Favorite Photo Friday

September 26, 2008
Oh Happy Day!
Congrats Julie and Seth! We love you guys.

Thankful Thursday

1. Weddings
My niece Julie is getting married on Friday. I just love weddings. I'm so looking forward to being in the temple, spending time with family, and just having a day to celebrate a happy occasion.

2. The UPS man
Our magic little box that allows us to record what is on TV and then watch it later (and fast forward through commercials, or skip back to listen to that funny thing that you missed, etc.) broke last week. Wouldn't you know that it would break during fall season premier time?? Today the UPS man delivered a brand new magic box to my house. Thanks UPS man.

3. Neighbors
I love when I see my neighbors outside and we can talk and chat while our kids play. It is so great to have friends close by. To talk. To laugh. To vent. To complain. To have things in common. Mr. Rogers knew what he was talking about.

4. Texting
I love being able to be in touch with the people I love. I love that it is quick and easy. And I love that Julie taught me how to text and my phone can "guess" or recognize the word that I'm texting. Gosh, technology is great. And yes, the fact that most everyone else in the universe knew about the word recognition thing ages ago does not escape me.

5. Exercise
I'm not always grateful for exercise. In fact sometimes I hate it. But mostly I love it. I'm grateful that I am healthy. That my body can do the things that I want to do. I think the human body is amazing. So much so that I really want to go and see bodyworlds Looks so cool. I'm trying to decide if we should take our kids. What do you think?

Be careful where you aim that thing...

I realize that I am a girl and probably shouldn't think that this is funny. But I totally do.

Tag you're it...

I've been tagged by Heidi.
Name six of your quirks....
Hmmm...only six? Sadly there are probably a lot that I could name. Here goes...

1. I only buy bananas in bunches of seven. I have no idea why I do this. I'm not normally a person who cares about numbers, but for some reason those bananas just taste better if they are in a bunch of seven. I bought a banana at work the other day from the cafeteria and had to stop myself from asking, "Do you happen to know if that banana came from a bunch of seven??"

2. I have a couple of words that I pronounce "weird". But they sound totally normal to me. I say envelope, Ahn-ve-lope. And apricot is AP (like the beginning of apple)-ricot.

3. I don't eat chocolate. I used to. After Miquelle was born I heard that chocolate gave babies gas. So I stopped eating it and never really started again. I do occasionally like to eat the edge of homemade brownies, but otherwise I don't really eat chocolate. It is funny because my kids all think I don't like it. When people hear this about me they think I am being really healthy. Totally not the case. I love candy, just not chocolate.

4. I do not like to wear shoes at all and only wear them when I absolutely have to. I wear them when I go out but the minute I step through the door I take them right off. Trevor often (pretty much everyday) puts his shoes on in the morning and doesn't take them off until he goes to bed that night. I would go crazy if I had to wear shoes that long. And I very seldom wear shoes that aren't slip on type shoes. They have to be able to come off fast!

5. I cannot stand toenails and fingernails once they are clipped. They completely gross me out. (But so do long fingernails and toenails so I have to keep my kids nails clipped.) Usually I will clip my kids toenails and fingernails after bathtime and I make a little pile (gag) of the nails. I am obsessive about none of my kids getting near the pile because if one of the nails didn't make it to the garbage and I (gasp!) stepped on it with bare feet later (not wearing shoes of course) that would just put me over the edge.

6. I am a complete hypocrite when it comes to the dentist. I faithfully take my kids twice a year for their check ups, but I haven't been to the dentist in, oh about, coughcough10yearscoughcough. I am a complete baby when it comes to the dentist. I had a really bad experience as a child getting a tooth pulled. Makes me shudder just thinking about it. I think it is crazy that my kids LIKE to go to the dentist. Back when I was a kid we didn't have movies on the ceiling, and video games in the waiting room and prizes for no cavities. We (at least I) had a dental hygenist that chased me down the hall (after I heard that I had to have a tooth pulled) and held me down in the chair while the dentist pulled my tooth out. Yup, good times. I wonder if my mom remembers that. She would probably say it wasn't as bad as I remember. It was. Believe me.

