What the Heck??!

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I got home today to this in my living room. I had never seen it before and had no idea where it had appeared from. I stared at it in horror and panic for a good minute...praying that it wasn't an early birthday present. Andrew was conveniently not at home to explain.

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It's not that I don't like surprises. A kitten? Good surprise. A hot pizza from Craigo's that prevents me from having to cook dinner on a Friday night? Even better surprise. A surprise, however, that requires me to regularly clean out a 20-gallon tank and remember to feed stupid, non-cuddly, personality-less creatures that stare blankly at nothing all day? Very bad surprise.
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I figured Andrew knew me well enough to know this, so when Andrew came bounding home, threw out his arms, and exclaimed, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY !"

I answered, "What-ever!" with as much attitude as I could muster. This sent Andrew into a complete hysterical laughing fit as I looked on unamused. After getting up off the floor, he explained that we are just watching the fish for a week while a friend is out of town. Luckily, I know him well enough to know when Andrew's just trying to push my buttons.

Photo Journal: Conference Weekend

Rachel and Andrew waiting in line...

...in slight discomfort.


His first time to Conference, Andrew checks out the magnitude of the structure.

Yep, it's big!

Waiting: Tabernacle Choir, Apostles, and Prophets!

Afterward: Look at all the people!

Spring-time walk around Temple Square

"The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...This cause will roll on in majesty and power to fill the earth."

--President Gordon B. Hinckley

Premature Celebration

My celebration of spring may have come too soon. I walked out of church today to find Rexburg transformed. Gale force winds, blur of snow, and white drifts carved into odd shapes...

The view outside our front window: I could hardly see the house across the street.


The camera doesn't capture the wind and snow. I wish you could see the neighbor's tree flailing violently. It looks so wild in the wind. I guess March does come in like a lamb and out like a lion!

A True Man

I walked into the kitchen to say goodbye to Andrew (I was headed to a bridal shower) and found him with a dish towel over his shoulder, mixing a cake batter, and listening to Kelly Pickler sing over the radio. It was an amusing and endearing image, and it made me smile as I walked out the door.

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Andrew is the kind of guy that would do all of this (and spend the evening watching High School Musical 3 with his wife) only to wake up the next morning to go weight lifting, change the oil in the car, and use a chop saw to finish the trim on the new kitchen floor.

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Talk about a real man! =)

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P.S. The cake turned out delish! Best frosting I've ever had actually.

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SIgns of Spring...

1. The last few days have been in the 60's and 70's. I got a phone call from Andrew before I left work asking if I wanted to go on a bike ride. Heck Yes I Did! It hasn't been warm enough to ride a bike since before I can remember. (Idaho tends to have long winters)

2. My kids were coming in from lunch recess, flushed, sweaty, and with that unmistakable smell of warm weather that teachers recognize after spending a bit of time in enclosed spaces with 20+ warm-bodied children.

3. Every time I pulled up in the driveway, I took note of the ever decreasing piles of snow in our front yard. Yesterday, I celebrated when I saw I could announce that we are now officially snow free. (Thank you, thank you very much)

4. And then, I saw this...

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My tulips are popping up!!!!!

Oh, Happy Day.

Pretty Amazing Piano Skills

This is my cousin Heather. She's insanely talented at the piano. It comes naturally to her. I lived with her for a over a year while I was going to school at Dixie College in St. George. Whenever she practiced at home, I was torn between my awe for her playing and my depression that my skills were embarassing in comparison. In the end, I was able to get a lot of enjoyment from her music as long as I avoided...at all costs...practicing my songs in her presence .
I stole this video from my uncle Paul's facebook page. Hope he doesn't mind. =) I just figured talent like his needs to be shared as much as possible. Heather...I think you're awesome. This video makes me want to jump and shout, "You go girl!" To the rest of you...Enjoy!

"So...what are you in here for?"

This is what I heard one of my third graders ask a classmate the other day. I had to laugh to myself, because they both sounded so serious and forlorn at the time. If they weren't 8 years old, I would have sworn I was overhearing a conversation between two jail mates behind bars. I suppose I can see how at that age, having to work on homework (you failed to do the night before) during the same 15 minute recess that your friends are using to run free in the sun...might seem just as dramatic as a real live prison sentence. =(