The Birthday Boy

So, I usually ask my family members what song they want me to sing to them when I call on their birthdays. Most request one of the three or four birthday songs I know. Mathis wanted, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Some of you are not surprised.
Mat had to share his birthday with Thanksgiving this year, but at least he got to go hunting with his buddies. I love you Nana! Happy 21...wow you are getting old.

Can You Say Pepto Bismol??

This is Brian.No, he is not dead. Though at times last night he wished he was. I have never seen him this sick and he can not remember the last time that he was this ill. So, let's just say that we did not get much sleep last night and Cole decided to wake up early. I would post a picture of myself, but it would scare you. Hopefully it is just a 24 hour thing so he can at least eat Thanksgiving Dinner.

1. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They are the reason we can be thankful-enough said.
2. Good food-I think that was a theme through my "thankfuls", I have a problem. A good home. A good job. Good education.
3. Dad-He's the man. His new favorite phrase is "Word"; yes it is hilarious that he thinks he's a thug.

4. Some really cool decorations I got yesterday (on sale) to deck out my mantle...it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
5. Mathis-it's his birthday tomorrow. Hopefully someone makes him a cake. He tends to get bent out of shape if he gets leftover pie with a candle.
6. That the "thankful" posts are done. I am sure you were getting tired of them. I'll go back to my lazy once-or-twice-a-week-if-I'm-lucky style of posting now :)

I had better to get back to taking care of this:Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Today I am Thankful For....

1. Pumpkin cheesecake
2.This song...gets me every time
3. No more Emergency Prepardness tips; I can't be held responsible for giving Jess ulcers.

Catch Up

Wow. Yesterday was more than a little busy around here, and yes...Brian is still gloating!

Thankful list:
1. chocolate-we went to the chocolate show yesterday; it was awesome
2. Brian got to go and hang out with his best friend/crazed Ute fan from Texas at the game
3. I got to sell my ticket...Christmas decorations?? Tai Pan here I come!

4. My talk in sacrament meeting is over
5. Mand. I miss her
6. A new cookie recipe (thanks Aunt Cari)

Tip (last one):
Keep emergency cash on hand. Small bills are the best. In an emergency, all card machines will be down and checks will not be taken. Also keep things in your food storage to barter with.

1. e-bay, for allowing me to get my awesome new duvet cover
2. my mom's hand-me-down dryer...wow, it makes my life easier when I don't have to dry towels for 2 1/2 hours!
3. My blue-eyed baby

*Tip of the day*
Be ready to leave at a moments notice (as Brian experienced evacuating 3,000 people tonight)
-Know where your emergency supplies are and have them together in a kit/backpack instead of scattered throughout the house. Know the locations of medications, etc.
-Have an emergency plan for your pets. They also have to leave and will need food, water, etc.
-Have things organized enough that you can gather the essentials and evacuate in ten minutes...even if it is just for the night.

*Saw Twilight. Thoroughly annoyed at the theatre full of giggling girls...the screaming every time Edward came on screen got old pretty quick. It didn't come close to all of the hype, but I didn't think it would. I always prefer the book to the movie. Edward will never live up to the image I have of him in my head. Consider me dazzled. Was it cheesy in places? Yes. But then again, so is the book. All in all; it was okay.

1. Date night...it's been a long time comin'
2. Cristine for baby-sitting.
3. Extreme Makeover Home Edition for giving me my weekly cry

*All I want for Christmas is a generator*
(He's not even kidding...see why it is hard to shop for this guy?)

Invest in a generator. There are models available that can keep your family warm and household running for 72 hours on just a few gallons of gas. Plus you won't lose all of your food in the freezer.

I am Thankful...

1. That my mom put her dreams aside to move to the middle of nowhere and raise kids. *She would have been a very gifted architect and a definite HGTV star!
2. That my mom was "the cool mom" the majority of the time and went on all of the school trips with us.
3. For my mom's willingness to put me in my place when I make bad decisions.

let's do some more just for fun....

* She holds us together
* She puts up with everyone (including my father)
* She is an awesome grandmother
* She let me call her 4 times today about paintHappy Birthday Mom! I Love You!

Tip of the Day:
Stock up on D (flashlight size) batteries. They are one of the first things stores sell out of in emergencies.

Tuesday....

1. An INCREDIBLE sale at Ann Taylor-I got two dresses for $28 (together they should have cost $286.00...10% of the original price, beat that!)
2. Open mouth kisess...from COLE-get your head out of the gutter! It's the only kind he knows how to give.
3. My santoku-it's amazing I haven't cut something off yet.

Tip(s) of the Day:
(this is from a press release Brian was working on today)
Have an emergency supply kit for your car - because there's a good chance that you might get stuck in your car when weather conditions change, traffic gets delayed, or a major disaster hits.

