Super Meyer 5

Oregon Coast

2009-08-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

This past week our family took advantage of Justin and I having a whole week of vacation together, and my mom and dad being in Portland, Or, for Dad's work. We packed up the car and headed off to Portland and the Oregon Coast. It was amazing. The boys and I had never seen the ocean before so, needless to say, we were amazed by its endless beauty and could not resist playing in the water regardless of the fact that we had to walk around in wet clothes for the rest of the day. We love spending time together and were so happy that Grandma and Grandpa were able to experience all it all with us. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great vacation, we can hardly wait until the next time.

The boys were seeing how they measured up to the bears at the Portland Zoo.
Just a glimpse of Oregon's beautiful landscape.

Hangin' out with their super cool new friends.

Justin better watch out he might have some competition.

Getting ready to jump the waves. The boys were soaked by the time we were done playing.

Trying to get our sea legs under us.

So happy to be together. By-the-way the only time I ever have any body in my hair is when the the wicked hair dresser known as humidity totally molests my my style (which usually doesn't need a lot of help to look bad). There was not one decent picture of me from this whole day but oh well I would so be willing to look like this again just to go back.

Danny smelling the roses and the Portland Rose Garden.

My Hercules strikin' a pose.

It's finally Over

2009-08-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

After 2 long years of doubt and sacrifice I can finally say that I did it! I have finally graduated on August 1, 2009, from ISU with an RN degree from the ADRN program. Man it feels so good to be done with school. I will be super awesome to not have to worry about getting my assignments done, studying for the next tests, and how in the world I am going to get all of my clinical hours done. Woo-hoo!!

Justin was super awesome! He stepped up and was both Mom and Dad for 2 years. I would not have been able to do this without such a great and understanding husband.

My celebration jig

My sweet friend Nicholette who suffered right along with me for 2 long years and also graduated. (We were just a bit emotional.)

My boys have all given many different reasons why they are happy that I am done with school and it all centers on the idea that I will be home and spend more time with them. The boys have all been so understanding and accepting of the sacrifices that we had to make. I love that they have been so great now it is time to have some fun.

I am completely happy. I know that I could not have done this without the support of my beautiful family, especially Justin. Thank you, honey, you were always so supportive and willing to do what ever it took to make this journey as painless as possible. You are wonderful! I love you.

Bitter Sweet

2009-08-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

2 years ago I was very reluctant to put Preston in a Preschool. I had been lucky to keep Preston at home with me until I had decided to finish my nursing degree but because of my school schedule something had to be done. I was very fortunate to find an opening for him at the hospital child care center, Kids Korner. It was very hard to leave him there the first couple of days but within a week I knew this preschool was going to be good and Preston would be well taken care of. Now that I have finished school and because Preston starts kindergarten in less than a month, Preston no longer has to go to school and can stay home with Justin and I.

Friday was Preston s last day at Kids Korner and I was so surprised to find that I was a little sad that I could no longer take him there. The staff at the school has always been so wonderful to him and treated him so well. I was grateful to be able to send him to a place that was so great. I am happy that they took such great care of him while I was so busy with school.

Preston and his 1st year teacher Miss Ashley
(Commonly known as "My Ashley")

Preston's second year teacher Miss Erica

Preston is excited to give all of his teachers a special gift to tell them thanks for all of their hard work.

Ahhh, Family...

2009-07-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to Lake Wolcott for the Will family reunion (Justin's fam). We had a great time! 2 fun filled days of camping, playing in the water, eating great food, and hanging out with a lot of family. We were all able to have go tubing behind the boat, Justin water skied, there was a lot of jumping off of the boat in the middle of the lake (Preston was even brave enough to try it), and constant swimming and water play. It was a wonderful way to spend the hottest weekend of the year so far.

I tried knee boarding for the first time and did pretty good (if I do say so my self), I even was able to start in the water which I was told is harder. I wouldn't know cause it was my first try. It was super fun, thanks Stacy you were a great teacher. The boys loved jumping off the dock, they did it all day long. There were hundreds of cannonball contests between the cousins young and old. It took a while for Preston to gather the nerve to jump but after the first time he was totally hooked.

Trevor and Danny were the first ones in the water and the last ones out the last picture was taken after our camp was packed up and we were ready to say our goodbyes. They had to get one final jump.

Nothing goes together better than Summer and family. Thanks Meyers for an awesome weekend. We had a blast!!

Our Summer in Pictures

2009-07-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

OK, so I know I have not been a very good blogger this summer! We have had a pretty busy summer so far with so much more to come. Even though this has been a summer of unending rainfall, we have still managed to get out and do some pretty great things. I will try to give an overview in pictures and then become a better blogger in the future so I will not have to do any more catch up blogs.

All year long Trevor had studied the state of Oregon, at the end of the year he had to present a report, make a poster and float, and walk in the "Parade of Sates" at his school. This is Trev dressed as an Indian and showing off his projects and the state fair in his class.

In our house the closest thing we will ever have to twins is Preston and Trevor. They share the same birthday on May 20th. They love that they share the same day I think it gives them special bond. I also think it is really special that they share a birthday with my Grandma Simper.

Trevor built a rocket for a school project, we got to go watch the big launch and the driving range in town. Justin is helping Trevor put the engine in his rocket then Trev is showing the Rocket right before the launch.

Danny and Preston taking a short snooze en-route to Grandmas.

On Memorial Day we had a day of swimming and a B-B-Q at Green Canyon. Danny loves to snuggle with anyone or anything who will hold still long enough. Lucy, Grandpa Simper's Dog, was the grateful recipient that day.

