Happy Birthday Kristen!!!

Hope you have a super, fantastic, terrific, fun, exciting, awesome, yet totally relaxing day!!! We love you!!! Happy Birthday!!!

birthday noun, the day someone is born

Flippin Sweet Quotes...

Lately I have been pretty lazy about getting ready for the day. I just pull my hair up and I am usually in "comfy pants" and a t-shirt. Yesterday I decided to to change things up. I left my hair down and I put on jeans and my firefighter t-shirt...you can imagine how hot I was looking!! When I walked into the family room this is what was said...

Ethan: Mom can we...hey mom you look beautiful.

Brian: Yeah mom you look really put together.

Me: Thanks?? (put together?? the kid is a goofball)


beautiful adjective, charming and delightful to the senses, very pretty, lovely

Confessions of an overwhelmed SAHM...

You can all completely disregard that last post. I must have been in a fugue state. I just threw away the empty juice bottle in the trash!!!

fugue adjective, a state of mind characterized by abandonment of personal identity along with the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of individuality.

Jen's Soapbox...

I have OCD. They say admitting the problem is the first step. First step to what??? I have OCD so bad some days that I get OCD about my OCD. I have always joked that I came to this planet in the wrong generation. There is just to much information assaulting from all sides and that can really mess up a person with OCD. The other day I made a list of what I should be doing as a wife, mother, and human. What I came up with is completely overwhelming. I think if I cut out breathing I can probably find time for 50% of the rest. Last Saturday Jason and I took a load of trash to the landfill. I haven't been there in such a long time and what I saw literally made me cry. We are such a wasteful people. I have entertained the idea of recycling for a while. We have the recycle can and I use it randomly. After seeing what I saw and reading more about recycling I am going to make a bigger effort (OCD should come in handy with this) to help reduce the amount of trash that I send to the landfill. The recycled bags for groceries...not an idea I am ready to embrace...yet. My list now has another "thing" to do. I am not in anyway trying to make the rest of you add this to your list. I strongly believe in the whole "Time and Season" principle and what "Time and Season" it is for me may not be the "Time and Season" it is for you. The little voice inside my head (no I don't answer back when it talks) is warning that I may become the crazy lady who saves every empty yogurt and cool whip container...Anyway, if you are interested, here is some of the info I have found...


ALUMINUM CANS

*More than 50% of a new aluminum can is made from recycled aluminum.

*The 36 billion aluminum cans landfilled last year had a scrap value of more than $600 million. (Some day we'll be mining our landfills for the resources we've buried.)

GLASS

*Americans throw away enough glass bottles and jars every two weeks to fill the 1.350-foot towers of the former World Trade Center.

*Most bottles and jars contain at least 25% recycled glass.

*Glass never wears out -- it can be recycled forever. We save over a ton of resources for every ton of glass recycled -- 1,330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone, and 151 pounds of feldspar.

*States with bottle deposit laws have 35-40% less litter by volume.

*If all the glass bottles and jars collected through recycling in the U.S. in 94 were laid end to end, they'd reach the moon and half way back to earth.

PLASTIC

*Every year we make enough plastic film to shrink-wrap Texas.

*Americans go through 2.5 million plastic bottles every year.

*26 recycled PET bottles equals a polyester suit. 5 recycled PET bottles make enough fiberfill to stuff a ski jacket.

*In 1988 we used 2 billion pounds of HDPE just to make bottles for household products. That’s about the weight of 90,000 Honda Civics.

*If every American household recycled just one out of every ten HDPE bottles they used, we’d keep 200 million pounds of the plastic out of landfills every year.

STYROFOAM/POLYSTYRENE (# 6)

*It is un-recyclable- you can't make it into new Styrofoam. The industry wants you to assume it is- don't BUY it!

*Each year American throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam cups, enough every year to circle the earth 436 times.

recycle verb, to process materials so they can be made into new products

That's what it said....

I must find this place and go there!!!

I shall use the force!!

Yes, No, Yes, No, Yes, No....

What??!!!

Winter didn't get the memo!!

sign noun, 1) a gesture which sends a message to the person who sees it 2) an indication 3) a plaque with a message, verb 4) to write your name 5) to hire or transfer by written agreement

Carl Spackler??

Carl Spackler

Jason

yard noun, the lawn or property around someone's house

Sneezing Panda...

I am pretty sure I wet my pants laughing when I saw this the first time!!!

sneeze noun, to blow air through the nose and mouth without warning

Sweet Moves...

dance noun, 1) a set of movements designed to accompany music, verb 2) to move in rhythm with music, to skip or leap, to perform

Arachnophobia!!!

