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So Thursday afternoon while driving back from bobcat territory i talked on the phone with my husband who was rushing from job to job to campus and round and round. again changing our plans for next 72 hours with the new influx of situations and what not. in the midst of all this chaos my husband says to me, "Well, i was planning on taking you out to dinner tomorrow night."
To which i replied with a dumbfounded, "What?... er, i mean, really?... Why?" Not that i wasn't completely gushing inside, but (taking the phone away from my face to check the number on the screen) was this my husband i was talking to?
"For our anniversary. " He says.
We got married in February, he's way off, should i tell him the truth or go along with it to get a "free dinner"?
"anniversary?... for wha-- oh, when we got engaged!" What a sweetheart. So we went out to dinner and i thought for posterity's sake i better get our engagement story written down.
Aaand it goes a little somethin' like this--hit it!
Place: San Diego, CA
Date: August 21, 2004
Who: Mr. E and the lovely Miss L
We took a trip to So Cal with E's parents for his dad's high school reunion. we dropped them off at the reunion and then our plan was to go to San Diego, walk around the temple and then the beach (i had never watched to sunset on the beach). the catch was that we had to make it there and back before the reunion got over. So as we are heading down to San Diego we are hitting major traffic. Dang. no biggie, i thought. but as the sun got closer to the horizon and we weren't get much closer to our destination E got more and more upset. wow. does this guy have some anger issues that are now just surfacing? what's the big deal? i was more excited about walking around that castle-like temple, the looks of it had always made it my favorite. it wouldn't be a big deal to me if we didn't go to the beach. we got to the temple and we only had a few moments before we would have to turn back around and go pick up the parents. we got out and walked around the temple. it is sooo beautiful. i was there with the man i was in love with. i was almost crying i was so happy. then we sat down and i told him how happy i was. "really?" he asked. "really, really happy?" he asked again. "yes." i choked out, almost crying. then he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. so of course then i did start crying. how perfect for us. it all made sense now. he had gotten so upset because he wanted to propose at sunset on the beach. well, i guess since that mystery was solved i could in good conscience say "yes."
so i had all of this on one gigantic post, almost finished after nearly 1.5 hrs of blood, sweat, and tears and then lost all but the first part! (which you see as part I) GRRRRRRR! but that's okay, i've slept it off, and have committed to not let this foreign language of blogging get the best of me. i shall prevail!
so after our 2 weeks of swim lessons were over i would have loved to sign up dear N for another session, but the entire next week i would be gone to: GIRLS' CAMP!
So okay, that's not me on that buckin' bronc'. i did it the day before when there weren't any cameras, or helmets or pads. needless to say, i got a little bruised up, but i got a lot of respect...? Mr. E designed the logo for our shirts, by the way. coolest girls' camp shirts ever, right? We have gone swimming here and here .
Last weekend we also went here for grandpa d's work party.
here's some pictures of the "wild life."
The other night at my house 5 teenage girls came to watch "wipe-out" but it wasn't on until later, so we watched this instead. and cried and cried.
i signed N up for some dance lessons. so we promptly (even though we still have several weeks before class starts, but who can wait?) went to get these (and of course i got them bogo 50% plus used a coupon for an extra 20% off!):
I have to say that these dance shoes have been the source of many proud mommy moments! (notice how in the second picture her knee is turned out to the side instead of forward? and her toe is pointed? she has been doing it without holding onto anything, she just was holding the chair in this picture, and notice the nicely rounded arm and relaxed hand, and...) she wears her slippers ALL the time now. I ...i mean, WE are so excited for dance to start!Oh, and in case you couldn't tell in the pictures- aunt j cut N's hair for us. way cute, huh?
the parade at the 4th of july. of which N would not take part. until eventually...she did, after everyone else was about done... what matters is that she looked dang cute on her hand-me-down bike with the new princess basket and "jing-jing" bell to dress it up.
The day was full of patriotic activities: chatting, raising the flag, saying the pledge, shedding a tear or two out of appreciation, eating, decorating cupcakes, watching the kiddie parade and then pelting them all with candy, making up our own sound track to the city fireworks display with j.timms, participating in and watching the family ..."variety show?" and watching my daughter for the first time grasp the concept of the sparkler.
My favorite part of the 4th of july: the next night when the sistas stayed up until 4 in the morning hashing out the details of the past, crying from laughing, laughing from crying. and relishing in the memories of the wonderful mississippi mud fudge brownies that big sis made not once, but twice. i always knew i liked her...
