secure the blog or delete the blog.....

"Honey, you need to either get rid of the pics and make the blog secure or delete the blog" those are the words ry told me a couple of days ago. He watched some news report about how unsafe blogs are and he got all freaked out. I really don't want to go private because I have reconnected with a lot of old friends as they have found my blog and had access to it. I don't like the private thing AT ALL, but I do see the value in it. So as opposed to deleting the blog or going private, I decided to just try to make it more secure.....not sure how it will work out, if it doesn't I would rather delete the blog entirely and just go back to the way things were. I guess time will tell, it has lost some of the fun for me now (thanks to the perverts and crazies of the world) but life is about change and adapting, so on my way I go...............

halloween 2008

We love Halloween at our house, our Monday night Halloween meal included, pumpkin dinner (hamburger/rice mixture baked inside a pumpkin), witches fingers (breadsticks w/pepperoni fingernails) and green witches brew. After the meal, ry and the kids carved pumpkins.

Wed. was the last day of school for the week. I am the homeroom mom for Drew's class, so I got to spend an hour with the 1st graders making lots of Halloween fun ;)

Ryan and I had supper club on Thursday...like the costumes? LOL-Ryan wouldn't wear the bright red lipstick, he drew the line at wearing a bra and pantyhose! He put his bracelet and purse on after the picture and too bad you couldn't see the turquoise pumps he was sporting. We both decided he is not a pretty woman!

Taylor decided to use the same granny get-up for her costume, Drew was Mrs. Frankenstein (or chickenstein as Nolan says...) and Nolan was pumped to be a rodeo clown (he really was excited, he just didn't want his picture taken).

Another Halloween come and gone...time to put it all away, divide up the candy and move forward to pumpkin pie!

scary drewbie?

Drew has been obsessed with being Frankenstein for Halloween. She has been practicing her "Frankenstein/zombie" walk for a week or so now and thinks she has it down. Luckily my sister came through and found Drew this "girl" Frankenstein costume!! I don't think it is quite as scary as she was hoping, but I think she is a doll!! Her dance group performed at the craft show this weekend. Too funny! Notice how Drew is bossing the other kids around...wonder where she gets that from?? Her mother and father have never been bossy a day in their lives ;) We love little Drewbie and the special spirit she is to our family.

Also this last week, Taylor had her first Volleyball game. She really shouldn't be doing any of this until after Halloween, but Dr. Ryan Miller gave her the green-light....I won't go there.....anyhoo, she had a ton of fun and has officially placed volleyball as her second favorite sport (softball of course is #1). She made me laugh because she has never been a "short-shorts" kinda gal. She likes them long and baggy and has a total complex about wearing them even a centimeter above her knees. Well, she tries on these volleyball shorts which are at least two feet shorter than her comfort zone and says to me, "My legs aren't quite as weird looking as I thought. I have these funny shaped legs and weird knees, but I guess these shorts will be ok to wear while I play". I was tempted to put the short-shorts on and show her just how weird a pair of legs could look in those babies, but figured she didn't need to be traumatized by the shorts any more than she already is! Notice in her pics from the game, the ultra-long socks. We had to go purchase them special the day of the game so she could cope with the fact of wearing the shorts.... What a kid!! Tay is such a joy to us though and we love the fact she keeps us on the move. Our home would be a sad place without her.
Now, I can't leave Nolan out. He is such a good sport to tag along with us to all of his sisters things. He just brings a matchbox or two and is content to let us watch them. No matter what we are watching the girls do though, when it is over his first question is always "did tay/drew win mom?" LOL. We always tell him yes just to keep his spirits up (even it it was just a dance or tumble routine)!

Ryan had to spend his birthday yesterday speaking at one of his best friends funeral. What a very sad day, but he did a great job. Kourtney and Ryan were friends since the first day of 6th grade. We will both miss him, he was a great guy. As Ryan puts it, a friend is someone who loves your wife and kids and treats them with the same respect you do. This was Koutney through and through. We pray for his family and the pain they are going through. May God take Kourtney by the hand and keep him close until the time we all meet again.


