Grandma Lori came to town, Mt. Rainier, Eatonville.

I am so getting bad at uploading photos on here! I need to change that! For a long time, they won't load properly, so I gave up. I think today is the day that I'll try again. Jeff's mom came here at the first part of April. She flew in from Twin Falls, ID. It was nice having her here! She's always super friendly and just loves being with the grandkids. They love having Grandma Lori around! (Well, Landon can't physically tell me that, but Leena sure can!) We went to Eatonville one day, which is about...20-25 miles East of where we live. In short, middle of nowhere. Whoever, it's a tiny podunk town, that had pretty sweet park that Leena wanted to play at. We had packed a lunch for everyone so this was good. We had a nice lunch there at the park, threw Landon into the infant carrier (Jeff is getting rather anti-stroller these days, he doesn't even keep in the the car that I drive.) and we had a fun playday at Meadow Pond park, or whatever it was called. With Grandma Lori being from smalltown america, this is good! Because if there are little bugs flying around Leena and I, we freak out, grandma kills them for us, HOORAY! Haha. We played at the park for about 45 minutes, and then drove up to the un-errupted, HUGE, snow capped, Mt. Rainier. It's about 30 min from Eatoville, putting the park entrance at about an hour-ish away from our new home in Puyallup. I have to say, that day out in Eatonville, I was HOT! It was early April and about 74 outside, INSANE! I did enjoy the sun. Being from California, and living here, you take the sun for granted. I've learned not to do this living where I do now! It's perfect for rain lovers, NOT for sun lovers! Anyway, it was fabulous outside. We drove to Mt. Rainier national park, and with the admission, we just said, eh, we'll get a season pass, it's the cost of 2 visits, it's easier this way. We saw mountain, upon mountain of snow that had just been plowed off of the roads. About 12 feet tall in areas, some maybe 15 feet. Just massive amounts. It was very pretty, and I'm not one to speak highly of nature. We drove around and took a million pictures. One area, we stopped, and at one point, it HAD been a roadway. But it had been dumped on with snow. Let's just say, we were walking above the top of the stop sign. It was that deep. Leena had fun throwing mini snowballs at Jeff and I, trying to miss Landon while he slept, briefly. It was cold, about 35 or so. We were all wrapped up in typical Northwest fashion. All in all, it was a good day! The day prior, we'd gone out to Applebees with Grandma Lori, and that was fun as well. I had been there before and it seemed like the food had no flavor, glad to see they finally stepped up their game and started seasoning their food, haha. Grandma left on a Tuesday, we'll miss her until we make the trek to Idaho in July! Me and Landon :) Jeffy and Landon, he really liked hanging out with Dad! He likes apples! Jeff with his mom and Landon. the "sun is blinding us" photo with our eyes squinted, except Jeff. The road inside the national park, that was the "small" piles of snow we saw the whole way down. Lone Leena in the snow... Mt. Rainier, good shot. This was the road that had about 12 feet of snow on it. Jeff's being super careful climbing with a sleeping Landon. Grandma Lori and Leena Beena. Jeff, Landon and I trekking around. Lori She was taking a pictures, so I had to snap one. And we were about....40-50 feet away from that pile, so it looks "smaller" than it really was. Heading home, where EVERYONE slept.

For those who have daughters....

Anyone that knows Leena (My 7 and a a half year old) knows that she's not only a very bright, intelligent girl, but she can be emotional. VERY emotional. To the point of rediculous emotional.

For example: Today, Jeff, Me and Leena were in the backyard. Playing frisbee on a nice sunny day. The frisbee, went into the next door neighbors backyard. They know we have 2 kids, and almost expect things like this to happen. They seem like nice people. As a kid, if that happened, my mom always marched me over to the neighbors house, and had me kindly ask for my toy back, and apologize for the inconvience. Makes sense, doesn't it? It made me learn that me neighbors were very kind people, and that it was ok if it was an accident, and didn't happen all the time.

I normally would just say fine, you're crying, I'll get it for you. But I'm so tired of bailing her out, I want her to actually LEARN that it's ok to talk to certain people and she's not asking for anything bad.

Anyway, Long story short, frisbee went over the fence. Started to walk up to the door, and she started crying. This is VERY typical of Leena. I don't know if it's because she's figured out that crying can get her out of situations (in this case, her frisbee I got her, is history for all I care, she's not going to run this house with her tears) or if it's some detail cause psychologically when she was 2 or what?

