Melanee's new car

Melanee got a new car....well a 1987 car, but it's new to her.  It's a Honda civic two door hatchback.  It has 125,000 miles on it.  It works great....well, after it's warmed up.  Only bad part is Melanee can't drive it, she doesn't have insurance and it's not registered, but Scott and I can drive it, she's so jealous...haha....you think it will make it to Texas???? 

Let's Dance for Kids

For Family Home Evening yesterday we played wii.  First we did "Let's Dance" (Kids version) then we played Mario Cart.  I don't think I won any of the games.  It was so fun that we played Lets Dance again tonight....this time we closed the curtains.  I wasn't sore this morning from the work out, guess I should be dancing harder, haha!  Lucky for YOU I didn't get any video of the FUN!

Andrew Basketball

Andrew is in the blue. He's pretty tall.  He usually gets the rebounds.

Remember during flag football, I tried to do a photo after each game...I just remembered to do that (it was the 5th game).  But Andrew's smile is just way too fake here!  Oh well, love him anyway!!!

TV

As you probably know my most favorite, neeeeeeed to watch, never miss, tv time are the Sharks games.  But there are a few other shows that I really enjoy; they are:  Revenge, Once Upon a Time, Switched at Birth, and Pan Am.  I watch them all on Hulu a few days after they are shown on tv.  This way I can enjoy them alone, with ear phones on (so that I can hear better), and I can pause and go back if I ever need to.  They are all pretty good shows, with good stories and good acting.  Revenge is one I wouldn't watch with my kids (or Scott) around (adult themes).  Once Upon a Time is just GREAT, I wish they would watch it with me, it is SO good.  Switched at Birth is probably made for teenagers, but I really enjoy the twists and turns and the deaf storyline.  And Pan Am is enjoyable for its travel, its 60's setting, and there is also a spy type storyline going on along with all the love drama.  Maybe another reason I watch these all on Hulu is because I CANT miss the Sharks games, even for favorite tv shows. 

Tuesday

It's Tuesday morning.  I'm home alone for another 30 minutes.  Should I clean house.  Do the things on my TO DO list.  Should I take a shower.  Ummmm, laundry!!!!  Nah, I'm going to blog (then get to those other things.)

I still CAN NOT believe William is going to FRANCE.  The past two missionaries to leave from our ward went to Washington state and New York.  Two of the kids friends went to Montana.  Another also went to New York.  Our nephew is going to Los Angeles.  There are a few kids from our stake in Mexico, central, and south America.....but NO ONE from around here gets called to FRANCE!  PARIS FRANCE.  And it's still so funny to me that I guessed it, that I had a feeling that's where he would be going.

When I was in high school I took French class.  I did not learn A THING.  When Melanee was in high school, she also took French.  I remembered my experience and thought, you are never going to use this for ANYTHING, but let her take the class anyway.  She did not learn A THING.  In fact, when she went to SVU she had an option of testing out of foreign language or taking 2 years of foreign language....she opted for the two years....she took SPANISH!  haha.  When William registered for high school classes, he also took FRENCH.  French, what an odd language for someone is CALIFORNIA to take??!!!????  Right?  Well, I think he will be glad now that he know a little about the country, the language, the culture....because he will be living there for TWO YEARS.  Two years!  THAT is a long time.  It's not like a vacation....two years....he will have to do everything in French...including TEACHING French people!  It will not be like the Hmong missionaries here in Chico, who speak English for at least half of their dealings with people.....EVERYTHING will be done there in French---church, conferences, meetings, everyday life.

I cant wait to get his letters and hopefully pictures.  I've never been to France.  (I have never been out of the country, unless you count the time we walked into Mexico so Scott could try to barter to get a cheap blanket.)  

This whole William going on a mission thing is something he has been getting ready for all of his life, but WOW it seems to have snuck up on me FAST.  I'm glad he got to go to that semester at SVU first.  It would be hard for him to just go away on his mission straight from high school, well, hard for ME, he would have done fine!

Soccer season starts tomorrow.  I am coaching Andrew's team.  We are the Sharks.  Isn't that a cool team name!!????  haha!  It's my second time coaching the Sharks, do you think the league pres KNOWS that I am a HUGE Sharks fan, yes?  Andrew is still in basketball and scouts.  Bradley is also playing soccer.  He will have soccer, scouts, and church basketball, too.  Busy kids!  Busy mom!!!

