July!!

On the 24th of July we had a circle party. Our neighbors, the Wilyerds, rented a big blow up slide and the kids had a blast. We had a great turn out and Grandma and Grandpa Norris, along with Uncle Scott, Aunt Tami and cousin Connor joined us also!


There was lots of yummy food...
And Sparklers!!

And Tim had parachuting fireworks that all of the kids had a blast chasing down. He was kind of the pied piper of the neighborhood




Tim and the other men then lit up the night with lots of fireworks. They definitely enjoyed putting on a show - I think there is a little bit of competition between there to see who has the most, or is it the biggest, fireworks!!




Of course the best part is just hanging out with the people you love! Happy 24th!




After all the little kids fell exhausted into their beds, the adults reemerged from their houses and we all took a turn on the giant inflatable water slide!! It was fun to be a kids for a little while. Of course it didn't hurt that it was midnight, and therefore dark! No pictures from that one, but great memories!

I love the Rain

I don't miss too many things about California, but I do miss the rain. Even though it has been 12 years since we moved to Utah, every summer when the rains come I am so excited. I love the smell of rain and the freshness it brings. I love to walk in it and open up the windows. Of course, the hail may be another story...

We love our Bishopbric!

Our ward breakfast was Saturday for our Book of Mormon Challenge. It was great to have the bishopbric cook for us!

Brienna and Kayleen were in charge of the sticker chart. They managed to get plenty of food in at the same time!

Even the "Cool Guys" came out for a free breakfast!

Kayleen and I went to the temple and took a ton of pictures - Now I can't decide which one I like best! Let me know your favorites to help me decide!!!

Random Thought

I've been listening to my playlist as I work on some pictures and have had a recurring thought over the last week. Mindi's blog cemented it and now she'll know she isn't the only one that thinks about her funeral...

Everytime I hear the song "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" I am so moved. The song seems to speak to my soul and last week when it came on I thought, "I'd like them to have someone sing that song at my funeral." I know kind of random but I'll leave it up to you girls to remind whoever is in charge that I want that song...

Temple Quarry

We had a little to to kill and were on the east side, so we headed up the canyon to the Temple Quarry site. I have only been here one other time and that was in the dark with the priests and laurels.

I have very fond memories of that trip and Mindi and I planned this amazing object lesson about having a purpose and a plan and knowing your own direction - right Mindi??

Anyway, it is quite different in the daytime and we had a great time. The kids climbed up every rock and down every ravine and I just snapped pictures. The views were amazing and though I sometimes miss the trees and lakes of Northern California, there is nothing like our Utah Mountains!

Scout Camp (or "Cute picures of Tim")

They made it through scout camp. They came back sunburned, bug bitten and tired. Tim got to participate in the scoutmasters challenge in rifle shooting (one of his favorite past times that he doesn't get to do very much). He also killed the rattle snake that dared to venture through their camp. Scout camp definitely brings out the "boy"...

How Tim and I met...

My sister-in-law asked us for some stories for a book that she was putting together, so I thought I'd share one with you all...

Tim and I met in Junior High. I remember recognizing him in the hall from seminary, but not really knowing much about him (except that he was cute!)I don't remember the process, but we became friends and had some mutual friends. Our first date was when we were sophomores. I asked him to the TWIRPS dance (girl preference). I wore a dress that I had made (which impressed his Mom) but I don't remember much more than that. After that we dated that year and when it came time for the next TWIRPS dance, I had it all set up! A bunch of us were hanging out at Tim's house, probably watching a movie and all his buddies were there. My Dad showed up at the front door with balloons and sang a song to Tim (to the delight of all of his friends. We had changed the words to the song "Dare, Dare, Dare to be true" I think that I still have a copy somewhere but the main line said "Twirps, Twirps, go to the Twirps" or something like that. In the end Tim had to pop a balloon. One said "no" and had water in it and one said "yes" and had glitter in it. I remember that there was glitter on his doorstep for a long time! :) Oh and the price I had to pay to get my Dad to agree to help? He got to pick out what I wore for a month! (I guess he didn't like they way I dressed - I was kind of a slob!)

Memories

Thanks Mindi and Jaqui - I love checking your blogs to see what you guys are doing - you keep me up-to-date on the cool things! So this idea came from then and it should be interesting - maybe I actually should be nervous - people tend to remember the wacky clumsy things I do...

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! If we're only blogging friends, write about a post that is the most memorable for you.
2. Next, if you feel so inclined, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you...!
3. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. ☺ And please do this on your page, too, so we can all share in the fun times together. :)

2nd coat of paint - 2nd color, too!

