welcome to the 21st century, dad!

My dad's the coolest guy. He is one of those guys who could survive and thrive as long as he had a change of underwear, a good book, and his morning cup o' joe. He's a greener. The man leaves virtually no carbon footprint. He's a hippie. His hair is as long as mine. (He and I are having a contest to see who can grow their hair out the longest.) And he's a biker. (Note the biker Santa on their mantle?)

Call it his philosophical beliefs, call it his lack of desire to follow the crowd, but my father has never owned a cell phone, a computer, or any other article of technology from the 21st century, for that matter. In fact, I was surprised to find out that at work, they recently gave him a desk with a computer to email clients. Seriously!

My mom and brothers decided that this year was 'the year' to get ol' daddio up with the times and get the man his own cell phone. My bros bought the phone, mom added a line to her cell phone package, and Voila!! He's ready to roll with the rest of us! Watch out, pretty soon he'll be texting. PLZ, like that's ever going to happen. LOL. LMHO. ;-)

Dylan thought it would be funny if he gave my dad the kind of phone

fashioned by 3rd graders in 1952. Good times.

Christmas Kittens

In my humble, unbiased, maternal, unprejudiced opinion, nothing in this world is more adorable than my children. ;-) Then we arrived at my parent's house last week. And that's when I laid my eyes upon their 2 six week-old kittens that my dad got for my mom for Christmas. So now, in my humble....opinion there is pretty much nothing in this world that can top the cuteness of my children AND kittens together in the same picture. hehehe

The entire week we were at my parent's house the kids went bonkers for the kittens. They would not leave them alone. They played more with those cats than they did with their new toys. Eventually we had to establish "kitten play time" and "kitten sleep time" so that those poor felines could have a break from the kids!!

Bless their hearts. The kids tried so hard to play nice with them, but you know how toddlers are. Their interpretation of "gentle" falls somewhere inbetween abrasive and lethal force. ;-)
At one point I caught Jayden carrying the orange kitten by its tail!! By the end of the week each kid had a couple claw marks on their hands or face.

All these pictures were taken on Christmas Eve. We'd just returned from a church service at my mom's church, hence the reason the kids are all dressed up. Something I love about protestant churches is their "midnight mass" candlelight Christmas Eve services. Traditionally they are held at midnight; we went at 4 p.m. ;-) We listened to a beautiful message and sang carols by candlelight.

This poor, poor kitten!! Can't you just read the expression on his face?! Wake me when this is over!! Help me!!!

Jaclyn found a jingle bell on a string and they were watching

the orange kitten jump and play with it.

Jaclyn's 3rd birthday

To say that Jaclyn likes Dora the Explorer would be an understatement. My middle child can't get enough of Dora! And Diego for that matter. So, of course, when asked what she wanted for her birthday, Dora was the immediate response. Lucky for us, we still had all the decorations and party favors from last year! reduce REUSE, recycle, right?!

Jaclyn's birthday was Sunday, Dec. 6. We told her each day leading up to it that her birthday was pretty soon, and it was sweet to watch her excitement grow. Then on Sunday morning, Joanna and I exclaimed that "today is your birthday!!!!" and you should have seen the look on her face. Pure elation.

That morning in nursery class the song leader led the kids in singing her happy birthday. She got to wear a felt birthday hat with a cake and candles on top of it. Standing in the middle of her class I could tell she got a little shy to have the attention on her, but she enjoyed it. (I secretly watched her through the window on the nursery room door!)

Then later Sunday evening we had a sort of impromptu birthday party with some of her friends.

I made that Dora cake! All by myself. So take that mom, I do have a few baking skills. ;-)

When we started singing Happy Birthday to Jaclyn she got the biggest
blushing smile on her face.


The kids

Funny story about the above picture. Later that evening my mom and dad called to wish Jaclyn a happy birthday. She was talking to my mom, telling grandma all about her party. I thought it was a cute moment so I went to take a picture of Jaclyn talking on the phone. So when Jaclyn saw me taking her picture she held up the phone and said, "say cheese grandma!!"

In her 3 year old mind I was also taking grandma's picture. hehehe

Joanna's preschool play

During the month of November at Joanna's preschool, the theme was "the farm". They learned about everything from farm animals to crops that farmers grow. Then last Saturday the kids performed the play about the little red hen. Only this play was a variation of the classic tale. In this play, instead of the little red hen asking help to make bread, she goes around asking all the animals to help her make a pizza. All the students did such a great job with their parts! Not a bit of stage fright! They were all so excited to participate!

Joanna was the cat. She had one speaking part. So when the hen asked Joanna if she'd like to help make a pizza Joanna loudly said, "Not I, Meow!!!"

The scenery was mostly made by the kids. Joanna's teacher made the set and then decorated it with the month's art projects. You can see some pigs they made in the background.

