Friday, August 31, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEETLE ELIZA!

Oh yes, now you're old like me! I wanted to get you some red shinies, but you already have them. I wanted to buy you a house in Lehi, but what do you know...you already got one of those too! So I decided I'd find you something more special and personal...

...the song you always sing to my answering machine year after year...but in our native family Oblad tongue...swedish. Enjoy.



When you come for Disneyland...I'll buy you a frozen lemonade and popcorn! Love you so much girlfriend!

An Ode To September

Alrighty folks, it's almost September. I love September so much and today I was thinking about exactly WHY I love September.

"Is it because you love cooler weather, Alli?" one might ask. Well yes, but September isn't generally THAT much cooler than August. Try again.

"Is it because school starts?" some may inquire. Well yes and no.

"Is it because you look amazing in Fall colors and scarves and sweaters?"

Um, yes yes and yes, but that's for another story another day.

"Is it because September is when the Office starts again?!?!??!" YES! But I can't even talk about that right now because it's just too sacred still. So anyway...

I love September because it's my "almost" month.

It's almost cool outside.
It's almost Halloween.
It's almost time to get out my Christmas decorations.
It's almost Thanksgiving.
It's almost time to get my box of fall/wintry things out of the attic.
It's almost time for lower power bills...

...you get my drift. Now I never could understand those people who just adored summer. It's hot, your feet get all black from running around in a cul-de-sac with no shoes and all the neighbor kids while you made up flag twirling routines not including one B. L. (you all know who I'm talking about...) Anyway, summer is hot. Summer means you have to watch re-runs of the Love Boat or the Price Is Right and scrounge around for food to eat at lunchtime every day...that or beg Mom and Susan to get us Wendy's. Heck I'll just go for the throat and say that I HATE summer! Whew! I feel better.

Annnyway, I love September. It smells good, but not as good as October. It also means that we're as far away from next summer as we can be without actually being in the middle of one. Get it? Ok good. On that note, guess what Harper is going to be for Halloween? I got it in the mail today from the coolest guy in the world, Old Mr. U.P.S. Man! My BFF! Anyway we tried it on him, Harper, not the UPS Man, and holy crap, I passed out because of it's assaulting cuteness, I did! See what it looks like? Oh my dear... (the child pictured below is not actually Harper, but is strikingly similar in the eye area, both of them being asiany and all, which is interesting in itself...perhaps we'll discuss that later) That is all.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Couscous

So one time I knew this boy, who was the cutest boy I'd ever known without argument. So we used to go to lunch when we both lived in Utah and I was single and he was single, so we started to sort of date or whatever. Oh and he danced with me to Baby Baby by Amy Grant so everytime I hear that song I think of sweet daddy Curtis Lord...but I digress.

So we'd go eat at this fantastic indian restaurant and he'd always take a container of couscous to go. Plain, or if they had it, made with chicken broth. One time I tasted it while he had his take out container sitting in between us in his car and he was in getting me a huge diet coke (I know...sinful!) and anyway...yes, the couscous...so good.






So I've been an addict since, and it feels nice to admit it, frankly. It's little tiny bits of semolina or semoule if you're french, which I know most of you are not, fortunately. So bits of semolina that taste ricey, or pasta-y or something-y but I must tell you...get some, make it with butter and chicken broth and you've got exactly what I fed my baby 2 days in a row now for lunch. Incidentally, Casey has always been a fan. I think I actually have a clip of him at age 3 saying "mama make me couscous"...I will upload it sometime so you can hear it's rediculous cuteness.






Moral of the story:

I am neither Indian nor french, but couscous makes anytime party time!

That is all.

It's A Weird Thursday Already

The older mexican guys who take care of our yard are outside right now and I just heard one of them singing "Humps" by The Black Eyed Peas in a very thick spanish accent. I think I know how the rest of this day is going to go...

Everyone Else Is Doing It!

