My Babies

They are growing up, but they are still my babies. Here we are on Mother's Day - I got a fantastic steak and shrimp dinner cooked by Ben, and a gift certificate for the spa. I can't wait to use it.




And here are the three trouble makers watching a snail. They are playing together more and more, and snail watching is a favorite activity.

Outside of my Bubble

Yesterday I was reading the news, and I came across this article about the famine in Ethiopia. I've heard it a million times. But this time, I read the whole article instead of skipping past it. I looked at the picture of the little girl, and it just got me. Here I am sitting at home with everything I need, eating way more than I should, and this little girl is under 10 pounds at age three.

I have three children who are happy and healthy, but she is stunted in her growth and can't even speak because of starvation. It just gets me all over again typing it now.

We give money through our church, which is then distributed for humanitarian aid around the world. So whenever I'm asked to donate to a specific charity, I usually decline. But yesterday, I couldn't look into that little girls eyes without doing something.

So I found the UNICEF site, and instead of donating money, I donated food. I always worry money will end up going to administrative costs or something, but through their site you can purchase a very specific type of food - I chose milk for the young children.

I know, I'm being way too serious for a regular Thursday morning - I just wanted to share something that affected me, and made me so grateful for what we have.

Sick of being sick

I've been sick all winter long, and now it is Spring and I am sick again. We have had more colds, flus, coughs and sore throats go through this house than I could ever imagine. Maybe its because Anna started preschool, or because the twins are in nursery, or because we have to get used to the California germs.

Every time we go through a sickness I try to wash all of the sheets more, wash everyone's hands more, and spray Lysol a whole bunch. I think after this round, we are all going to start taking vitamins. Maybe even some of those herbs everyone says keep you healthy.

So, what do you do to keep your family healthy? I need some tips because I feel like a horrible mother - we've been sick for months!!

Buying a House in Good Old Riverside

So, we've looked at tons of houses and watched the market since we got here six months ago. And just when I thought it was safe to buy a house, just when it was starting to seem like the market was stabilizing here, I see this:

Riverside is #8 on the 10 markets set to experience steep losses. Not the 10 markets in California - the 10 markets in the whole United States. And Riverside is #8.

The 12-month forecast is that Riverside will go down 16 more percent. That is a lot of money! I mean, I don't care if we buy a house to live in and the market goes down a bit more, but 16 percent is a lot. Were talking 60 to 80 thousand dollars lost in our first year if the prediction is true and we bought a house now.

So, I think it might be time to start thinking about renting for a year. This article proposes that April to June 2009 will be rock bottom - i.e., the best time to buy. Of course no one knows for sure, but it is interesting information anyway.

Still Alive

I think this might be the longest we've gone without updating our blog. Just wanted to say I'm still here! We've just been busy. I have some things to post, so I'm crossing my fingers I'll get to it tonight.

On a side note,

Kobe is the MVP!!

Here is a throw back picture to celebrate - Ben with Anna in her Lakers jersey way back in 2004.

41 Hours in an Elevator

Obviously this guy isn't the first person to get stuck in an elevator - but he might be the first one to have it documented on YouTube. To accompany this interesting story in the New Yorker, they posted a 3 minute video that speeds through the entire 41 hours this man spent in an elevator. It isn't really a funny video - I just thought it was interesting.

I thought about what I would do in an elevator for 41 hours - and I think my thoughts would only last me about an hour. After that I would be going crazy, singing, talking to myself, and trying to sleep. Worst of all, I think I would worry that the elevator was about to drop off into oblivion at any moment due to some sort of malfunction. Oh, and I'm pretty claustraphobic, so I would have to get over that too. Ben says he hopes this guy sued - why would it take them that long to get him out?

2002 B.C.

2002 B.C. - Before Children

Every morning I work in Mom Y's office and this picture is on the shelf. I have taken it down to look at it closely on more than one occasion. I think I like it because we all look so pure, so innocent. Just 9 months later or so (I'm not sure exactly when this picture was taken, who remembers?) Anna was born, followed by Zach, and then Ethan within a period of 3.5 months.

I love, and we all love, all of the kids. But it is fun to look back at all of us before they were here. I think we all look a little less tired.

