Jacob's hair

We were going to get a haircut for Jacob today because as you may have noticed in the Apple Day and Smore pictures he needed a hair cut BAD! I picked him up after school and we drove across town to the one place that has video games you can play while they cut your hair. We got there and realized that it's Monday, they are closed on Monday! So on the way home we are talking about his hair and he tells me that he would like to grow it out even more (like Zach and Cody on the Disney Channel) so I say ok, I will cut your bangs and we'll call it good! (while I am thinking, sweet I just saved $15!) So we got home and he realized what I was thinking and didn't want any part of it! hahaha, well mom won this round. I cut his bangs and then had to show him online that it did look like Zach and Cody. Which I don't think he believes me even now, why did they have to have their hair flipped to the side instead of combed straight, that did not help me! Anyway, it's done! and it looks cute, or handsome I should say!

Smore Please

We made smores Friday! It was so much fun!

Our dog Izzy joined us of course, and she didn't repeat what she did at dinner fortunately! ~At dinner she took a piece of ham right out of Maddy's hand when Maddy wasn't looking, yikes, Izzy was in BIG trouble!~

Our Maddy

This is how Maddy went to school on Thursday! And it was NOT "dress crazy day" HAHAHAHA can you believe all I said was, "do you realize you have one tie-dyed sock and one white? Do you care?" (I didn't mention that she had a print shirt and striped pants) And of course her answer was, "No" she wouldn't hold still to take this picture either, how typical.

Apple Day!

Apples, apples, and more apples! My friend Lesley and I had so much fun making and canning apple butter, apple jelly, jalapeno jelly, and apple cider! We worked for over 8 hours, while our kids played! Lesley said she is still finding things that are so Jake, like her tomato cage turned upside-down in a tree with a dog leash attached (who knows what that contraption did). Here are some pictures of us working away. Here are Jake and Maddy, and then Lesley's kids, Skyler and Canyon.

Daily stuff

Hey, I am still here and checking. . . I have recently gotten onto Facebook so you can look for me there ;)

Our family went to an apple orchard this last weekend and picked apples and hung out with an old college roommate of Aaron's who is in TX. It was a really neat time, I am not doing it justice in this short space.

Now though my job is to make the apples into yummy stuff. Which a friend and I did all day yesterday. I have more things I would like to make including apple rollups so that is part of my plan for today! I will have pictures of us making apple butter, jelly, apple/pepper jelly soon. Unfortunately I forgot the camera when we went to the orchard. . . even after we had extra time since we had a flat tire as we were getting in the car Saturday morning! I still forgot it.

More Apple mania updates to come!

Date Night

Well, our date was great! We went to dinner at Carino's which was wonderful, how can bread and oil with garlic go wrong? We were right on time for the play we went to also. It was funny, the Midland Community Theater is ranked in the top 10 in the U.S. and they really do a great job. It was enjoyable to just talk and complete sentences!
I can't believe it's been 8 years! We sure have had fun.

Do you even know?

Oh, gracious I married a NERD!
I told him last night that I was going to blog about him, and he gave me a typical Aaron look. Like, "I really wish you wouldn't" I am just too floored not to!

Aaron created a program or a tool in Excel to perform a certain function for an oil field.

Let that sink in a minute, wow. . . that is not the jock I dated! HAHAHA He is so amazing!

Now, he created this tool when he was an engineer on his first field. He has passed this tool out to all of the engineers that have taken his place as he has moved from field to field and even passed it on to his intern. None of them use it, but today he has an internet meeting (like where he is on a web cam or something like a remote Beth Moore conference) and it's being shown to all of the Heads of each field! hahaha, (I am chuckling just because I am amazed and proud!) He is glad he has this opportunity because he said that these people are more apt to use it or to encourage their people to use it.
Ok, so yes, we know he is a genius (I love taking the liberty to just say that) do you know what a genius reads? HAHAHA, after the Popular Science and Popular Mechanics is done for the month, Aaron reads a TEXT book! Yeah, a text book on IRON MAKING and it's history! HAHAHA, while I am reading my Christian Romance he reads about Iron Making, like at night before we turn out the light.
If this is truly normal, please tell me. Maybe I just love my squishy, lovey romance world too much. So please if you or someone you know (other than Aaron) love to read about the history of iron making, enlighten me, let me know and I will edit this blog :)
I am still in Awe of my honey! I do need to go and get ready for our hot date tonight. Do you realize we have been married for 8 years?!?! Wow, it's kinda crazy. In some ways it doesn't feel near that long and in others it seems like forever (In the good and comforting ways it feels like forever)

What's up with us

I was trying to think of what to write about what we as a family are doing, and I don't feel like there is a lot to write about.
Aaron just got back from recruiting for Chevron at Montana Tech. He brought goodies back so that's fun, I will be sporting my "Digger" pants proudly. I think he should be here for the rest of the year which is a very welcome thought!