This is what I found on the family room ceiling. Actually, the kids discovered it and told me to get rid of it. Yeah right!! I called Jason and was going to have him come home from work to deal with it...there was no way on this green earth that I was going to get withing 10 feet of the huge (size of a silver dollar) creepy crawly bugger. Well Jason was in a meeting and didn't answer his phone!!! So I weighed my options...leave the house or "me vs. it"!!! I got a plastic pitcher and a piece of cardboard and began to approach the spider. I swear to you it reared back like it was going to jump on me. I screamed which started the kids screaming...yeah yeah yeah all funny now. I got up on the back of the couch...leave it to Joshie to remind me we don't stand on the furniture like that, and surrounded the spider with the mouth of the pitcher. I then slid the cardboard between the ceiling and the top of the pitcher. Again, more screaming. I then ran outside and dumped the spider over the fence...sorry Scott!!! Why, you ask, did I not kill the spider...can you imagine the awful crunching noise a spider that size would make. GAG GAG GAG!!! Now I am wondering did this spider come to visit alone or is there a spider family reunion going on somewhere in my home...I am going to sleep well tonight!! Snakes...spiders...voles...what's next??!!

spider noun, a bug that uses threads from its body to make a web to capture insects

Mom, I NEED a guinea pig!!!

We went to the pet store yesterday to get some supplies for the pets we already have. My kids love checking out the "rodent" section and they all fell in love with the guinea pigs. So now they are all positive that they NEED a guinea pig (well except for Josh, he NEEDS a rat??). I explained to them that a pet is a lot of work (currently I am the caretaker of the 2 dogs and 2 birds). I told them that they would have to clean up pooh (I was sure that info would curb the enthusiasm) and Ethan said he could wear gloves, DANG!! I then said that the cage would have to be kept in their room and that it would probably smell (my next sure fire way to curb the enthusiasm) and Brian said that Hannah and Josh smell too, sometimes, DOUBLE DANG!! So then I told them that if for a month they could keep their rooms cleaned (to my standard, hahaha), take care of the pets we have, and not fight that mom and dad would consider it. I called Jason and warned him of the "begging for a guinea pig" he was going to face when he got home and mentioned my plan. Later, we were in the van and Ethan said, "mom, can we just do the room clean stuff and taking care of Dolly, Lucy, Nuggett, and Jazz for only 3 days because I think I will get bored of it if I have to do it a whole month". Needless to say, I don't think a guinea pig is joining our household any time in the near future, WHEW!!!

pet noun, an animal you look after and keep in your house

Faith and Trust

I love Jason. I am so grateful for him. He works so hard for our family and he is a great husband and dad. As most of you know, yesterday a police captain was shot by a woman he had pulled over. This kind of news always hits a little to close to home, it is a reminder of what can go wrong. I was talking to Jason last night about how my belief that...we are safe, it wont happen to us, or he/she is the good guy, is lessened when things like this happen. As I was trying to find something to help re-instill my belief that "we are safe", I came across this...

"I have just two things to say to you who are troubled about the future. I say them lovingly and from my heart.
First, we must never let fear and the father of fear (Satan himself) divert us from our faith and faithful living. Every person in every era has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty. This is the plan. Just be faithful. God is in charge. He knows your name and He knows your need.
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ--that is the first principle of the gospel. We must go forward. God expects you to have enough faith, determination, and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects you to not simply to face the future; he expects you to embrace and shape the future--to love it, rejoice in it, and delight in your opportunities.
God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as He always has. But he can't if you don't pray, and He can't if you don't dream. In short, He can't if you don't believe." --Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "This the Greatest of all Dispensations" Ensign, July, 2007

I hope that our family is never directly involved in such a tragic event. I would like to believe that cleaning the boys bathroom is the scariest thing my husband and I will ever face.

instill verb, to saturate, to infuse, to permeate

Happy Birthday James!!!

Happy 30th Birthday James!!!

As Jon would say....

your the speed limit!!

birthday noun, the day someone is born

What can I say.....

A year ago Ethan had a Wienerschnitzel hot dog antenna topper that he carried everywhere. One day we were at grammy's house and Uncle James was there, this is the conversation...

James: Ethan, that's cool can I see it.

Ethan: No, don't touch my wiener.

James: (laughing and going to milk this for all he can) Ethan, give it to me.

Ethan: No, it's my wiener.

James: It's mine!! (taking the "wiener" from Ethan)

Ethan: Give me back my wiener.

Ethan: (crying) Mom, uncle James stole my wiener.

We are still waiting for a phone call from A) his school teacher B) a well meaning concerned friends mom, or C) social services.

misinterpret verb, to confuse, to mistake

I get knocked down!!!