We Miss you Robbie and Beula

Way back in my second year at BYU, I was lucky enough to inherit my Grandma's 91 Ford Taurus. It was free, I named it Beula, and it was a good car. Best of all, I was able to put my no-working-brakes-in-the-winter-so-I-had-to-fall-into-the-snow-bank-to-stop bicycle to rest. Beula lasted all the way until the summer I had the twins and Ben worked in California. He drove it down to Riverside from Utah, and then about half way through the summer it died. It then retired to Ben's parents driveway/backyard for a few years before we finally had it towed away not too long ago.

Our second Ford Taurus came along a few years later, soon after we were married. My grandparents (who clearly love Ford Taurus') were buying a new Ford Taurus, so we bought the 95 from them. Robbie lasted until this past November, when we sold him before moving to California for a cool $600. And it was running. That was a great deal for a running car.

So why didn't we transport this beloved car with us to Cali when we moved? Because we had a Buick waiting for us. My Grandma had been ready for a new car yet again, and we inherited a Buick.

Sadly, it just died after only a few months. We hardly even had time to call it Margaret.

The question is - are our days of driving "old people cars" as we have so lovingly referred to them over? As I scan through Camry's, Maxima's and Prius', I just don't know if we can pull it off. We have always been the type of 20-somethings who roll in a Ford Taurus. We have always been just a tiny bit embarrassed to drive when going out to lunch with co-workers. It just won't be the same to walk outside and see a car made in the 21st century.

So if anyone in Utah sees a woman named Tree (seriously, that was her name) driving a grey 95 Ford Taurus - tell her we'll give her the $600 back. Our long standing history of driving old cars and avoiding another car payment without ever longing for a fancy new car depends on it.

The Long-Awaited (Maybe by a few people) Disney Post

It has been over a month and I never shared pictures from our trip to the happiest place on earth. They are on Ben's computer and well, he uses his computer. So that is my excuse.

Well, it lived up to my expectations. The adults were more excited to go than Anna, and we got there just after it opened. It looked like it was going to be a pretty slow day, and we had perfect, 75 degree weather. We walked straight over to Pirates of the Carribean. I remember it as a fun ride, "Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me."

Anna seemed apprehensive as we got going, the ride is very dark. Then we went down a small drop - she laughed for a minute, then she cried. For the rest of the ride all I could hear was, "Mommy, I told you I didn't want to go on this ride!" "Cover my eyes, those guys are scary!" And other things like that. I felt pretty bad - the first ride to start our exciting day and Anna hates it.

So after that we didn't take Anna on anything dark or scary in the least bit. And we had a great time. Ellie and I enjoyed the big rides like Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain. And we all went with Anna on rides like Winnie the Pooh, the Train, Teacups, Autopia, and the Tiki Room. Grandma Horsie played with her when Ellie and I were gone, and they got treats, had Anna's portrait done and went on more rides.

Talking about it makes me want to go back, it was SO fun!


Anna was excited as we rode the tram from the parking lot.

Ellie and I on Indiana Jones. I need to learn how to take pictures of myself without the double chin. (Or maybe it is always there?)

Here we are on Splash Mountain. We went twice!

Anna and Grandma coming back over from Tom Sawyer's Island.

The standard pictures in front of the castle.


Anna on a fake dumbo, this was aside from the ride, just to climb on.

The teacups! This was definitely one of Anna's favorites.

Playing the piano and sitting on a chair in Goofy's house.



Getting a little tired as we waited for Autopia. We hoped she would take a nap in the stroller but she never did. Amazingly, she was good ALL day, and never broke down. Well, until we grabbed her a snack right before we left and the chicken nuggets were not McDonald's (I cringed when she demanded that). But after a minute she ate them and I was once again amazed how good she was all day.

On the Rocket Ships - these things go up high!

Waiting for the parade, a nice way to end the day.

Anna still had energy on the tram back to the parking lot, but she fell asleep about 30 seconds into the car ride.

Ellie was a bit more exhausted!



I want to go again and I want to get year passes. But does it lose its magic if you go a lot?

Playoffs, baby

The Lake Show just earned the number 1 spot in the Western Conference. Go Lakers!

FYI, we are not fair weather fans. We have been Lakers fans for life. Just didn't want someone to think I was hopping on a bandwagon. :)