MARCH MADNESS

Does anyone else DREAD this time as much as I do??

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE watching sports on TV. Mostly Basketball, Football and Soccer, but I can get into a game like anyone else. But do they REALLY have to have

 GAME after GAME ...

HOUR after HOUR ...

ALL DAY LONG???

My husband LOVES this time of year and the literal MADNESS that is March Basketball...

He even helped Landon fill out a bracket. He let him point to the teams he wanted, and when Landon got tired of that he gave him crayons to color on the team he wanted to win...

I think Matt is Jelouse because Landon's pick to win it all is still in the running UNLIKE his...

So I have to admit I watched ONE full game yesterday

BYU vs. Florida

 

It was a GOOD game! Winning in double overtime! NICE! I set up the TV and paused it so I could feed the kids breakfast and then fasforward through all the BORING stuff. Boy am I glad I caught that game!!

Matt went over to his friends house to watch the games to his hearts content.

THANK YOU BRENT for being my saving grace and allowing Matt to share in the day with you!!

And really I don't hate it, I just hate seeing my husband sitting in front of the TV for what seams like ALL DAY watching and not paying attention to the kids.

And don't take that wrong either because I was more than happy to let him go over and watch basketball games all day long because he deserves to get out of the house and away from the kids. We all need to get away every now and then!

You better believe I am going to use this to my advantage ... I think I might have to go shopping ALL DAY LONG very soon...

Malibu Barbie ~

This is what my husband was taking care of ALL day yesterday. . .

THE BOAT. . .

We have yet to give the boat a name... we have teased about a few for a while like;

BOAT FOR PEDRO ~ our tribute to Napoleon Dynomite

TROGDOR ~ for those who know about HomestarRunner

BALZAC ~ just because THAT is funny

MALIBU BARBIE ~ my personal favorite because it is a Malibu, and Barbies are amazing!

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE NAME??

It is currently our Third Child because Matt takes care of it like it is. He washed it, buffed it up, and then waxed it up too. Our third child gets better washing jobs than the first two children!! 

Don't get me wrong I LOVE THE BOAT, but sometimes I HATE IT TOO!! 

I am looking forward to taking it out HOPEFULLY soon... I told him one of us needs to have a job before we start planning out our summer with the boat. Lets hope we have MANY happy summer days out on the boat this year! ~:) 

Happy St. Patty's Day ~

Today is BEAUTIFUL outside, so WHERE do the kids want to be???

Hummmmm.... OUTSIDE of course......And while we are outside we might as well get some Pictures taken of these little sweeties!!

We hope you all have a Happy St. Partick's Day! ~

GO GREEN!!

I have a LOVE~HATE relationship with this weekend...

I am sitting here at home on Sunday during the time I SHOULD be at church. My house is quiet, my husband and daughter are attending Sacrament Meeting right now. Landon and I are just lounging around the house. My head is SO congested... my nose will not stop running, and I just wish these drugs would KICK IN already!!

I had a BLAST yesterday! It was a busy day! I started feeling sick on Saturday Morning, but I had so many plans for the day that I was not going to let a little runny nose and headache stop me. After visiting with Matt's Parents, and playing soccer I was BEAT! But we had plans with some friends I had not seen in a while (because we moved from our old ward) that wanted to see us that we HAD to keep pushing on! We had dinner with the Bakers (YUMMMM PIZZA) and then headed over for the MARSHMALLOW Roasting Party!

I had been telling Megan my friend that I miss seeing them, and we need to have a party... so we decided we needed to get together. After everone got their own dinner (hence the Pizza Party we had with the Bakers) we got together at Megan's house for Dessert. Matt and I decided to bring all the ingredients for Smore's...

It was the PERFECT Dessert for the CRAZY day we had!

Somehow the boys ended up in the house, and the girls ended up outside... it might have been because Lauren and I started talking about the "Mormon Pleasure Party" we attended. It is SO fun to sit back with girl friends and just have a good old laugh!! We had fun, and had to go home...

