Harry Potter and Music Videos

As you may recall, I began reading the Harry Potter books to Acadia a couple of months ago.  She has loved them!  And last night, we finally finished the saga! 

She is amazed that we read so many big books in such a short period of time.  She also seems at a loss of what to do when we have spare time.  "Mom, we don't have anymore Harry Potter to read."  I have suggested starting a new book but it hasn't happened yet.  I think we will though.  I want to read, or have her read, her horse books.  She has some chapter books in a horse series or two. 

She and I spent part of this morning watching various music videos, some that had held spoilers so I hadn't let her watch them before.  Here are links to some of our favorites, I'll note the ones that have spoilers in them just in case there happens to be someone who hasn't finished the books yet.  *gasp* ;)

And the first one combines two of Cadi's favorite things... Harry Potter and High School Musical! lol

We're All in this Together
Meant to Live
This is Your Life (Harry Potter)
Worst Day Ever (Ron Weasley)
Fighter (Hermione Granger)
You'll Be in My Heart (Neville Longbottom)
Accidentally In Love (Ron/Hermione)

This one is only a spoiler if you haven't read book six:

How Can I Not Love You?

When it comes to this character, I am fasinated with them and their story.  In fact, I believe this person has become one of my favorite characters.  These final videos are definitely spoilers if you have not finished the series:

My Skin (I think this one is my favorite... but they're all good!)
So Far Away
How Can I Not Love You?
I Want You To Burn

Putting a roof over our head... Easier said than done.

When we bought our home over four years ago, we knew it would need a new roof soon.  Other projects seemed to trump the roof but we still knew it was a priority.  This year was the year.  We decided we would put a new roof on before any other major projects from this point on.

Ryan looked for a set of 3 days off to take on the project and decided on this week.  We prayed for good weather - and got it!

Unfortunately, that's where the good luck stopped. lol

On Monday, he went to the roofing place and purchased the supplies.  They couldn't deliver until late the next morning but Ryan figured he'd just do some prep work in the meantime.  He bought some new "toys" to help with the job.  On Tuesday the shingles were delivered and stacked on our roof.  Before he could begin though, some friends came over and gave Ryan more advice that ended up contradicting previous advice he had been given.  So, off he went to buy more supplies.  Finally, we were up on the roof to begin. 

 

But wait... We have a deck in our backyard that has a roof.  This was added onto the house and the way they did it wasn't going to allow us to reroof the REAL roof.  So, that had to go.  (We want to rebuild our deck anyway, this is just getting us started on that sooner than we originally planned.)  So for the rest of Tuesday (and a couple of hours on Wednesday) Ryan was demolishing the roof to our deck.

 

FINALLY on Wednesday, the roof was clear so we could begin.  We knew there was no chance he'd finish in one day - by himself.  But he started.  I even helped lay the felt.  His goal was to just get the backside of the house finished.  Later in the day, he did get a couple of helpers for a short time but he still wasn't able to finish that backside.

 
 
 

The plan now?  Pray that Monday is not raining!!!  It's going to be close... there is rain in the forecast.  *keeping fingers crossed*  He'll have do do whatever he can on Monday and Tuesday.  And *this just in* I have just learned that my FIL is flying in to help Ryan in a week and a half.  Farl has been Ryan's savior in just about every project we've done on this house so far! lol  And we are very grateful to him for it!  Thank you Farl!!! :)

Even though things didn't go quite as planned this week, I'm glad we've begun and I know that within a couple of weeks it will be done.  It has to be!  And then we'll get to start planning our next big project. LOL 
Will we ever learn?  No... probably not. ;)

Futur Hair Stylist?

Aurora LOVES bathtime!  Rori has recently started voluntarily putting her face (mouth and nose) in the water and she has also started playing "Foot out of Water", laughing and laughing whenever she does it. lol  (Foot out of Water is when she sits in the tub and lifts one of her feet out of the water, it really makes her balance.)

Acadia LOVES to help give Rori a bath.  More specifically, Acadia LOVES to play with Rori's hair while she is in the bath.  lol

Here are some fun bathtime pics...

 

 

 

 

This, That, and The Other

I keep thinking of things that I should blog about but I never really get time to sit down and do it!  Then, when I DO have a chance to sit and blog... I don't really feel like blogging the things I had thought of. :S
But today I'm gonna try to catch up on all those random blogs that never were.  Like... a week ago I really wanted to blog my thoughts on the whole "Patriots scandal". *gasp*  *rolls eyes*

Okay, for the record... stealing signals is not illegal and every team does it.  Recording signals isn't even illegal and again, every team does it.  The violation was just WHERE the Patriots were recording from - they had a camera on the field.  That was against the rules.  Whether or not they broke the rule intentionally, I don't know.  They did deserve to be fined and they were fined mighty hard!  A total of $750,000 PLUS a first round draft pick - that is huge!  I think most of the sporting world understands that this really isn't that big of a deal.  The only people I've heard MAKING it a big deal are either 1) people who don't even know what they're talking about or 2) people who are just bitter because the Pats are stomping their teams.