We have had a summer full of races, this is Trevor running the 5K in Pocatello's Heart and Sole race (in the rain). I think this is pretty close to the end and Trevor looks like he is doing awesome and feeling pretty good about it. Justin and I ran the 10K, Justin came in 1st in his age group in this race, Trevor came in 3rd for his age group. In the Teton Dam Marathon, Trevor got 3rd for the 5K for his age group and I also got 3rd in my group as well.

This is the picture I sent in to the State Board of Nursing for my RN license for which I will be eligible for in less than a month. AWESOME!!

Danny had to have 7 teeth pulled by the dentist for orthodontic reasons. He was a trooper, not one complaint of pain.

Justin had taken some time off from work to spend with the boys while I have been so busy with school. This is one of their outings to the zoo. They have loved spending more time with him and doing lots of different activities.

They are digging for fossils in the bottom picture.

A slip-and-slide and a righteous hill in the backyard goes hand-in-hand. What little boy could resist, I just prayed they stopped before they hit the fence.

One of the many games my Uncle Mike comes up with. It may look strange but it is a blast. You may have wondered what happens when you put 4 people in one spandex ring, well we found out. It was great!

This was the 3rd of July swimming at Jensen's Grove in Blackfoot. The kids swam all day, the parents visited, and we all had a great time. Stephen even stopped by in his police uniform, the kids think it is so awesome that their uncle is a police officer. Stephen is my nephew Ryan's hero, he told me.

After Jensen's Grove we went to Fort Hall to watch an Elvis impersonator (which was pretty good). We were lucky enough to arrive 2 hours early, thanks to Miriam's need to be early for everything, so while we were waiting the kids had a dance competition. This is Preston showing the cousins his righteous moves.

And here's Elvis. He was pretty great, he sounded just like him.

We got a picture with Elvis! Justin kept saying, "You know he's not the real thing, right?" We didn't care, we thought he was great.

We Did It!!

2009-05-22T13:59:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to say that all of the training has finally paid off!

About a year ago Justin and I started running together to get into shape. I had a lot further to go than Justin did when it came to physical fitness. We decided that we would begin to "train" for races to keep ourselves motivated. We both successfully completed a 10k (6.2 miles) last fall and began to feel more comfortable and excited about attempting longer runs. The original plan was to be able to run a half marathon by spring and a full by fall. Our race schedule was moved up significantly when we realized that we had 8 months to train for the next race and my constant and usually unwise inpatients to get the end result. Justin, in his infinite wisdom, repeatedly questioned the decision to run the full by spring, but continued to patiently support me by training with me.

We registered for the race in December, which meant there would be no backing out, trust me we tried. The closer the race came and the longer the Saturday morning runs grew, the more apprehensive we became. By the time we were supposed to be running 20 miles (thanks Rachel for bailing us out) we knew we had bitten off more than we could chew. During the next month we fretted and worried about the ensuing 26.2 miles that were looming in the near and gloomy future. I called the Marathon Headquarters to find out if we could change from the full to the half with no success.

Finally, we came to terms with the fact that all we had to do was finish the race. We knew that we would not come in firs,t and didn't care if we were last to cross the finish line because at least we would accomplish our goal. So, for the rest of the month we continued to train almost as scheduled (it was a little hard to talk ourselves in to the final 20 mile run).

May 16th finally came, starting at 4:00am. We loaded a bus that took us 26.2 miles up the road and dropped us off. At 7:00am the starting cannon rang and there was definitely no turning back. After a very long and hard 5 hours and 8 minutes our training and apprehension had finally come to an end as we crossed the finish line together. We know we made no speed record, we averaged about 11.7 minutes a mile (we were not the last to cross the line). But we are both very proud to say that we can and have run a marathon!

The scenery was beautiful, as you can see behind us. Justin looks great running, I look very awkward and uncoordinated.

This is somewhere after mile 18. I had to have people at a first aid station cut the sleeves off of my shirt because I am pretty sure that I was beginning to suffer from heat stroke.

Here we are crossing the finish line together. We were so happy because we had finally finished and my parents had brought our boys to see it happen. Throughout the race Justin would say, "Just think pretty soon we will be able to see the boys, won't that be great." It really meant the world to Justin and I that they were there at the end. Thanks Mom and Dad, you are the greatest.

Sweet release! It is over!

I am not sure if we will ever attempt to run a full marathon again. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done and, aside from child birth, I have never hurt as badly as I did on Sunday after the race, but I can honestly say that I am so happy that we did it and I would not take it back. Justin, thank you for all of your support, I know that I would not have been able to do it if you had not been there every step of the way. I love you, Sweetheart.

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

I love Mother's day. Not because of the great gifts I receive or the chance to choose what Justin makes for breakfast (usually the boys fight over who gets this privilege). I love it because it gives me the opportunity to remember how lucky I really am. I have 3 wonderful healthy boys who have made me the person I am today. I feel honored to be Trevor, Danny and Preston's mother. Without them nothing else in the world would matter. Thank you boys for letting me be your mom. I love you all so much.

My sweet and precious treasures.

Summer Garden

2009-05-10T18:08:00.001-07:00

Nothing quite says summer like fresh veggies straight from the garden. During summers when I was growing up, I remember having dinners made entirely of treasures from Dad's plentiful garden. We have attempted to have a garden before and were unsuccessful (I think it has something to do with the entire large bag of fertilizer I put on it). This year Justin has decided to bravely take out one of our beautiful flower/rock garden and put in a vegetable garden hoping to have better luck this time. Justin is so lucky that he has boys who love to play in the dirt because the boys were more than happy to volunteer to help. Here they are moving the dirt into the wheel barrow while Justin was moving millions of rocks.