Kourtney L. Olsen
Kourtney L. Olsen 1976 ~ 2008 Kourtney Lee Olsen, age 32, passed away October 21, 2008 at his home in Nephi, Utah.He was born March 6, 1976 in Nephi, Utah to Lee Vernon and Rebecca Sue Williams Olsen. He was employed by Walker Oil/ Mission Transport. Kourtney loved the outdoors and spending much of his free time with his niece, Bailee and lil buddy, Zach Coombs. He enjoyed camping, hunting, and chasing lions with his hounds and mules. Kourtney was a man of the road. His job took him far and wide, allowing him to see a lot of the country. Most of all he loved being with his family. He is survived by his parents, Lee and Becky; his sister, Andrea and niece, Bailee; brother, Trevor (Ashley) Olsen all of Nephi; grandmother, Darlene Olsen. He is preceded in death by his brother, Jason Lynn Olsen and grandparents, Jude and Ramone Williams and Vernon L. Olsen. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008 in the Nephi 1st Ward, 222 S. 100 E. Family and friends may call Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Anderson Funeral Home, 94 W. 300 N. and at the church one hour prior to the services. Interment will be in the Nephi Vine Bluff Cemetery.

another tag

another tag (which i love by the way...i think it is a quick insight into the minds of others...if i see you looking oddly at me next time i see you i will know you have been given too much insight!)

Eight things I'm passionate about:
1. my family
2. Wishing I could speak with either a drawl like a texan or talk with a crisp english accent
3. the Gospel and becoming a stronger/better member the Lord and my family can be proud of
4. food-eating it
5. food-cooking it
6. taking care of widows/widowers. I have cried myself to sleep several nights in the last couple of months because i get so down about people being lonely and unable to do things for themselves. How do you help them effectively? How do you give enough time to really make a difference? how do you give enough time to all those who need it? how do i teach my children to reach out to those who need it? how do you realize to the full extend each of their needs with the limited time you have? how do you comfort them effectively? i could go on and on....
7. my kids learning good habits
8. scentsy warmers and waxes

Eight words or phrases I use all the time:
1. whatever!
2. thinkin' not...
3. oh bugger
4. please don't yell
5. no, we are not buying that today
6. taylor, you cannot do that until 10-31-08
7. taylor, for reals, you cannot do that until 10-31-08
8. I LOVE YOU-assuring i say it to ry, tay, drewbie and Nolan each day and learning to say it to other loved ones each time i talk with them.

Eight things I want to do before I die:
1. go camping 1000 times more than I went this year
2. get my food storage up to par. this probably wont happen until RIGHT before I die for a couple reasons. #1-who has that much storage room? Someday when I am old and rich I will build me a small house with a huge storage room. #2-the peeps in my house eat it as fast as I can bottle it...gunna have to wait until the kids have moved out and ry is old and doesn't have much of an appetite anymore. Moral of the story, when I get it up to par, I will pass on and leave my legacy of food storage to my children...whose kids will probably eat it is fast as they can put it on the shelves....?!
3. try cooking every one of the hundreds of recipes I have collected over the years
4. see Niagra falls (yeah weird huh, seeing as how i am SCARED TO DEATH of water)
5. Purchase an insanely expensive original LDS painting of Joseph Smith
6. Get the basement finished (ha-ha that is a joke directed towards my hubby)
7. figure out how to use my time more wisely
8. serve a couples mission with ry

Eight things I currently want or need:
1. A vacation
2. a new dishwasher
3. my own treadmill (my mother, bless her heart, is forgoing her exercise so i can use her treadmill for now)
4. for my children to quit shoving random items under the bed and couches when they are cleaning
5. more new scentsy waxes
6. to pay my bills (that is what i should be doing right now)
7. I need to get my flu and pneumonia vaccinations-sooner than later
8. to talk my husband into some cross-dressing for his supper-club halloween costume

Eight Places I want to visit:
1. The Sacred Grove
2. Ireland/Scotland
3. I have been, but I want to take my family to the Redwood Forest
4. Niagra Falls (again...go figure)
5. Yellowstone
6. Atlanta to watch a Braves game
7. Grand Ole Oprey
8. Broadway to watch as many shows as I could

Eight Favorite Restaurants:
1. Red Lobster
2. Fuddruckers
3. Sizzler
4. Any good Mexican Restaraunt, especially El Mexicano in Salina
5. Olive Garden
6. P.F. Changs
7. Chick-fill-a
8. Game Day Pizza (yummy-Matt says I am his best customer..thus the need for the treadmill)

Eight TV show I watch:
1. Lost
2. Project Runway
3. Ghost Hunters
4. Destination truth
5. Animal Cops
6. What not to wear
7. American Idol
8. The Amazing Race

I tag anyone who wants to fill this!

tagged.......

