Our "White" Christmas

Our ward Christmas party was fun. The kids had fun visiting with Santa. Harrison has a bit of a "deer in the headlights" look, I don't know what was up with that. Aren't Livvy's hairbows cute? Misty Lewis made them, so she is the one to call if you need cute bows for your girls.

CHRISTMAS MORNING
The kids bought Marv a plug-n-play hunting game. He and the kids have played it non-stop! Well, I have been playing too! Marvin gets mad if I beat his score, so he HAS to get back on the game and beat me again. I don't know how long this will last, I guess men can't handle the fact that their wives hunt animated deer better than they do!


Harrison's Christmas wish was a Star Wars Lego set. Marvin spent about six hours Christmas day putting it together for him. He is very happy with the finished product. I ought to post a picture of it.

This is Olivia's doll-she named her Tasha. She had been asking for her every time we went into Family Dollar. She was only $10, so I wasn't surprised when Tasha's leg fell off the next day. Olivia chased Harrison around the house with it, and clocked him on the head a couple of times. So, I figure if she's still happy with Tasha, I'm happy!



This was our "day-after White Christmas." A bad storm settled in on the 26th. We weren't able to get up our hill due to the ice. We slid down sideways twice! (Susan and Candace, you remember that don't you?:) I did get some cute pictures of Harrison in the snow.

The Verdict Is In!

Marvin called me earlier this afternoon and gave me the news we've been waiting for all year. He's been accepted to UNM!!!! The past two weeks have kept us both anxious as we've waited for the mailman everyday. I had no idea they would call! I called everyone in his family within the first five minutes. Marvin is the kind to keep things like this to himself, but I feel like this is the kind of news you shout to the world. So here it is....MARV'S GOING TO BE A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT! I am so proud of him and love him for the sacrifices he has made to provide a better life for us. Men like my Marv are few and far between. So if you have your own "Marv," hang onto him and never let go!


Here are a few pics from WNMU's graduation last week.

Fun in Mesa

Marvin had an interview in Mesa this past weekend. We stayed with my uncle, and had a little fun be-bopping around town. They recently put in a double decker carousel in the Superstition Springs Mall. Those of you who live in Mesa have probably already checked it out. We thought it was totally cool, and the kids took a ride. (One ride, mind you, it's $2.50 a go!) I think the gorilla was my favorite animal.

After the mall we went to the Mesa Temple to see the Christmas lights. You Mesa dwellers are so lucky to have the Temple so close! I miss not being able to go two or three times during the season. The kids were amazed at the lights. Well, so was I to tell the truth! Marvin took some great shots.

A Little Christmas in the Air....

We have been busy bees making Christmas cards to send to friends and family. Some of you may have already gotten yours! We made this bunch in one evening. Harrison really got into it, and I find more and more that he is quite the little artist. He made several of these all by himself. Olivia made one or two with Marvin, and then got too busy watching TV.


I usually sing All The Time at home. A few nights ago, I sang "Santa Clause is Comin' To Town" after I put the kids to bed. They kept singing it back and forth to each other between their bedrooms. It was so cute, I grabbed the camera and taped them.

Harrison's Birthday

So we went to Mesa for Harrison's birthday. It was a combined seeing my uncle/temple/Harrison's birthday trip. We took the kids to Peter Piper that evening and we had a good time. This picture is Harrison saying, "Dig deeper Dad! I need money!"
My mom and my uncle. Nice bunny ears. Typical brother and sister, aren't they?
Livvy won this inflatable sword with her tickets. I swear, she hit everyone and everything with it for the rest of the evening! It kind of like disappeared when we got home. I know, that's mean. I should dig it out of my closet and let her beat me with it again.
Last but not least, my hubby. He looks like a good ole' boy doesn't he? Nothin' like Peter Piper to bring out the kid in you!

A Little of This and That

Ok, so I haven't posted in a while. I've been really BUSY, but I still don't have anything really interesting to post. So, you may ask, how have I been spending my time? Housecleaning and chasing babies. And for all you moms out there, you know how BUSY that can really be. I'm posting a few pics of the last week so that you will know that #1 We're still alive, and #2 We are happy, healthy, humorous, harmonic, hip, hopeful, and all those other great h-words.


Livvy is going through a "sunglasses" thing right now. These are Marvin's riding glasses. Livvy put them on and asked me to take a picture of her. When I got ready to shoot, she struck this pose. Not a ham at all is she?


