happy birthday babe!

Happy Birthday John! We love you so much!!

go steelers.

I am simply tired of looking at myself as an old lady, I needed a new post. So, in honor of the annual Silverado work trip to a NFL football game.... (John, Big Dave, My dad and my brother in laws are in Denver for the big game tonight)....

Go Steelers! Have fun boys!

growing old....

My super hip and hot friend Sunny turns thirty this very day. In her honor her new hubby threw her a surprise "old person" party. In my younger years I would do anything and find any reason to dress up. I had a hot pink pair of spandex that were quite often in the rotation. Call me lazy, or old, or busy or just too tired... but I haven't dressed up in forever. I think this weekend with Halloween and this party is putting me back in my groove. Watch out folks...

Kerstin borrowed us some hot outfits...complete with fat suits to wear to the party. They were rockin'. Thanks Kerst!

Kerstin, Shannon, Sunny and I as old ladies.

Kerstin and I.

Meanwhile... it just happened that the time of the party and the time of a concert we had tickets to happened to be the same. It may be that John finds a lot of cool music and keeps us in the know with what is new and good. It may also be that I bring a lot of good music to the table too... Jesse McCartney, MJ, The Outfield, Enrique... the list could go on forever. That being said there is always one album a year that John introduces me to that I just can't get enough of. This year it is Say Hi. (The band formerly known as Say Hi to Your Mom). Anyway, it was this certain band that was in concert last night, so I sent John along by himself and I went to party with some of my favorite girls.

Needless to say I was giddy (still am) when John brought me home a signed Say Hi LP that says, "I love Ashley". John swears he didn't tell him to write that. Either way, I'll take it.

I'm sure that one day John and I really will get old, and our fat suits won't be fake and we will still be sitting around listening to records, sipping diet cokes out of goblets. Not a bad way to grow old. In fact, I think it sounds heavenly.

happy halloween...

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween was lovely. It was full of candy, fun, some crazy roller skating, trick or treating and happy costumed children. Now, what bribe am I going to hold over my children's head? I suppose the Christmas bribery can begin.

fresh air

We needed a little fresh air and out of this sick house so we drove to see some sites on Sunday. With the troops recovering, it felt sooo good to be out in the glorious fall air. We drove up to the Bountiful Temple and then up Mueller Park Canyon in Bountiful. ( I think that is what it is called, remember I am not from around here... he he)

Sophie, my budding "vatographer" took the next three photos. She wanted something to turn in to the Reflections contest at school. The theme is " Beauty is..." She chose the third one as her entry. I am so proud of her. She has quite the little eye for things.


What a great start to a week of recovery, cleaning, disinfecting, laundering, and feelin' good.

don't mess with the pig

John is down and out. Since Saturday.... it's swine flu. He waited too long (mostly because I kept telling him he didn't have the swine flu) to go to the doctor and get on the beloved Tamiflu. Soph and Ruby also have it. Sophie is recovering nicely. She had one really rough night of throwing up, but since then has been pretty good. Ruby is probably the most happy child in the world. Even running a 103 temperature last night she was smiling and laughing. She melts my heart! All of us but John have some good Tamiflu in our systems. Parker and I have stayed healthy and are praying it stays that way. It's been a really long week, but we have made it so far and I'm sure we will pull out of this just fine. John just headed back to the doctor today because he is not really getting better and it feels like it has gone to his chest. We will see what they say.

In the mean time you will find us coping/not coping in these ways:

John: laying in bed, laying on the couch, laying his head on the kitchen table, showering 3-4 times a day, watching all the movies we have missed.

Me: eating (i ate a lot of cheesecake at the beginning of the week... it may or may not have been an entire half of a cheesecake), drinking diet coke and cleaning every door knob, counter, and surface.. also doing a lot of laundry.

Sophie: a lot of Disney Channel, a lot of coloring, a lot of lounging.

Parker: He may not be coping. He isn't sick and is tired of everyone laying around. This was a conversation we had as we went to pick up his prescription.

P: Mom, when did Sophie get sick?

M: Last night bud.

P: It's boring. It's boring when Sophie is sick.

M: I know. I'm sorry.

P: Can I hold my "per..scripture" when we get it?

M: Sure dude.

Ruby: sleeping, smiling, showing signs of mild discomfort. She might be the golden child. It is sad though, because even though she isn't super grumpy her little eyes look sick. They are usually so sparkly and happy, and they are just look sad right now. Breaks my heart.

Hoping the rest of you are well, and if not.... good luck, and I'm sorry. Drink lots of fluid.

side note: I was Ms. Piggy in first grade for Halloween. And Jon Cracroft was Kermit the Frog. What exactly were our mother's thinking? I should find a picture of that costume, it was amazing, despite the limited view I had out of the enormous head piece. I love Ms. Piggy.

Some days are just good days

We went to the Pumpkin Patch with Mushie yesterday and it was just plain good. I love moments like that. Where life seems simple, and calm, and good. We love you Mushie! We love you Fall!