So, my friend Heidi tagged me a while back and I am finally taking the time to... would you say get untagged?
Ryan left on Thursday morning to New Mexico. His brother drew and once-in-a-lifetime elk tag and could take only two people with him. So Ryan, his brother and their dad all went and will be gone for 10 days.
The first 10 years of our marriage Ry was always out of town working and it was just the way we lived so it never bothered me. Now though, I miss him like crazy.....so I figured it was a good time to think about his qualities and fill this tag:

1. Where did you meet your husband?
In kindergarten....he use to chase me around the school yard trying to play kissing tag! No, I did not enjoy it like he did!

2. How long did you date before you got married?
Approximately three years

3. How long have you been married?
13 awesome years

4. What does he do that surprises you?
He never seems to do anything that surprises me. I have known him my whole life and he is my soul mate. For reals, we always finish each others thoughts and sentences and call each other on the phone at the exact same time...it is kinda scary sometimes. The only thing I can think he does that surpries me is that sometimes he doesn't get upset at something that has happend when I think he might....Does that count? Probably not.

5. What is your favorite feature if his.
His hands. They are perfect. If I elaborate someone will be sure to get the wrong idea ;)

6. What is your favorite quality?
His work ethic. The man is like The hulk-he never stops. He is also a natural born leader. He is always ready to take charge and make things work. Ok, one other thing...he is so cute about always calling his mom and sister. He is just not settled unless he keeps tabs on each of them.

7. Does he have a nick name for you?
"Woman" (don't get offended it is a joke between us)

8. What is his favorite food?
Pretty much anything other than German pancakes. The man can eat pudding on porkchops and put away more food than 3 people together, but feed him German pancakes and he turns green on the spot!

9. What is his favorite sport.
Baseball for sure-Go Braves!!!

10. When and where did you first kiss.
It was a girls choice dance our Sophmore year-that is the only thing we agree on. I know he made the first move, but his fantasies insist I "jumped" him! Gag!!!

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
hang-out and just talk about life, anything we do as a family

12. Do you have children?
Yep, Taylor-10; Drew-6; Nolan-4

13. Does he have any hidden talents.
Well beyond being able to do any manly thing conceivable, he also is one he** of a window washer, he can knit, quilt, bottle food in the fall, and he makes a mean dish of cowboy beans.

14. How old is he?
32

15. Who said I love your first.
Jeez, probably me. He was too cool for that when we were younger....

16. What is his favorite music?
He has everything from Metallica to Neil Diamond in his collection. The only thing he doesn't like is rap/hip-hop music

17. What do you admire most about him?
I am going to steal Heidi's response, I love how she said it:
"His loyalty. He loves his wife and family, we make him proud. I know there is
no one who could love me as much as he does." (thanks heidi)

18. What is his favorite color?
Well, I thought it was blue so I always have bought him a lot of blue clothing. The other day he asked me "why in the heck do you buy me so many blue items? I barely even like that color!!" I was so much in shock I never thought to ask him what his favorite color really is...

19. Will he read this?
umm, maybe if he is slow at work and thinks about it when he is on the computer.

20. Who do you tag?
Emily Forscutt, Natasha, Janell, Machelle & Kendra

Kids!!