I've seen a bunch of people put their baby and their pictures together to see who they look like more, and I've never seen what this said. Usually it will say "Child looks 28% more like the mother" etc. But check this crap out...




we always said we thought he looked like an equal mix, now we know!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

First Day In 5 Years As A Stay At Home Mom W/Baby

Today the kids started school! After a little bit of drama last night, we got them all settled down and took them shopping for a few more school supplies and some new shoes for Casey and Jonah, and we came home to go to bed. Do any of you remember those jitters you'd get before school started? Imagine 4 kids and one 13 month old laying in your bed moving around, so excited for the next morning you'd think it was Christmas Eve. I hate to admit it, and I'd love to say "Oh yes, we got them to bed nice and early around 7:30 and they all slept for 12 hours before the big day" but we didn't. Want to know what time Kenzie finally came into our bedroom for the last time to tell us "just one more thing..."? 2:14. AM. In the morning. As in...a couple of hours after midnight. She was so nervous/excited/stoked apparently.

So this morning, Mike's alarm for work goes off at 6 and my first thoughts were "Oh no, they'll never wake up" but as soon as we could open our eyes, they were all up and getting ready by themselves!!! Yes folks, you heard that right. By themselves. Clothes on, clean socks on, hair done...the works. Oh and while we're on the topic of hair, let me tell you, Jonah and Casey both are addicted to the flat iron, but I'll leave that story for another time...a time when I can show you pictures. (by the way, I cannot wait til these kids are 16...the things I will show their dates, just you wait)

So it's Harper and I. I called Liza and talked her ear off for 2.5 hours this morning while I got my kitchen done and some laundry put away, and then Harper and I watched Yo Gabba Gabba ...um...what the hay-oh is that show? So yeah, he's napping, I'm bored and all the laundry/house cleaning is done. I suppose I should start on my Christmas crafts but I'm kind of enjoying the feeling of being a stay at home mom again. Oh how I've missed it.

Some Thoughts On Some Horrible Things That Happened Today

I have a lot of things on my mind right now. Mike and I are deep in thought and I came across this quote that I love:


"Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family."- M. Russell Ballard - Oct. Gen. Conf 2005

Our children are the most precious thing in the world to us, and they are everything we work for. Know this...we will defend them in righteousness, we will do everything we can to protect them from toxic and painful arrows, and we will support them until we are too old and weak to do so.

In addition, our siblings and cousins and parents really make up the rest of what we love about this world. We love you all, your support means everything to us!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Our Weekend Follies

Saturday morning, Joe came and got the 4 older kids from our house at about 9 in the morning and can I tell you...my baby cried for about an hour. He hates when the kids leave! That being said, anybody want to tell me what I'm going to do when they go back to school on Wednesday? I think I'll die to death. That being said...!

So saturday afternoon, Mike had to work, so he was in the office most of the day, and I basically tried to keep a raving lunatic from running back into see if he could sit on Daddy's lap and "help" him work. We watched a variety of Sing-A-Longs, Little Einsteins and Charlie and Lola until he finally collapsed on the floor at noon. Then I got dressed for the day. At noon. Because of a person who weighs less than 25 lbs. Amazing.

That night, we took Harper over to his grandma Easley's house so she could watch him while we went to the adult session of our Stake Conference. He loves it there because she thinks everything he does is amazing and hilarious, so he has an attentive audience and what 13 month old doesn't love being the center of attention?

Anyway, the conference was really awesome, they talked a lot about food storage and a whole lot about family history. Our Stake President, Pres. Miskin, set up a huge screen and had a live view of the new FamilySearch Indexing site. Did you read in the recent Ensigns about how you can go there and sign up and do live indexing of names for the church? See, call me retarded, but I didn't know this was even possible for those of us who don't have a lot of time to dedicate to their family history. Anyway, we went home and Mike and I are now totally obsessed with this. Michael's family hasn't been done that we know about, and it's awesome for both of us to know that there is so much to be done for him. It's really cool and simple. Pres. Miskin had a lady who claimed to be totally computer illiterate get up there, she was totally cute by the way, about 80 years old...and anyway, he had her do an entire family in about oh...5 minutes? So cool! Who needs solitare when there's all this indexing to be done???

The kids came home today around 3 from being at the beach for the last 24 hours with Joe, and I made the girls go shower and get ready for a young women's fireside we had tonight by the girl who posed for the painting called "Add to Your Faith Virtue; and to Virtue Knowledge" by Walter Rane. She posed for the picture when she was 15, and now she's 22, goes to BYU and expecting her first baby with her super cute husband. Anyway, she talked about being virtuous and getting a good education. It was really good. This is her below...