We went to Mesa a couple of weeks ago, and Harrison got to hold my uncle's new rifle. (UNLOADED of course!) He thought he was hot stuff. He keeps talking about wanting to go hunting, which is weird because Marvin doesn't hunt. I just keep putting Bambi in the VCR and rewinding it over and over.....


Things are also getting a little SPOOKY around here as Halloween approaches. I have very cute decorations, because my kids made a lot of them. This is Harrison's spider. He is so proud of it.



I can't show off Harrison's spider without showing Livvy's. She had a little help from her Auntie Ashley.

Yes, my kids made the Jack-o-Lanterns too. They are very easily occupied by paper, glue, and crayons. My little Picassos.



And last but not least, our entertainment center. And yes, that is Suite Life of Zach and Cody on the TV. That is one of our favorite shows. If asked what character on the show I was most like, I would probably say Mosely. But sometimes, I do think I have London's brain. Yay me! haha

SCATTERGORIES

Here are the rules: Use the first letter of your name to answer the following. They have to be real places, things, names...nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person who tagged you had the same first initial. You can't use your name for the boy/girl name question... Here goes!

YOUR NAME: Courtney

PRO-SPORTS TEAM: Cardinals

CELEBRITY: Courteney Cox (That's an extra point there!)

VEHICLE: Camry (I've owned two, and I loved them both dearly.)

TV SHOW: Cosby Show (One of my favorites!)

CITY: Chicago (Never been there)

BOY NAME: Christopher

GIRLS NAME: Catherine

OCCUPATION: Cardiologist

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Corset (Yeah, I wear one all the time :)

SOMETHING YOU THROW AWAY: Cat litter

FOOD: Cabbage

SOMETHING YOU FIND IN A BATHROOM: Caress Body Wash

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Car problems

SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: Come on! (Harrison says this ALL the time and it drives me nuts! Usually it is accompanied with a bit of whining.)

Susan's post was all beautiful with pictures and whatnot, but I don't know how to do that. Ok, the three ladies I tag are, Lisa Y., Kristine J., and Laurie T.

Tongue Twisters

Sandy Martin gave me a friendly reprimand on Sunday, and informed me that even though the birthday party was fun, it was time for a new post. So I guess this one is dedicated to you Sandy!:)
One thing that we like to do at our house is say tongue twisters. (Tell your little ones to say "gift certificate." That one cracks me up!) This one in particular was especially funny to me. Harrison was eating Nutter Butters after dinner, and it reminded me of a tongue twister from when I was in elementary school. This is how it is supposed to go-

"A bit of bitter butter makes the better batter bitter,
but a bit of better butter makes the bitter batter better."

Maybe after a few more Nutter Butters, he'll have it down!

Four years old and going strong!

We celebrated Livvy's 4th birthday this past weekend. Here are a few shots of the fun.
We had a little party with the Sunbeams. We made some happenin' visors!
We painted ceramic animals. This is one of Livvy's very favorite activities!
The infamous tire swing at Penny Park. Many a tot has lost their lunch to this vortex of rubber and chain. :)

Mimi and Grandmother and Auntie Ashley all came to help with the party. Thank you girls!!!Opening presents was a phenomenal event! The much coveted Buzz Lightyear (left corner) was a big hit. Harrison gave Olivia two dresses for her Barbies.
NOTE: If you want modest, cheap clothes for your daughter's Barbie, check Family Dollar. They are called "Polly" clothes. These dresses were $1 each, as compared to $5 an outfit at Wal-Mart. I could not find anything modest there.


Livvy also received a Fur Real cat. I bought this in May when it went on clearance. It meows, blinks, and looks around. It even hisses when you pull its tail! Olivia immediately named her "Zippy." She plays with Zippy all day, but she will not sleep with her. She makes Zippy sleep in Mom and Dad's room. I asked her why, and she said she didn't want Zippy getting in bed with her. Guess Zippy would creep me out too if I was 4 and had to sleep with her.
All gussied up for church on her birthday. I let her wear my Japanese pearls, after a long discussion about bringing them home in one piece. She was very careful with them. When she asked me if she was a pretty girl, I said she has to be a nice girl before she can be a pretty girl. But yes, she is my pretty pixie. Later, we went over to Granny's to have cake and ice cream. I let Harrison lick the frosting can. I don't think he enjoyed it at all. :)Olivia and her cousin share a birthday hug. It's one of those "Awwwww!" moments.

Busy, busy, busy!