The wedding planning is coming along.  Melanee keeps wanting to move up the date....but it's really going to be March 24th because the invitations are printed and the temple has been reserved.  Visitors are coming from all over the nation, so we really need to begin cleaning our house!!!!!  Come on over with a dumpster and paint brush if you want to help!!!!

The San Jose Sharks are driving me batty.  I can not understand why they cant just win EVERY game.  That's not asking too much is it?

France Paris

Yesterday William's roommate got his mission call.  He had turned in his papers a day before William, so I guess we were thinking that since William didn't get his call yesterday, we'd have to wait until next week.  This afternoon, I went out to lunch with my good friend Michelle.  I wasn't home when the mail man came.  But Scott and Melanee were home.  They got the mail.  And guess what was in it????  A BIG WHITE ENVELOPE.  THE BIG WHITE ENVELOPE. 



look at that SMILE!  (taken after getting his call to serve)

Scott had to go back to work, I had a meeting at the school, and William wasn't home from work yet, so THEY decided to open it at 6 our time, 7 William's time.  (William is in Utah working.) 

If it would have been my decision, I would have skipped the meeting, Scott wouldn't have went back to work, and William would hurry home and we'd open the call THEN.  But everyone else is more patient than me, so we did their plan.

Scott even hid the call from me so that I wouldn't open it and peek.

Before the 6 oclock meeting time, the bishop called.  In talking to him, I invited him over for the unveiling of the mission call.  William is his "first" missionary to send out as a Bishop, so he feels really involved.  But when Scott got home at 6, the Bishop wasn't here and he wasn't answering his phone.  William, at about 5:50, our time, texted me and said that he was going to shave....he felt he needed to for the call opening...haha...I guess. 

At 6 when we tried to reach him on Skype there was no answer.  By about 10 after 6, our phones all started ringing with people wanting to know where he was going.  So on one phone was Scott's parents, another was Robin, our sister in law, and Mark, Scott's brother was on hold.  Then the camera would video.  Then the other camera wouldn't turn on.  UGH...then Bradley and Andrew started getting anxious, then it was chaotic all around. 

I wanted a video of the whole event, but it REALLLLLLLY did not turn out like I wanted it to.  First off, in the background is our patched wall and our SHOE PILE.  I planned on everyone sitting on the OTHER couch, but OH well!  And then I videoed US, when I SHOULD have been taping William's reaction.....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I'm so mad, I didn't get to see him.  But Bradley's reaction is taped and it is PRICELESS. 

On the video you can hear me scream out and I REALLLLLLLY hate that part, especially because Bradley, Andrew, Melanee, and Scott have teased me about it (way too much). 

A while back William made a Facebook page which asked people to predict where he was going and I picked "Paris" and I was RIGHT!.  So funny.  I can NOT believe it.  There are SO MANY missions in the world!  He could have been called anywhere.  PARIS FRANCE! 

WOW, amazing!  Exciting. 

He doesn't leave until May 30th and he will first go to the MTC for training and language lessons. 

I am proud of William.  He will make a great missionary.  He is such a wonderful person! 

It's here

It's HERE....somewhere.

William's mission call arrived in the mail today.....I wasn't here to get the mail, ah man....Scott and Melanee got it....and KNEW I'D OPEN IT, so they HID it.

Scott wants to be here when it gets opened....and he had to go back to work, until 6:00....so we have to wait a few more hours to find out where in the world William will be serving the Lord!  Woo Hoo.  SOOOOOO EXCITING!

Fence Repair

My dad lives in the first house on a street, so he has one fence that he doesn't share with a neighbor, so when it rots and blows over with a strong wind, he has to repair it himself.  Scott has fence building experience and tools, so my dad, Scott, Bradley, and Andrew went to work on fixing the fence.  I didn't take before and after pictures, but I took some while they were working.  Way back, hidden in the backyard is this beautiful tree.  It's also very fun to climb. 

It was a long, hard job, but I know my dad is happy to have it finished.  We found an umbrella in the dirt, under a tree, on a soft patch of dirt....odd....wonder if a homeless person once slept there, then forgot his umbrella?????  I don't know, but I bet it's nice to have a repaired fence! 