Joe bought Jonah, Casey and Kenzie their backpacks today for school, and that was really nice. Now we just need to get the rest of their school clothes and new shoes and a few more school supplies and we're good to go. Mike's doing 352 side jobs in addition to his 9-5'er because let me tell ya, big kids ain't cheap. He's such a good guy, I loves that man o'mine. I'm a lucky girl...

The end.

Friday, August 24, 2007

My Girls Have Blogs!

We made the girls some blogs today, and you know how it goes, finding the right background and pictures etc can be something that changes daily. Mackenzie named hers, she thought it was sweet, and Tiffany can't think of a "witty" blog name yet, so her's is named exactly that...here they are for now:

Mackenzie's Blog

Tiffany's Blog

go say hi!

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Favorites Fall Swap

If you haven't noticed, there's a little button for the Favorites Fall Swap on my sidebar. Lindy Funaki who lives in Tooele is a blogger who is always a fun read for me, and she's doing this really fun swap! What happens is, you sign up by THIS FRIDAY NIGHT and on Saturday morning, she pairs all the signees up with another girl and it's like secret sisters from girl's camp. Basically, you spend very little, but you send this person a basket full of your favorite things.

I'm so excited for this! Go sign up!!!



Thanks Lindy for all your hard work!!!

__________________________________________


P.S.

Notice my new background? Mike thought the flowers might be a tad feminine...

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Where I Want To Be

Can I tell you that every time I spend $60 at Target or wherever, I think to myself "you could be buying a ticket to Disneyland with this...idiot"

anybody else hankerin for some D-town Love? Somebody...hurry down here. And now...a pic I took of Rocket Rods...aka a bit of temptation:

Rocket Rods

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Flames...Heaving...On The Sides Of My Face...

A skunk just sprayed in our cul-de-sac and I can't focus my eyes. Have you ever typed and hoped that you were typing the right words because you were in a trance? That's kind of what this is like.

Anyway, can I tell you how much I do not love going school supply shopping? Now while you're imagining my distaste, imagine that I dislike school CLOTHES shopping about 100x worse. First of all, I have basically 4 teenagers now. Jonah is as tall as Kenzie, Casey wears the same size shoe as the Jonah boy, Kenzie and Tiff are both picky and totally different body types, so when it comes down to it, nobody can will share clothes.

Next of all, fighting with all the people at the stores. Here in the new world, you'd think we'd have more than one Target/Wal-Mart for all of Redlands/Yucaipa, I mean, for hell's sake, St. Freakin George has a Super Wal and a Target! C'mon! Anyway, fighting my way through the papparazzi with a baby in a cart who grabs everything his grubby mitts can latch onto, along with 4 big kids saying "mom. mom. mom. mom. mom. mom. mom. mom." in unison...this is why I have several bald spots.

Then, when I finally reach the number 2 pencil stacks, or where they're SUPPOSED to be, it's always a crap shoot. Sometimes you find exactly what you need, but most often, I find myself face to face with ripped PeeChee folders and 3 ring notepads with Lisa Frank kittens wearing pink sparkly diamond tiaras on them. Not so much what the boys want.

Every year I tell myself I'm going to shop early, but every year, I'm even whiter, and even trashier, and this year especially...dollas are tight so...our kids are writing with sharpened charcoal. It will humble them, we figure...right?

And now, ponder this while you gaze at some recent photogs of our peeps:

gazelles

rocks

dead

happy harper

leaping

Friday, August 17, 2007

For Your Anniversary

My sister Eliza and my brother-in-law Curtis had an anniversary today and my brother Taylor and my sister-in-law Mandy had an anniversary as well...

and since Taylor posted Chocolate Rain by Tay Zonday I thought I'd share with you a few more that Mike and I have loved over the last few months or so. My plan is that they will play them tonight when the "time is right"...uh huh...you know what I'm gettin' at...this is some romancin' music all up in y'grill...

Here we have a sweet a cappella diddy for you:





and then for your pleasure...have some Edelweiss:





and finally, Never Gonna Give You Up as made famous by that sexy voiced tempter Rick Astley:






Happy Anniversary, love birds!

Thursday, August 16, 2007

I Had To Stop Her Screaming...