I think it really hit me on the way home. As I was driving I started feeling really sick. We got home, got the kids to bed, and practically knocked out ourselves the second our heads hit the pillow. As I woke up this morning I knew there was NO way I was going to make it to church. I hate missing church because my life is SO crazy that I need all the SOLACE I can get in the week. Alas, I am here at home with my sweet little baby just resting. I guess this is the NEXT best thing to do on Sunday. So I hope you can see why I have the LOVE-HATE relationship with this weekend. I LOVE that I was able to have lots of fun, but I HATE that I am sick!! I better get over this SOON... good weather is just around the corner!

NO MORE BEING SICK!!!

Soccer Game THREE

This weekend my in-laws came to Fresno for a little visit. This was the first time they were seeing our new house. When Matt invited them, he let them know we had a Ward Soccer Game. They decided to go to the game and see what this Soccer Business was all about. After a nice visit, BOMB lunch at Subway ($5.00 Footlong anyone) we headed to the field.

WHEN did it get SO windy?? I had started getting that tickle in my throat, and my nose was running. We got to the field and were IMMEDIETLY freezing!! We had invited alot of friends to come and play or see the game, and I was worried no one would want to stay. Matt's parents lasted the first half which was nice, then they headed home.
We were scheduled to play Clovis 2nd Ward. Our good friends The Bakers are in that ward, and we were excited to play eachother. I had invited Amber Cluff to come out and play, and Megan Cluff wanted to come out and see the game. We all used to be in the Gettysburg Ward together, so they wanted to see the Baker vs. Bird game for sure! Lauren Baker sat out the game, and so did Matt, so it was really Spencer vs. Me. He played goalie for his team, he hates all the running involved in Soccer, so I think that is why he played there. Before the game both teams were out on the field. They did not have any girls to play, and were short a player. We had two subs and five girls. ( you have to have three girls on the playing field at all times) So we won by default in the beginning, but played anyway. I think they thought they had the upper hand, but after the first half a few were complaining about being down a player. They had more men out on the field, but one less person than us. I really wish we could just play a fun easy going game, but MEN and their PRIDE... it always shows up somehow...
At one point in the game the other team was trying to catch our forewards off sides. The ref was not in a position to see, but they would CALL OFFSIDES themselves EVERY time and stop playing. After about two times of them making their own calls, I finally said " Hey, you don't get to make the calls... you are not the ref, there was not whistle, Play On..." I tend to get a little upset when our advantage is taken away from us. After I said that Number 10 (YES I AM CALLING YOU OUT) got in my face and said " You can't call the game either." " Oh, really, I am not trying to... I'm trying to get a game going here." was my reply. " We'll I'm just saying my opinion. He was off sides." was his reply.  " Really YOUR opinion, you can't call the game." was my response. We went back and forth for a little while longer. The ref just stood there not knowing what to do. " You are just upset that you can't hang with a team that has girls." is what I said to him as I walked away. " Oh, really we are down a player." was his response..... HAHA! Oh well then, you TOTALLY deserve to be able to call your game because you have NO girls on your team and you are down ONE player... IDIOT!
One of their players got hurt, so one of our guyes played for their team, it was then that they actually had some game.... WHY do guyes get SO upset about a game?? I mean I get upset when things are not called fair, but I don't get my panties all in a bunch...

This is what I SHOULD have done... introduced his face to the ball! ~

In the words of my little brother Preston " Drop your purse and MAN UP!" I hate baby boys who want to "cry wolf" when things don't go their way. BOO HOO... we were down a player... Oh yeah... well next time bring your whole team with girls and we will beat you fair and square... 

Quit being such BABIES! ~

Thanks to those who came to watch and came to play! It was fun seeing a few Mormon Boys SQUIRM...

Visiting Teaching ~

In the past my Visiting Teaching Assignments have been WAY easy! Before kids, when I was working full time, I was in charge of sending all the Visiting Teaching messages to all the ladies who preferred not to be visited. I would make MASS mailings, and be DONE with it. I enjoyed this because I never really had to TALK to anyone I did not know.
My next experience was being a Visiting Teacher to my next door neighbor I saw ALL the time and a friend who I would just call a " Playdate" for to get that Visiting Teaching in...
This is the FIRST time I was meeting NEW people and sharing an actuall message. I was not worried because I have a fun partner, and I am very outgoing. It is not like I will not be speechless or anything...
My partner set up the appointments and drove, and I was in charge of the message.
Our message was on Personal Scripture Reading. "Strengthening Faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ through Personal Scripture Study" to be specific. I love that I get to share a message on something I need to do as well. One of the passages REALLY hit home to me...

