Graduation!

We FINALLY graduated on December 14...Wahoo!! It was a crazy, hectic and very cold day but we survived.

Adios, Iceberg!!

It's official. I am no longer a resident of that very cold and windy place in Idaho. On Friday, Dave and I both graduated and on Saturday we left town. Pictures of the happy graduates to soon follow. It was great to have the help of my mom, sister and Dave's brother and his wife..we couldn't have gotten everything done without their help. Thanks guys!! We are now at my sister's house after the longest day of driving EVER. I thought we would never get here. Driving over mountain passes in Winter in the middle of the night with bad windshield wipers- not the greatest thing to do, in case you might be wondering if you should do that. Of course, before that I had been a little sleepy and that kept me wide awake for the rest of the trip. I am going back to Rexburg in a few weeks for the temple open house, but right now I can't think about that drive- I need to block out the one from yesterday first. To my great Idaho friends- I love you and will miss you!! It's strangely warm to me in Western Washington and I am liking that right now!

TAGGED!!

I have been tagged as it is called and tagged by Laura. Here are the RULES. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog for game rules/details.

Here are mine:

1. I am a certified SCUBA Diver. Dave and I took a class a year ago and it was terrifying for me...but I did it! We haven't been diving since then, but I look forward to someday SCUBA Diving in beautiful clear water in Hawaii.

2. I hate doing laundry. It is my least favorite domestic duty. I don't mind so much throwing it in the washing maching and dryer. It's the folding and putting away that I detest so much. Usually by the time I am done, the hampers are full of dirty clothes again. It is a nasty cycle that never ends.

3. I love Taco Time!! They have the best ice in town, the little tiny kind that is so awesome. I am a regular customer in their drive thru, so much so that the owner who usually works the drive through, knows me by name. :) Sad, but true. He is disappointed that his best customer is moving soon but he has been kind enough to give us lots of great boxes.

4. I have never been snow or water skiing. I know, I know. I grew up in the Northwest with mountains and lakes everywhere. I don't even have a desire to to either type of skiing- and as long as I never do I will have something to say when I am tagged!

5. I am somewhat of a clean freak, though you wouldn't know it from looking at my house right now.(We are moving next week, I have a good excuse!)I love to organize things in my home and I will be forever grateful to Rubbermaid for inventing wonderful storage containers. Valerie- I am coming to your house soon, are you ready for me and my organizing ways??

6. This Summer my husband bought a motorcycle and I was okay with it. I had so many wives tell me they would never let their husband get a bike and they were shocked that I let Dave get one. He's a grown man who works hard (most of the time), so who I am to tell him what he can or can't do? Of course, the thing was a money pit and we no longer have it but he enjoyed his mid-life crisis toy while he had it. :)

People I am tagging:
Keri C
Valerie
Adrienne
Kristi
Mollie
Angela

I heart Celine!!

So, ever since high school, I have loved Celine Dion. It all started with my friend Aimee and me driving around, singing along as loud as we could to Celine CD's. We were good!! I went to see Celine in Vegas a few years ago with my mother-in-law, because Dave didn't want to go with me. He missed a good show! Recently, my sister and I got tickets to see her when she comes to the Tacoma Dome in October 2008. I know- it's 11 months away, but we have amazing tickets (14th row!!) and I am excited. I don't know what will be going on with my life in 11 months, but I know that I am going to see Celine again!! Wahoo!!! Whose music do you sing along to in your car or shower or wherever?

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Road Trip!

We took our time heading to Southern California and did some fun stuff on the way. We stayed the night at Whiskey Pete's, just outside of Vegas and Kelsi went on her first roller coaster ride. When it was built in 1996, it had the largest drop in the world. It was so scary...but not for Kelsi, she went on it once with me and then again with Dave! The next day we stopped at Calico, an old ghost town where they used to mine silver. It was over 80 degrees there, we loved the sunshine!!