There's been a lot going on the last couple of days. I find myself being overwhelmed and excited and nervous all at the same time.
So Livvy flooded our bathroom last night. And I don't mean the toilet leaked a little, she FLOODED our bathroom. I knew the toilet was plugged, so I told the kids not to use it until I got a plunger. Livvy forgot, and about ten o'clock last night, Marvin and I were sitting at the kitchen table talking, and we heard the toilet flush. Marvin went in to check on her and he starts yelling, "Towels, towels, get me towels!" I ran in and found Livvy standing in about an inch of water. The toilet was running full force and poor Marv had to ride the rapids to get to the toilet to turn it off. I pulled out my trusty carpet shampooer and we were able to use it to pull up most of the water. The water was running through the floor into the downstairs neighbor's apartment. Luckily they are very understanding as they have two small children themselves. I went down and profusely apologized to them. Maybe I will make them some banana bread. Although, that could be considered a threat instead of a peace offering. :) So, after cleaning the bathroom, I washed every towel we own, and then sat down for a little Clean House. (I love that show!) So, in conclusion of this little anecdote, let me tell you what I learned. I have been trying to teach Harrison and Olivia to be cheerful and thankful for what they have. So, how can I be cheerful and thankful about a sewage swimming pool in my bathroom? #1 I will have to buy a plunger at Wal-Mart tomorrow, so at least we will have one on hand. #2 Livvy now knows why I tell her to use a LITTLE toilet paper when she goes. #3 My bathroom got bleached better than it has been in months. So there you go. Granted, I was scraping the bottom of the barrel, but I was cheerful and thankful. (More or less.)


A bit of good news: Marvin is putting in his secondary application to AT Still, which is our first choice of PA programs. Everybody cross your fingers, toes, arms, legs, etc. and we will see what happens. Any prayers you have would definitely help too. We definitely haven't gotten this far on our own.

The Family That Prays Together, Stays Together (I hope!)

I just had to post this picture. Honestly folks, anytime we kneel as a family to have prayer, my kids consider it an open invitation to wrestle Marvin and beat the tar out of him! Of course Daddy thinks this is hilarious, and we usually have about 20 minutes of Wrestle-Mania before Mom can calm everybody down and ready to pray again. (I have been sucked into their "pre-prayer routine" a couple of times, and I have to admit, it is kind of fun.) My mom can always tell when she calls and WWF is occurring, because it usually involves lots of screaming and laughing. Oh well, I say. I won't sweat it. At least the praying gets done eventually.

There's a snake in my boot!

Meet Woody. He is a member of our family and has been for the past few months. Livvy got him as a gift, and ever since then, Woody enjoys every comfort and pleasure that the rest of the family enjoys. He goes to McDonalds with us. He rides in Livvy's bike basket. Mommy has to buckle Woody in a car seat next to Olivia EVERY TIME WE LEAVE THE HOUSE! Woody sits at the dinner table with us. Woody even follows Livvy into Mom and Dad's bed in the middle of the night, and usually winds up draped across Daddy's face in the morning.
We got some good news about Woody today. Livvy informed us that Woody has lost a tooth, and she expects the Tooth Fairy to leave him some money under his pillow. Woody seems to be getting a little demanding lately. I think the Tooth Fairy will want Woody's tooth before she leaves the money. You never know though. Woody may come up with it!
If you can keep a secret, Olivia has been asking for a Buzz Lightyear for the past six months. She wants Woody to have a buddy. Her birthday is on Sunday, so Buzz Lightyear will be joining our family in four days. Maybe Buzz and Woody could stay home and hang out together, so Mom doesn't have to worry about buckling and keeping track of two extra children! You think? Yeah, I know. Fat chance.

Best Friends Forever, My Hubby and Me

I wanted to selfishly indulge for a moment and reflect on the wonderful eight years Marvin and I have had together. Marvin and I met each other on March 25, 2000 at the WNMU Branch. (aka the Love Shack. We know about 10 other couples that met each other there and were married shortly thereafter. Anyway, back to the story.) Marvin's best friend's wedding reception was that night. I was planning on moving from Mesa to Cliff, so that I could go to school at WNMU and live with my mom. You see, the boys in Mesa were immature and silly, and I had had my fill. Waiting for me in Silver City was a life with no men, boys, etc. No one of the opposite sex even existed there as far as I was concerned. In Silver City, I could accomplish my hopes and dreams, serve a mission, and then if I felt like dating any cootie-ridden boys, maybe I would give it a try. So, on the night of this wedding reception, I called the branch and asked if there were any activities going on that weekend. I wanted to get to know the other girls I would be attending Western with. Sister Diane Anderson was the person who answered the phone at the Branch. "You must come to this wedding reception we're having tonight!" she gushed. I wasn't so sure I wanted to crash the party, but she was too sweet to resist, so I found myself donning the proper attire and pulling into the parking lot of the Branch within a few minutes. Sister Anderson greeted me at the door, and began to introduce me to everyone at the party. The first guy she introduced me had cake all down his shirt, and I was sure he had been picking his nose just as we turned to him. "Great," I thought to myself. "I'm on my way to graduate school!!"
"And this is Marvin White," Sister Anderson was saying as I turned to face the most gorgeous piece of manliness I had ever laid eyes on. He shook my hand, and I must say that was the most exhilarating experience of my life.
We were married four-and-a-half months later in the Mesa Temple on August 8th, 2000. And the rest, as they say, is history. The past eight years have not been without trials, mistakes and misunderstandings. But there is no one else I would ever have chosen to take this earthly roller coaster ride with. Marvin is my best friend, my confidant, my true love. We have many more times, both good and bad, to live through. We will make it, so long as we have each other.