Sharks game

It's always fun to watch the Sharks game at my dad's house.  First of all, he has a large High Def television.  And he has a DVR, so we can skip commercials if the game is recorded.....He also has a fridge and cupboards full of good food....but best of all is his often times witty commentary of the game (or of us watching the game). 

Watching hockey is not a spectator sport, yeah, we jump up and down, high five, chest bump and all that stuff.  Cheering is not optional, it's required.  I don't think my dad watches the Sharks in the same way.  Soooooooo, when My Favorite Player Patrick Marleau scored the GAME WINNING goal, yes, I cheered loudly.  I also threw my hands in the air, by doing so I somehow hurt my wrist, so I said, "Ouch I just hurt my wrist!"  My dad, said in his normal, monotone, voice, "You hurt my ears". 

BYU Game



William got to go to a BYU basketball game tonight.  They won.  Looks like he had pretty good seats---NOT!!!!  Thanks Jonathan and Trish for taking him.!!!!  I'm sure it was a blast.  BYU played against a school (Santa Clara) where a few of William's high school friends attend.  What a fun way to spend an evening in Utah!  UTAH!!!!! 

Basketball Week #2

Bradley's team had a bye today, so there was just Andrew's game.  It was also picture day.  Andrew dresses himself, that's why he's wearing orange shorts, a green shirt under a blue shirt!  He looked great!  I dont buy the league pictures because they are $10 bucks for a 5 x 7, what a rip off when I can just snap a photo like this with my camera.  I cant even blog the $10.oo ones without scanning them.  For the individual photos, they had a really cool background.  I asked the lady if I could take one of Andrew in front of it.  NO ONE WAS around.  The photographers were on their break.  I wasnt using their lights, their cameras, their skills, NOTHING, but she said "no" I couldn't use it.  Do you think I will EVER buy another picture from that company EVER again?????  NEVER!

I didn't get a picture of it, but Andrew won the tip off to start the game.  I thought it might be a good sign, but it wasn't. 

His team ended up losing 35-6.  THIRTY FIVE to six.  Not a fun game at all, for ANYBODY!  Andrew tried reallllllly really hard at the start, but got very discouraged, I felt sad for him.  By the end of the game he stopped even trying.  I can understand why he was not having fun, but I don't like that he stopped running or putting ANY effort into it.  I think if he worked hard on defence and is able to get steals and rebounds, he could just take the ball up himself and shoot.  His teammates DO NOT have any ability to pass at ALL. 

Of Andrew's team's 6 points, 2 of them were made by Andrew.  He also got 4 or 5 rebounds, a steal, a blocked shot, and he is now the guy who takes the ball in, because no one else can.....bad thing about that is that it never gets back to him after he passes it in. 

One guy on the other team was ALL OVER Andrew on defence.  Like pushing, shoving, grabbing, on top of him the whole time.  It was very frustrating for Andrew.  After the game, the dad of that kid came over and told me that Andrew is a REALLY good player.  I am thinking that their coach told the kids to mark Andrew like that, knowing that no one else is going to be able to do anything if Andrew is tied up.  I can see from their point of view that it's probably good coaching, but they are 10 year olds....it's kinda mean!

cell phone pictures



Scott and Bradley hunting photos from this past Saturday--

We didn't have any rope when we got our Christmas tree, so we drove home with it like this...it did fall off, but we were just pulling into our driveway, so it was perfect, no one had to lift it off the top of the car.

Ok, Everybody probably always says this, but I really mean it---"BEST PRIMARY CLASS EVER!!!'  These kids entertained me and taught me!  I MISS them SO MUCH now that I have a new class!  These kids were funny, smart, and I really enjoyed just being around them.  So far, this year, with my new class, all I really do is try to chase them around and get them to sit down....NOT the same as teaching these wonderful kids. 

Blogging

I've asked this before, but I don't think I got any answers----does anyone STILL blog????  I have kinda stopped because it seems like everyone else has, too.  (And because my life is boring and I know none of you want to hear about my speeding ticket or my eating spinach two nights in a row.)

Gina, Krisha, Ann, Allie?????  Blog some more, I'm super bored of Facebook...and Twitter's 140 characters per post arent enough to keep me entertained enough!!! 

Basketball is going on here, soccer is starting in a few weeks, wedding planning, mission preparations.....my blog is going to be getting really good, really soon, so...go on...do something about yours----for me! 