If you're a Clue addict like us Oblad family people, you know that the title of this post is about Clue, the movie. We put it on Sunday night, and the kids and Mike and I all watched it with brownies and it gave me an idea for FHE the next day. It's about time we did one without a big ol' lesson, although I admit, the lessons lately have been really good...the kids each have done their own lessons the last month and a half. That gives us mom and dad a break, plus it gives them good practice for when they get called into Primary to teach crazy 4-5 year olds (like Mike and I do...)

Anyway, so I woke up Monday morning, went to the scrapbook store to grab some ribbon and vellum for the invites, and then I came home and made this up: (click on it to read it)



Then I distributed the invites to the kids, who were very excited, and started cooking. I made a big old lasagne, some salad of course, french bread courtesy of Albertson's and we drank sparkling apple cider and ginger ale out of plastic champagne flutes...how classy!

Casey was dying to get it started!




Kenzie helped me take the flowers off the table when it was time to eat



Jonah was feeling tipsy I think



Before we played Clue all night long, we had a summer fruit and cream cheese tart and it was most delicious!



Then...we had a Clue tournament, and I have to tell you...we are LOVING having big kids. These are the best days of my life...



Now Kenzie wants to do this for her birthday party which is in about 3 weeks. At least she's not asking for us to take them all to Disneyland, I figure. As long as she's happy!!!



It was a fun night!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

President James E. Faust


President James E. Faust passed away yesterday morning, totally surrounded by his family. I'm sure you all know this already, but I thought I'd say a few things about the man. He's one of my favorite general authorities and every time he'd speak, I'd get this warm fuzzy feeling come over me, kind of like the feeling you get when you're around a sweet grandpa.



He was 87 years old when he died, and he lived quite a life. Those of you familiar with Utah, he was born in Delta, and then moved to Salt Lake City before high school where he attended Granite High. He went to the University of Utah and his education there was interrupted twice, once for a mission to Brazil, and the other time for WWII. On my birthday in 1943 (exactly 30 years before I was born) he married his high school sweetheart, Ruth, and they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.


He was a lawyer, and when I hear him speak, I can totally tell. He's eloquent and pointed, and his words always sink to a deep place in my soul.

He was elected President of the Utah Bar Association, and served there for 1 year where they after awarded him the Distinguished Lawyer Emeritus Award in 1996. He also served in the House of Representatives for the 28th Utah State Legislature as a Democrat for Utah's eight district...which we will forgive him for ;)

President Faust was appointed by JFK later, to the Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights and Racial Unrest, and was an adviser for the American Bar Journal, as well.

At the early age of 28, he was made a bishop, and he later went on to serve on a stake high council, as stake president, and as a Regional Rep of the 12 Apostles. He was called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the 12 Apostles in 1972, and was there til 1976 when he was placed in the 1st Quorum of the Seventy. He was the one who dedicated the Sao Paulo Brazil temple, where he was also made an honorary citizen of Brazil, and was given a national Brazilian citizenship award for his work and interest in Brazil as well as his deep proficiency in the Portuguese language.

President Faust was accepted as a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles in 1978, after the death of Delbert L. Stapley, and he was set apart as the 2nd Counselor of the First Presidency on March 12th, 1995.

He and his wife raised 5 kids and at the time of his death, they had 25 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

President Faust had such a commanding way about him, and everytime he'd get up to speak at General Conference, the spirit would permeate my soul and I'd almost be frozen while he spoke. One of the things I repeat in my mind to myself on nearly a daily basis sometimes is something I read about 3 years ago when I was online preparing a talk about adversity. It was said by President Faust in 1979 I believe:

"There is divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge, they purify, and thus they bless."


What strength he offers in that phrase. If I consider myself in the refining phase of life, it doesn't seem like such a burden to have adversity in my life. One day, because of everything I/we/you've gone through, we will be like a diamond; clear, pure and sparkling with only tiny scars because of our journey.

What a cool guy...I'm sad he's gone, but I'm sure the Lord is happy to have him on the other side. He will be missed!

Friday, August 10, 2007

From The Boys Who Brought You Salamé

I present to you, a few short (1 minute) films for your enjoyment...

...this is from the Adult Swim show "Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job!" which we love.