I find this rather funny...Jason does not!!!

Driving the Fire SUV

ABC's of Me

A-Attached or single? Attached
B-Best Friend? Jason
C-Cake or Pie? Pie
D-Day of Choice? Friday
E-Essential Item? Pepsi
F-Favorite color? Purple
G-Gummy bears or worms? Bears
H-Hometown? Pleasant Grove, UT
I-Indulgence? Rice Krispie Treats, Homemade fudge or carmel
J-January or July? July
K-Kids? Brian (10), Ethan (8), Hannah (4), Josh (3)
L-Life isn't complete without? Family and Friends
M-Marriage date? February 1, 1997 and sealed on February 2, 1999
N-Number of brothers and sisters? 2 brothers and 1 sister
O-Oranges or Apples? Apples
P-Phobias? Having to reach into the garbage disposal...if something falls in there Jason is the one who is going to get it out...all I can picture is the stupid thing turning on while my hand is in there...I seriously am sweating just thinking about it.
Q-Quote? "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." Bill Cosby
R-Reason to smile? Family and Friends
S-Season of choice? Fall
T-Tag 3 people: Lisa, Kate, and Devon
U-Unknown facts about me? If Jason folds the towels I will re-fold them when he isn't looking. I am known to roam the house at 2am looking for the picture that is hanging crooked so I can straighten it. I love, love, love, to make lists!!!
V-Vegetable? Raw Sugar peas
W-Worst Habit? Procrastinating, and not finishing what I have started.
X-X-ray or Ultrasound? X-ray
Y-Your favorite food? BBQ anything
Z-Zodiac Sign? Aries

me pronoun, the form of "I" used as an object, used by a speaker to refer to himself or herself

So Far, So Fun!!

Water Fight!!!

Neighborhood Ice Cream Party at the park!!!

Stake Men's Softball!!!

Jason

Tyler

Cheering the dads on!!

fun noun, no plural, light hearted, amusement

Lazy Days Of Summer?????

Summer is supposed to be relaxing and free from the stress of the school year schedule. Well, summer obviously did not get that memo...notice my calendar, today the 16th of June, is the only weekday that does not have something I HAVE to do. So that my friends is exactly what I plan on doing...NOTHING. Just until I realize I need something from the store, or one of the kids gets sick and has to go to the doctor or........

lazy adjective, disinterested in work, slow-moving, indolent

My big, strong, brave, fireman!!!

When I married Jason I knew what I was getting into. I knew I would be alone a lot. I was fully aware of the 24, 72, and 96 hour shifts that were a frequent occurrence. I knew his job was dangerous...Jason had gained a reputation for being the first one in and the last one out of fires. He has stayed in a raging fire long enough to burn through his turnouts and as a result he had 2nd degree burns on his arm. He fought a house fire with a crew member and the garage collapsed on both of them. He was fighting the IFA fire and had his head wrapped in a huge flame that was screaming out of a window. His helmets and face shields are melted and they are so black you can't tell what color they were to begin with. When I was 2 months pregnant with Ethan, Jason decided things were getting boring...he went through P.O.S.T. and became a police officer...now he can add getting shot at to the list of dangers. He is also very involved with hazardous materials and chemical warfare agents. Every few years he goes to Atlanta for Hazmat training. They get all suited up, are exposed to nasty stuff (and you wonder why our kids are the way they are) and then they go through a decontamination process...Jason finds all of this quite fun??? I have seen Jason on the fire ground and at the scene of many accidents. He is great at what he does (I am not being biased...he really is one of the best). He has climbed his way to the top of the ladder (no pun intended) faster than most firefighters. At the time of each of his promotions he was one of the youngest Captains and then Battalion Chiefs that Orem has had. I am constantly impressed with his courage and ability to face scary and incredibly sad situations on a daily basis and still have a positive outlook on life. He has saved lives, watched lives be taken away, and been present for new lives entering this world. Little did my brave, strong, fireman know of the one thing so dangerous and so scary that even he would be eternally affected...CLEANING THE BOYS BATHROOM!!!

Jason getting ready to clean the boys bathroom!!

Jason getting decontaminated after cleaning the boys bathroom!!!

All of this time Jason thought my job was easy (okay, not easy but much less dangerous) compared to his...silly man!! This experience has Jason trying to figure out how to develop and market a product similar to the epi-pen (moms or dads would inject themselves prior to cleaning the bathroom) that would cover all infectious diseases you may contract while cleaning a bathroom used by children. We are going to be RICH!!!

hazardous adjective, dangerous, risky