Now I'm going to tag Trevor (because he hasn't updated his blog in forever) Stacy, Leslie, and Rachel...just because I want to read about their quirks, and anyone else who wants to play.

Favorite Photo Friday

Cagney, Summer 2008
Good bye Summer, thanks for all of the fun, see you next year.

Thankful Thursday

1. My crockpot
One of my most favorite things about cooler weather is cooking in my crockpot. With lots of busy evenings and also nights that I work it really comes in handy. I made taco soup last night and it was just yummy. I love getting dinner done earlier in the day and then just letting it cook all day and it makes my house smell good too!

2. Crafts
I have loved doing crafts ever since I was a little girl and I still love it. I find it so relaxing. I'm working on some guest book pages for my nieces wedding next week. After that I need to get my Christmas cards done and some Christmas gifts made.

3. Bathtime
Cole and Cagney love baths. I love that it keeps them occupied for 30 minutes or so playing and splashing. And they smell so sweet when they get out!

4. No cavities
Cole and Cagney went to the dentist last week and Miquelle, Jared and Gabe went this week. No one had any cavities! So glad we don't have to go back to the dentist for six months!

5. A happier 6 year old
I'm not sure what happened with Gabe but he is so much happier going to school. My mom took him to school for me on Friday and Monday. I think that made a big difference. And he earns a sticker everyday that he has a good attitude about going to school and doing his homework (10 stickers earns a prize). He has done so much better this week. I haven't had to walk in to the school with him once this week!

Only...

100 days until Christmas. Seems like a long time huh? It isn't.
I'm just sayin'.

Favorite Photo Friday

So in honor of our wedding anniversary this week I decided to share one more wedding photo. I haven't seen my husband this clean shaven in 8 or 9 years! And see my bouquet? Our wedding colors were country blue and mauve. My friend Susan celebrated her wedding anniversary this week also and had the same wedding colors. See it was in style at the time!

Thankful Thursday

1. Gabe's teacher
Ever since my kids started school I have seen those moms that have to drag their crying kids into the school. Those moms that have their kids clinging to them as they try to leave. Now I am one of those moms. Gabe went back on track on monday and he did great that first day. Since then each morning has gotten worse. The past two mornings I have had to walk into the school with him and try to ever so gently shove him into his classroom as he is sobbing and coming up with any excuse he can as to why he can't go to school. This morning it was "because it might rain today" and "I don't like eating lunch at school". SIGH. But I am so grateful for his teacher. She is so kind and patient with him. She told me that he is happy once he is there. It is getting him there that is the problem. If anyone has any advice for me I would LOVE to hear it.

2. Peaches
We have peaches coming out of our ears. Anyone want some? Bring a bag and come on over. This weekend I need to make some peach jam and slice and freeze as many peaches as I possibly can. Send me recipes using peaches if you have them!


3. My mom
My mom watched our kids last night (and fed them dinner) so we could go out for sushi. (And speaking of sushi, I'm fairly certain that is what they eat in heaven. There will probably be some surprised and very hungry people.) My mom is also helping me slice and freeze peaches, thanks mom.

4. This blog
What a great example of family pulling together during tragedy. And a great example of truly cherishing motherhood. I often forget to do that. From the nieniedialogs blog...
"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments.{or if I could enter here-the basket-head mother syndrome} She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11).

Wow, treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less. I need to do that.

5. Sleep
I don't think I have had enough of it lately. I love sleeping and I love my bed. Ever have one of those days when it is only 10:00 in the morning and you are already looking forward to crawling into bed that night?

14 years ago today...

and knowing it was 14 years ago can anyone guess what my wedding colors were???

I can't believe it has been 14 years. Wow, what a ride. Five kids, lots of jobs, a few different cities, college graduation for Trevor, back to school for me, and we are still a great team. I am truly amazed at how well we work together, and there is no one I would rather be on this crazy ride with. Thanks Trev, for putting up with me and being such a true friend through it all...I love you to pieces.