Well, I am glad to say that my biggest worry in life is down to wondering "...how much more junk can my husband collect around our yard?"
Back to normal...such words have never seemed so sweet. I have craved this for over a month now and finally think I am almost there. Yes, normal to me is kinda hectic and crazy, but that keeps life interesting hey?
I have another embarassing child moment. Sometimes I wonder how I dare take them out in public.....
We had to take Tay to the doctor this morning (by the way she is doing sooooo well and healing so fast she might get to go back to school 1 week early) on the way home, Nolan was screaming he wanted to stop at the barnyard (the Red Barn). I obliged because how often is it that I am not in a hurry trying to meet a hundred different deadlines?
We browsed for a bit and Nolan picked out a bag of candy he wanted. We were waiting to be checked out and Nolan got impatient and opened his candy. I gave him the "eye" that told him not to eat it yet and he blurts out "You want me to hide this bag of candy mom?". Well, there was this man behind us that says "Geez lady, what are you teaching your kid?" and the clerk is now giving me the "eye". Good grief! I almost ran out of the store in embarassment, but then for sure they would think I was hiding my own bag of candy or something.
I am not sure my muttered expanation did any justice and still not sure why Nolan would say that, but I am sure I will probably try to avoid taking Drew or Nolan with me anywhere there are other people ;)
-Mandi

some pics from our ordeal

Taylor in the ICU, fighting to hang on and get better.

This is the burn on her back from where the engine was touching her skin while the 4-wheeler was on top of her.

This picture is after she was moved from the ICU to a room in the trauma ward. Much better than a few days prior.

We are home!!!

Home sweet home. Such words have never been more true. We have our angel Taylor home. My sister-in-law called last night and asked me how it was to have a "miracle child". I thought about that throught the night. Truly, this whole ordeal has been a miracle. Such a testimony builder through and through. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. I had two doctors stop me in the ICU and tell me they had never seen a kid with more determination to get better and it shows. They also said they had no explanation how, as serious as she was injured, that she was progressing so fast. We know though, the prayers of hundreds of voices were heard. Taylor still has a long way to go, 3 weeks of no school, then only 2 hours a day for 2 weeks after that. Also, nothing but walking until after Halloween. We had to cancel Disneyland, but we will go later in the year and it gives Tay a goal to work towards. Thanks again for checking on us and praying for Taylor. Prayers are heard and answered in these latter days, the Lord loves us and does his best to help us all in each situation we face.

Oh my...Can you believe it? I am back baby!

Well, I guess I took a summer vacation along with the kids :) Natasha told me I was fired from blogging, but she never actually gave me my "pink slip" so until then, I suppose I will stay on the payroll! I pretty much killed my night (from 10pm when everyone else goes to sleep on...) updating my page. I decided I am welcoming fall with open arms. The truth is, while I was sick, my flower beds became overrun with weeds, my potted flowers died from lack of hydration and the laundry became and insurmountable pile from the kids changing 10 times a day. So moral of the story: I can wait to rip everything (weeds AND flowers) out of my flowerbeds, throw all my pots in the trash and pull out the levi's and 3/4 length shirts in an effort to avoid the exisiting piles of dirty tanktops, shorts and swimsuits. Ahhh, I just love it when the season changes.

So, Drew said the funniest thing (well funny only through the magic gift of hindsight) that I cannot pass up retelling. We took all of our Young Women group to Young Living this week. The first thing we did there, was to go on a wagon ride through the fields and park. Well, Drew ran right to the front of the wagon to get as close as she could to the drivers (there were two of them) and the horses. Her friend, Maddi Webster and myself were all seated together at the front and across from us were several of my young women. Ok, here is the story:

Garrett and Darrel (the driver and tour guides): "off to the right you will see some Wolfberry bushes"
Mandi: "Oh, when I was sick a couple of weeks ago, my dad brought my some juice with Wolfberry in it. I really enjoyed it and think it worked good."
Drew: "Yeah, it worked so good she didn't stop FARTING the whole day after she took it"

YES MY DARLING CHILD SAID THAT TO TWO COMPLETE STRANGE MEN AND SEVERAL OF MY YOUNG WOMEN!!!!! TO MAKE IT WORSE, IT WAS A TOTAL FABRICATED LIE!!!!

I was telling Ryan about the whole ordeal when we got home and he asked Drew why she would say something like that, especially when it was a untrue.
Drew's answer (picture instantaneous mischevious grin and shoulder shrug): "Well, I don't know why I said it, I guess because I thought it would be funny-and it was!"

I am thinking military school might be a good option.....?

-Mandi

Another one down.....

Well, we now officially have a second child graduated from Kindergarten. It seems lately that I have been mentally checking these small milestones off of my children's "to-do lists". Just the other night Nolan finally learned how to "pump" himself on a swing. Lean back, legs-out while swinging forward. Lean forward, legs-back while swinging backwards. Simple to those of us who have passed this milestone of life, but a big deal when you are three and a half and suddenly understand how it works.

