dog, it's wintertime!

apparently it has been too cold outside lately for this dog of ours. or maybe he is just getting lazy.

he stands half-in and half-out of the door. all the time. it's a new thing.

i threaten to make him start paying the heating bill (yes, we do have one). but it doesn't seem to work.

oh, what can you do for a couple of bucks?

 

so i got these gingerbread houses last year on christmas eve at costco for a couple of bucks. who knew they would last an entire year...and not one broken piece of gingerbread or candy. and the icing worked great. except the green but we didn't need that.

we pulled them out for some sunday night fun.

and they did have fun.

and it didn't matter that the kits were a year old. the kids couldn't taste the difference.

and i don't think tucker cared. he just liked being in the middle of it all.

gingerbread houses: $4
eating year-old candy: priceless

in honor of his 35th birthday...

things i love about shawn...

1. his smile. i fell in love with it the first night out in that bowling alley in enoch, utah. i tried to get him to dance after every strike but he only smiled. it was good enough for me.

2. his quiet nature. it is such a calming influence on me. and we all know that calmness is what i need regularly.

3. his humor. he is quite funny. but you have to really be listening to hear it...beacause of #2.

4. his thoughtfulness. a text here, a note there. he loves me, i know.

5. his energy. he is ALWAYS doing something. used to drive me nuts, now i appreciate it.

6. he works hard. always.

7. his loyalty. to me. i would have left me a long time ago.

8. he is a great dad! a better dad than i am mom. he lets the kidlets help him in the kitchen, yard, garage, where ever he is. i prefer to do it myself. the kids love being with him.

9. his creativity. he serves the kids mac & cheese in wine glasses and lights candles for a special dinner night for them.

10. his willingness to do anything for our family. he even applied for a job at byu...his dad gave him the okay as long as he doesn't start cheering for them.

11. his laugh...his outloud, belly laugh. it doesn't happen very often (again, see #2) but when he is with his brothers...

12. his driving skills. i know i often make fun of his "grandpa" style of driving, but i know we will always be safe.

13. his love.

happy birthday, shawn! i love you...

what? huh? really?

so i took this quiz here.

i thought i might be a sugar cookie, or even something a little chocolately with some nuts. especially some nuts and i am okay with that. but NO!

i am oatmeal raisin.

ugh.

don't get me wrong. i like a good oatmeal raisin cookie. but it is not my first, or even second choice. it's a little boring. and raisin-y.

and shawn doesn't even like raisins. in fact, he despises them. especially in cookies.

and i am an oatmeal raisin cookie. what am i suppose to do about this new revelation? do i tell shawn?

i could retake the quiz.

but that would be cheating.
and i don't think oatmeal raisin cookies cheat.

Hey! Here's what I want for Christmas!

i received an email with that title from anna this morning. here is the email:

Disney - Pixar - UP! It is available on Blu-ray and DVD November 10.
nintendo dsi
a guitar
a guitar
beetles
new music
new music
cool posters
new clothes
new shoes
some books
some cool movies
a new dog
smecils and japanese erasers


i am happy to see there isn't two new dogs on the list.

daddy daughter derby date

for activity days, anna got to have a pinewood derby with her dad. she designed the car, he cut it out and they painted together. shawn made sure it was up to code and had plenty of graphite in the wheels. and guess what, they came in second place. but more importantly they beat the cougar car!



don't they make a cute couple...

reduction of force

that's what they called it when they laid shawn off yesterday.

oh well.

it sucks.

but what can you do?

i have been brainstorming now that i'm all cried out.

here are a few of my ideas...

*switch to margarine instead of yummy, yummy butter. it's quite a bit cheaper. but i don't know if it would be worth it...

*get double use of clothing by wearing everything twice or three times before washing...including underwear (you can wear it twice by turning in inside-out the next day).

*shower in the dark.

*air dry all hair...so please don't ask if i did my hair or anna's hair when you see us.

*eat leftovers...i know some of you already do and you still have your jobs but this will be new to us.

*darn our socks.

*dress extra warm this winter...although i already keep my heat pretty low, don't know how much this will help.

*don't go anywhere...save on gas. home is best anyway.

*save all of tucker and alice's hair and weave it into sweaters.


just a few ideas. more are welcome, please.

and if he still doesn't have a job in a few months, does anyone know how to do a home delivery. i just don't think i could deliver my own baby. yours, maybe. but not my own.

one more thing, if anyone has any extra prozac, please, pass it my way, please? i might need it in a month or two when my supply runs out.


really, we will be fine. i know we will. let's hope.