Joanna doing the actions to a song before the play started

Joanna the cat

Some of the cast. Joanna really likes the friends she has made at school.

She talks about them all the time!

to give my child the best day

because we don't know how many days on this earth we'll get to share with each of our children, here's to making each one count. this video made me cry. mainly because i know there are some days when my bad mood or attitude makes their day bad. but i hope they can forgive me some day and know how deeply i adore them. here's to giving my babies wings to fly.

a pig and a pirouette-ing princess

Yesterday Joanna and I got to go to Yakima--just the two of us--to see the play version of Charlotte's Web. Her preschool class attended the play all together and it was so nice to have a little one-on-one time with my firstborn. I'd wanted a picture of her and I together, but that didn't happen. So here's Joanna in her theater seat after the performance. Joanna thoroughly enjoyed herself. Charlotte's Web is one of her favorite movies so I think it was neat for her to see how 'real' people can get dressed up and tell a story just like a movie can.

Here is a super dark picture of the set. Sorry it's such a crappy picture, but that's what you get when you have a crappy camera. ;-)

Um, what's up with the 'eat crap and die' glare, little girl?

After the play Joanna and I swung by Toys R Us to find a couple birthday presents for Jaclyn. (her birthday is this Sunday) Joanna has been HOUNDING us for Cinderella's blue dress for at least a month. She asks for it at least 50 times a day, and I'm not exaggerating! We are firm believers in delayed gratification, so we've been telling her that she needs to ask Santa for the dress and wait until Christmas to receive it.

But as we searched for Jaclyn's presents, Joanna spotted "the dress". A very beautiful dress up cinderella dress. And of course she went bananas. She asked so nicely if she could get it! And me, being the softy that I can be, was like, well, ok. (hey, it was on sale, so that makes it alright, right?!)

Joanna dancing like a ballerina

Needless to say, Joanna hasn't taken the dress off since we got home. She wanted to sleep in it last night but we explained that even Princesses wear pajamas.

She's dancing like Cinderella at the ball!

Then she asked Jayden if he wanted to dance like the Prince!!! The cutest thing was that he obliged!!

Family Armor

Some of us married accountants. Some of us teachers. Others policemen, construction managers, and graphic designers. Then there's others who go on to marry guys who build armored vehicles for kings, presidents, and celebrities. And then star in a reality show about it. This lucky girl would be my mission pal, Lacy! Her husband and brother in law work for Texas Armoring Corporation. They get to test their products and blow stuff up. Then there's Lacy. Lacy is glamorous. Lacy is funny. And Lacy is a sweetheart. The show will be a good mix between the business and family life. Leather and Lacy!! haha. Everybody watch!!!!

The show airs next Thursday, Nov. 19th at 10/9 central.

First Day of Preschool

Back in January I had a sniffle sniffle mom moment as I dropped Joanna off in Primary for the first time. This morning I had another one as I dropped her off for her first day of preschool. Joanna, on the other hand, held no reservations. She made a b-line for the door the minute her teacher opened it at 8:30 a.m.!! She has been extremely excited to go to school.

(And we have her uncle to thank for this. We had withdrawn her application about a month ago because we decided we were too broke to pay the tuition. My bro-in-law, Nate, is living with us right now, and he wanted to "sponsor" her, I guess you could say. Thank goodness for sugar daddy uncles 'cause we are back in business!!)


After the bitter-sweet drop off, I returned home with the younger two and seized the rare opportunity of no sibling rivalry squabbles (I think it's going to be nice to have big sister out of the house a couple days a week!) to repair a few broken items around the house. Starting with our porcelain Portland temple. A few of the spires had broken off. Well, less than two minutes into the project, yours truly glued her fingers together with super glue.

It takes genius to do that. So now I am thinking, it is such a good thing that Joanna gets to go to preschool after all because if these are the genes she has inherited from me, she's going to need all the help she can get!!!!! ;-)

a work in progress

Today was our sixth wedding anniversary. Really? Has it been six years already? And look at how much has changed! Some days I think wow, we've been married forever. Then others I look at Josh and think, who are you?? I still love the man even after all we've been through.

Since this is my blog and I can say whatever I want, I'm going to give you the honest, un-sugarcoated truth about our marriage. Because sometimes I think that we (myself included) make such an effort to put our best face forward when we put ourselves out in the world. But today, as I think about what my marriage to Mr. Ramsey means to me, I know that despite our differences and shortcomings, I love him for who he is. Not for who I think he should be.

Now maybe you and your sweetheart happen to be the scientific anomaly who have the picture perfect marriage. But if you are like the rest of us, then I'm hoping that my honesty will give you some sort of assurance that we are all in this together, and that you don't have to feel like you're the one in the only difficult marriage in town, and all the rest of us are over at our homes livin' it up June Cleaver style.