We stopped by the St. George Temple...such a beautiful place!

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It's not a road trip without some of this...

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Getting ready to ride the roller coaster, Desperado.

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A small glimpse of the coaster...it was huge!

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A Joshua Tree!! Made me remember my days in Lancaster, CA. Kelsi loved spotting them and thinking of her cousin, Joshua.

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A glass bottle house at Calico

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Panning for silver at Calico..we found some!!

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Climbing around Calico..look at that blue, clear sky...in November!

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It's hard to tell in this picture, but there were thousands of windmills in the middle of the Mojave Desert in California. It gave the kids something to look at for a little bit.

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M-I-C-K-E-Y MOUSE!!!

Logan, Kelsi, and Aidan...Kelsi had so much fun being with her friends again!

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My friend, Mandy and me...she is the one who talked us into coming to visit and we are so glad she did!!! She also helped to keep me sane the last few years in Rexburg and I miss her so much!!

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Waiting for the carousel

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Kelsi and Mommy on the Bumper Bugs...so fun!

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Andrew loved this ride, can you tell?

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We love Disneyland!

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Andrew and his favorite person, Mama!!

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The only Buzz Lightyear we saw walking around...

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Kelsi and Dad

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California Screamin' is behind us...we decided this was our favorite ride. Kelsi loved when you went upside down in the Mickey head.

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We had such a fun time with our friends, the Joneses, at Disneyland. The weather was great and the company too. Hopefully we can go again sometime! Kelsi loved all the rides, she was tall enough for them all and the scarier the better for her- she takes after her mother!! Andrew's favorites were (of course) the Nemo ride and the Buzz one. On our way home we stopped in Utah and got to spend time with Dave's grandparents, always a treat! Now we are home in freezing cold Rexburg and it's back to real life again...3 weeks till we move!!

Disney-Mania!!

We are off to the land of Disney and...sunshine!! I don't know which part of that I am most excited about! Have a great Thanksgiving everyone, see ya when we get back!

Glasses!

Kelsi got glasses today! She picked them out herself and so far, she loves them. Dave says it is all my fault since I have bad eyes on my side of the family. Thanks mom and dad!! She is adorable and looks even cuter with her new glasses!

Happy Halloween!!

I was having trouble posting pictures and writing in the same post, so here is my explanation of the pictures below! Kelsi was a cheerleader, but not just any cheerleader, one with pink hair. It has been her dream since she was 4 to have pink hair and it finally came true last night. Andrew was Buzz Lightyear, of course! Our complex had a trunk-or-treat last night and it was great! It wasn't dark when we started, so Kelsi and her friends went off by themselves. A friend and I were talking about how our parents always went with us, even when we were older. Yes, we live in Rexburg! Everyone was on one side of the complex so the kids just walked up one row and down the other side. We could see them the whole time. :) Andrew did not want to go, so he sat in the back of the van and played while I handed out candy. I can't count how many parents with newborns came around...wonder who will eat that candy! (In my home, you don't go beg for candy until you can ask for it yourself, but to each his own.) Anyway, once I ran out of candy, I talked Andrew into going on a "walk" with me and his friend, Matthew. He reluctantly came along, but once he realized he could get suckers and smarties, he was so excited! This was the first year he did trick-or-treating and once he saw what it was, he loved it!! He was so excited at each car, he wanted to just look at all the candy. By 6:30, it was getting dark and the candy was gone, so everyone headed home. It was great, the kids thought it was late, so we got them into bed by 8pm...after washing Kelsi's hair a few times of course!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Primary Program

Today was the Primary Program in our ward. I am currently serving as the 1st counselor and loving it!! Despite the crazy practice we held Saturday night, the program went great and the kids did an awesome job. Our ward is a little different than most, our primary consists of 6 CTR-7 kids (including Kelsi) and 1 Sunbeam. We also have a big nursery and about a million babies. Even though we have a small group, they were great and the Spirit was so strong, I couldn't even sing the closing song, "I'll Follow Him in Faith." (I am known to cry easily...but I didn't cry when I had to speak!) It was so cool to look out into the ward and see others who were also touched by that wonderful song. I love my Primary!!