Thankfully my brother-in-law, Clay, needed extra dirt, which we were happy to give. The boys helped load the truck and Clay's kids, Porter and Eva, where more than willing to help unload.

Behind Danny and Preston you can see Justin's hard work. He made a 2 tiered garden in the great hill of our back yard.

Thanks for all of the hard work guys! I can hardly wait until we can have our first dinner made entirely of fresh veggies.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T16:32:00.001-07:00

Every year when Easter comes it feels like spring has finally sprung. Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays because it is usually so quiet, laid back, and spent with a lot of family (the best part). Saturday we hosted the Simpers for the annual Egg Hunt and dinner. It was a blast! The kids played together very well and the adults were able to visit and laugh a lot, we always have such a great time.
On Sunday the boys were able to search for their Eater Basket lute the the kind Easter Bunny has left for them and then we put on our Easter best and were off to church with the Meyers. After church we had our annual brunch that is always filled with a lot of great food, good visiting, and hundreds of friendly games of Gin.

It seems like spring is the perfect time for Easter. We have a chance to celebrate the wonderful meaning of the season and it feels like spring finally has a chance to shine in all of it's glory. Now bring on the flowers and the 70 degree weather, please!

Here we are conducting a little science experiment. Thanks Josh for the dry ice and Miriam for the root beer. By-the-way, dry ice does not make soda more fizzy, it actually takes the fizz away. Disgusting but funny.

All of the cousins at the starting line of the Egg Hunt.

Preston is diligently looking for eggs.

Trevor is supposed to leave the easy ones for the little kids and look for the hard ones.

Danny and a lot of cousins investigating their treasures.

The boys waiting patiently before beginning the hunt for their baskets in the morning.

Checking out all of the goodies.

Oh, aren't they handsome! There is nothing better than boys wearing ties.

I have 3 inch heels on and still look short and stubby next to Justin. I just can't win. At least Justin looks good.

Happy Birthday Justin!

2009-04-09T20:17:00.001-07:00

Justin had his 34th birthday on Saturday. We had a wonderful day, pretty low key. We just did regular Saturday things during the day, he worked in the garage and helped Trevor finish paint some shelves for Trev's room. For dinner, I made him his favorite meal which is Fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken, Asparagus, and french bread. We had some cake and ice cream then put the boys to bed, and finished out the night with a nice quiet movie. It was a nice day. I hope he had a great birthday.

I know that I do not tell Justin how thankful I am for him often enough, but I do know that I could not live without him. He is so supportive of everything that I do and will do anything possible to help me accomplish my goals. If it were not for him I would not have been able to complete my education. He is so understanding when I am constantly gone because of my school obligations and he is willing to take on the extra housework and cooking without any complaints. Justin has even decided to support me and train right along with me for a marathon in May. I am sure that he hates every second of it. While he doctors his poor blistered feet after the last 16 mile run he patiently listens to me plan the route for the upcoming 18 mile run. I am certain that I would not be as committed to the running thing if he weren't there every step of the way. Justin is an amazing father who has never called his role as a parent "babysitting." He is and has always been an involved parent who is so incredibly proud of his boys. The boys could not have asked for a better father. I love you sweetheart, thank you for everything you have always been willing to do.

Sweet Cousins

2009-04-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

During spring break we had the opportunity to watch Addie and Ethan for Rachel while she worked. I think that little Addie was so excited about having more children around because her 2 brothers and sister were in Arizona with their dad. She followed Preston around everywhere. If Preston was in the garage helping Justin, Addie was in the garage helping Justin. If Preston was sitting back, relaxing, Addie was sitting back relaxing. Here are some cute pictures of them watching a movie. It looks like they are an old married couple, Addie is talking on the phone while Preston is sitting quietly by.

Justin's Workshop

2009-03-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today I opened the garage door and found Justin supervising the boys working on a project. They were sanding some bookshelves to pain and put in Trevor's room. They were all so happy to be able to help and they all did a great job. What a great spring break activity, the boys have something to keep them busy and Trevor gets some much needed storage in his room. Here are some pictures of what I found when I opened the garage door.

27:22

2009-03-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Trevor set a goal to run a 5K, that is 3.1 miles for all of the Americans who don't speak in Kilometers. He diligently followed a training schedule, running at times I know he would have rather been doing many other things. When my friend, Camille told me that she was going to run a 5K on March 21st I took the opportunity to sign Trev up. Trevor asked Joanna if she would run with him, and because she is a wonderful aunt, Jo agreed. Today was the fateful day that Trevor, Jo, and Camille had been working so hard for. They all did great. Now that the first race is over we are all excited to begin training for the next. I am so Proud of Trev, it was not easy and he did it. He finished in 27 min and 22 seconds. Good Job Baby!

Here we are waiting for the race to start.

Camille is trying to get some inspiration from the Rocky soundtrack that is blaring from my I-pod.

And we are off!

Danny, Preston and Jo's daughter Gracie cheered the runners on.

Trev crossing the finish line in a sprint. His time was 27:22

Deb finished in 27:53

Happy to be done!

Good job baby!

Here comes Camille sprinting to the finish line.

Trev ran back to finish with Jo.

Jo had a strong finish even though she had a few bumps along the way.

Here we are at the finish line so happy that we accomplished our goal and talking about the next race which is the Teton Dam Marathon on June 13. Thanks for letting me run with you guys, it was fun. I can hardly wait for the next one.