Josh and I love each other to pieces. I know he loves me because I tell him to tell me every day. ;-) No really, we really do. But WOW are we sooooo different. And we've almost thrown in the towel once or twice. Seriously. We really don't have any shared hobbies. I love to read and watch movies and do anything outdoorsy. His primary hobby is video gaming. A LOT of gaming. Some days I feel like the video games become a third party in our marriage. They have become a wedge in our relationship that has hindered our growth as a couple. It is something that we are working through with the help of our Bishop and I feel confident that we will weather this. In addition, our expectations of what a wife/mother and husband/father should be are very different. And the list goes on.

A few months ago we arrived at a crossroads. We sat down together and talked like rational adults. Okay, there were points where, at best, we acted like irrational 3rd graders. We asked each other, is this what we want for the rest of our lives and for all eternity? Are we making each other happier? Is he/she holding me back from who I want to become? And then the most horrible question of all. Are we just going to stay together for the kids???

We both took a couple days to ponder these questions. We both came to the realization that we DO want this to work. And not just for the sake of the precious children we have given life to together, but for ourselves. Because for a while I lost sight of the word 'eternity'. And what eternal progression is. We don't have to have our relationship perfectly worked out in 6 years. Or even 50. I love Josh for who he is. Game head and all.

I have been making an effort to add to my prayers, Heavenly Father, please help me to see nothing but the good in my husband today. And He has been answering these silent pleadings. I have found myself feeling so grateful for everything my husband does. (and maybe even for the things he still doesn't do!!)

And most importantly, I stop my thoughts cold in their tracks when I catch myself thinking, but what if I'd married so-and-so. Or, but what if I found somebody else who shared this interest with me or who was more romantic or who cooked me dinner sometimes, etc.

In this case, the grass is never greener on the other side. Too many people search and search for that perfect soul mate; the one that's got it all. But they inevitably come up disappointed. Every man and woman on this planet comes fully equipped with their unique blend of quirks and weaknesses. I need to remember to be grateful that Josh so patiently accepts me for all of mine.

Josh is the most kind hearted man. He is very (sometimes brutally) honest and full of integrity. He is a man of his word. He may not always jump right in and lend a hand without me asking first, but he has always been willing to do whatever Honey Do chore I implore. And always (well, almost always!) without complaint. He shares in all the duties that come along with havin' youngins around. He does diapers and baths and the occasional doctor's visit. Even the ones when they get shots.

I think what I have come to value most about Josh is the Christ-like way he is able to forgive. He never holds a grudge. Even when I have hurt his feelings he is able to quickly forgive me and we move on.
Most importantly, his faith in God and in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is rock solid. I admire him for that. His faith has been an anchor and a compass for me.

So, moral of the story. After six years of marriage, I can safely say that we are together. United. Stronger than ever and more determined to make. this. work. Not just for the kids. But because we are committed to one another. And because I see us growing together; not apart. I see us teaching one another how to be better people. His strengths are my weaknesses and my strengths are his weaknesses. We seem to compliment each other very well that way. I see clearly now why God gave Josh to me.

Do I Say That??

Yesterday the kids and I were dancing merrily to one of their kiddie CDs. Even Jayden was boppin' along to the music. I think we danced for a half hour before their attention went elsewhere. Joanna went off to her room to play. Jayden followed. And I realized that I had a golden opportunity to have some one-on-one time with my little Jaclyn.

So I asked Jaclyn, "Do you want to dance with just mommy?"
With a snooty, little-miss-know-it-all face on she said, "No mom, I don't have time. I'm too busy."

Oh. Ok then. Has it already started? One minute she's two, the next she's 16?? Or maybe I need to look in the mirror. I guess I must say that to her more than I think. These little ones really are echo chambers of everything we say and do; whether that be for good or bad.
Great. I'm doomed!!

Children's Museum in Tri-Cities

A couple weeks ago my mom, me, and the kids went to the Tri-cities for a couple days. She's a Speech Pathologist and she was attending a two-day seminar on Autism at the convention center there, so she asked if we wanted to come and hang out. I said sure! Besides the fact that Jayden decided to randomly have the sleeping pattern of a newborn in the hotel room and none of us got any sleep, we had a great time together. We were actually there on my birthday. (Aug. 6) I took the kids to the children's museum in Pasco one of the days. They loved it.

Joanna's favorite spot to play was this Caboose Diner. I bet she played in it for 45 minutes! She'd go around to all the kids sitting at the tables and pretend to take their food orders. Then she'd bring them something to eat and bus their tables afterward.



Joanna and Jayden sitting at a table in the Caboose Diner.

Princess Joanna

Jayden staying warm by the fire in the Castle play area.