My Hair

looking at those pictures up on the blog header....lol....and I just noticed....I've had the SAME hair style for 10 years!  EWWWWW.  lol!

Boys Basketball

Bradley and Andrew are both playing basketball this season.  Andrew is playing in a 4th grade C.A.R.D league.  He is the only one from his school playing so he got put on a team with kids from two other schools.  They are coached by a mom of one of the players.  I can tell she has played basketball before, but her practices are ALL "here's where you should stand on defense" "here's where you should stand on offense" and not much practice shooting, passing, or dribbling.  He has 7 kids on his team, only 4 have any clue whatsoever about what is going on.  It's ok, though, I think they are having "fun".....maybe!

Andrew did well in the game.  He scored either 7 or 9 points, had 4 steals, 2 rebounds, and played really well!  They lost, though! 

he took a half court shot here at the end of the quarter to try to get a buzzer beater, but, ummmm, there was still 10 seconds left in the quarter...haha!

here is one of his steals

if you look hard you can see Bradley, he comes up to about this guys arm pit.

Then we went to Bradley's game.  He plays in the church league.  The only problem with that is that the kids are aged 12-18....and the team Bradley's team was playing against was mostly seniors in high school, while Bradley's team was made up mostly of 12 year old just out of primary puny sized kids. 

look at the score in the background...yeah, Bradley's team lost, too. 

More Kings pictures

I had two different cameras at the game in case one ran out of batteries or didnt work for some reason or another....so I found a few more pictures to share...

We stood by the Kings warm up, hoping for an autograph, William went over, with his poster, to the Bucks side of the court...he didn't get any autographs, either!

The Kings were down 21 points at halftime.  The Bucks were making EVERYTHING, but after Demarcus Cousins fouled out and when the Bucks started missing their shots, the Kings made a fantastic comeback.  It was very exciting to watch.  Watching and hearing the kids cheer for the Kings was fun, too. 

And we got free coupons for free tacos because the Kings won!

Sacramento Kings game 1-5-12

The other day we went to the Kings game.  They were playing the Bucks.  William really likes the Bucks because they have one of his favorite players now-  Beno Udrich.  He used to be on the Kings.  The tickets to the game were a Christmas present from us to the kids.  Scott didn't want to go.

Before the game we stood courtside, trying to get autographs during warm ups.....we didn't get any...in fact, no one did.  None of the players came over to the fans at all....dissapointing!

This is the view from our seats, we sat in the very top row, as high as possible, the cheapest seats in the house. 

I didn't notice till I saw this picture that we were sitting in the East Party Zone, haha! 

Family Get together

I know this is out of focus and I have a red (white) eye....and everyone else's eyes are CLOSED, but I wanted to post our latest family picture.....haha....yeah, we are an funny looking bunch!!!! 

We had a great visit, complete with Jimmer disagreement discussions, septic stuff in the SHOWER, i pad games, candy eating, scrapbook perusing, baby holding, photo taking, gift giving, and all around crazy family fun! 

I laugh at this picture because Sharon is W A Y back in the back, Andrew is making a creeper hand, but it just looks like Sharon's hand trying to pull herself up on Scott's shoulder, my dad and I are squishing in, but that's not really necessary, Scott is smiling BIG, and I never knew my hair was THAT long!  I asked Robin to send me her copy, I'm sure it turned out better because she put her camera on a box, so the angle is much better, her flash didn't go off so bright, so we all aren't squinting, and I bet it is focused better!

Missionary Paperwork Process

William leaves for Utah (to work for a few months before his mission) on Saturday, so he's been doing all the stuff to get his paperwork ready for his mission.  He did his dentist appointment and his physical.  The last thing he had left to do was to take a photo to accompany all the paperwork.  Oh MAN that was NOT easy.  First the sun was too bright, then his suit (that we bought when he was 14) was too small, then the photographer couldn't stop laughing.....it was just so hard to get even ONE snapshot.  So we gave it a rest.  We went to visit my dad this afternoon.  My brother, sister in law, and Sharon were also there visiting.  Robin, my sister in law, is really good with a camera, so we had her take some shots.  We ended up liking this one the best (hope no one notices that his tie is crooked!!!???!!!!???) 

What do you think???  Good choice????  I should share some of the out takes!!!   lol