you + me = US

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Grandma Jo's Annual Pumpkin Carving Costume Party 2009

Julie, Eliza, Grace, and I, get a picture with the amazing headless man (Spencer)!

Indiana Jones, El Rancherito, and Dr. Benjamin Pain M.D. (Alfonso, Me and Ben).

Ben, cute clown, - Grandma Jo, Megan, and Will.

Super Spy Kid (Will).

D.D., Megan, Mom, Me, Ben, Spence, and Allie.

El Rancherito y Dr. Jones.

Dr. Benjamin Pain M.D. Amputation Specialist.

Holy Amazing Headless Guy (Spencer's costume was a HIT! He figured out how to do it and really worked hard to make it happen).

Allie, the beautiful Snow Queen.

Witch D.D. . . Every family has one. We're so glad she's ours.

Adorable 50's Chick, Megan.

Me and Colee.

Dr. Pain prepares for surgery by adjusting his vision.

Grease duo Danny and Sandy (a.k.a. Nick and his cute fiance Carrie).

Danny, Sandy, and their cat (little Nicole.)

Carving our creations.

Will's pumpkin had many faces! He emptied it and designed it all by himself.

D.D. & Allie, carving away.

What a bunch of weirdos. We sure had fun!

Not pictured; our fabulous carved jack-o-lanterns, dinner, and dancing. Mom, thanks again for an UNFORGETTABLE night!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Every fall, the HUB has the WORLD'S ONLY TRULY TO-DIE-FOR PEACH PIE. I had one slice a month ago. Words cannot express the joy contained in each bite. Today, acknowledging the rapid change of season, I said to myself, "Self, I shall have another slice before it's gone." I called the HUB to pre order my slice . . . and. . .and, It's GONE!!!!!!!!! The peach pie is no more. The lady on the phone clearly did not fully understand the seriousness of the situation. Are you telling me I have to wait a whole year??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Curse you HUB and your fickle menu changes!!!! Blah!!!

Monday, October 19, 2009

My Get Well Cake

Over the weekend I came down with a fluey cold or coldy flu. I don't know. I just haven't felt very well. Today my girls came to visit me and I couldn't invite them in for fear of spreading the bug. We visited for a minute and about one hour later they came to my house with this. . .

Amara, Lauren, Katelyn, this seriously made my day. :) Love you guys!

Friday, October 16, 2009

I Can't Help It. . .

It's official, I'm the wierdest person alive.

My amazing friend Sara (the witch in the middle wearing a bewitching green dress) shared these pictures from Witches Night Out. It was so fun to see her there!

Until last night, I had no idea I could play the broom.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

A Message From Ben. . .

Ben in a bubble.

Ben in a nutshell:
hello!!!! all you people i want to tell you that Miley Cyrus is gonna invade the earth with spoons and forks and toothpicks. AND um, swiss cheese. Ha Ha Ha. No! Not and um! Huh huh huh. No can you just erase that? STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP! PLease please plaease please please. I jsut broke him. AGAIN! eYEBROWS. What? M-kay. Mmmmm. nYAH. Mmmmm. heh heh eheh heh. Stop stop s;aslkfj a;slkfjas;lfj sldfasldf

Let's try this again. My name is Ben. I had a vision that crap and pee and forks and Miley Cyrus and spiders and bananas and Spencer, and Rochelle, and spoons hamily foam neening, Will invade the earth. - BEN

Thank you, Ben for this rare glimpse into your mind. Love, Mom.

Ben and his homemade Han Solo experiment.

Ingenious.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Firtht Looth Toof!

Monday, September 28, 2009

A Message From Will. . .

"hbyygjvnby dxdctfcdhcdfzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

im will i m 5. im haveng a good tim. vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxfcnrthrfuncghrjgfgnregnrednnxchrjfnerhfjchcnf urefgugh rxugnhevguxrfgrenjcg nrehuvgbxrnfud tgv gtrhu tr xbv3tr vb t54vxbvvtycvcnmjtgnvtgncvuithnvgthncviuthngcvgtn hbicvnticnvtgcn.

i lov haleween. xfrgcvyhgctrfdffffffffffffffffc trc fxr f drcerf gtr cgbv yhtf h bvj hgx vcf vgf gvt fdv sdgt fcgx tfr b vgf bghyht b hgv 222222ctcgtgcv`v bc` vfvb bg 2vgbbvf2bvcbv2cgtbcgfb2gbv22gb2v 2gbvf2c2c 2gbv2b2gb2bg.

goodbay

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Jelly Man Kelly

My friend Kami posted this on facebook today and I instantly traveled back in time. There I was, a pig-tailed first-grader, in my favorite purple overalls, criss-cross applesauce in front of our t.v., and giggling uncontrollably. What a fun song. Thanx for the chance to reminisce, Kami!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Random and Touching

Here's a picture I came across today that really struck a note with me. What a beautiful portrayal of a mother and son. No fake smiles. No stiff expressions. You can literally see the refuge they find in each other. It looks as though, THIS was "home." This mother, I've come to find was the empress of France. Empress Eugénie and her six-year-old son, Napoléon Eugène Louis Jean Joseph Bonapartein. She was the wife of Napoleon III. This photograph was taken by Benjamin Delessert, 1862.

