Wednesday, April 30, 2008

They're outta here!!!

Since we live in Georgia, we obviously are surrounded by TREES!!! Our front yard is no exception. Unfortunately though for us, the person that landscaped this yard yrs ago planted the bushes TOO close to the house. And well we have niglected them in the almost 2yrs we've lived here. So they are out of control!! We decided to get some quotes and use our government stimulus check to do some yard improvements.



This tree is a chinese something or other and it is right in the front of our yard and they will be coming in and trimming the branches and lifting it a little so it's not covering everything in the yard.




This bush thing is kinda funny.... you can see a small one right next to it. The small one is our neighbors and the exact same bush as the big overgrown one that is ours..... they're supposed to look the same. As you can see, the neighbors are diligent at trimming and we are not! So they're gonna come in and trim the darn thing down!



This bush right in front of my craft room is OUT OF CONTROL!!!!! It's not supposed to even go up to the window let alone cover the darn thing. So they will be taking the whole thing out! Sunlight will once again come into my dungeon!




These last 2 pics are of the 2 large trees on each side of the house and they are also going to be removed. You can see how tall the one is right next to above bush. It's hitting the top of the house and who knows how big it's gonna get. The other one is well on it's way as well. So when all is said and done, the front of our home is going to be quite naked! So we definately will be looking for suggestions on what to put in their place.


How much is all this gonna cost you may ask??? OIY!!! $800!!!!!! Yowsers!!!! But it needs to be done because eventually the ones touching the house could cause mold and foundation issues. $800 isn't sounding so bad now is it!
So hopefully we'll be getting this make-over soon and I can show the new and exciting and bare Harris front yard!!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

The Dentist


I have to brag a little bit about Reesey. He had to get 2 fillings done today and the dentist origionally told me they would probably have to numb him so I spent a little while preparing him for that. We get there and the dentist (I love this guy!) starting poking around and Reese didn't complain so he said he may be able to do it without a shot. So he starting drilling.. and got deeper and deeper and Reese never flinched! He actually got to fill both cavities without Reese complaining one time! He said the only thing that bothered him was the suction thing poking his cheek. I'm very proud of him and I'm so glad he loves going to the dentist despite having to have work done!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Visit from family


A few weeks ago, we had a very nice visit from grammy (my mom) and Aunt Amber (my sister) and her baby Madison.
I posted about the visit on my other blog so I'll just copy it over to here:

***Our weekend (post from March 17th)

My mom has been in town all week and it's been a lovely visit. My sister is here also with her little baby Madison. It's been fun having a baby in the house again. My friend sent us tickets to the world of coke in downtown Atlanta so we took Reese out of school and Jon took the day off and we went on Friday. It was pretty cool- except we got lost in downtown which if anyone has been to Atlanta, it's not all pretty. Very compact and congested and kinda run down. So we made it out of there around 4. Apparently that exact area just a few hrs later, a tornado hit and did some good damage. Thank goodness we didn't stay longer OR decide to go on Saturday.
Then Saturday as ya'll know if you watch the news, we had some pretty crazy storms going on. All the sudden on the tv, we got an announcement that a tornado warning is going on in our area. Right after that, the tornado sirens started going off and an announcement on the news said to get to cover ASAP. That was kinda scary and exciting so we all went down to the tv room in the basement since there's no windows in there. Thank goodness it didn't last long.. don't like small places with many people. The storm blew over and a few hrs later, no one would have ever known there was a tornado watch.
We went shopping that evening.. just me and my mom and sister and baby. That was fun although I spent too much on a bra but boy what a difference a good bra makes!!! I'll never have big boobs but with this bra, I sure can pretend!
Yesterday mom and I did a piano duet in sacrament mtg and it was great. It actually sounded like i play good (because my mom really does).***


Anyways back to the present. It was a fun weekend and Amber just sent some pictures so I wanted to post those on here.






Me and Amber with our little girls.

My family at the Coke factory




More Coke Factory



Me and Miss Madison

Different pics of my family and the baby. Enjoy!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Rielly singing Hannah Montana

Sorry I keep posting about Rielly... but this cracks me up!!! Crank up the volume cuz it's not very loud!

My how you've changed!!!



I was looking through pictures this morning and found these two that I thought were great. In Oct 06, we dressed Rielly up for Halloween as non other than... Shirley Temple!!


Oct 07, she went as her favorite princess Cinderella...


Since I see her everyday, I don't notise the changes as much. But I love this age because what a difference a yr makes!!!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

A nice Sunday morning

This morning I had a nice wakeup super early from Reese who had a sad dream. He dreamed that daddy left us and never said goodbye and he woke up crying. Poor kid!! So he came and layed with me for awhile. That is the best feeling.. just to lay in bed and snuggle with my little guy. He's very affectionate when he wants to be so he'll roll over and say "I just love you mommy". It melts my heart! Then not too much later, Rielly climbs into bed and Reese tells her "You're my best friend Rielly". So me and the kids got to lay down and just cuddle before the chaos of Sunday morning starts. And it is usually chaos with Jon gone to mtgs and me trying to get the kids and myself ready to be at church by 8:30.
Rielly gave her very first talk today in primary. She spoke about President Monson and what he teaches her. She is very proud of herself and letting everyone know that she talked today. In the car driving home tonight from a baptism, she told us President Monson is her best friend and that he reads to her when she's in bed at night. Huh... good to know. She's a funny kid and once she starts talking, she doesn't stop. She can cover 20 different topics in 5minutes without taking a break. We just laugh!
They sure bring joy and humor and insanity into our lives. Oh not to mention messes!!! Our house is a tornado right now!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Kindergarten Registration