Drew was so excited to graduate. She kept letting out her "night-before-Christmas" squeals for the last 24 hours. She could not wait to perform her practiced skit for us tonight. We were so proud of her. It has been a hectic last two weeks: 4 ball games, 4 ball practices, a tumbling review, a dance review, a violin recital and Kindergarten Graduation.

So much to go through, but so worth it. Seeing the kids grow and progress is what life is all about..I used to wonder if we would ever get through some milestones, but quit paying attention for a bit and there you are....3 kids growing up right under your nose and you not realizing how fast it is happening....how time flies. Sleep through the night: check, check, check. learn to crawl:check, check, check. Break the bottle/binki habit: check, check, check. Learn to walk:check, check, check. Potty train:check, check, check. Learn to dress yourself (nobody said anything about matching...just the basic shirt on the top, pants on the bottom, socks on the feet routine):check, check, check. Learn to ride a bike:check, check, check. Learn to pump yourself on a swing (giving mom/dad/whoever else is around a newfound freemdom from endless underdogs):check, check, check. Learn to wash your own hair and lotion yourself upon exiting the bathroom swimming pool:check, check, check. Enter the new world of preschool, where mom/dad aren't always by your side:check, check, check. Graduate from Kindergarten into the world of school lunch and all-day school:check, check..................yes we are on our way.

It's getting late and I am getting nothing done...

Well, I told Ryan I was going to stay up and fold a batch of laundry but here I am plunked down at the computer. So, I might as well post something... What is going through my mind at the moment is how my whole life I have hated journals and now I am most addicted to doing the very thing I have fought against my whole life. Growing up is an odd thing-one day you hate tomatoes, the next you can't get enough of them. One day you hate napping and all that it implies, the next you are counting down the days until your Sunday nap. One day you are thin, the next you are overweight and can't get it off. One day the thought of ever writing in a journal makes you want to pull your hair out, then next you are wondering what you can "blog" about. A big thank-you hug to Natasha for being brave enough to teach an old dog new tricks. T&YW-Mandi

Random thoughts on a Sunday afternoon

Isn't it amazing how much better a nap is when taken on a Sunday afternoon, than any other day of the week. Maybe it is because your spiritual cup is full (as well as your belly from Sunday dinner) and you are just extra content with life. Curling up on a soft bedspread with a cozy blanket and taking a power-nap... there is nothing quite like it to even compare to!

We went to dinner this weekend with some friends, and since we didn't get dessert at dinner, we decided to stop at ColdStone Creamery in Spanish Fork. As we walked in, Natasha said the funniest thing, "Doesn't it smell like the Celestial Kingdom in here?" When I paused for a moment to ponder the thought, I must admit, if I had to assign the Celestial Kingdom a "smell" ColdStone Creamery would probably fit the bill. So, during my drive to my drive to Salina and back today...I had time to think about what other senses I would assign to the Celestial Kingdom. The only definite sense I have at the moment, is the sound in my Celestial Kingdom. It would be a calm summer night.....there is an alfalfa field with several grazing horses. The only sound other than the crickets and the soft chik-chik of a sprinkler slowly watering the field, is the content horses grazing and occasionally sighing. I have told Ryan many times throughout our career as a married couple how much I truly love this sound.

Now, if my Celestial Kingdom sounds could be rotated like those new, fancy air fresheners that change the scents every half-an-hour, I would also like to add to my selection, the sound of my children laughing with the kind of abandon that only a child is capable of. A full-on, straight from the heart and belly laugh-not a care in the world, just savoring the moment.

Yep, Sunday afternoons beat most anything.....

mother of the year....not me

So, I totally forgot to pick up Drew for school today.....what makes it even worse is that I had to pay for the time she was at daycare while I was being braindead! Drew didn't mind so much though, seems she conveniently forgot to ask the ladies to call and remind me I had forgotten to pick her up for school. When I did finally make it to retrieve her and Nolan, she asked if I could please forget her tomorrow too. You never know, it just might happen.......
We are supposed to be going on this big horse-ride over in Wellington this weekend. I was totally thinking I was going to boycott the ride for personal distaste of cold-temperature and wind related reasons, but whatdoyaknow? The weatherman was correct for once and I think it really is going to warm up and be nice weather for the ride. Sunburn and sore-butt.....here I come!!!

who knew?