(If you want to look at these pictures up close, just click on them. I don't know how to operate my scanner all that well.)

Laurie's Baby Shower

Since Laurie RARELY posts on her blog, (hint, hint Laurie!) I thought I would take the liberty of posting the pictures of her baby shower on my blog. I know everybody wants to see them. We are very happy for our mommy-to-be and wish her a peaceful delivery. (If that is possible :) So here they are ladies! The shower was hosted by Serena and Shelly and it was held July 19th.

Pretty table decorated by Shelly. She is so creative!


Shelly also made this adorable banner!




Mommy and Ashlynn opening gifts. Ashlynn is excited to be a big sister again!!


Sister Mullen gave Laurie the cutest baby bonnet. Of course Laurie had to model it for us. Let's hope it looks as cute on the baby as it does on her!



Look at this cute cake that Laurie's mother, Sandy made! She is a true artist. We used the cakes I made to prop open the door! J/K




Last, but not least, little Brennan. He was the only male at the party, so I don't know if being around all those women did him in, or we just bored him with our girl talk. Either way, we are still glad he came, because doesn't he look sweet? One little tidbit about Brennan. He will give you a kiss if you offer him cheese crackers!
We love you Laurie! Congratulations!

I've Been Tagged Too!

How to play this game. Post these rules on your blog; List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names....

JOYS:
1. Watching my kids grow. I love to watch them learn and develop skills and talents.
2. I love to read. I think everybody knows that already.
3. Babies. Who can hold a baby and be mad or stressed? Nobody!!!

FEARS:
1. I think every mother worries about the safety of her children. That is definitely my biggest worry.
2. Mice and snakes. Ok, that's enough. I'm getting the heebie-jeebies just typing about them!
3. I worry that I'm never good enough. I have a lot of flaws and I am very aware of them.

GOALS:
1. I would like to write a children's book. Those who are close to me know that I love to write. One of these days when I have tons of leisure time I will do it! haha
2. I am on a diet. 'Nuff said. :)
3. I have always wanted to learn the guitar. Another one of those "leisure" activities!

COLLECTIONS/OBSESSIONS:
1. I have a music box collection that I started when I was 14. I need a place to display them.
2. Romance novels are my fave! Clean ones of course.
3. I go a little crazy if my house gets dirty. Sometimes I just have to take a deep breath and prioritize.

RANDOM FACTS:
1. I have a green toenail. Seriously! I will show you if you ask me. Maybe I'll even post a picture of it!
2. I would like to be an auto mechanic. I love to work on cars. Too bad they canceled the auto classes at Western!
3. I just learned how to drive my brother-in-law's Goldwing. One of these days Marvin will walk out to get on his motorcycle and it will be gone. Road trip baby!
Ok, so I am supposed to tag 5 people? I don't know that many people with blogs. I tag Amy J., Kristine, Laurie, and Serena. I can't think of a 5th person. Good luck ladies!

Going to Grandma's

This weekend we went to see Marvin's grandparents in St. David, Arizona. It was great to see them!

We picked up a hitchhiker along the way. The little critter was trying to cross the highway. He is trying to bite Marvin!

Hugs and kisses for Grandma and Grandpa.


Family picture.
L to R Charles, me, Martha, Livvy, Marvin and Harrison
The humidity there was through the roof. I blow-dried my hair and notice I still have the "frizzy" look.


What is "The Thing" anyway? Every time we drive I-10 we see about 20 of these signs. Has anybody ever stopped at the shop they have? I bet it's something totally lame, like alien paraphernalia, or a pair of Elvis' socks.