We are heading out to a sushi dinner tonight. I can't wait!

Favorite Photo Friday

Coco and his self portrait. A few days after he drew this he drew the same picture (with a green crayon) on a mirror that is in our living room. Doesn't he know he isn't supposed to leave his signature at the scene of the crime?? Now whenever I see this picture it looks like a little mug shot to me.

Thankful Thursday

Gosh the weeks are flying by. I guess that is what happens when school starts. This week I am thankful for

1. My Vacuum
I love to vacuum. I do it everyday, not the whole house (but if I had the time I would). Sometimes when I am stressed or anxious I vacuum! I love the noise and the fact that I am cleaning. I also love to vacuum out my van.

2. Blogs
I love that I can keep in touch with friends that I haven't seen in ages, and a friend that lives right next door! It is so fun to learn more about the people I care about. And it is an outlet. Everyone needs that.

3. Fall TV
I am so excited for the new fall schedule starting!

4. Kids back in school.
I feel like school hasn't really started for us yet. Since July 3rd at least one of my kids (school age) has always been out of school. Miquelle has started but my boys have been off track. They start again on monday. I'm looking forward to feeling like school has really started. And I'm looking forward to some time with just me and Cole and Cagney.

5. Good Mail
Most of the time getting the mail is very not-exciting, but I love when I get a magazine or a mailer for a store that I love. It makes the afternoon just a little more fun.

My Mosaic

A friend did this on her blog and I thought it looked like fun! Another friend did one for each member of her family! How cool! I just might try that.

Here are the questions for each image and my answers
1. What is your first name?- Bonnie
2. What is your favorite food?- Salad
3. What school did you go to?- BYU
4. What is your favorite color?- Blue
5. Who is your celebrity crush?- Brendan Frasier
6. What is your favorite drink?- Diet Coke
7. Where is your dream vacation?- Switzerland
8. What is your favorite dessert?- Cheesecake
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?- A nurse
10. What is your favorite thing in the world?- My family
11. What is one word that describes you?- Busy
12. What is your nickname?- Bon

Here are the instructions if you want to make a mosaic of your very own...
A Mosaic to Describe Yourself
Follow these directions and then post it to your blog!
1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search
2. Using only the first page, pick an image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker(choose four columns and three rows)
Type the answer to each of the questions below in the search line and choose a picture from the first page of results that come up. Then you click on the pic, copy the link into the mosaic website

Twin Beds

We woke up Labor day morning to a very rainy day and decided that it was a great day for a big project. We decided to finally move Cole and Cagney from their cribs to big beds! I asked them that morning if they wanted to do that and Cagney was very excited and said YES! Cole said "no" in a very "no, but thanks for asking" way. We hoped (and were right) that once we actually did it he would be excited about it.

Trevor started disassembling cribs while the girls (it still thrills me that I can say that) and I went shopping for new bedspreads, sheets and bed skirts. It was so fun shopping. Cagney was pretty excited about every bedspread I showed her. We called Trevor at home about the options for Cole.

Their room is pretty small, but until we can finish another bedroom or two downstairs it will have to do.
Here is their room before

And now with their BIG beds


Cole has retro looking cars on his bedspread. He started freaking out the first night when I folded his bedspread down so he could get in his bed. I thought he was freaking out about no more crib. But he didn't want to sleep in the bed, he wanted to sleep ON the bed so he could see the cars.


I love the colors on the bedspread we got for Cagney. And it has the cutest giant ric rac that I just adore. She is a very girly girl and loves pink!

We wondered if we would need rails at the sides of their beds. They are older than our other kids were when they moved to beds so we thought maybe they would be okay. We were so wrong. From the time they went to bed at nine that first night until about midnight Cagney fell out of bed three times and Cole fell out of bed twice. Cagney only woke up one of the times and Cole slept through all of his tumbles. We finally put kitchen chairs at the sides of their beds and they stayed in okay after that. So yesterday I went shopping for side rails and we had a much quieter night last night with no thumps.