9 Months in 2 Ways

#1- My fat, little chunk turned 9 months on Friday, the 20th. I really can't believe she's that old. I thought my Dad would truly appreciate this picture. He's a die hard Yankee fan. Well, Halle had her 9 month check-up today. It was not fantastic. He was a half an hour behind and it was right in the middle of Halle's nap time. She screamed the entire time, through it all. Then Chloee started in by screaming for a sticker. It was a nightmare. I think I was actually sweating so much that it was dripping off of my face. I had to walk Halle around the entire time and Dr. Forbush had a hard time competing with the 2 girls and how loud they were. I could hardly hear him or the other way around. I'm just glad it is over. Here are her stats:

Height: 27.5" the 50%
Weight: 21 lbs. 4 oz. the 85%
Head Circumference: 17.5" the 65%

Honestly, I thought she would weigh more than that. Her height, I'm not surprised, that's why she's such a little chunk, she's short and fat. She's taking after her Mom on the height. Chloee was always tall, and still is. Oh well, I'm just glad that she's healthy. Oh yes and NO shots at nine months. That just made my day, I can't even tell you! I knew Chloee had them at 9 months but every doctor is different. Thank heavens, no sick, fevering child for Thanksgiving!


#2- It was exactly 9 months ago today that Micheal passed away. I really miss him. That's an understatement. Micheal was one of those people who could always make you laugh no matter what kind of a mood you were in. He was a walking encyclopedia, no joke, the man knew more than anyone I have ever known. You could ask him the most random question and somehow he knew the answer to it. There are so many more things I could say about my dear brother but one thing that no one could ever doubt was how much he loved his wife and kids. He worked his butt off providing for them, worked 2 jobs, the man was the epitome of selflessness. I know there wasn't anything in the world that he wouldn't do for those 3.
Absolutely Nothing!!!

Amy, know that I am thinking of you and that you are always in my prayers. You amaze me everyday. Your strength is unbelievable and your faith is unfaltering. You have been such a great example to me. Know that I look up to you as do a lot of other people, I'm sure.

The Sistahs In Las Vegas

Annie, Amy and I took a trip to Las Vegas this last weekend. To say the least, we had a blast. Way back in July, Southwest had a great deal on flights during certain dates. We decided what days would work and seeing as how Annie isn't coming up for Christmas this year, we were able to work it all out with the children and such.

Amy and I left Thursday night and met Annie (who was flying in from California) in Las Vegas. Due to flight problems and different things, Annie had to go back home late Saturday night and Amy and I couldn't get our flight out until EARLY Monday morning. It was a fun, fun, fun 3 days!

I forgot to get a picture of our oh so sweet ride. A blazing red PT Cruiser. We looked so cool. Josh says it's a grandpa car. Whatever, it's a gangster car. Hello, remember Dick Tracy? We had a blast watching Amy drive us around. Oh and she did get screamed at, "Watch what you're F*'n doing!" The guy was drunk off his butt, it was hilarious.

We went and did a session at the Las Vegas Temple. It was so nice. We got ready at a leisurely pace, no kids, yeah, it took 2 hours. We went to the Temple, took a few pictures outside, had a really good spiritual talk with a guy we asked to take our picture. That's a really neat story.

After we got out of the Temple and took some more pictures.

Complete and total randomness... come on, it's Amy, would you expect anything less?


We ate at the Temple's cafeteria. Amy loves cafeteria food, weird, I know. It was actually really good. We had a great talk and shared a lot of really neat things with each other. Our trip to the Temple was probably the highlight of the trip. From the time we got there and left, we spent about 5 hours there. It was nice not to feel rushed!


Just a little bit of our stash of food that we bought from the grocery store. We didn't eat a whole lot of it though. Annie bought a veggie tray, the broccoli stunk so bad, I thought I was going to pass out. Blah!!! It stunk because our stupid hotel room DIDN'T have a fridge.


Our make shift fridge. Yes, this is our garbage can filled up with ice, trying to keep our milk and such cold. We had to make what felt like 30 trips to the ice machine. Lots of water everywhere.


Amy and I wanted to straighten Annie's EXTREMELY thick, curly hair. As you can see from the picture how thick and curly it is.

TA DA...

It only took 2 of us, both with hair straighteners and 45 minutes later to get this. It would take forever to do by yourself. It sure did look good on her though. She said her daughter didn't know who she was.

We went shopping... no kids, it was heaven. I didn't have to chase Chloee around the store and try and keep Halle from diving out of the cart and pulling EVERYTHING off the shelves and sucking on the cart, etc. It was very relaxing. I also got some Christmas shopping done. It was so nice for it to just be the girls.

We all did a pedicure, after which we all got high from the fumes.

