Washinton DC

 
 
 
 

So, July and August were crazy busy at our house as you will soon see. I took September off of almost everything; just picking up the peices that got left behind. So, here is my report!

At the end of July Jeff and I went to Washington DC for a week. WOW! We try to do over-nighters every 3-4 months but we'd never really been away from the kids and on a real vacation. We had way too much fun. We went with Jeff's company who paid for EVERYTHING which was even better. We went to a national baseball game (a spiritual experience for Jeff); we went to dinner at this fancy restaraunt (which we were way under dressed for) and watched Bob Dole and other senators hob-nob; we stayed at the historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel where the Primeminister from Packistan and some African country were also staying there; we cried together at Arlington National Cemetary which is a sacred place if I've ever felt one; and stood amazed at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial; we were angry and sickened at the Holicaust Museum; we couldn't stop thinking about the kids at the National Museum of National History; and we just played at the Air and Space Museum which was rented out entirely for our company the last evening. WOW. We need to do that more often! I love you Jeff. You are still my best friend, boyfriend, soul-mate, and true love!

GIFT Fundraiser

 

 

 

 

I just wanted to let everyone know that the GIFT Fundraiser we had for the young father in our ward who has brain cancer was a huge sucess. It took about 4 months of intense preparation but that one day was worth it. I was overwhelmed with the goodness of people in our community. I love Meridian! Donors, and sponsors, and volunteers were absolutley wonderful. In the end we were ably to raise over $15,000 for this family. It was a good thing and I am thankful to my friend Suzy for being inspired and for letting me enjoy the journey. I learned so much! My favorite lesson learned was that people are good and they will give whatever they can - it may not be much in they eyes of the world - but what they give is a sacrifice and that is just priceless in my eyes.

Lego's Anyone?

 
 

Calling all LEGO ADDICTS!! Max is so into legos. So, it was no wonder that his birthday this summer was a complete lego-fest. And now with Christmas fast approaching Max has been scanning all the adds and commercials and compiling his list of "must have" lego parifinalia. It's not just kits anymore - lego video games, star wars legos, Batman legos, Indiana Jones legos. I actually like legos- I think they are great toys and if you know Max - you know how much he likes to create stuff (I wonder where he gets that from). But, the point of my tangent is the price. Have you seen how much some of these kits can run. There is this one kit Max wants (mainly becasue it comes with 20 figures) that runs $200. He just got the latest Lego catalog in the mail and there are other kits for $500. What's up with that? So I'm beginning to wonder if he is still young enough to be tricked into thinking that 5 of the $10 kits is better than 1 $500 kit. I sure hope so - becuase we all know Santa's bag (a.k.a. checkbook) isn't big enough (a.k.a. can't afford) that kind of toy!

Jr. Rock Star

 
 
 

So Sami is now 5 and a big grown up Kindergartener. She has ALWAYS been indepentdent and Kindergarten has magnified that in all the good ways and bad. She is super confident and dangerously georgeous. The other day while I was getting Sami ready for school she asked me "Mom what if all the kids at school run at me?" I got very concerned and wondered who was bullying my girl. She quickly added "Cuz they're gonna think I'm a rock star!"

New Family Pictures 2008

 

 

 

 

Our fun new family pictures. Check out www.yanphoto.com - she's amazing!!!

Awesomenes

Max is quite the artist. The other night he was drawing a picture of himself. He had done a very good job and had included a bunch of wavey lines eminating around himself. Jeff casualy asked Max what the wavey lines were. With a slight smirk on his face he simply said, "Awesomeness." Well, you do have to admit, the kid is pretty awesome.

Dora the Explorer on the playground

Okay, this is just the funniest thing I think I've ever seen. On Tuesday night after dinner we headed over to the park just behind our house. It was great, we were playing and enjoying each other. Soon, another family arrived to play also. The family happened to be Hispanic. There were two very cute sisters that Sami decided she wanted to play with. So, very confidently Sami walked up to the two girls and said "Hola amigos". The girls just stood there and looked at her. Sami continued "Hola means hello in Spanish. Hola" Again the girls just stood there and stared at her. Sami keeps trying "Don't you guys speak Spanish? Hola." After a second the girls just walked away from Sami. Jeff and I were trying so hard not to die laughing. Sami was just so honest, and confident, and Innocent. And she was right too - the family only spoke Spanish. They just didn't respond to her. Luckily it was no skin off Sami's back and she just shrugged and kept on playing. Oh man, it was just classic. Talk about wanting that on video!