Taylor, I know you've seen these, but still...they are classic and to be enjoyed on a daily basis right? AM I RIGHT?!?!?
















my mom is scared of this next one...it's ok Shauna! They're nice!







and Ashley couldn't stop singing this catchy tune after we showed her this classic:









and...you're welcome! Have a fabulous friday, y'all biscuitheads!





ps, Kenzie wants you to watch her two favorite:











the end.



Thursday, August 9, 2007

Anniversary Coming Up

So...Mike and I will be having our 2nd anniversary on the 10th of September and I need some ideas. Remember, we're poor!

Got anything?

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Coming Out Of The Fog!!!!

And...the sun has shown through. Finally.



The last few weeks or so have been really trying, and I realize daily, heck...minute by minute what it feels like to genuinely try to obey the new commandment. As a matter of fact, I find myself singing "Aaaaaazz...I....have loooooooooooooved yooooooooouuuuuuuu, loooooooooove one...uh NUUUUUUUH therrrrrrrrrrrrr" about 60 times per hour. What I'm trying to say is that I am singing constantly...and my family is about sick of it. Well, they're sick of primary songs. So I've switched it up a little bit and started singing some Fergie Ferg in the mix, oh and a little bit of Justin doesn't hurt, now does it? Pshh, cry me a river...

Mike, Me, Tiff and Mackenzie are going to do baptisms for the dead in 2 weeks, and Kenzie is kind of freaked out. We keep reassuring her, but that's Mackenzie...she's scared of anything new, til she goes...and loves it. Our temple was closed here til TODAY!!! so I haven't been able to go lately. I realized...my "sadness" that I wrote about in an earlier post coincides with the time the temple was closed and me not being able to go for that entire month! I guess I'm a dork like that, it took me til this morning to realize that!

Mike and I are speaking in church, but they moved it to the last week in September, Tiffany speaks this sunday, and Mackenzie the sunday after that. I say they should have made us all speak on one sunday and put on the program cover "A Very Easley Sacrament Meeting" with a picture of Mike giving thumbs up and a wink. He disagrees, sadly.

We've been at the beach a lot, and it's fantastic. Lot's of cute surfer boys for the girls to look at...see?


We've also gone to Downtown Disney 3 times in the last month...for Marcelines. OH how I adore you Marceline...you and your devil apples... Harper knows that when we sit in the middle of the queue between the two parks we are going to watch fireworks. He starts clapping and screaming "OOOoOooOooO!!!" waaaaaaaaay before they start. He loves them! We all do.





Harper also thinks it's cool to feed his brothers sand...it's delicious!




Harper also thinks that standing in line for the showers with Tiffany makes him "Big"...he waits very patiently as you can see in the picture below (click on it, he's in the bottom left with Tiffany)... He acts like it's his very important business or something:


Mike and I went and saw Hairspray last night...holy so good! I've been singing the soundtrack all day, which is also a relief for the kids. ENOUGH WITH THE PRIMARY SONGS ALREADY!

Anyway, things are fantastic here (knock on wood), the kids are all getting ready for school to start again, we're doing daily adventures with the kids to the beach/mountains/park and genuinely enjoying our family. Just thought I'd update you all! If you need us...we'll be at the beach!!! (ps, I love when Mike wears these shoes with jeans... hubba hubba)


Finally! The birthday party pics! Click "View All Images" to see them in color

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

:|


I have many pics to post...of both the trip to the beach for Pioneer Day, and also of Harper's birthday, but I can't seem to get around to it. Every once in a while, I seem to get into a slump. Anyway, I don't talk about it because I don't want to be "dramaaaaaatic" or whatever, so I kind of go into my own shell. I am blessed to have Mike, who allows me to be me, and loves me because of it. It's exhausting holding it all back, and I get sick of that lump in the throat feeling. Do you ever get to a point, where you're focusing constantly on "taking the higher ground" and turning the other cheek so hard you feel a loss of your self? Or like...when you're praying constantly during the day that you can not only show, but feel love for those who hurt your children? It seems Lord is testing me, but sometimes I wonder if it's just me being a loser. I don't know...ugh.

Anyway, that's it. I'll not ramble, and I'll post pics when I can.

Plus it's hot as crap in our office, for some reason, this addition they built onto our house doesn't get the right amount of a/c...and it faces West. 'Nuff said.

My Celebrity Look Alikes!