My least favorite part of the 4th of july: waking up at 6 after going to bed at 4 so the hubs could get back home to get to work. probably even less favorable for him, but what a great guy for understanding that i need time with my girls.
Also on the 4th uncle Gary passed away. God bless that man for the trials he endured on this earth. i'm not sure there are many who could deal with those difficulties and still smile at all. Let's remember him the way he was before it all.
I went to his funeral that following week and am almost positive it was exactly what he would want. fun, light-hearted and respectful.
Then there was the Bingham Reunion. From which my most vivid memory is of sweet Laura asking, "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO UPDATE YOUR BLOG?!!!" the guilt has been tormenting me. the pressure has been so intense... so i must dedicate this essay to Laura... and ask in return, "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO START A BLOG?!!! AND LET ME IN ON IT?!!!"
Following that N started swim lessons. i don't have any digital photos to share, so i'll paint a picture for you. N in her purple little mermaid swimsuit, sitting on the side of the pool, yelling at the other kids to stop splashing between moments of sucking her fingers and telling the lifeguard she has to go the bathroom...again...and again. but we made it through! and by the last two days of the 8 days of lesson, she was smiling and laughing. all it took was a green (not the yellow!) water noodle. who would have thought. i'll never let my kid quit...especially when i've already paid. way to stick it out mom, i knew she'd come through.
to be continued...
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/5/bizplaces09_Pocatello-ID_100075.html
check out this web address from forbes magazine. so apparently pocatello is ranked #62 (right behind st. george) for places to start a business and they used a great picture of our yellow house, taken from standing near our other house. we aren't sure how old the picture is, but there isn't a tree in the front yard at all now. but we thinks it's pretty cool!
A few sundays ago i was sitting in sacrament meeting nervous about playing my cello for the musical number. i kept praying to be able to calm down and do well, i was so worried about embarrassing myself and distracting from the spirit.
well, during the sacrament my sweet young 'un would not put her empty cup back in the tray. so i started to squeeze her hand so she would let go of it. it popped out of her hand and landed on the floor. the deacon picked up the cup and put it in the tray and walked off. N immediately whirled around to look at me and in her "outside voice" asked, "ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR!?"
undoubtedly she had no idea what that meant. i whispered, "shhhh, no, i didn't."
but she was adamate and persisted, "ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR?"
"no," i whispered," please be quiet!"
"ARE YOU" she began again, this time i covered her mouth while trying to convince her that i had not called her a liar. but she would not be muzzled, escaped my grasped and yelled, "I'M NOT A LIAR! MOMMY, YOU'RE A LIAR!"
this continued for a few more rounds before she finally relented.
now, of course i have a sense of humor and thought the whole thing was quite funny, but couldn't help but also be embarrassed. i hung my head, afraid to look up and expose my red face and see all the giggling faces looking at me. it was at that moment i realized that God answers our prayers in mysterious ways. for i could not possibly embarrass myself any more. i felt much more calm about playing my cello. (which by the way went just fine)
So i've just started my couponing adventures and am still figuring things out myself. But i like to go to this website: pinchingyourpennies.com i click on state forums and then on my state, i also check out UT because sometimes they are faster at posting things. every tues. morning they have the albertson's preview which shows you all the great deals that will be happening for the next week starting on wednesday. they also have some utube videos about organizing a coupon binder. i also heard of another website called couponcents or something like that. sounds pretty good, but it costs.
i cut coupons from the newspaper and put them in my binder. recently i've had some huge success just looking at the ads to see what's already on a good sale. then if i don't have a coupon for it but i want it, i go to the website for the product and see if i can get a coupon for it. for example freddy's had an "in-store" coupon for 2 for $3 on kellogg's cereal. which is a decent deal already. but then i went to kelloggs.com found a coupon for a dollar off each box. wal -lah! fifty cents a box. now mind you, i only printed off for the ones that were specifically stated on the in-store coupon.
that's another thing. you can mix coupons. an "in-store" with a "manufacturer's" for example, but you can't use two of the same on the same item. so you can't use two manufacturer's coupons on the same item. but you can do a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon. and you can use coupons on the "free" item in buy one get one free.
so if you have two manufacturer's coupons. and you are buying one and getting one free, you still can use both coupons, even though technically it's a "free" item. you're taking it home and off the shelf, that's all they care about. and don't feel bad like you're ripping them off. the manufacturer puts out the coupon to get you to buy their product so the store's will order more of their product and the store is getting money from the manufacturer when you use your coupon. it's a win for everyone! so ladies, start your coupon engines!