Honestly, if they weren't my team I'd probably want to make it a big deal too... just cause they are a force to be reckoned with and nothing seems to phase them - I'd be desperate to hope for something that would pull them down somehow too.  But sorry guys, that ain't happening!  The Patriots ARE the team to beat - and it's not because of some stupid video tape - they're playing with pure talent!  Just look at their line up!  So long as we don't have any major injuries, we'll be seeing you all at the Super Bowl.  Go Pats!!!

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Okay, what else?

Oh yes... A couple of months ago, we were asked by our stake to do a service project as a family.  So we decided to pick up trash.  There is a stretch on our street where people just think it's okay to "dump".  It's really frustrating.  So we went up there and picked up trash along this stretch.  It's not a long stretch at all but we filled up a garbage bag!  We took pictures...

A family who serves together, stays together!
 
 

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Oh duh!  I have pics to post from Labor Day weekend too!!!

We went to Manzanita Beach on Labor Day - it was such a great day!  And it was Aurora's first time visiting the beach!  We thought it would be cold but when we got there it was very warm!  Figures - we were so sure it would be cold, the girls and I didn't even bring swimming suits!!!  But we still had fun!  At first it was very foggy (though really warm) but then the fog burned off and it was just beautiful!  I took about 100 pics and obviously can't post them all here, so I'll just post a link to them all. :)  But here are a few of my favorites...



















I think that will do for now.  I'll have more to post this week, there's lots going on! :)

This is what I need!

Rori is constantly opening up drawers and emptying them!  I totally need this dog to come live at my house and keep all of my drawers Rori-proof! lol

Tagged

1.) What I was doing 10 years ago: September 1997


I was working full-time for a mortgage company in Southern California. Ryan and I had been married 11 months, we had just purchased our first home.


2.) Five Years Ago: September 2002

We were living in Massachusetts and I was a stay-at-home mom. It was right about then that we learned we would be moving to the NorthWest just a few months later, so I began packing.


3.) 1 Year Ago: September 2006

We had been living here in the NW for a few years, I was still a stay-at-home mom, but now of two. Rori was a newborn and we had her blessed that month.


4.) Yesterday:

Yesterday was Stake Conference at church. We had our Home Teachers come visit afterwards. The rest of the day was very relaxing. The Patriots kicked some major San Diego butt - WOOHOO!!!


5.) 5 Snacks I enjoy:

Popcorn, ice cream, hot wings, carrots and celery sticks, strawberries


6.) 5 Things I would do if I suddenly had $100 Million:

I'd give 10% to the church, then I would buy land with a beautiful view (preferrably of Mt. St. Helens but Mt. Hood would work too) and build my dream home (and furnish it, of course!). I'd hire full-time help to care for the house and yard so I could spend all my time with my family. I'd put enough away to secure my childrens' futures (education, missions, down payments on homes, etc). Ryan could quit work and go to school for whatever he wanted. We'd buy season tickets to the Red Sox AND the Patriots. I'd buy Acadia some horses. I'd get my dream piano. I'd make sure our immediate family would have all their needs met and then some. I'd go to New Zealand and see all the LOTR sites! lol I'd probably buy a vacation home in Maine. Then I'd set up an account for various charitable donations - it would be a substantial amount at a high interest rate so that every year the interest alone would provide the funds for the donations and scholarships. We'd invest the rest and live off the interest. :)


7.) 5 Locations I would run away to:

The temple, Acadia National Park, White Sands beach, Waterton Park, DisneyWorld


8.) 5 Bad Habits I have:

Procrastinating, eating too late at night, staying up too late, taking things personally, not keeping up on all the laundry and housework.


9.) 5 Things I like doing:

Reading with Cadi, playing with my girls, spending time with Ryan, playing piano, visiting with friends.


10.) 5 TV Shows I like:

Ellen, the news, shows about flipping houses, Last Comic Standing, The Biggest Loser


11.) 5 Things I hate doing:

Cleaning toilets, putting away clothes, yardwork, getting stuck in rush hour traffic, fighting


12.) 5 Biggest joys of the moment:

Dinner cooked itself, FHE today, Rori is ready for bed, Cadi and I get to read before bed, Ryan is helping a friend and should be home soon.


Now Im going to tag: Anyone who wants to do it - but make sure to tell me you are! :)

Best Friends

I tried to post this last week but for some weird reason, it never showed up on my blog. So hopefully it will post this time...

It has been FOREVER since I've done a Friday Five and I really liked today's - so I'm gonna do it! TWICE! lol


1. Who is your best friend?

Ryan


2. Why did you become friends?

We just loved being together, could talk about anything, laughed a lot... aaawwww *warm fuzzies*


3. How did you meet?

My cousin was friends with his roomates, I met him while I was tagging along with her at places where Ryan happened to be too.