Amy and I on Sunday night. We are so weird, I'll be the first to admit that!

Also, no free Wi-Fi. We had to pay $12.99 for internet access for only 24 hours. Yeah, we only did that once during the whole trip.

On Sunday we went to the church house where Amy used to go when she lived in Vegas. We didn't get ready in time to go to her old ward, which she was kind of sad about, until we ran into one of them in the hall and let's just say that she said some things to Amy that made her really happy that we didn't end up going to her old ward. That's a story for her to share, so I'll let her do the honors.

Saying that I over pack is an understatement. After all of the stuff that I bought in Vegas, I didn't think I was going to be able to get everything home under the weight limit or make it all fit. I think I wore MAYBE a 10th of what I packed. Amy thought it was so hilarious that she decided to take a picture of it all. We had to Army roll everything just to make it fit. I've learned my lesson.

Our flight went out at 7 am on Monday morning. We had to be to the airport 2 hours early and we had to return our rental car and ride the shuttle back, yada, yada, yada... So we had to get up at 4 am to make it. We said, "Oh yeah, we'll just go to bed at 8 pm on Sunday, that way we'll be able to make it and have enough sleep." Do you think we did that? No, it was 1 am by the time we fell asleep. We are so stupid and let's just say that 4:00 came around real fast. My eyes were so swollen that I couldn't even get my contacts in.

THANKS FOR A GREAT TIME SISTAHS! I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH! I WILL CHERISH THAT TRIP FOREVER. IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME!

The Cobras VS The Water Moccasins

THE COBRA

THE WATER MOCCASIN

A constant battle at our house consists of which is better... The Cobra or the Water Moccasin? I know you're wondering why on Earth it matters. Well, it does in this house! Let me explain and give a little bit of some background on our ongoing feud.

There is an episode of 'FRIENDS' when Joey and Rachel are ganging up against Chandler and they keep whispering things back and forth in each others ears. Finally, Chandler gets sick of it and says, "What are you guys, some kind of gang?". Joey and Rachel whisper in each others ears and then Rachel proceeds to say, "Yeah, we're the Cobras!". Josh and I laugh and laugh at that episode. It is so hilarious. Well, one day Chloee and I were whispering back and forth to each other, in front of Josh and he then asked us if we were some kind of a gang. I had Chloee reply with, "Yeah, we're the Cobras, Daddy!" Oh, the look on his face was priceless!

A few days following the above said conversation, Josh and Halle started doing some secret conversing of their own. I then asked them if they were some sort of gang and Josh retorted with, "Yeah, we're the Water Moccasins!" (to be said in his voice for Halle, like she was the one telling me).

That was it. Since that day, the house has been split in 2, the Cobras and the Water Moccasins. Almost EVERY conversation goes into who knows more, the Cobras or the Water Moccasins. Each party is always trying to get the other to come over to their side. Josh thinks he's got my little Cobra Chloee switched over to the wussy Water Moccasin side but that's all a ploy to get the insider information. We've got him fooled.

We (The Cobras) have told Halle that if she moves over to our gang that we'll make her the President of The Cobras. Josh said she'll always be 2nd in command in the Water Moccasin gang, so why not make the move, we'll make her our leader. No worries, she's already moved. She's just the "secret cobra". Josh has no idea. I've got Halle staying in the Water Moccasin gang to get info and Chloee pretending (once in a while) to be in the Water Moccasin group as well. I have all the power! Mwahahaaaaaaaa! (To be said in a deep, sinister voice!)

Of course a Cobra is better than a Water Moccasin. We have our own insurance named after us. Ever heard of COBRA insurance? Ha, the Water Moccasins don't have that. Josh says that the COBRA insurance is to cover our butts because we are always getting hurt because we are the weaker snake. So not true! We SELL the insurance, it is just named after us. In fact, we sell it to the Water Moccasins because they are such pansies. Yes, that's right Josh, pansies!!!

One day, like most days, an argument elevated about which gang was better, so we looked it up. Much to Josh's dismay, it was NOT the Water Moccasins, definitely the Cobras!!! Eat it! We are much more deadly than you lazy, pathetic Water Moccasins. Just give up now, Josh! No sense in fighting anymore about who is better, Google already gave us the answer, and we both know Google doesn't lie!

Our house is still spit into the Cobras and the Water Moccasins. Josh and Halle still stick it out together as Water Moccasins and Chloee and I rock the house as Cobras. Really, it's quite the fun argument. I'm sure it will go on until the day we die, except that I'll have the rest of our kids on my side. How? You're wondering. Well, I am the primary caregiver, so really I have a lot of control over our kids. I just won't feed them unless they are Cobras.

Mwahhahaha.... Mwahhhhhhhhaaaaaaa!!!!