David Archuleta

2009-03-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

I went to see DAVID ARCHULETA! It was awesome! I have to say that he has a pretty great show. It was fun to go with my sisters, Miriam and Joanna, and some other really good friends. We really missed Rachel. I wish that she could have gone because the sisters are never have as much fun when one is missing. It was great that my friend, Cynthia, is a Archuleta fan and was not afraid to fight the crowd of teenage girls, shake her bootie, and sing along.

My wonderful friend Cynthia.

All of the girls.

Miriam's friend Cathy wanted a picture of the band who were standing in front of the buses before the concert. Here you go Cate.

Jo, rockin' out

These are hard to see, but this is David sitting at the piano and singing.

Here he is singing and dancing.

Update

2009-03-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

This week has been so busy, I have not had time to blog about something pretty awesome! My boys have been asking Grandma to come down and bake bread with them for a while. Because of scheduling conflicts she has been unable to make it. Finally, last week I could not take it any longer, I called her and asked if she would come to Pocatello to bake some bread for ME. I gave her some crazy excuse about how I had been craving it for a while, but I really missed spending time with her and just wanted an excuse to see my mom. So, like an angel, she packed up the mixer and drove 90 miles to bake for my family. It was wonderful! My sisters Jo and Rach came over with their kids. We talked and laughed a lot while the sweet smells of fresh bread filled the house. It brought back a lot of memories of when we were growing up. When the bread was done we devoured over a loaf while it was still warm, it was delicious. Thanks Mom the bread was great but the chance to spend time with you was much better.

Grandma and Trevor working in the kitchen.

Raising bread.

This morning I came home from a long night of clinicals and I heard sounds coming from Trevor's room, I opened the door and found my sweat boys snuggled on Trevor's bed visiting. They were patiently waiting until it was time for them to get up. (We have told them they have to wait until 7:00am.) I love that my boys are friends and are sweet with each other (for the most part). This is the scene that I found when I opened Trevor's door.

Trev took a picture of me in my school uniform this morning. Remember, it was a long night so don't judge.
Nobody should be forced to wear this much white unless you are walking down an isle to say "I do," much less cleaning up the debris of man kind.

Healthy Snacks

2009-02-23T14:36:00.001-08:00

I have a school project where I have to design a brochure for a local daycare. The topic for my brochure is healthy snacks for preschool aged children. In my family I have many children who fall within this age group who love to eat and don't mind me taking their picture. So I made a whole bunch of food and invited them all over on Saturday night. I think the kids liked the food and I know that Miriam and Rachel did not mind having the night off from cooking. Thanks for your help everybody.

All of the great food!

Sarah waiting so patiently.

Preston digging in.

Most of the preschool aged children in my family.

Trevor and Danny had to wait patiently until I had all of the pictures I needed. there was plenty of food left for them.

It was a pretty fun night for the kids. After they were done we turned a movie on for them and the adults had the chance to eat in peace (that does not happen very often).

Tis the Season

2009-02-17T06:50:00.000-08:00

Last year, for St. Patrick's Day, Justin dressed up as the Beer Fairy and delivered six packs of beer to several of his co-workers and our friends. I thought it was hilarious and will never forget it. I think that the only way to celebrate the St. Patrick Day season is to post this picture everywhere I can. Justin thinks I do it to punish him, but I do it because it is one of my favorite pictures in the entire world. I think you are wonderful honey, and I am so glad that you are man enough to wear a skirt every once and a while. We hope everybody has a great St. Patrick's Day, and if you are good the Beer Fairy might pay a visit to your house.

Happy Birthday Danny

2009-02-12T21:03:00.001-08:00

On January 30th, Danny turned 9 years old! Boy, did we party! On Friday night we had a Simper family night where everybody came over to have some Hawaiian Haystacks, cupcakes, and play a little Guitar Hero. It was a lot of fun and I think everybody, young and old, had a great time. One of Danny's favorite things of the night was that Grandma S. stayed the night, it made him feel like she was coming for a special slumber party just for him.

Danny blowing out 9 candles on some super sized cupcakes. They were yummy!

Trevor, challenging Aunt Miriam for the best rocker of the family. Aunt Joanna and the cousins are singing backup.

Dan and Trev just hanin' out and lookin' cool.

Danny, just watching the action with the cousins and Uncle Deryk.
(Look at all the people on that little love seat, I counted 6 in a space made for 2!)

On Saturday night, the Meyers came over for some more fun. It was Awesome, we always have such a great time when Justin's family comes to visit, they are all so wonderful. Preston beat the trash out of everyone in boxing on the Wii. Preston really is unbeatable.

Preston boxing Uncle Stacy.

Preston won by knock-out. Stacy tried 3 times and lost every time in the first round. After they were done playing, little Preston walked over to his 6 foot 5 inch uncle, putting his hand on Stacy's arm and said, "Good try." It was pretty funny and I think Stacy about fell out of his chair because he was so shocked.

Danny had a great birthday. Thank you to everybody who came. We missed all those who couldn't make it and look forward to seeing you soon.

I know that I am a terrible mother because it took me so long to post this. I guess between work, school, and clinicals I am lucky to get it posted now. Right now, I really should be finishing my care plan, but this is much more fun!

Best Lead Dog!

