Addi sledding

Here's Addi getting the most out of the snow. She is trying to sled down our driveway.

Snow Day

Rio Rancho got some snow the other day, it snowed all day long. So, I got the call that school was cancelled which is so funny. Anyways, the kids had fun making a little snowman, jumping on the trampoline with all the snow and Addi decided it would be fun to ride her sled down our rock pile on our driveway to the street. Good thing no cars came when she went all the way to the other side to our neighbor's driveway. Asher was dying to go outside and I had this older hand-me-down snowsuit that cracked us up, got him in it and then he was ticked with it on. He fun outside for a little bit and then he was just mad with the attached gloves, so we went back inside and he was mad again. Oh brother!

Chadd Takes Another Lover

That's right everybody. There's just enough game left in this old playa to bag a new phone. You didn't think I'd take a real lover and have the audacity to post it on our family blog right? Didn't think so. But you've got to check one of these out sometime. I'm sure most of you have seen the commercial where they show somebody looking up google maps and then kicking over to google streetview and it shows up in real time on the phone where the person is. Well, that aint the half of it honey. This thing's got a touch screen, removable high capacity micro SD card (up to 16 gigs of removable love. Makes the iPhone look like a table cracker.) 3.1 mp camera, 3g capable, google talk, AIM, MSN msgr, Yahoo msgr, facebook, gmail, any other POP or IMAP mail, and thats just the shizzle already insizzle. Feel me?

Also, the operating system the G1 uses (I refuse to use the degrading term "smart phone" for something so elegant) is the google android open source platform. For all you non-nerds out there, this means the phone can be modified and applications can be developed by anyone with the time and ability to do so. In turn most of these apps are free at the android market site accessible on the G1 unlike the cash you gotta lay out in Apple's app store (take that iCracker). We're talking totally useful apps, as well as games, like Compare Everywhere, a barcode scanner program that lets you scan the barcode on something you want to purchase which in turn pulls up prices, both locally and online, and reviews from people who've purchased in the past. I use this all the time.

The other day I dl'd this game called Zombie Run which uses the GPS function on the phone (that's right, built in GPS that uses google maps to give you Garmin-like directions to your destination in real time--I know, totally worth its own paragraph, but you gotta pick your battles. So, I see my location on the phone and I have to pick a destination I'd like to get to. Np I'm thinking, so I pick something a couple of blocks away and BAM!! Sweet mama, I've got zombies coming at me from all sides. They aren't moving quick, they're the undead after all, I've heard that tends to take the zip out of your stride, but they're trying to cut me off! I've got to move quickly. I'm out of my house, and running like a crazed chicken licker trying to evade the walking dead who want to kill me, but nobody else knows what I'm doing. So I'm checking my G1 to see where those jerks are while watching out for curbs and vegetation and running down the street. People are looking out their windows and up or down the street thinking double d's finally lost it, I knew the day was coming. "Hey Madge come get a load of that Hiatt joker up the street. I think his thought box's finally bought the farm. I told you it was gonna happen." I haven't even told Tracy about this yet, but man, if a game can get my butt out of my house and running then I gotta give it props. I mean, I can move. I got wheels still, even if they're only good for short sweaty distances at this point, but I hate running with a passion born of sore knees and shrivelled, atrophied lungs. I made it, but I hate zombies too.

Oh, and I love this thing so much that I bought a Best Skins Ever protector for it. they're only $7.99 plus shipping but you gotta check out this video and see that it really makes a huge difference. This cat goes after his laptop with a fork and can't scratch it because of the protector. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY6pYOtb328&feature=related . So, now that you all want one you can check out http://www.bestskinsever.com/ and get yours. It's a little grippy right after you put it on and it will pull lint out of your pocket for a week or so, but that goes away quickly and you'll love the fact that you can't scratch your touchscreen now! Buy it for your iCracker too. Other companies like Zagg are selling they're "invisible shield" for 25 bones. Lame. Same stuff too as far as I can tell. Buy it, you'll thank me later.

London's Fancy Outfit

London dressed up in her own creative way and then had to put on some of my jewelery, perfume and my red lipgloss (that didn't really stay on just her lips) and then wanted a pic of herself. She comes up with some fun stuff, gotta love her creativity. I love her! (oh, and I can't forget that she put on her favorite Hannah Montana shoes that she wants to wear with EVERYTHING!)