I marched her right back home, and she just was bawling. Rediculously. I said "Hey, if you're that upset over your frisbee, you obviously are tired, so go upstairs to your room, and lay down. You don't have to sleep, but if you're tired and it's making you cry that muh, you at least need to rest. you don't have to sleep, just clam your nerves a bit". I go and peek in the slit through the door about 10 in later, she's calm, and sulking. Jeff comes in from weeding and says "Want me to give it a shot?" I say "Sure, good luck. She's having a pity party up there". He was downstairs about 6 seconds later, literally. He said "nope, she started crying again when i offered to go over to the neighbors house, and then take her to the park to play with it". So, this is an uphill battle.

Do I force her to stay in her room the rest of the day until she agrees to go over there and ask fo rit, to prove a point? Or do I save my lilttle 7 year old damsel in distress and her mommy usually does. I'm sick of her sobbing of DUMB things. We all adore her, everyone does, she's a doll. But she's human and does have her qwirks. And it drives both sides of her family nuts with the sobbing.

To my Daddy, the best guy ever!

To my Daddy, who'll be moving to Hamilton, Bermuda on May 11th.

I'm going to miss you =( I have been SO lucky to not only have you as my dad, but for a great role model. The long talks, about making sure I was making the right choices in life. Taking me on daddy daughter nights, PPI's, cooking breaskfasts in the morning, spending hours on cars, tickle fights, taking amazing care of my little girl. Being the awesome "Papa" that you are to my kids. For all the million smiles Landon has given YOU (not many others) when asked "Hey! How ya' doin'", I agree with mom, I think he does have some connection with you. I don't think he will realize it, but he will miss you.

Thanks for the endless love, and zillions of hugs. Thanks for being the head of the house, and raising 6 great kids. I don't think anyone else could handle what you and mom have been through. You guys are going on 32 yers, and strongly counting more, you're saints, and troopers. We were not easy kids, espcially myself. Thanks for loving me regardless.

Now that I'm a mom myself, I get what the true definition of unconditional love it, it's you and mom.

I remember the long drives to Placerville to go see Grandmaleen and Grandpa, and it seems like I was always getting sick, and I remember that once we got there, you made sure I was ok. I remember you carrying me to bed so many times as a kid, and it always makes me smile when I watch you have Leena in your arms, and put her to bed.

My favorite thing as a kid, was when you would tuck me in at night. You were always either at school or working, so it was like a little treat when my daddy got to tuck me in at night.

I can't write all this without getting not only bummed, but teary. I love you SO much, and I'm gonna miss you! I know you'll be an 8 hour flight away, but it seems like my daddy is going to a far off place. A land undiscovered almost.

Thank you for raising me with the morals, values and the importance of family. And having a belief in god my whole life. What a difference it has made. I've had a small taste of what life is like without it - I don't like that taste! You've given me countless blessings, to me, my kids, siblings, and even spouses. I want my kids to be raised with the same things I had, amazing parents, a love of christ, the importance of family, love of the gospel.

Thanks for the endless love, life lessons, and all I've mentioned, and have failed to mention because my mind is going so fast.

I LOVE YOU DADDY!!!!

I loathe this day

I was playing around online today, and saw a remark my friend Meagan has posted, it was about the Oprah show today, abot 14 years olds who were "ready" to have sex

Someone please tell me that's not true!! That's not only gross, but religion and marriage aside, who's honestly really going to admit, they know what they're doing at that age! You simply and flat out don't know what you're doing, I"m sure it's not healthy for a 14 year old to be "playing married" at that age. I think even f you're a legal adult at the age of 18, it's still TOO YOUNG! Me, personally, married or not, think it's a damn good idea to wait til you're 23. Just because of the face you know the risks and consequences, and it's not "unhealthy" if you do choose to wait til you're 23.

I can't say I blame the mom on the show for buying her son a box of "protection", she wasn't promoting it, but you can only stop your kids so much. So, with that said, she bought him some. I mean, I get it, but why would you put that much temptation into his own hands? Riddle me that!

Here is the link to the site to take a read, I'm nto trying to blast my views on here, but it's not cool. http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090326-tows-teen-sex/1