2009-02-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

For weeks Trevor had been talking about his class training for the Iditarod race (you know the dogsled race from Alaska except the dogs are kids when it's done in Idaho at Tendoy Elementary). He was so excited because he was going to be a lead dog for one of the sleds. Every night during dinner he gave us an update about the training and would talk about beating the other teams during practice. It sounded like all of the kids took it pretty seriously, when the teams were practicing at recess one of the dogs (a kid) broke loose and ran into a teacher breaking the poor teacher's arm in 3 different places.
When race day was announced Justin and I were very disappointed because we couldn't go. Justin had some very important things to do at work during that time and I had clinicals for school scheduled that day (I hate school, I can hardly wait for it to be done!). I hated telling Trev that all of his hard work would go unwatched and he would have no one in his cheering section, so I put out a call on the Sister Network to ask for a replacement. Joanna rose to the occasion and braved the cold. These are pictures that she took of the event.
Joanna said that Trev did a great job, he was the best dog there. She said that his team would have won if his musher were more athletically inclined. Apparently, she was half a field behind them yelling at them to stop. They had to wait for her to catch up while the other teams flew by.
Trev did win the best lead dog award and got a stuffed puppy as a trophy which he proudly displays on his bed. Congratulations Trevor we are so proud of you!
I am so grateful for Joanna who is always willing to support the boys. The Sister Network is such a wonderful thing, I can't count the amount of times that I have needed something and knew that I can just call my wonderful sisters and one of them is always more than willing to help. I hope that I am as helpful to them as they are to me. Thank you so much, I don't know what I would do without any of you.

Preston and Rocky

2009-01-22T14:56:00.000-08:00

Preston has always been afraid of dogs. When he was a baby he would never let us put him down if there was a dog around and he would hold onto us with a death grip. Now that he is bigger, Whenever we go to someones house he doesn't know the first question he asks is, "Do they have a dog?" If there is a dog at the house we are visiting we have to assure Preston that it is a nice dog and it won't hurt him. Just after Christmas we were able to get a puppy. Surprisingly, Preston fell in love immediately. Preston loves to walk him (Although, I am not sure who is walking who.), play with him, and even take him out to do his business. Hopefully our puppy, Rocky, has helped Preston to get over his fear of dogs.

New Years

2009-01-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

Justin and I went to Island Park with some friends for New Years. We had a wonderful time playing in the snow and being together. It was great to have the opportunity to get away. We have both been to Island Park many times as children and adults in the summer time, Justin has never been there in the winter and I have only been there a few times in the snow. It was beautiful. We snow shoed by the Buffalo River, hung out in the lodges by a fire, rode snow machines to Masa Falls and beyond, and hung out together at the cute cabin we stayed in. The weather even agreed with us for the most part (it was -23 degrees on the day we left the rest of the days were nice). I was so nice to be able to go although we missed the boys and thought of them often, it was a wonderful relaxing break from reality.

Thanks Mom and Dad Meyer for letting the boys stay with you, they had a great time. We are still listening to many stories about their time with Grams and Grandpa. I am not sure we could ever repay you.

(Try to ignore the hat/helmet hair in these pictures.)

Our Winter Break

2009-01-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

We had one heck of of a winter break, we were all so sad to see it end. We had a great time! There was a massive amount of snow to play in, family to visit, and, our favorite, Christmas! This is Preston looking in a hole in the snow that Trevor dug.

The boys were so excited for Christmas. Justin and I woke up hearing Preston say, "Holy cow Santa did come!" It is always fun to watch the boys open their gifts. I am always so happy when they love the things we have chosen for them.

Preston did this daily and would not stop until someone took his picture. Now we have 15 pictures of Preston's tummy.

Trevor and Preston reading books together. We are so grateful for Trevor. He is a great brother and loves and takes great care for Danny and Preston.

With all of the snow during the break we all took our turns shoveling. Danny was always the first to start and most often the last to stop

I hope that everybody had as much fun as we did over the break, it passed too quickly for us. Now the boys are back in school, Justin has gone back to work, and I am dreading the start of another semester. I guess we have spring break to look forward to.

Cookies for Santa

2008-12-22T17:03:00.001-08:00

Today the boys and I made cookies for Santa. They are all great cooks and enjoyed rolling out the dough, using the cookie cutters, and making the frosting. They loved every part of baking and decorating the cookies. Their favorite part was...

Being the taste testers. I had to send each of them several times to rewash their hands because I caught them with their fingers in their mouths again and again (Santa is one lucky guy).

Good job boys the cookies turned out great. Now, maybe Santa will leave something under the tree for you.

The Grinch

2008-12-19T19:43:00.000-08:00

Every year at Christmas time we get a visit from the Grinch. When it first started happening the boys would get scared and cry, now they look forward to it and talk about it all year long. The Grinch is great! He does things like take the boys' gifts from under the tree and pretends to steal them, drops candy on the floor and waits for one of them to pick it up then kicks them while they are bent over, and then gives them a great treat bag complete with stink bombs for the boys to use at their discretion (thanks Grinch).

This has become a great tradition that will make some wonderful memories.

Justin's friend, Joe, is the Grinch. Thanks Joe for being so willing to come every year, we love it.

Trevor and Danny's Christmas Program

2008-12-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

It doesn't matter how many Christmas programs I have been to, I love to watch them all. I love listen to the songs and watch them sing them. I get tears in my eyes every year for some crazy reason. This year they did great, we were so proud of them!