So here's some ideas on how to prepare your car for the next emergency.
1. Fuel: Make it a matter of habit to keep the fuel level above the halfway mark.
2. Supplies: Keep a blanket, heavy-duty flashlight with extra batteries, collapsible shovel, basic first-aid kit, and jumper cables in your car.
3. Water: Have a container(s) of drinking water.
4. Food: Keep some high-energy and protein snack bars accessible.
5. Clothing: Weather-conscious clothing items, sturdy shoes, and a warm jacket are good additions.
6. Communication: A spare cell-phone or extra battery with a car charger and a battery-operated weather radio will help you stay in contact.
*Yep, I live with Mr Prepared...you are jealous!*

Aachoo!

1. Brian for coming home and taking care of his sick wife and son
2. Vitamin C drops
3. The NICE Kleenex...not the cheap stuff

Brian is feeling kind of left out...so this week we will also have a preparedness tip from Mister Emergency Management himself everyday:

*You have your food storage, but do you have something to cook it with?*
Invest in a camp stove or alternative fuel cooking system that is portable and can be taken with you in case of an emergency. Major catastrophes like earthquakes and tornadoes are not the only thing that can knock out power for days.

Sunday

1. Gas being somewhat affordable again
2. Laughter
3. Family Dinners

1. Idaho
2. Stretchy Pants
3. Grandparents

Thankful for Today...

1. The gift of hearing
2. ksl.com for helping me sell my stuff!
3. Jess (and the whole Gaby Group). In fact, I am so thankful for Jess that I am going to visit her...today!

Dreaming in Color

I have been known to occasionally be a dreamer. For someone that is such a realist it is nice to escape every once in a while. Usually I take my escape in a good book. Other times I like to plan vacations for the future. Brian will tell you my dreams are very vivid. I've been this way for a long time. I named my precious horses Fantasy, Sonjo (Italian for dream) and Majestic....see what I mean?

Yet the majority of the time I am way too realistic for my own good. Today I am dreaming of decorating this house to reflect me and my personality. I wish that I had the money to fill it with cool, funky, vintage pieces and some nice Pottery Barn accessories to boot; but let's face it-it's not gonna happen! Instead it's turning into a really bad version of my mom's house in Idaho (via all of her leftover furniture); it just doesn't look half as good. No offense mom, I like your house AND your style. Here it just needs some tweaking. Now those who know my mom realize that I was raised in an environment where there is COLOR. Every room had a different color-that's the way it should be. I like the "neutral" tone on our walls but our ENTIRE house (except Cristine's room) is painted the same color. I have heard that if you don't make the changes you want to within 4 months of moving, it won't happen. I am thinking about painting the master bedroom robin egg blue with red bed linens. I'm wondering if Cole's room is too small to take on a bold chocolate. The guest bath needs to be green. Plus, the customary red wall MUST happen...perhaps the one by the stairs?? What are you dreaming about?

Today I am thankful for:
1. Friends-old and new
2. Baby Einstein for getting 20 minutes of Cole's attention
3. Access to Cristine's closet-loving the houndstooth jacket I borrowed.

More

1. Bathtubs
2. Pictures
3. Kate-SO jealous that Mand gets to see her tomorrow!

Today...

I am thankful for:
1. Veterans
2. My nephew Jake singing "I Like to Move It, Move It" during the sacrament
3. Whiskey River Barbecue Chicken Burgers

You gotta love working for the State-you get to stay home on holidays and Fridays!We took the opportunity for a little family outing to the aquarium (which is three blocks from our house) and Red Robin. I was impressed!Cole really enjoyed touching the glass and looking at the fish. Note: I am not going bald, I was just wearing a white headband!Here are some good 'ole Utah trout especially for Uncle Benny!

Grateful

While I wholeheartedly admit that I am already preparing for Christmas, I want o give Thanksgiving its proper due. Kate's friend and fellow blogger Cat did this last year and continues to do so this year. I remember laughing at quite a few entries last year! Everyday, find three different things that you are grateful for and post them. I really encourage others to do this too! Now I will go back to blaring Narada and keeping Cole occupied.

Today I am grateful for:
1. Having a closet
2. The big smile Cole gives me when he wakes up
3. Heated seats...it's cold out there!

S.N.O.W.

Now if this doesn't make you want to have hot chocolate....then you, have a problem!I miss you Dad, aka: Best Hot Chocolate Maker EVER!