Oh man, I just realized that I didn't take any pictures of Jaclyn that day! I guess she was dodging the camera.

My Crazy Baby

Jayden's first birthday is 11 days away, and, as we all know, that first year in particular seems to fly by way too fast. He has the spunkiest personality, that Jayden. He is always making me laugh with his antics and all his zany faces.

Here's just a peek at the crazy things he likes to do in my kitchen. He is like a human tornado in that room. His daily rounds include knocking over the garbage, opening the utensil drawer and the dish rag drawer and throwing the contents of each onto the floor, getting into the lazy susan and pulling out all my canned food, and then climbing into an open dishwasher.

Hey, it's all in a day's work.

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

Eating grass in the yard.

Utah Vacation: July 8-11

Wed., July 8: The morning after Lagoon, the girls and I took our shaggy-haired heads to my all-time favorite hair stylist, Vicki Sprinkle. I stumbled upon her salon one of the last times I visited Utah. Her home-based salon is called "Sprinkle of Style". Pretty clever, eh?

It's just too bad she lives in Tooele, UTAH, not in Ellensburg, WASHINGTON. So now, whenever I know that we're going to be in Utah, I hold off on getting our hair cut so we can go see Vicki!

Joanna enjoyed having her hair cut and styled.

Here's Joanna looking all dainty and girly after her haircut.
This was taken in Vicki's back yard.

Jaclyn has always hated having her hair styled. Or brushed. Or touched, for that matter.

So I knew that taking her in for her first haircut at a salon was going to bring out her inner beast. (Remember that Jaclyn's alter ego is a screaming banshee?) She had a hard time at Vicki's .......until......Vicki's love bug came out to play. Another testament to how awesome Vicki is, she knew exactly how to handle my banshee. Err, I mean, my Jaclyn. ;-)

Here is Jaclyn with her love bug. Vicki gently told Jaclyn that she had to stop crying because the love bug was going to sleep. "Shhhh, you'll wake your love bug." Jaclyn immediately quieted down! It worked!! Then, the cutest thing. Jaclyn cradled the love bug and whispered to it, "It's okay, little bug, it's okay." Then she gave it kisses. ((melt my heart)) She really is the sweetest, most caring little girl. Just very very spirited. We decided to cut a good 6 inches off Jaclyn's hair and give her a bob. Doesn't it look cute on her?

Later that evening, g-ma and g-pa Ramsey stayed with the kids while Megan, Jesse, Josh and I stole away to go see a Drum and Bugle Corps competition at Weber stadium in Ogden. I used to march with the Troopers from '98-'00. I played trumpet, or soprano, as it's called in drum corps. Josh, Megan and Jesse had never been to a show before so I was thrilled to introduce them to the activity. And they loved every minute of it. Seriously, if you ever get a chance to attend a drum and bugle corps performance, GO. They're like marching field bands on steroids. And energy drinks. It's insane.

The Troopers performed along with nine other corps to make for one outstanding show!! The evening was awesome. Troopers had not been doing too well in years past, but this year they are back with a vengeance. Their show was SO good. It even made Megan and I tear up. If you are curious to know more about drum corps, go here. If you are curious to read more about Troopers' comeback story, go here.

Josh, me, Megan, Jesse
(a.k.a. Bishop Carlson!!! He just got called to be Bishop last weekend!! He's only 32. And their youngest is three. They're amazing people so I know they'll rock the calling.)

Here's my Troopers. They're in their signature Sunburst formation.

We all agreed that the Santa Clara Vanguard (above) had the 2nd best show. Right after the Troopers, of course. ;-)

Thurs., July 9: Okay, so remember that earlier in the week we tried taking family pictures but the photographer didn't show? Luckily we were able to reschedule that same week. Here are some of my favorites.

Back row left to right: Me, Megan, Josh's grandma and pa Patsy and Chuck, Josh's mom Karen, Nate's girlfriend Cory
Front row left to right: Josh holding Jaclyn, Jesse holding Josiah with Benjamin in front and Isaiah behind him, Josh's dad Kevin holding Jayden, and Josh's brother Nate holding Joanna.

I love this picture. It's of Josh's parents with all their grandchildren.

Fri., July 10: Our last full day in Utah, we pretty much laid low. Relaxed. Did laundry. Watched movies. That evening we went swimming.

Joanna had way too much fun shooting us with her water gun!

Sat., July 11: Drove home. We stopped for the night in Boise since it was Tawni's (Josh's cousin) birthday. They had a huge party for her and they were nice enough to let us stay with them amid all the chaos. And I'm quite sure my crew contributed our fair share to that. ;-) We also got to visit with Aaron and Melissa (Josh's aunt and uncle) the next day before driving the rest of the way home. I'm happy to report that our resurrected van got us safely home. Phew!