Christmas Tag

2008-12-12T21:23:00.000-08:00

Rachel tagged me...so here goes.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper for sure, I think it looks better under the tree and snooping eyes can't see what is inside.
2. Real or artificial tree? Artificial all the way. It took me 8 years to finally convince Justin, and I am never going back.
3. When do you put up the tree? As soon after Thanksgiving as I can convince Justin. This year the day after, he is getting easier to sweet talk every year.
4. When do you take the tree down? I am usually ready for it to be put away by the day after Christmas, but it is definitely done by New Years Eve.
5. Do you like eggnog? Heck yes, and I am with Rachel -give it to me straight.
6. Your favorite Christmas gift as a child? I think I was 14 and I got the Robin Hood Prince of Thieves video, I loved that movie and it was my first movie of which I am an avid collector. I currently have the movie on DVD and still have the video I got when I was 14.
7. The hardest person to buy for? Anybody in Justin's family, I always feel like they are going to hate what I get and I am nervous about giving it to them all of Christmas.
8. The easiest person to buy for? Danny, I love to watch him open anything because he gets so excited and he appreciates everything.
9. Do you have a Nativity Scene? Yes, the Willow Tree one, it is beautiful, I would display it all year if I could.
10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? What?
11. What is the worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of anything.
12. Favorite Christmas movie? The Christmas Story.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I always have good intentions, I start thinking about it in August but I never start until much after that. This year I started last Week. Every year for our anniversary on the 18th we do the bulk of it. What a romantic way to spend our anniversary!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember.
15. Favorite thing to drink at Christmas? Eggnog.
16. Lights on the Tree? Yes, white.
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night by just about anybody.
18. Travel Christmas or stay home? I would rather stay home, be cozy, and watch the boys enjoy their new toys.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? I tried tonight while singing Rudolf with Preston but I think I said Donnor twice.
20. Angel or star on the tree? Angel.
21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas? I have been trying for our entire marriage to get Justin to let us open one gift on Christmas Eve, even if it is just the pajamas, but he will not budge so we open gifts on Christmas.
22. The most annoying thing about this time of year? The tacky blow-up Christmas decorations people insist on putting on their lawn every year.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? All I want is this semester to be over and to have time to just be a wife and mother even if it is for 3 short weeks. I can hardly wait.
We would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas!

Take My Picture

2008-12-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

This morning after Preston was finished getting ready for school, he must have thought that he looked pretty good because he asked if I would take his picture. I set him up next to the Christmas tree, he smiled his handsomest smile, and I took the picture. When I was finished he said, "Now put that on the computer." I assumed he meant that I should blog the picture. So, with out further ado, here is Preston!

Festival of Trees

2008-12-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

The boys visiting with the Talking Tree

Danny is showing off the tree his class decorated

Trevor (the Punk) thinks he is to old and cool

to talk to Santa

Preston wants a Handy Manny

Danny wants an X-Box 360. (That is a dream, you

keep on asking Santa and say a few prayers and it might happen.

NOT! )

Working at the hospital does have some perks. Every year the hospital sponsors the Festival of Trees and hosts a reception for the employees and their families. We love to go. The kids get to see Santa, we get to see some beautiful trees and of course the food (our favorite). The festival is a fun way to start the Christmas season.

Yard Work Day

2008-11-15T16:58:00.000-08:00

When we bought our home in May we had no idea about the beautiful flower gardens that came with it. All summer long we were thrilled with each and every bloom (and there were thousands). We didn't even mind the weeding that went along with our beautiful yard because it was finally ours. Justin and I would walk around the yard and notice how the previous owners had a wonderful green thumb and talk about how nervous we were that we would wreck the whole thing. The first time we ventured out to weed, Justin's mom had to come over and show us which of the plants to keep and which ones to pull out. Today the weather was nice enough that we could go out and clean the flower beds for the winter.

I can hardly wait to see the flowers again in the spring, but for now I am glad that we were able to work together to clean up the yard for the cold months ahead of us.

Holy Smokes

2008-11-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

Ryan, Jonathon, Preston, Sarah, Addie, Grace, and Me.

Trevor, Danny, and Ethan aren't even in the pictures. There were a ton of kids here. What a lot of fun. Thanks Jo and Rach for letting us watch them.
This is one heck of a leg workout.

Today we were able to babysit for my sisters Rachel and Joanna. Our house was full of kids but I think everybody had a great time. I now know why I don't need to have any more children, I have plenty of young nieces and nephews to fill whatever void I may feel (particularly the nieces).

Sweet Boys

2008-11-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

Last night Preston wasn't feeling well and needed some cuddle time. I had to get ready for work and Justin was cooking dinner and we were unable to give him the time he needed. In my mad rush to get dressed fast enough to have supper with my family and make it to work on time, I walked into my room and found that my sweet Danny was able to give Preston the time he needed. I am so grateful that my boys are so loving and sweet with each other.

Steve's Quiz

2008-11-05T21:27:00.001-08:00

I think I know the answer to almost all of the questions. I want to know if there is a prize for the person who gets the most right.
1. I am pretty sure Joanna had her hair sucked up into the vacuum cleaner several times.
2. I'm not sure who sang the song at Porter Park, but I would guess Gwen.
3. Matt's favorite meal was milanaisa or naked spaghetti.
4. Joanna would throw shoes at poor Gretel when she would snore.
5. Matt and Justin were the Mullet Men.
6. "She had to go bathroom" was from the movie Annie.
7. I think Stephen hung from the moving car, but we all stood on the back bumper of the van while Matt would back it in and out of the garage when Mom and Dad were gone.
8. I think Stephen dressed up like a girl for Blake.
9. I don't know who Steve was supposed to look like but it was pretty scary.
10. I graduated in 1996.
11. Mom and Miriam were both in a Company of Wayward Saints. Mom directed the one Miriam was in.
12. Josh was born on 9-21 but it was in 1979. I was born in 1978.
13. I am not sure who was nicknamed after underwear but I think Stephen is a jerk for bringing it up.
14. Gwen was the mastermind behind "ladies lingerie."
15. Mom would always say, "When I get back, this house had better shine like the top of the Chrysler building" (another quote from Annie). Mom would also say, "When I come home it had better look like a ten man crew from Ace went through here!"
Good memories Steve, that was fun. I'll have to think for a while about my questions.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

Don't they look great!