Sentimental

I love Brian for many, many reasons. One of them is that he is sentimental and remembers everything. Today I got a knock on the door with a surprise little bouquet of roses and a star gazer lily. The note: I made the best decision two years ago today when I asked you to marry me. Thanks for saying, yes. Love you, Brian. Let's go back...because it's fun. I'll give the Reader's Digest version. I am at work, November 9, 2006, (sorry babe..you are early this year). Brian is in Denver at a FEMA conference. I get a delivery with a note, a large vase full of greenery and two roses. The day progresses and I keep getting deliveries of two or three roses at a time and a note accompanying them talking about the first time Brian saw me, the first time he called me, the first time he came to pick me up for a date and so on. I end up with 13 roses. I know that Brian is in Colorado...shout out to Travis for running back and forth and coming to the hospital every couple of hours.The last note tells me that Steve will be waiting at home for me. I hurry back to the house as soon as I am off of work. There is a manila envelope that says on the front..."Wait!, open inside the car with Steve. 5:30." I am wondering who the heck Steve is at this point, but had kind of figured it out. I controlled myself, unlike some of my family members, and did not open the package.I get picked up by Steve, in a Yukon, because we needed 4 wheel drive. I open the envelope and there is a long letter and two CD's. I am escorted by Steve to the destination of our first date, Snowbird Resort. There I was met by Brian and taken to the top floor of the lodge. He had everything prepared from "the spot" to the meal. It even started to snow. Except he forgot the camera :) We had a great time, I said yes. We called my grandma to let her be the first to know since she thought that Brian walked on water. It has been great ever since. Plus this is an excuse to look at our awesome engagement pictures. Here are just a few of my favorites. Our family friend Cindy did an incredible job! http://daydreamsart.com/
It's things like this that makes me look like a loser when I just get a card. It's also things like this that make my sisters hate me. Cristine is in fact, right now having a conversation with Jason about how he needs to do things like Brian! :O) He even made a similar envelope last year that said, "Wait! Don't open until in the car with Brian. 5:30".So even though he was a little early this year, I still love him...and he still loves me. We've just switched places and he is the true romantic. I say honey, bring it on!

What a Week!

For someone that sometimes never gets out of the house from Sunday to Sunday...this week was different. We were out EVERY day this week! Not so great for Cole's nap schedule, but we got to see a lot of our friends and have tons of fun. WARNING: Quite possibly the longest post ever.

Monday: We got Cole's hair cut for the sixth time....I know. We also got to play with our friends Krissy and Brea. In the fall mood, we made carrot soup to put in bread bowls that looked like pumpkins since Brian has nothing to do with anything that is even remotely pumpkin flavored. We also had chicken pesto paninis and made the traditional sugar cookies.Cristine was praticing her "sexy" rolling for her new career..

Tuesday: Cole and I went back to Gardner Village to meet up with our friends Mary, Anika and Lexi. We got to see so many more witches in the daylight and it wasn't half as crowded as Witches Night Out. We had a lot of fun even though Cole was having a meltdown so we had to skip the pony rides. Here are some of our favorite witches.

 

Wednesday: Cole had to go to the doctor for his nine month check-up. He's still in the upper 90's for height! He also had to get poked three times before they could find a vein in order to check his phenobarbitol level. We found out it is 25.8, which is right where it needs to be.Later we went to the pumpkin patch to get the perfect Jack-o-lantern pumpkins and apple cider.The carving contest was just between Cris and I while Brian watched Cole..This is what she looked like when I told her she won!

Thursday: We dressed Cole up in his adorable giraffe costume and took him to Brian's old work and new work Halloween parties.Everyone at Homeland Security clapped and cheered when we walked into the room. However, Brian does have to say good-bye to his posh office.I finally broke down a bought a new pair of jeans one size up because I am completely deluded that I am ever going to fit into my old ones and the rest of the world does not need to see me try...it's scary!

Friday: Cole wore his cute shirt that Grandma Margene made for him.It says "I Love My Mummy".Grandpa Kent and Grandma Tami came into town for my cousin's wedding and Uncle Mat came up from Utah County to play.Grandpa Kent even thought Cole was big enough for the inaugural "fridge jump". He was not scared at all! We had a great time going out to dinner together, Then it was off to the annual Hyer party with homemade donughts and hot chocolate.Grandpa Jim got to come to Utah on a crazy fluke in between business trips.This is Travis as Dracula. Brian picked Jim up from the airport and took him back to the party, but Cole was so tired we had to take him home.Here is Steven, Lisa and Grant as the Rubble family. We had a spend-the-night party with the Harman's...popcorn and everything.

Saturday: We went to Provo and had lunch with Brian's Dad, brothers, nephew, and our sister-in-law. It is a rare treat to get anyone from the Florida bunch here...especially if it is not for Lake Powell. We then came home and I headed to my cousin Jamie's reception with my family. Brian kept Cole and watched football pretty much the entire day with his Dad-what a life!Being in Park City, we had to stop at the outlet mall and I got Nine West shoes for $15....is there anything better?! My cousin looked absolutely gorgeous in a self-designed gown and I got to see some Harman's that I have not seen for a while.

Sunday: Eighteen or so of us stuck with wedding tradition and ate ourselves silly at Little America Sunday Brunch. Sunday evening we spent some more time with Brian's family at his grandma's house. We were entertained by Grant's amazing dance moves and Cole pulled himself up to standing for the first time.

Lots of fun, but I am exhausted!