Newly Painted Door and Asher's New Church Clothes

We finally painted our front door, and after a couple of weeks, I like it. I have a hard time with choosing paint color and go into shock for awhile after we have painted something. Picking out paint colors is such a difficult thing for me, if I was better at it more of my house would be painted already. Anybody with expertise can come help me anytime!!! The door painted definitely makes it look cleaner.
I also finally found some church clothes for Asher, and now he is the man! Look at that handsome boy!

Asher and Pie

This is Asher enjoying someone else's pie that they left for a second. Cute boy!

Thanksgiving on our own for the first time

We stayed home for the first time in 12 years to have our own Thanksgiving. We had some friends, the Drakes, over for the feast. It was a fabulous dinner!! We had pretty much everything we would have if we had gone home. We made rolls, sweet potato casserole, cheesy vegetables, and 4 pies. They were all super good. We also had some mishaps with salt as we were making stuff and had to throw away a batch of rolls and pie filling, we were getting delirious by the end of the night before Thanksgiving, but luckily we caught our mistakes and didn't serve salt rolls and salt pumpkin pie:) Jamie Drake brought cards for the kids to make, which they loved. Then had some more neighbors over, the Fitzgerald's, for pie. We had 7 pies and a pan of brownies for 6 adults and 8 kids. Lots of fun, the only bummer was it rained pretty much all day and the kids couldn't go outside and play. Fun day though and nice not to have to make the 10+hour drive to Utah for a few days. But it is sure nice to go home too and not have to make so much stuff as well.

Asher's New Toy Box

I had to find a new way of hiding Asher's toys downstairs, so it didn't look like just a playroom in our family room. I found this leather ottoman with hinged storage inside, which is very easy for him to open and right at his height to get at his toys. But his favorite thing is to climb inside with his toys. It's too cute!

Asher's New Trick

Asher wanted to get in the shower with me the other day, he signed "please", but I had to say no. Well, I hear something like kicking the tub next to the shower and think Asher is just kicking the side of it. Well, I get out and there is Asher in the tub fully clothed with the water on. He was having a grand old time. He was probably like "oh, really, we will see about that" when I said no to him. The little punk! Luckily, I have caught him doing this one other time since then. (I do keep the door to my bathroom closed at all times now).

London's Build-A-Bear Party

London wanted a build-a-bear party for her 6th party. She had a great time and so did the kids. And Mom was happy not to have to clean-up or plan a bunch of party games:) Definitely a win-win.

Addi's Pick for Dinner

I got this cookbook from my mother-in-law of fun things to make for dinner. Addi saw this dinner with octupus and seaweed and just had to have it. They thought it was the best dinner ever, definitely not the most nutritious! Chadd wouldn't even eat it-punk:) Asher thought it was pretty great as well and had to have a serving spoon to eat it with.

Terrible Blogger lately

I've been so horrible about posting lately. Nothing too eventful, I guess. We did just do a huge amount of planting in our yard. Wish it meant we were done, but still have more. Little by little. I will post some pics soon of the backyard and thanksgiving. We stayed home this year and it was nice, except we miss our family back in Utah.

Halloween

The kids had a great time this Halloween. They got to trick-or-treat twice and Asher thought it was the bomb. Addi was a 50's girl, London Minnie Mouse and Asher a bear.

Flight Home

We luckily had two rows to ourselves on the way home. Here's Asher climbing the plane seats, pretty impressive. Addi was holding a barf bag to her mouth half the way home and luckily for all on the plane that there were 30 seats empty. A man told us how good our kids were when we got off the plane, he was really impressed, so I guess they did pretty good for the 4 hour flight back. The only bummer to our trip was not making it to the beach due to weather and of course the kids getting sick at the end, but it was all very memorable and well worth it. And now you all are pretty sick of seeing our whole album of our trip to Disneyworld, so don't worry this is the end:)

Gatorland

We went to Gatorland the day we flew home. Had to see the gators!! We saw gator wrestling and tons of gators, and then the kids played in the splash park. It was a good end to our trip.