Jacob is psyched about his fundraiser for school and has a huge goal of winning a robot. hahaha you can email me if you want to get online and order something :) He is not doing sports this fall but is in gymnastics once a week and is liking that. I love having weekends free too! He is also doing Cub Scouts which is just starting up. hahaha Popcorn sales start October 1st! hahaha, be ready :D I thought with him not doing sports this would be a great laid back fall. . . well cub scouts is going to be a lot of work :) I told Aaron in the beginning though that it's his deal, I am not going to be pushing for achievements. . .we'll see how long I can hold to that :)

Maddison has started Pre-k and is going everyday. In some ways it's hard for me and in others its wonderful! We are so proud of her, she has started bringing home word cards from school this week! Which is a huge deal :) she is the first in her class to do so. At Montessori they teach each child at their own level and it's exciting to see her interest in reading grow with bringing home the word cards. Sorry to brag, but if we don't brag for our kids who will? {shrug} She is also doing gymnastics onces a week, which is great, she is gifted; it's fun to watch her improve! I don't know what we'll do in the spring when some more of her friends are going to start soccer, we may try both. . . I don't know.

I am doing ok, pretty overwhelmed but I think with MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) starting on Friday it will slow down a bit. I just feel like I am in a constant race, and just running and not stopping. I guess I am stopping but even when I am paused I am thinking about what I need to organize or do next. For those of you who aren't here in Midland I am on the board for our MOPS group and doing a bible study and getting ready to lead a life group (community group for our church) in which we are going to start another bible study. I am also on the PTA board at Jake's school. So that is why I feel like I am running a race constantly. I am doing ok, not sure yet if my endurance is going to increase or if I will run out of energy. I really think my endurance is increasing and I feel like I will be able to relax soon.
That's enough for now, I love you all!

Let's go a little Political

Hahahaha, I am already curious about what my sister and sister in-law are going to think about this one. . . but here is my heart on some of the political MUCK.

So I am not an Obama fan, nor am I a huge McCain fan. I am however a HUGE Sara Palin fan. I do totally wish that she was at the top of the ticket, but that's not what the "people in charge" are doing hahaha ;) That said I am going to proceed with some opinions.

Did Obama mean to refer to Palin with the pig joke? No, Yes. No, he used a common saying and the audience took it the "wrong" way. Yes, I think he did mean a reference to it because he paused for laughter/applause, but I think he wanted it under the surface enough so that he could deny it. This is harder to explain than I thought. I do think that McCain/Palin had a right to be up in arms, I am tired of the Republicans laying down and taking whatever junk is thrown their way. I hope I am able to be understood, hahaha, and that you still love me, in spite of it in some cases :D

The SNL skit. . . was hilarious! I do think that McCain/Palin people were being a little touchy on this one. It's SNL, they paint everyone in a bad light! Just laugh!

San Antonio Trip

OK, so I am back tracking a bit, but this was an amazing trip and I cannot skip it!

Imagine a girls weekend, filled with girly food your man won't touch, no fights to break up between children, Beth Moore, lots of girl talk, and the most shopping you have done in close to 10 years. Sound like a dream? No, that was how I spent my Birthday this year! It was an adventure unlike I have ever taken. Myself and three other friends (picture right to left: Brylyn, me, Lesley, Natali) went to San Antonio for a Beth Moore conference August 22-23rd. The ride there was great, we only had to stop twice not the usual million. We actually got to talk and even finish sentences! We got to San Antonio in time to stop where we were staying (Lesley's in-laws) and change for the conference, then off to La Madaline for a very yummy girly meal. We even had time to check out the Fiesta store and then off to the Alamodome for early check in! I could write a book about the conference, the worship, Beth's teaching, it was truely amazing! After the conference (9:30) instead of rushing home to put the kids down we went to the River Walk and ate some awesome mexican food. Then back to where we were staying, to go to bed. The next morning we were at the conference early and again it was more than I can express. After the conference there was a gathering of all the women who blog on Beth's website, there were 1,000 of us. We got to take group pictures with Beth and her two daughters and then we sat in the stands of the Alamodome and had some question and answer time for them. They gave out door prizes and one of the questions was "Does anyone have a birthday today?" well guess what, it was MY BIRTHDAY! So I got to hug Beth and choose a prize from a basket filled with things she had written! Again too amazing to put to words. After all of this we went shopping at the outlets in San Marcus, I have not shopped like that with no kids and no time schedule since the spring break before I got pregant with my son, who is 8! When my friends and I met up (I was in my own world, literaly by my self trying on clothes for most of the afternoon, amazing) I was in tears showing them all that I had gotten, hahaha, what a girl! We had dinner at 9pm, what mom does that? It was not just any dinner it was of course my Birthday dinner so we went to PF CHANG'S! Oh, again, too much for words! The next day (Sunday) we went to Max Lucado's church and heard him speak, then waited for lunch for 45 minutes and enjoyed it, again who does that with kids? We ate a leasurely lunch and headed for Midland, with a lot more girl talk!

Finally

I am finally doing a blog. My sister encouraged me to start on probably a year ago. hahaha, looking back I had more time then! I can't promise daily updates or really even weekly, but I will try to do my best.