"A study of the scriptures will help our testimonies and the testimonies of our family members. Our children today are growing up surrounded by voices urging them to abandon that which is right and to pursue, instead, the pleasures of the world. Unless they have a firm foundation in the gospel of Jesus Christ, a testimony of the truth, and a determination to live righteously, they are susceptible to these influences. It is our responsibility to fortify and protect them." This was shared by our prophet President Thomas S. Monson.

I sure need to get better with my personal scripture study so I am able to help my children gain a testimony of the church. I now know why my parents had us read scriptures as a family, and I am thankful for that example. I hope to follow in my parents footsteps and show my children through my example that we need to study the scriptures.

I am thankful that I know this church is true. I am glad I am not searching for the truth, but searching for help and answers to my daily prayers. I am also thankful for the Visiting Teaching Program.

GUESS who got a Hair Cut???

Little Landon was in NEED of a hair cut! Saturday I cut the top by myself so I could spike it up... but the sides needed a cut in a BAD way!! Matt pulled out the clippers and told me to grab the camera to catch his first haircut. He has had a haircut before. Actually he has had a few haircuts. One trim by grandma, a cut by Sister Downing, and another cut by my girlfriend Carissa. We thought it was time to see how he did with the clippers.

Matt Pulled them out and turned them on. THAT caught Landon's attention, he had to hold them. He LOVED it. The clippers tickled his head, and he was laughing. Near the end it was not as funny to him because there was hair everywhere... but here is the final product. He is with Hailey in this picture. She is dressing up as a princess, and he is trying to sneak by the camera on his little car. Getting him to sit still for an "after picture" was too challenging, I had to catch him in the act...

His hair is a little shorter that I had wished, but his hair grows so fast I am not worried! I also trimmed Hailey's bangs recently, I feel like I am always cutting or trimming something on the kids. Thank goodness Daddy cut Landon's hair this time... mommy needed the break!

Soccer Game TWO

This SHOULD be Soccer Game Three, but we were rained out the previous week. It was good to get a week off because I got a nice blister on my heal from my soccer kleats. It was on the same "bad ankle" I wrapped, and I guess my feet have grown since I had the kids! It has been a while since I used them last... possibly High School! HAHA!
This week we were scheduled to play the Fresno 15 ward. I guess they are the Spanish Ward in the area. If I would have known that before playing them I might have worried about having to play them. No, I am not racist or anything, but I have to say I would guess the people who played on the Spanish Ward would be VERY good at soccer. Anyways... WE WON! Well, we won by default. They had other obligations, and we ended up playing a game just our ward and a few players from the Fresno 15 Ward that showed up. YET again we did not have a ref! Not that it was a big deal this time. We played a fun game, with no problems.
I sat back thinking to myself... Now THIS is how Church Ball should be! Just some LDS members getting together to have a little fun. Of course it helped that we were pretty even as far as skill went. The men on our team are pretty good about noticing us ladies out there. It is amazing that our ward brings out enough people to play soccer for pratically TWO teams! I need to practice my shooting skills. I caught myself a few times just passing the ball because I was not "in the zone" with my shooting. I think if I get a little bit more comfortable with the ball I might be more of a hog and just take the shot!
In High School I dated a guy from another school. He was the goalie for his Soccer Team, and he would let me practice shooting with him. It ended up working well for us both because we both got to practice our skills. Matt is sweet because he lets me do the same with him. I think he does it because I told him "the ex" used to let me shoot at him. And what wife would not want to kick balls at their husband?? :)
It was a chilly day, but when you are running around the field, the breeze is good. It was quite the sight becaus there was probably the same amount of kids there as there were adults. Hailey LOVES that the older girls will play with her, and Landon was just enjoying being outside!
UPDATE from SOCCER GAME ONE... the girl who HIT Matt... well we saw her after the game. Come to find out we know her... well we had meet her kids, and our cousin knows her. I guess now we know her too. Anyways she came right up to Matt and apologized. It was a nice gesture, and I know Matt is glad that it is all behind him. Besides me teasing him about it in the future, it is done with.
Lets hope the Next Game is as fun as the Last one! ~ :)
P.S. Landon Donovan is playing well, a goal and an assist in his last game.... SWEET! ~ (sorry to bore you with so much soccer talk, I try to shove it all into one post!)