Why do kids do that?

So, tonight I just about had a heart attack. And I feel like I have aged at least 10 years! Andrew had run out the front door while I was cooking dinner. I was in the middle of something and could see him, so I figured I would go get him in a minute. Plus, lots of our neighbors were out there and he was just playing with the other kids. Less than 2 minutes later I went to get him and he was nowhere to be found. I checked all his usual play places and still couldn't find him. Kelsi went one way around the building, I went the other way. (Dave was gone.) I am usually pretty calm when he goes missing...sadly this is not the first time he has done this, and probably not the last. Soon Dave got home and he and a bunch of our other neighbors were helping us run around looking for him. He is 2, where could he have gone so fast? If you haven't been to our house, we live in the back of a pretty large complex. I started heading to the front because there is another playground he likes to go to, but its pretty far away, especially for him. For some reason, a little voice was telling me to go that way, even though Kelsi had already been there. At first glance no one was at the playground and I pretty much hit panic mode, just on the verge of a full blown freak-out!! I called his name and around the corner comes this couple, who I do not know, carrying my son. They told me they found him walking towards the main street (7th South if you know the area) and they grabbed him. They asked him his name and he said, "I'm Andrew, I was just playing." He was obviously not as scared as me or half our ward who by now were looking for him! They were going to take him to the manager when they heard me calling his name. He was happy to see me, but just wanted to play on the playground. What a stinker!! I am so grateful to the people who grabbed him...he was headed towards a busy road where people drive pretty fast. I also love that we live in a place where people will help you in an instant. I NEVER thought that I would say this, but I am sad we are leaving. Our ward and neighbors are awesome, and we will miss them tons. I am so happy it all turned out okay, but I am not ready for the gray hair that this boy is going to give me!

Strange Idaho Weather!!

We were enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon when we heard some super loud thunder, so we looked outside to see what was going on. It was hailing, like crazy!! It looks like snow in the pics, but it's hail. Of course the kids had to go outside and play for a minute.
This is some hail that Kelsi collected as it fell from the sky...in only about 2 minutes!
For some reason, I am craving a Sno Cone now!!

Since we have come inside, the hail has turned to snow. It is still falling like crazy, I am glad we don't have to go anywhere today.

Buzz Lightyear is Here!

If you know anything about Andrew, it should be that he loves Toy Story!! He has probably watched it a gazillion times (both 1 and 2)! He usually is never too far away from his Buzz or Woody toys. So, when we were shopping the other day and he saw this Buzz costume, he went crazy! I got it for him and finally let him wear it today. He sat in front of our mirror for 20 minutes, saying over and over, "I am Buzz Lightyear!" That was worth every penny we spent! I tried to get a good picture, but he won't stay still, he is just so excited. He's the cutest little Buzz ever!

Winter has Arrived!

This is what we woke up to this morning...so fun...and so cold!!

We love Rexburg!!!

All I want for Christmas...

Look closely- Kelsi has lost her second front tooth! It's been loose for awhile and tonight she just pulled on it and it came out! So, all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth!!

Me, on the other hand, all I want for Christmas is a job for my husband who is graduating in December!!

My New Do!!

I finally decided it was time to get a grown up haircut...to stop me from pulling my long hair back every single day!! Kelsi took the pic when I got home...I love it so far!! We will see how tomorrow goes when I have to do it by myself! Next weekend is my 10 year high school reunion- too bad I can't go show off my new "grown up" look. I have to be in Rexburg...who plans a reunion for October? Come on people!

They really do listen!