Well it's official. Reese is all set for kindergarten. Last night I took him down to get him signed up, he took a test and that was that. Now to just get myself mentally prepared to send him off to school where he will be going for the next 13yrs!!! What a scary and sad thing. I have awful memories of school and I just hope that he has a better education experience than I did. Kids are so darn mean and sadly I was one of the kids that was picked on all the time. Very few people defended me and I didn't have many friends. I sure hope it's different for him- I hope he sticks up for people rather than torture them. And I really hope he stands up for himself like I never did. Look at me getting all ahead of myself. I just hope he has fun and enjoys the simplicity of kindergarten before he has to move up and the real pressure begins... lol seems funny that 1st grade is pressure but these kids have a lot of weight on their shoulders. A lot more than I did anyways! I never had to take a foreign language or take drivers ed. All that type of stuff was optional where now it's a requirement. So maybe kids will be too busy to judge other kids (yeah right I know).

In other news.. yard sale season has begun! YAYAYAYAYAY!!! My weekends will be busy for a few weeks. Here they have awesome neighborhood sales and great bargains to be had. Of course I end up buying things that I don't need and off to ebay they go. But that's the fun of it. Plus I could use to make a little extra money since Jon lost a lot of overtime and things won't be as comfortable as they have been. So it's time to do my part and enjoy myself at the same time.

Happy Friday everyone!!!!!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Book recommendation







I wanted to share my latest book obsession. Jon doesn't share my enthusiasm but he's just missing out! I guess I can understand it though- not too many guys want to get caught reading a book where the cover it a picture of 2 hands holding an apple.



That's right ladies.. I am talking about Twilight and the beautiful Edward Cullen!!!



I've been hearing about this book series by Stephenie Meyer about vampires and blew it off for a long time. But I saw the first book Twilight at Kroger one day and figured why not. And can I just tell you... I'm hooked!!!!! Stephenie Meyer is a LDS author however this is definately not a typical LDS series of books but it is so tastefully written and great for kids of all ages (okay well maybe teenagers+). It's a definate love story but not your regular boy meets girl, boy gets girl kind of love story. The girl falls in love with a vampire and the books talk about the danger she endures and everything she would give up to be with him. I've read all 3 in a little over a week and can't wait for the 4th one to come out in August!!

And every person reading these books have fallen in love with Edward Cullen... and of course the most perfect man ever has to be a fictional character- and a vampire at that!!!

So check out the books- read and enjoy! I would love to hear your reviews on them!

And to excite the twilight fans even more, the movie will be out at the end of the yr!!!!







Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Potty Training Funny

Potty Training

This story is for anyone who has ever potty-trained or plans to pottytrain a child.
A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall.
By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate anddoes it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we're inthe library, the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People oftencomment on how clearly he speaks for a just-turned-3-year-old. And younever have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fullycranked. There've been severalembarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words wouldhave been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but never have I wishedthis more than last week at Costco.Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade withme into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroomthat evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the secondto the last stall:
''Mommy , are you gonna go potty?Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy?Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper now?Mommy, what are you doing?Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?'
At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been inthe bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5?Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debutout of this stall and reveal my identity.
Cade continued:'Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you?Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy!Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty?Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy!Oh ... Mommy! I'm trying to see In dere.Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get somecandy!'
I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side ofme. Where is a screaming new born when you need her?Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting.
Trying to divert him, I said, 'Whydon't you look in Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candy.We'll both have some.'No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies.Oh! Mommy!'
He started to gag at this point.'Uh - oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up.Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!!Dat is so gross!!'
As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall. Iquickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I beganto reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I countfour flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheardthis embarrassing monologue will be long gone.
'Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done goingstinkies! Get up! Get up!'
He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blownlaughter. I bent down to count the feet outside my door.
'Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy?You wooking under da door?What were you wooking at?Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?'
More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess thesituation.
'Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now,Mommy.'
He started pounding on the door. 'Mommy, don't you want to wash yourhands? I want to go out!!'
I saw that my 'wait 'em out' plan was unraveling. I sheepishly openedthe door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladiescrowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud.My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, 'Where'sthe fine print on the 'motherhood contract' where I signed away everybit of my dignit y and privacy?' But as my little boy gave me a big,cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby littlehands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known asMommy to this little fellow.
(Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and mother of three. She liveswith her family in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she no longer usespublic restrooms)

Welcome to my blog!


Finally.. a blog just about my family! So if you're reading this, most likely you know us and are checking if for an update.

Not much to update right now. Reese is now 5 and smart as a whip! He loves to play XBOX360 with daddy and V-Smile on his own. He's going to be in Kindergarten in August and is very excited about it! I can't believe he's already going to school. It's kind of bitter sweet.... I'm not ready to have my baby enter the "real world".. lol. This is the beginning to his life- so much responsibility! I don't envy him but I am so excited and proud of him!

Rielly is 3... and forget those terrible 2's... those were terrific compared to the 3's! She's very opinionated and sarcastic and moody and simple fabulous! She has such a fun personality that goes with her fantastic head of curls! She fights with her brother like no ones business! She's starting pre-school in August at the TLC Church- same place we sent Reese and she couldn't be more thrilled. Mommy either!

Jon is still working at Imerys and they keep him plenty stressed and busy. But needless to say, he definately has job security! He's also the ward mission leader in our ward and is great! Now if only they would give him a little help!

As for me, I'm still teaching piano lessons and staying busy with the kiddos. I'm also the primary pianist at church and I'm enjoying watching the kids every Sunday in primary although it was an adjustment at first.


So that's the jist for now of our business. Check back soon!