Are you a NO PHONE ZONE??

Does anyone else watch Oprah EVERY day like I do??

I LOVE her for her strength, and her determination. She brings up topics that are tabou, and others would never DREAM of bringing up. I first meet Oprah when I was young. My mother watched Oprah when we were kids, and I only liked watching it when she had NKOTB on. It was a daily ritual. My mom would watch Oprah, then get up and make dinner for us. It was like her release from the world, and I never understood it until I started watcing Oprah for myself.
What I admire most about her right now is that she has the NO PHONE ZONE pledge. Have you heard of it?? She wants EVERYONE in america to know how STUPID it is to be on your phone texting or talking while you are driving in your car. Sit back and THINK about that... people are behind the wheel driving other people around not paying full attention to what they are doing! It is illegal to be on your phone here in California, and I LOVE IT! We are allowed to use the Bluetooth Headset's however if we need to. But REALLY people?? Do HAVE to talk to that person right now?? What makes YOU so important and that CALL so important??
PEOPLE HAVE DIED!! TEXTING DRIVERS HAVE KILLED THEMSEVES! If you are not wanting to take the NO PHONE ZONE pledge I don't want you on the road!! My children are more important that the phone call. PULL OVER if you must talk! I took the pledge today! I printed my Pledge out and signed it... google it up, and sign the pledge for yourself.

The last few weeks she has been asking her guest's to sign the pledge, or makes a comment about remembering to sign the pledge. Lately she has been sharing stories of people who have died because of cell phone use in the car. These stories have touched me, and made me realize NO CALL is THAT important! PLEASE join the Pledge!! YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE! ~ Possibly your own...

PRESTON BRYAN ANDERSEN ~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STUD!

He is my FAVORITE brother! And I can say that without offending anyone! My little bro turns 16 today! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?? I remember when he was born, and how much I loved him then! It is amazing that I can say I love him more now than ever!

It was having a little brother that made me want a little boy so bad! I got so used to the girl babies, that I REALLY wanted a little boy of my own! He was a calm, chubby baby, and was just TOO cute to let go!

Everyone feels sorry for him because he had 5 sisters to "help" raise him... let me tell you... this kid has it made! I feel sorry for his wife having to TRY to get along with all of us! :)

Preston is a Sophomore at Natomas High School, and plays every sport he can get his hands on! He plays football and baseball for the school, but he also plays soccer on a rec team outside of school. He is getting good grades because he wants to get a scholarship for College. He is preparing to finish his Eagle Scout, and also preparing for his mission.

He is the BEST uncle any kid could EVER ask for! Hailey LOVES playing with Preston. She thinks he is the ultimate because he will take her out on the trampoline or to the park! He is so sweet and kind with children, I know his wife will have a GREAT future companion with him.

He is currently on "bed rest" because of an unexpected health issue. His Freshman year of High School he developed a small bump on his forehead above his eye. The doctors thought it was a cyst, and they were going to remove it. When he went in for the surgery, they did not find a cyst... they realized it was an overgrown out of place artery. Artery's that are in your head are under the skull, and for some reason his is WAY out of place. The Dr. said he was lucky to be alive because if this artery was to burst, he would die within minutes. Hearing this made me VERY worried about my little brother. My big sister instinct kicked in, and I just wanted to protect him! He will be seeing an eye specialist on March 5th, and hopefully we will be able to figure out what to do to fix the problem. During the mean time he is not able to play sports or get too excited... our daily prayers are constantly blessing him and the Dr's to know what to do. It is so sweet when we kneel down at night with Hailey and she says to Bless Uncle Preston...

We know that he deserves the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER because it is his 16th, but we also hope he can take it a little easy! :)

We love you SOOOO Much Preston!

We hope all your wildest dreams come true!

HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN! ~