Tenure 30 January 1853 – 11 January 1871. My friend Wikipedia told me. . ."When the Second French Empire was overthrown after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), the empress and her husband took refuge in England, and settled at Chislehurst, Kent. After his death in 1873, and that of her son in 1879, she moved in 1885 to Farnborough, Hampshire, and to her villa "Cyrnos" (ancient Greek name of Corsica), that she had built at Cap-Martin between Menton and Nice, where she lived in retirement, abstaining from all interference in French politics. After the deaths of her husband and son her health started to deteriorate. Her physician recommended she visit Bournemouth which was, in Victorian times, famed as a health spa resort. During her visit a groundskeeper lit hundreds of little tea candles in the Bournemouth gardens to light her way to the sea at night. This event is still commemorated annually by the lighting of candle displays in the Bournemouth gardens every summer. The former empress died in July 1920 at the age of 94."

FYI her full name was María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox de Guzmán Portocarrero y Kirkpatrick! And you thought my name was long ;)

For more information about her visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eug%C3%A9nie_de_Montijo

Kids Say The Darndest Things

9/8/14 After a massive pillow fight with Spence and Will, Mia fell to the floor and exclaimed, "I'm soaking tired!"

5/15/14 We were watching a Baby Einstein movie featuring a rhino puppet. Mia said, "Mom, that rhinoceros is a genius."

5/13/14 Mia just told me some disturbing news about her imaginary friend. "Squella, not like you, so her is hiding." I even offered Squella a popsicle to bribe her into liking me and she wouldn't budge.
5 minutes later:
No wait, Mia just informed me, "Her likes you now. Her gets a pop-is-cle."

5/02/14 Mia has been coming up with some unique names for her imaginary friends, Squilla, Quinley, Tortilla are just a few. Well today she was talking to her friend Celia and said,
"What's your Cat's name, Celia?
"Tiddley-Dee"
"Oh!!! GREAT name!!!"
Later, I asked her later about the cat and found out that there are TWO! One cat's name is "Tilly-Tina" and the other's name is "Tiddley-Dee."

4/21/14 Mia was shouting at me from the bathroom in a bossy way. I said, "Mia, don't talk to me like that." She said. "I YELLING at you." I needed to leave the room and she shouted again and said, "Mommy come here, right now. I gon count and you gon go in time-out!!!" Sweet swirling onion rings, I'm in for it.

4/4/14 While enjoying a chocolate chip cookie together, I asked, "Mia, why is chocolate soooooo good?" To which she naturally replied, "Cuz we gon' eat it."
Best reason ever.

1/07/14 At the store, at the top of her lungs, in attempt to tell me that she's going to "crack me up" Mia shouted, "Mom, I go a crap you up!"

12/11/13 Today at story time Miss Sally was teaching the kids about the color red. She was pointing out those with red hair. She said, "This little boy has red hair, and look, this mommy has red hair. And this mommy has red hair!" There was a pause and Mia shouted out, "I HAVE TWO MOMMIES!" All the parents looked around, Miss Sally bewildered, looked at me. Appalled I laughed and said loudly, "I have NO IDEA what she's talking about." Everyone started laughing. . . hard! For the life of me I couldn't figure out why she'd say that. So afterwards I asked Mia, and she pointed to the two mommies with red hair and said, "See? Two mommies!" Ohhhhhh, now I get it. Two mommies with red hair.

12/14/13 The dinner table was busy with multiple conversations occurring at once when Mia said, "Hey Will, this song my favorite: (in sing-song)
Hello Kitty, Hello Kitty,
I like Hello Kitty"

12/03/13 Ben was teasing Mia on the couch. When she angrily yelled, "Ben, DON'T BLOW ME! I NOT a bubble!!!"

11/13/13 Today I was crying and couldn't stop. Mia dropped what she was doing and ran up and said, "Hold me, you feel better!" I hugged her tight and put her down. A few seconds later she came up and said, "Here Mom, a have a Kleenex."

Lately, Whenever we are having a nice snuggle moment as a family, Mia will come up and say, "All To-ah-gedder."

10/13/13 I need to preface this by saying, Mia's word for "girl" is "grill." After church Mia got very upset and ran to her room. Alfonso went up to try to comfort her and said, "Don't cry, Mia." To which she responded, "But grills like to cry."

09/25/13 Mia and I were playing with pretend snakes. In their "conversation", they made a deal and so I told her, "Let's shake on it." she immediately began to violently shake the snake.

08/24/13 Once again, Pandora displayed the album cover (One World's Acoustic) of Justin Bieber on the screen. Mia looked at it again and said, "Mom, look! A doggie. Doggie wif guitar."

08/21/13 Pandora displayed an album cover of Justin Bieber on the t.v. Mia, startled a little by the music, looked up at the screen, studied for a minute and said, "Cute doggie!"