Riding with the cousins in the back of Justin's truck. They all loved it.

Telling stories about their favorite parts of the day before saying goodnight to each other. Relieved that we are finally home, and the boys are in bed.

Man we love Halloween. It give us a chance to dress-up in great costumes, get free candy, and get a little scared all in one day. This year we accomplished all of our goals. Trevor was a handsome gangster, Danny was his hero, and mine, Rocky (be still my beating heart), and Preston was an awesome Astronaut (if you asked him he was a Yasternat). We went trick-or-treating with my sister Joanna and the cousins (Rachel's kids). We went to the Mystique's spook alley and had the daylights scared out of us. Then we visited Miriam and trick-or-treated her neighborhood (more candy). Last, but no least, we stopped by the bowling alley to visit Grams and Grandpa. What a wonderful day, one that we will remember for a long time.

Livin' It Up With Debbi

2008-10-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

I feel I should let you all know what a joy it is to live in a house with a soul like Debbi. If you have ever met Debbi, you can imagine how entertaining it is to live with her. Boring is never a word that would be used in describing her at all. You can always count on her to do something that will keep you laughing. Her Stallone and Neil Diamond fetish concerns me a bit because it is rubbing of onto the boys. She is full of energy all the time and is always on the go. Being so full of energy is a must when you are working full time, going to school full time, and being a mom full time. Then she still has time to add in things like training for a marathon. The running habit she has picked up may just kill me before it is all said and done. She is willing to try almost anything as long as it doesn’t include being anywhere near a rodent (if you want real excitement, put a mouse near her, sit back, and enjoy the show). She loves to laugh and it is very contagious. Even after being married for almost 10 years (10 years? She IS getting old), she is always surprising me with how much fun she is. I am thankful every day for her and am glad that I get to be there to enjoy the person that she is.

Good Job Boys!

2008-10-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Fam-O-Lantern Night

2008-10-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

Friday nights is a great night around the Meyer house, it is our family night. Tonight, for family night we made our Halloween jack-o-lanterns. Danny sweetly said, "What a great family night." Everybody had to agree. We all look forward to Friday nights at our house.

Our Reading Super Star

2008-10-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

Danny ran in from school today showing us a blue lizard that he got to pick out of the treasure box for reading 26 books and passing all of the tests for them. Not only did he surpass his reading goal but he started at zero 2 weeks ago. We are so proud of him! Congratulations baby, keep up the good work.

Chris's New Tag

2008-10-23T07:15:00.001-07:00

Chris got bored with the quirky tag, so he decided to mix things up a bit. He wants me to answer the following 12 questions as my brother, Stephen. I hope I can do you justice, Steve.

1. Who was your favorite past president? I have always been fond of Ben Franklin, he discovered electricity and everything while being president of the U.S., what a cool guy. He was the president, right?

2. What is your dream job? Are you kidding, I already have it! I am a professional doughnut taster. Who could ask for more than that?

3. Do you floss, and how often? (be honest) I floss my front 4 teeth every time I eat corn on the cob, I hate it when the kernels get caught between the cracks.

4. What is the grossest thing you have ever eaten? I'm not sure, but it had to have been in Guatemala while I was on my mission. What ever it was made me friggin' sick.

5. What is your least embarrassing moment? When I was a little boy I used to stand in the middle of the street and scream and my sisters (Joanna and Rachel) would come out and beat me up until I either stopped screaming or got out of the middle of the street. A lot of people think that would be embarrassing; but it wasn't cause I did it all of the time.

6. Have you ever knowingly eaten feces? (any type) I'm pretty sure I have, remember I went to Guatemala and got friggin' sick. I am positive that was feces related.

7. What is the grossest thing you have ever smelled? Newdale during the potato pit cleaning season. There is nothing like taking a step out your front door and inhaling in a deep breath of rotting potatoes.

8. What gives you gas? (be honest) The better question is: What doesn't give me gas? Sarah has just started wearing a gas mask on a regular basis. I must admit I think she is awfully sexy in a gas mask.

9. Who is someone you used to admire, but now do not? I used to admire Debbi, but after this I think I am going to erase her phone number from my phone and never talk to her again. I guess I'll just stick with President Franklin.

10. What cartoon character do you hate the most? I hate, hate, hate Bugs Bunny, he out smarted Elmer Fudd every time. Poor Elmer.

11. What is your second worst pet peeve? When people poke me in the belly and giggle like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. JERKS!

12. Finish this sentence: "Once when I was out of underwear...." That happened just this morning. I put on a pair of Sarah's, they're a little tight but the support is insurmountable.

Now Joanna gets to answer the questions like she was Miriam, and Steve like he was Josh. Have fun.

Mom, Can I Help You?

2008-10-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Joanna was kind enough to give us a start to make Amish Friendship bread and yesterday was baking day. Preston loves to help in the kitchen, especially when it is time to bake sweets. I have to admit he is a great help and the real talent in the kitchen. Thanks for the start Jo, the bread was yummy.

Finally Preston Got Tagged

2008-10-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Deryk tagged Preston and he is so excited. I am excited too, because now Justin is the only one in our family who has yet to be tagged and he can answer the questions by himself. I asked Preston to tell me the things that he likes about himself and here are his answers as he said them.