4. Why have you stayed friends?

For the same reasons why we became friends. Ryan has been my rock. He is the one I look to first, the one I lean on the most, and the one I look forward to spending eternity with. ... Besides, we're married - it makes marriage so much more wonderful when you're best friends with your spouse! lol


5. How long (realistically) do you think you'll be friends?

I'm totally thinking "eternity". :)


I love you, Babe! xxoo

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And since that was so much fun... I'm doing it again with one of my best friends that I'm not married to! lol

1. Who is your best friend?

Heather


2. Why did you become friends?

We liked hanging out. We had some of the same interests. Also, though at the time I had other friends that I considered "best friends", they were so full of drama! Half the time we (me and my "best friends") were in a fight and Heather was always there as a friend to me. Finally I realized that my "best friends" weren't really very good friends at all but Heather had acted as my true "best friend" the entire time. ... Awwww, again *warm fuzzies*


3. How did you meet?

We were in the same gym class and during the self defense classes, we got paired together because we were the smallest ones in the class.


4. Why have you stayed friends?

Because through thick and thin, Heather has remained one of the truest and most loyal friends I have ever had. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if I ever need anything, I can go to her. Even though we live two states away and sometimes only see each other once a year, our friendship has remained very strong. I admire her strong family values and the absolute unconditional love that she gives to the children who come into her life. She is completely selfless and quite possibly, one of the most Christ-like people I know.


5. How long (realistically) do you think you'll be friends?

I can't imagine a day when I wouldn't be friends with Heather. We've weathered some pretty big storms and have come out stronger friends than ever, so I just don't think we could ever not be friends.

I love you, Heather! :)

Endure

"Endure to the end."

I think we all try to handle what life gives us the best we can. Sure, there are times when we want to throw a tantrum, drop to the floor and cry, "But I don't wanna!" But for the most part, we strive to be faithful, doing what we can to make the best of the situation.

In fact, usually I don't feel like I have to put much effort into "enduring" at all. I don't think my life is all that bad! I feel very blessed and fortunate! Still, there are times when I feel a bit overwhelmed and I just don't know how I'm supposed to do all the things I'm supposed to do.

Today I was thinking about "enduring". I thought about how some people don't endure. I thought about how "nice" it must be to be able to just pretend like you didn't have responsibility and just turn away and not endure. And then I thought about the things that I feel are slightly overwhelming right now and I realized that there is no way that I can't endure. What good would that do me? If I just neglect my responsibilities, how is that really making my life better? It doesn't. It wouldn't get easier, it would just make it harder!

So, Endure. Just do it. ;)

What I remember and what I learned.

There are only so many moments in my life that I remember EXACTLY where I was at a precise moment. I remember exactly where I was on January 1st, 1994 at 12:01 am when I met my husband, where I was on December 24, 1995 at roughly 11pm when he proposed to me, of course the moment that I married and the moments my daughters were born... And then, September 11, 2001 at about 8:45 am as I sat playing the piano when Ryan burst through the front door and told me to turn on the news.

We were living in Massachusetts at the time and everything seemed to hit closer to home. I remember feeling humbled and horrified. I remember dropping to our knees as a family to pray once we saw the second tower hit and we realized it was not an accident but an attack.

I remember the odd feeling of seeing an airplane fly overhead for the first time in days later that week. I remember realizing that while life would go on, it would never be "normal" again - we would have to create a new "normal".

I remember how strong we all became, how united we were! I remember there were flags EVERYWHERE! I remember how people were reaching out to strangers, being kind to others.

It has been six years now. What have we learned? Well, there are lots of things that we've learned about our attackers and there are lots of things we've learned about safety. We've even learned a lot about how buildings are made and what will make them stronger and safer.

But what have I learned? I think I've learned that no one is immune and we shouldn't take a single day for granted. I have learned that we shouldn't have to wait for a disaster to become united or to reach out to others. I have learned that we are stronger when we stand together and we can overcome anything if we stick together. I have learned to be grateful for those serving our country and risking their lives to keep me safe. I have learned to trust God a little more, to realize that sometimes horrible things are going to happen but that He is still here wth us if we will allow it - and that we NEED to allow it! I have learned that anyone can be a hero and that being a hero doesn't necessarily mean you go looking to save the world, but more that when a crisis happens, you fight as best as you can to do what is right and to help as much as you can. I have learned to not take for granted the many, MANY blessing I have been given in life - perhaps most importantly my family and friends, my faith, and living in a free country where I can live how I want without fear.

Rori's Fumble

Today Aurora got it into her head that we should remodel our bathroom. Apparently, she didn't like where the bathtub was and she tried to move it... WITH HER FACE!

That didn't work out too well.

Instead, I was worried for awhile that I might be making a trip to the ER since her sharp two little teeth sliced into her upper gums. But thankfully, the bleeding slowed down fairly quick and thanks to some pain medicine, she doesn't seem too bothered by it.

Of course, she still wanted that bath that she had been so eager to take when the faceplant occured. lol She LOVES her baths! After her bath, when she was all cozy in her jammies, she was sweet and snuggly on the couch watching football with me.

Her daddy will be proud to hear it. She took one for the team and still stuck around for the game. lol