A cute one from Dylan...

Just to start Dylan wears glasses...

The other day the kids were watching a movie with a friend. Dylan walked over to the TV and stood close to watch. The friend said, "Dylan you'd better sit down or your going to go blind." Dylan replied, "I already am blind."

Funny!
Posted by Stephanie at 9:11

Ready for an Answer!

I'm quite nervous and excited about this week. I'm expecting a job offer to move my family back to Utah. This move is a little different than the one that took us from Seattle to Houston and I've really struggled with my emotions because of the stresses involved with work and of being away from home.

Since I've been here the company has made several "organizational changes". Every one of them has affected me though. The day after I got here they let one of the 2 buyers go, so instead of working on managing inventory I had to slide back into a buyer role. That was a totally stressful situation since I was buying commodities that I wasn't familiar with and for a product that I knew nothing about. Not only that but I had been away for my family for only a week, so home sickness and loneliness only compounded my emotional state.

Then just 2 weeks ago they let my 2 bosses go, the purchasing manager and general manager....both of whom had an instrumental role in getting and keeping me here. So now I'm totally alone and confused with only an unhappy controller and a distant wife to confide in.

I've been able to escape into the confines of my brother's house, which is in the middle of the Uintah Mountains at the Flaming Gorge National Park. The drive is not the most scenic, but there is abundant wildlife and abundant time for me to occupy my mind. In driving home today I was surrounded by snow covered peaks, deer, elk, pine trees, hay fields, rivers, streams, historic markers, geological phenomenon and lots of sagebrush. The thought came to me that this was the same area that I grew up in and would love to have my children experience. I think I came to the conclusion that this is where we need to be.

So how do you determine what's best for your family, I ask? Is it fasting and prayer? Is it common sense or familiar surroundings? Or is it both? I know people get their answers in different ways and at different times. For me it seems to come as I immerse myself in daily life and activities.

With Samantha being here with me last weekend I felt impressed that she needs to be close to her sister and that my kids need to be closer to their cousins. I've been telling myself that I want to be closer to family because I feel like we've been left out and/or forgotten and right now this is where most of our family is. It isn't the most convenient place for us, but Texas sure isn't.

Needless to say I'm looking forward to spending time in the Temple this week and to finally bring this soap opera of a "short term, temporary" job assignment to a close. And as I proofread this post I can only wonder if I've already made my choice and if it's the right one.

Can't resist...Alex is the funniest kid!

So I am on the home stretch with the Super Saturday wood cutting. Alex was helping me wipe the saw dust off the blocks and then he started counting them. He made it over a hundred then quit. I told him there were about 350 blocks and he patted me on the back, then put his head on my side and said to me..."WOW, you must be one tired woman!" :)

One more...

After all our morning chores Alex says he is "poofed!" As for me I am pooped!
HaHa!

One more "Alex"ism

Today when we got in the car it was really hot and they boys asked me to turn on the air. I turned it on Hi and I heard Alex in the back say, "Now this is the life!"

I love him! He can always make me smile!

From the mouth of Alex

So yesterday was the first day of Pre-K for me. Needless to say it was terrible! Crying kids, snot, small classroom and just plan disorganized. Anyhow...this morning I was getting ready for the day and was getting my shoes on and noticed something on my shoe. Here is how the conversation with Alex went:

Alex: Gross what is that?

Mom: I think its a smashed raisan.

Alex: Gross, how was snack time?

Mom: Terrible!

Alex: Food fight???

Mom: HAHAHAHAHAHA

He is pretty funny sometimes!

1 week down, 11 to go...

Justin has been in Utah for a week now and we have been without a dad for a week too. Yesterday when Justin called and talked to Dylan, Dylan said he had forgotten he had a dad until he saw a picture of him on the refrigerator that morning. It made Justin sad but I thought it was funny. Dylan says funny things. He didn't really forget he just has been too busy to remember that Justin is gone. Emma said it is like he is just playing tennis every night. We actually have had a great week. We were gone every night except Monday so there really hasn't been much time to think about Justin being gone. Busy, Busy, Busy. This week will be no exception. I start Pre-K tomorrow and my class has 16 3 year olds...about 5 have turned 3 within the last 2 months. They are young, I am not sure what were are giong to do. Lots of playdough and stringing beads. Tactile stuff. I am not sure how much of the other things they will be interested in. It is a little scary for me since last year our classes were combined ages 3-5, so if you had a few three year olds in the class and they weren't interested in the activity they would just kinda do their own thing. But with them all being so young it will be interesting. Good thing it is only 2 days a week. The kids are doing well in school...Emma is having a hard time getting her homework done. Tonight as I was putting them to bed she said she forgot to do it. Maybe I am a bad mom but I can't remember to remind her. I have told her that this is her responsibility. I remind her when she gets home from school but Friday she said she would do it over the weekend...mistake. Anyway if they don't have it for school they get detention. This scares her to death. I said to her what if I can't come get you from detention...if I am working. Oh...tax payers dollars at work...there is a special bus that takes all the detention kids home. No wonder my property taxes are 3.5% aarrghhh! All in all we doing fine without Justin. We miss him and hope that he does a great job with this assignment. We hope that the loud refrigerator in his hotel will not keep him awake anymore. We hope he gets his fill of nature in case they don't offer him a permanent position. We also hope that he and we will be safe will he is away!