This Makes Me Smile!

When I was cleaning the kitchen yesterday,

I looked over and saw Emma busily working on this:

She said it was her friend

"Towel Girl Emma".

Oh, how I love this girl's imagination!

Looking Back

I'm tired of writing about my sick family.

 (I can't seem to get everyone well once and for all, dangit!)

So, I thought I'd write about a memory I have of my amazingly talented mom.

I have always looked up to my mom.

She's such a classy lady!

It's because of her that all I ever wanted to be while growing up was a mother.

I am one of 4 girls and my mom always made sure we were surrounded by feminine things.

She made us dresses, taught us about being a lady, taught us how to model in fashion shows (they were really big in the 70's when I was a young girl), taught us about how to dress and stand up straight.  She did all this without being a nag and she made it all seem so fun. 

 She is first and foremost a lady.  

She taught me that I could do whatever I wanted, even play sports, but still be a lady.

  I have always appreciated that.  

One of my favorite memories of my childhood is when Mom would do my hair.

My mom was a beautician.  

I never had to go to a salon. 

 My mom always cut and styled our hair.

It was so great!

I remember feeling so beautiful after she did my hair up for church and for special occasions.

I would sit on the floor the night before and Mom would roll my hair in rollers. It was a time we could just talk and laugh together.  

Then, after sleeping in curlers (because we didn't have curling irons then...

yes, I am old!) 

mom would stand me in front of the mirror and back-comb and pin up my hair in these almost bouffant hair styles.  

It was considered cool in the 70's and I thought I was pretty special in these do's.  

Here's a picture of my family on, I think, an Easter Sunday.

Notice our hair.  (I'm the blonde.) This was typical for us.  The gloves were something we always had too!  

(My Dad's plaid pants and my brother's huge tie crack me up!)

 My mom made these dresses we were wearing too.

I remember always being complimented for how I looked and people always telling me what an incredible mom I had.

I had to agree.  

She was a remarkable mom while I was growing up and she still is!

I love how she always makes things special.

I wish I could be more like her!

"I'm a Sick Big Girl"

Well, since my life is so interesting right now, I'm having a hard time thinking of something to blog about. You know it's bad when you blog about a fish and a You Tube video.

At the moment, my life is all about getting my family well. This fluey cold thing has worked its way through all of us except Jake. Emma's sick right now. She's had a fever since we got home from church. I didn't sleep longer than 2-3 hours last night because her fever was so high I was worried she would have a seizure (even though she hasn't had one in about a year but it still scares me.) My back and my poor shoulder are killing me today since our couches are so darn comfortable. (NOT!) But, I feel better being able to watch her when she has a fever and if I'm not sleeping, the T.V. makes the time pass a little faster.

Today was a hard day for her. When Lee left for work this morning, he said,

"Good bye big girl!"

She said,

"I'm not a big girl.

I'm a sick big girl!"

That about sums it up.

Her day was spent on the couch with the exception of a Walker's run to get an Icee (and Mama NEEDED a Diet Dr. Pepper, BAD!) and helping me with some ironing.

She has her own ironing board and iron that she always takes out when I iron.

Even when she's sick. She's going to be a good mommy someday.

It's so cute!

She slept for about 4 hours straight this evening (which she really needed) and is now wide-eyed and bushy-tailed eating a popsicle. It looks like another long night of the Food Network (Thank heavens for the Food Network!)

*sigh*

Just pass the Advil because I'm not sure my shoulder is going to make it "sleeping" another night on the couch!

I sure hope she's feeling better tomorrow and Jake won't get sick.

Drama with a Capital "D"

Why does this seem so familiar?

I must say,

that although this is funny,

it doesn't in ANY way imply that MY husband behaves this way when he is sick.

Oh no.

Mine just tells me that he

loves me and that he

"can see the light".

(With the exception of this last weekend when we were both sick and Lee let me sleep all day Sunday.  I'm sure that's why I got better before him.  I love you Lee!  Remember, this is just for fun!) 

A Beautiful Treat

I love going to the movies.

 I don't go as often as I would like to.

When the movie Becoming Jane was in theaters,

I was dying to see it but,

 for one reason or the other,

I missed it.

And I was sad.

Well, it came out on DVD last week and so last night I treated myself to a late-night movie.

I had to stay up really late to watch it in peace and quiet,

but it was

so worth it!

I love Anne Hathaway. 

She's beautiful and this movie was beautiful.

Sad, but beautiful.

What a treat!

Super Topher Lives On!

Have I ever mentioned

 I don't like fish?

I guess they do have a calmness about them

and some are pretty to look at

but the thought of touching one is 

more than I can bear.

We inherited Elisabeth's fish, Topher, after she brought him home over Christmas.

Emma has enjoyed feeding him and Cole has graciously volunteered to clean the bowl (thank heavens!)  It's a plan that has worked out just fine.

Fine, that is, until this evening.

Cole was cleaning the bowl in the dishwasher and had Topher in a small bowl on the counter.  

Topher is a Beta fish.  Most Beta's can handle being in a small container so it usually isn't a problem.  

Well, tonight I went into the kitchen and noticed the rocks and shell from Topher's bowl on the counter and a small bowl of water sitting next to it.

Then it donned on me...

Where's Topher?

I called for Cole and the frantic search was on.

We were searching high and low all over the kitchen 

but there was no Topher.