1. Uhh, I like to go to go to school so I can be safe.

2. I like to play with my friends.

3. I like to play outside in the snow.

4. I like to play with my toys.

5. I like to read books with my mom and dad.

6. I like to play with trucks.

7. I like Porter, Eva, Daniel, Trevor, Stephen, Sarah, Gracie, Ethan, Grams,Rachel..., and everybody else in his family. (I had to stop hip somewhere or he would have gone on to name every member of his family.) And also Grandpa. (He added as I was finishing typing this.)

Preston would tag 3 other people if there were 3 people left to be tagged. This was a fun game and I am excited to read all of the remaining unanswered tags that are still out there. (Miriam, everybody in your fam has to name their quirks so you had better get on it.)

Preston definitely put the finishing touches on our family. We are so lucky to have him.

Danny Got Tagged

2008-10-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Danny got tagged by his wonderful cuz Sarah. This kid has some funny quirks, so I know this will be good. Well here goes...

1. My fingers are double jointed, I can bend them way far back and freak people out. My thumb is really double jointed too.

2. I like to dance around weird.

3. I could eat all day and still stay skinny. Right now I am hungry.

4. I like to make weird faces.

5. I like to pop my knuckles, neck, and big toes. (Anytime Danny hears someone pop their knuckles, or talk about doing it, he has to pop any area in his body that can be. It is a compulsion.)

6. I like to play with my brothers. My best friend in the world is Trevor. Oh ya I also like to play with my best friends too.

Now I tag Chris, Porter, and Grandpa.

Isn't he such a great kid, life would be awfully boring without him!

Fist Snowfall. HOTDOG!

2008-10-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

The boys have always loved the first snow of the year. Since we have moved into our new house they have been especially excited because of the hill in our back yard. They all knew that that hill would make a righteous sledding hill. Needless to say, the first time the boys had a chance they were dressed in all of their snow gear and headed out the back door. I think they were right about that hill.

Trevor Is So Close

2008-10-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

Trevor has always wanted to be taller than an adult, any adult, he doesn't care if it is a little person they just have to be over 18 years old. He out-grew G.G. (my grandma) about a year ago. I think it helps a little that G.G. has been shrinking, but it still meant a lot to him. Having passed G.G., Grandma (my mom) is now in his sights. During a family dinner this afternoon I looked up to see Trevor and Grandma talking and found that Trevor has come dangerously close to goal. If Trev has his shoes on and Grandma's hair is pushed flat they are close to the same height. Man, who would have guessed we would have a kid big enough to be taller than his grandmother. Justin is getting so old.

Trevor Got Tagged...Thanks Steve

2008-10-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

Trevor got tagged by Steve, so I'm going to let him do it himself.

1. I hate to have long fingernails. I even hate the white to show.

2. I like to freak my dad out by touching my eyes. He hates it.

3. Sometimes when I'm watching tv when there's a baby toy on I think they look fun.

4. I like the feeling of new kleenexes.It feels better than old.

5. I like to wack sticks off dead trees.

6. I like the feeling of the back of my head when it just gets cut.

now I tag grandma, Sarah and Clay.

You were right Steve, Trevor is a pretty awesome kid.

Justin's 10K

2008-10-07T03:40:00.000-07:00

I talked Justin into running the 10K by telling him that I would train and run it with him. After a lot of encouragement, reluctantly, he said yes. Then, half way through training (a lot of early Saturday Morning 7 mile runs), I informed him that I was unable to run because I had my clinical rotation at State Hospital South that weekend. To say the least he was not pleased. He had put too much work into it to backout then. We continued to train together, and, when it came down to it, Justin ran it by himself in 1hr and 40sec. He did a great job! I felt really bad because I could not be there to cheer him on, but his mom and the boys were there in my place, thanks Vivian and boys. Good Job Honey!

Catching Up

2008-10-04T09:35:00.001-07:00

Catching Up

2008-10-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Well, Guess I have started so here are some pictures of the fam to catch you up.

Finally Blogging

2008-10-04T08:33:00.001-07:00

I guess I finally have to give in and post something on my blog thanks to Rachel (my beautiful sister) for the tag. I have to name 6 of my quirks, this is hard because I see all of my quirks, but I don't want everybody else to see them.

#1 Much like my sister, Joanna, I hate mouth sounds. I hate to hear people chew gum with their mouth open, I hate eating noises, and I hate it when my boys make silly noises with their mouth, thank you Joanna, for teaching them a variety to drive me crazy with.

#2 While I love to make craft projects, I hate to look at my own. I can see every mistake and I think everybody else can see them also.

#3 I love Niel Diamond and Sylvester Stalone. I know they are both old but they are my favorites. I can sing almost any Niel Diamond Song and I have seen almost all of Sylvester Stalone's movies, I can even quote most of the 5 Rocky movies.

#4 Even though Sylvester Stalone is my favorite, I have never seen any of the Rambos, we even own a few. I honestly don't think I ever will watch them.

#5 I love to look at home decorating books, I buy them all the time, but I don't have the nerve to change anything in my home. The most adventurous thing I have done is to paint my boys' rooms colors instead of leaving them white.

#6 I love musicals, watch the old ones, the new ones, on TV, and if I have the chance I will go to the theater to watch them. I sing the songs to my kids all of the time, they often look at me like I am crazy when I start belting Yentle, Annie, Sound of Music, and many others.

Well there are all of the quirks I am willing to share now I get to tag 3 other people. Jill, aren't you happy I finally blogged something, now it's you turn. Stephen, I bet you have some pretty funny quirks, and Miriam, I want to see if you really will ignore the tag. Have a great time.