I have a funny story to share about Andrew, who has now officially entered the "Terrible Two" stage. Andrew, being two, (if you call him that he will correct you and say, "I am two and a half!"), likes to say No a lot, especially to mommy and daddy. When he would say no to me, I would say, "Don't say no to me, say yes to me." Well, the other day he wanted to do something and I had told him no. His response to this was, "You don't say no to me, you say yes!" If he weren't so darn cute, I might go crazy!!

Countdown to Disneyland

This year we will be spending Thanksgiving in California with our good friends who just moved from Rexburg. We will also be spending a few days at Disneyland! Tonight we made a chain to countdown the days...I don't know who is more excited to go, Kelsi or me!!!

Beautiful Idaho!

Dave's brother was camping up near Island Park so we went up for the day with his other brother and their family..it was beautiful and we had a blast! All of the Button Cousins were together again!Family photo on the river
We climbed up a very unsteady fallen tree and found a bunch of huge rocks. Kelsi wanted to know who had moved them there. :)
Moose sighting near Island Park...There is a story behind this picture. A few years ago I went up to Alaska with my parents and sister for my cousin's wedding. Since it was my first time in Alaska, I really wanted to see a moose. Everyone said they just walked around the streets there. My dad drove me ALL over the place and we never saw one..till we went to a zoo place and they were in a cage. That didn't count as far as I was concerned. Just this summer I have seen moose near Ogden, Utah and Island Park, Idaho...but I couldn't find one in Alaska!!

Rexburg Temple Dates announced!

The First Presidency released the open house and dedication dates for the Rexburg Idaho Temple.

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE:Saturday, December 29, 2007, to Saturday, January 26, 2008

Tickets are free and available beginning November 26, 2007

Online: http://www.lds.org/reservations/Toll Free: 1-800-537-6181

DEDICATION:Sunday, February 3, 2008 in four sessions

They have been working on this temple since we moved here 2 years ago! We live right next to it and it has been wonderful watching the progress on it...it is beautiful! We are so happy that they have finally announced dates...though a little disappointed that the open house begins 2 weeks after we plan on moving from here! We will have to make a quick trip back from wherever we end up to go through the open house!

From Here to Eternity!!

Newlyweds...we couldn't take our eyes off each other!
Our cake was so good...and the top that we froze and ate on our 1st anniversary tasted just as good as the day we were married...yummers!
When do we get to stop smiling?? We look so young!
8 years ago, Dave and I were sealed for time and eternity in the Portland Temple. I thought I loved this man as much as I could at the time, but have only grown more in love through the years. I look forward to many years to come....and our 10 year anniversary trip to Hawaii countdown has begun!!! Anyone want to join us?

I got an internship!!

Today I found out that I will be doing my internship at a local daycare that also has a preschool program. They have infants up through age 12 at the center, but I will be working with the preschool age children in the afternoons, doing art projects and other fun learning centers. Since it is in the afternoons, once school starts Dave will be home with the kids for most of the time and we will only need someone to watch them for an hour, maybe two each day. This should be a great learning experience and better yet- when I have completed 160 hours I will get my degree and really be completely done with school. Wahoo!!! And it's paid- almost unheard of for my major and in Rexburg, especially. I am ready to be done!

First Day of First Grade!!

Bright and early, ready for first grade! They are the first bus stop, so they have to be there at 7:30am...if you know Kelsi, you know this is too early! Lucky for us, today she was excited for school, so she woke up easily.
So exciting!!
Andrew missed Kelsi while she was gone all day, he was so happy to see the bus bringing his sister home in the afternoon. I love how much they love one another!

Fun in the sun and water!!

Kelsi, Sarah, and a friend, Emily having fun at Rigby Lake.

Having fun at Splash Park in Rexburg
Andrew loves the water now, ever since we spent a few days at Cherry Hill, in Utah. I would recommend that to anyone and everyone!!

When Sarah and Josh were here a few weeks ago, we finally got Kelsi to go back to the Splash Park..no one got sick this time. We also went to Rigby Lake and had tons of fun. We love our cousins!!