I looked a little closer by the bowl of water and noticed small little puddles leading to the edge of the counter.

I went to the other side of the counter and saw Topher flopping around inside the table cloth that had been on a chair.  

The stupid fish jumped out!

Well, needless-to-say, 

I freaked.

I started yelling,

"He's in the table cloth!  

Hurry!"

Cole jumped into action and quickly got Topher back into the water.

(Ew!)

Meanwhile, Emma is crying and totally freaked out too. 

(She is extremely scared of any kind of animal and I'm sure my yelling didn't help things.)

Anyway, thanks to Cole's quick action, 

Super Topher lives on!

I thought it was cats that had nine lives!?!

First Date with my Valentine

Journal Entry -- February 15, 1987

(The day after my first date with Lee.)

(Just to let you know, I wrote Lee on his mission and he got home a week before Valentine's Day, 1987. I was a young 19 year old with love in her eyes!)

Last night (Valentine's Day) was the best!

Lee took me to dinner at the Harbor House Cafe in Sunset Beach. We both had Banana Nut Pancakes and a malt. (I almost got sick!) But it was fun!

When we drove up and parked, Lee reached back in his backseat and handed me a flower box!

I almost died!

It was a long-stemmed red rose in a box!

The card read:

"Dear Cari,

Just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day from the guy who thinks that you're great!

Love, Lee"

I almost died! It's absolutely beautiful! I love it!

After dinner, we took a walk on the beach.

We were standing there and we were just watching and listening to the ocean and Lee said,

"So Cari...what do ya think?"

I couldn't believe he said that!

My dad always says that to me! I couldn't believe it!

Then we went back to the car. I was emptying the sand out of my shoes and Lee dusted the sand off my shoes!

Then we went to the dance. All the way up he was asking me questions about myself. He likes a lot and I mean almost everything I do! We had a lot of fun at the dance (even though the band was a little bad.)

He's so funny! I had a great time!

On the way home,

I seriously thought I had died and went to Heaven!

He asked me if I liked sunsets.

I do.

He asked me if I was a dreamer.

"Dreamer" is my middle name!

Then he said,

"Cari, you are just an all-around cool person!"

Then he told me all about how much he appreciated me writing him. He was talking about problems [a certain friend of his] is having. He said it was because he didn't work hard while on his mission. Then he said,

"I can honestly say that I served an honest mission and I worked hard and I feel that you are my reward for all this!"

Tears came to my eyes and I almost cried!

I couldn't believe my ears! I told him how I had been counting down the days till he got home and he started laughing.

I was embarrassed.

Then he asked if he could tell me something kind of personal.

He said that on the bottom of his slippers he wrote how many days left on the right slipper and on the left slipper he wrote:

"First date: February 14, 1987 with CP!"

I laughed! He had it planned all along!

He said the I was the only girl he wanted to take out when he got back!

Oh *heart*!

Then we got home and he walked in with me and I gave him some cookies. Then I walked him to the door. He was soooo nervous (and I was too!)

He said, "Will you give me another try next Saturday?"

(We're double dating with Darryl and Lisa. Scary!)

Then he shook my hand goodbye and I couldn't stand it anymore!

I HAD to give him a hug!

It was great!

Then he said, "I really like you Cari."

I said, "Well, I like you too Lee!"

He said that he would see me Tuesday Night.

Yes, I'm "in like"!

I know it's just a little premature but I could totally fall in love with him in a second!

It is so weird! He's so much like me and there's things that just make me feel like "WOW"!

I can't help but wonder if I'm supposed to marry him!

Gosh, he is great!!!!

(This isn't a picture of the first date but it was taken a couple months later on the night Lee first told me he loved me!)

Happy 21st Anniversary of our First Date Lee!

I can honestly say...

Gosh, you're great!

I love you!!!!

What Do Your Kids Do When They're Bored?

Apparently, mine make movies.
I always knew Scott had talent, but seriously...
check this out!
(Just ignore the dirty kitchen! How embarrassing! I wish he had "talent" in washing dishes!)

How the heck did he do this!?!

Pretty amazing huh?

Here's another cool one starring Cole...
(I love Cole's goofy expressions! So funny!)

What can I say?
I may not have a clean house,
but
I've got creative kids!

Here We Go Again!

Well, I thought I'd give this blog thing another try.

To be honest,

I missed it!

So, I'm back whether you like it or not!

I've decided to record things -- both past and present -- so I don't forget them.

(I'm not getting any younger you know!)

Here goes....

Saturday, I was lucky enough to spend the day with my sisters and my mom.

We had a "Sister's Day" at mom's house.

(Okay, this wasn't taken Saturday. We didn't take pictures for some reason so I thought I'd post this silly picture of me with my sisters. That's me on the left, then Cricket, Cortney, and Coni. I don't know what we were doing but I think this picture is fun. The only one missing is my sister-in-law Sarah but we didn't know she existed when this was taken.)

It was so much fun!

Mom made the best guacamole, barbeque wings, salad and munchies.

We just sat around eating, talking, and laughing (and laughing some more!) all day.

It was wonderful!

Our amazing Mom (who has the gift of making everything special) gave us all silver charm bracelets with a heart that she said was to remind us of the love she has for us.

I love it!

She also gave us the book,

I'm excited to read it.

I feel so lucky to be able to have a day with just us girls.

(Dad did join us the last little bit which was a treat too!)