08/19/13 As we were all getting ready to go swimming, Mia was excitedly showing everyone her "swimming soup."

08/17/12 A day after I taught Will about the Star of David, Will was playing with a couple of triangle magnets. When he had overlapped them just right he held them up and said, "Look, it's Jared's star!"

08/16/12 After taking off Ben's newly acquired football gear, Will sat next to me, sighed, and said, "It's nice to have a football player in the house."

07/24/12 I was looking at my wedding ring while tucking Will in to bed. Will noticed and said, "That's a pretty fancy ring." I said, "It is. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever owned. But I love it mostly for what it stands for." Will surprised me when he responded, "You love it because it reminds you of the day you got married. Even if it was made of wood, it would be a still be a great treasure."

07/23/12 After a run to Dairy Keen, Will shared the following insight: "The most humblest flavor of ice cream in the whole entire world is vanilla." When I asked why, he said, "Because it's simple, it's plain, and it's always there. "

07/05/12 Fearing that Mia might ruin his pillow fort, Will asked, "Mom, can we put her to sleep?"

06/28/12 As we were setting the table for breakfast, Will (7)said, "I'm a simple man." I couldn't help but smile. "I'm a simple man with complex thoughts." Did I mention, he's 7???

06/25/12 While I was looking for a rubber band, Spencer handed a large one to me and proudly said, "I wear 5 rubber bands on my wrist at all times."

06/22/12 For the second time, Spencer said, "I don't believe in sarcasm." I argued that sarcasm does exsist and gave him an example. His response, "I call that oppositism."

06/03/12 While we were driving, Spencer spotted a slowly oncoming tractor and car and said, " 'Wow, tractors drive slow!' thought the lady in the green car."

06/03/12 We had watched a bunch of old footage of Beatles performing some of their hits, when Will yelled out, "Can we PLEASE stop listening to classical music?"

05/12/12 Trying to explain to our sick kids why we couldn't have friends come play, I said, "We need to get this virus out of our house." Will said, "Lets give it to someone else!"

03/03/12 Will just said, "I have a faculty butt."

03/01/12 Will told Ben that from now on he wants to be called Bethica, queen of the sea.

03/01/12 Will came inside from shoveling snow with cold hands. After explaining to me that the problem was his gloves, he asked,"Can I have an upgrade?"

11/29/11 Me: "Will, what do you want the person you marry to be like?" Will: "Hot and sexy." Room fills with shock & stifled laughter. Me: "Will. . . what does it mean to be hot?" Will: "That you just came out of the desert."

11/28/11 When it's time for oracion/prayer, Mia oftentimes will fold her arms and talk quietly while the prayer is said. At the end we say "amen." She loudly says, "BOB!"

11/26/11 Alfonso swatted at the pesky fly once again. "It's taunting me." He said. Will exclaims, "It's taunting you??" Mutters to self, "I hate taunting flies."

11/10/11 Will walked in the door and when he saw his friend Annie sitting on the couch said, "I knew this day had something special in it." "What?" Annie asked. "You! I knew you were coming over. You make today special."

11/10/11 In the car, Annie (a girl I'm tending) said, "Jesus is so lucky! He gets to be born on Christmas, huh!"

09-09-11 Alfonso and I went on a date for our anniversary and left the kids with family. After we picked up the kids, Will politely asked, "Were there a lot of people at the anniversary?"

09-08-11 At the breakfast table, I was telling the kids that tomorrow would be Alfonso and my anniversary. Will lowered his head and said, "I'm glad I don't have to see that."

09-07-11 At a restaurant, we were all joking back and forth and Will said, "You gotta be pushing my leg!"

08-20-11 At our moving sale, my 3-year-old neice, Nicole held up a shiny quarter and said, "Look, I have a quenny."

08-20-11 5 minutes later, Nicole was whining. Her Mom, D.D. said, "I'm not going to talk to you until you use a big girl voice." Nicole gave her a mean look and said, "But you just talked to me."

08-19-11 Will, sitting at the table kept singing, "Can't you see, I love my pancreas, look at me, I love my pancreas." Over and over. Thank you, Wierd Al.

08-19-11 Quite proud of himself and giggling a little, Spencer announced, "Faster than a speeding two-year-old, able to leap a towering pile of laundry, it's SUPERMOM!!!"

04-29-11 We had just finished a large meal at Chick's Cafe when Spencer leaned back in his chair and energetcally patted his stomach saying, "Now I know what Santa feels like."

04-28-11 Will was helping me pull our huge new stroller out of its box. His job was to pull the box down as I held the stroller up off the ground. It wouldn't budge. He paused and said, "Wait, should I go drink some milk, to make my muscles stronger?"

About Us

Our blended family is many years and obstacles in the making. We two were raised in separate countries, different cultures and upbringings. For each of us, God's blessed broken road weaved through marraige, the birth of a child (or two) and a painful divorce, in the end, leaving a himless her and a herless him. We met on a blind date in 2008 and haven't been able to stay away from each other since. Married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple, we and our four children are determined to BE a forever family. This blog is an account of our daily lives, our ups and downs, and our journey to become "one."