So if I am putting the 2nd coat of paint on the wall in my room which means that I should be done, right? But no, because paint chips don't really tell the whole story. I spent two weeks trying to decide what color to paint the wall in my room and had paint chips posted all over the wall. I finally picked a color that would go with green that is all ready in there, but add a new dimension. All week, in between taking the kids places, I've been moving furniture, vacuuming behind them, washing walls, etc. Last night I stayed up until 2 getting the room all ready to paint this morning. I patched all of the holes and taped everything. I got up at 6:30 and went right to work. I'm rolling on the paint "palm green" and thinking this sure has a yellow tint to it. ( the light mint green that is already there is a cool color with a blue base). I went ahead and finished the wall, because... well what else was I supposed to do? Then I spent the next two hours walking into and staring at the wall, and then walking out - in and out, in and out... And then off to Lowe's I went where I proceeded to pick out a different color of green. This one is called "Clover" It's darker than the other one, and definitely blue based, and... I love it! Tim probably won't because it is darker, but you just can't not love your paint color otherwise what is the point of all that work. I'm not sure it goes as well with my bedspread, but.... I guess I'll just have to start looking for a new set! :)

Husbandless and Cameraless

After 3 hours of sleep, I did the run to Macey's for ice and sent the boy scouts, including Jarom and Tim off for a week at scout camp. They won't be back until Saturday! I always think I am going to kind of look forward to it, but then it actually comes and now I'm bummed that Tim is gone for a week. The plan is to spend the mornings working on doing a deep clean of our room (rearranging furniture, vacuuming underneath EVERYTHING, washing walls and hopefully painting one wall) and then take the kids to play in the afternoons after Spencer gets home from soccer camp. Starting out the week with only three hours of sleep doesn't actually get me motivated for the day however. Oh and the worst part (ok, maybe not the worst part - I'll miss Tim the most) They took my camera!!! I'm going to go do fun things and I won't be able to take pictures of it! Now that I finally have a place to actually do something with those pictures I think I will feel deprived without it!

Music!

So I decided to try my hand at play list - and now two hours later I've taken quite the trip down memory lane!! I found quite the variety of music to add and probably could have gone on for hours but decided I just needed to post it and be done. I'm not sure what all I put on there but hopefully I didn't put anything too wacky. Happy listening! Now I just need to add some blogs so you have something to read while you're listening!

The dreaded trip to the vet!

This is our cat, Boo. He looks like a nice cat doesn't he? Most of the time he is. He's pretty spoiled. He gets his pick of places to sleep and lays down whenever he is tired. Wherever he wants to. He joins us for most of our family gatherings and he seems especially drawn to scripture reading time and prayers. When he's outside, he need only claw at my screen for someone to jump and let him and at six am, if he's not in a patient mood he can jump on my bed and nuzzle my head until I get him some breakfast. All in all he is a pretty good cat.

But once a year we have to take him to the vet for his shots. Today was the day. We all oohed and aahed over him and then tried to stuff him in his carrier that we bought when he was a lot smaller. He knew right away that something was up. His claws came out and the hissing started. After all I do for him! It took some doing and Jarom tag teaming on the zipper, but we got him in the carrier and were on our way. Oh yea, let me mention, he HATES the car!!! We started driving and he started howling. and swiping at anyone that tried to get near him.

Of course, though he HATES the car, he really doesn't like other animals and what do you find in the waiting room of a vet? Lots of animals - including big dogs. We waited in the waiting room for 20 minutes and by this time Boo was cowering in a corner. After passing another big dog to get to the back, it took two nurses to hold him down and get the shots in him. Another howling trip home and we let him out and guess what? Our loving cat was back. At least until next year...

16 Years

Tuesday Tim and I celebrated 16 years of marriage. It's hard to believe that it has been that long. Looking back I am amazed that we ever got married. The love that I felt for him then was nothing compared to the deeper love that comes from working together through life's challenges. Thank goodness for young love that blinds you to life and those challenges!! I am so grateful for that young love that brought us together and for the sustaining love that has brought us to now and will sustain us through whatever life throws at us for another 16, 26, 36 or more years!!

Happy Birthday Tim

On Monday we celebrated Tim's birthday. He had to work in the morning, so the kids and I went over to the store and decorated his car. He loved that! (Not!!) But he did appreciate the thought! Then he took Robby and Spencer and gave them some golf tips! They had a good time and maybe he'll get some golf partners out of it since I've never learned. He'd like me to, but finding the time to spend hours golfing?!?

Afterwards we went to dinner with his parents
and Tim and his Mom opened presents in our van (her birthday was the 2nd). Lorena was taking pictures of our family when this nice lady stopped and asked if we wanted her to take a picture of all of us. She turned out to be a photographer and took a very nice picture of the 8 of us!

While they were gone Jarom and I set up the tent we got Tim

for his birthday. Jarom did most of the work. They'll be taking it to scout camp and he needs the practice!!. It's a very nice tent that hopefully should get years of use - both family and scouting!

We opened presents in the tent and then the three youngest spent the night. I ended up pulling the hammock up along side the tent because Spencer had been sick and I decided being closer was better in case he was up in the night throwing up! Of course I slept in little spurts and heard every noise! Thank goodness for my ipod which helped me to relax!

Happy Birthday Tim! We love you!!!