I have to admit something..... I always thought I was an o.k. singer until last weekend. As Ryan and I sang along at our home during conference, we both realized (at the same time) just how bad we sounded. We stopped singing and laughed about it, then tried again with the same results - we are horrible singers!!!! We finally just had to quit singing because we were laughing so hard at ourselves we could not finish the song. How did we not know how bad we were before now? Why hasn't anyone told us? Good grief, I am still cringing as I remember the awful sound we were trying to pass off as "singing".... uck. Speaking of conference, a line from one of the talks keeps echoing in my mind... "the time your children spend with you constitutes only 1/4th of your life. Use your time with them wisely." Wow! That really puts things into perspective. How precious time is - use it wisely. Here are some pictures of Drew and Nolan with their new bikes. A little past the fact, but I have been behind... better late than never. Also, Drew had "Wacky Wednesday" today. There is also a pic of her wacky-outfit in all its glory. Oh yeah, one last thing... did you know that there is a special walk that makes others think you are "popular"? Yep, Drew filled me in on that one today. I got the low-down on how it works and a nice demonstration of how to do it. Ask her next time you see her..... that is, if you want to be popular ;)

he's a handful, but we might be doing something right....

As Ryan and I watched Nolan playing this week, we caught him doing this repeatedly: setting up his table and chairs, getting a little "sand-cake" all prepared to eat, then folding his arms and bowing his head in prayer before he would jump up and repeat the process. It was just so cute - one of those moments where your kids seem to innocent and darling. Yes, he soon came running in the house and was back to yelling and making messes, but for a few moments on a warm pre-spring day I was reminded why God so loves the little ones. Then there was this exciting mess..... you can't see too well from the picture, but she really is covered in mud from her hair to her muck boots! She didn't mind and was very proud of the fact. Now Drew on the other hand, she didn't want anything to do with getting dirty and happily observed then came inside to color!

Almost summer?

What a day! Nolan was so excited for the sun to finally be out. He played outside for over an hour. At one point, I lost him and found him & Gus (the chocolate lab) down and the railroad tracks finding sticks!!! Yes, my heart stopped and I was so upset, but as soon as Nolan noticed me and started grinning and waving his stick and rambling on about him....gus.....sticks....fun......gus, yada-yada how can a mom be mad after that? I did give him a little scolding though and told him never to go by the tracks again! Ryan was in a lot of pain today... just a guess here, but could have been caused by any of the following: vaccuming under the couches, picking up the front lawn, cleaning the garage, graining the horses or changing the laundry. Yep, he did them all today. I have been so mad at him tonight that I want to wring his neck everytime he complains about the pain. It will be a good thing for us all when things get back to normal. Taylor was so excited the sun was out, she and her friends were playing baseball at school. The only problme they encounted through, was the fact that they couldn't find a baseball so thought they would use a basketball. Taylor just happened to be the first one up to bat and you can see the outcome. To hear the story as she tells it, "I was up to bat and we were playing so-and-so's (I can't remember the name of the kid) team and I wanted to beat them. I took the hardest swing I could and I hit that basketball square on, but as soon as the bat connected, it bounced right off and came back and got me in the face!" she claims she didn't cry and in fact, when the school nurse called she said Taylor wanted to stay at school. This picture was taken when she came home from school and tonight, her eye socket and cheekbone are all turning black & blue. UGGG. And Drew, well she was just glad I bought her some fruit roll-ups today. She's pretty easy to please! --mandi

Ry's shoulder sugery

Well, it is all over but the cryin'..... we are home and Ry is working on recovering. He is doing really well and sleeping a lot. Sleeping a lot, thanks to the new recliner I purchased in a panic after we got home yesterday! Ryan had not been in the recliner more than a few minutes when he announced there was no way he was going to be sleeping in that chair for next few weeks. So, yes, the 12 year old recliner finally had to be replaced. Of course we kept it and just moved it into our bedroom - Nolan would have a meltdown if his favorite chair went away! Thanks for everything you all have done over the last 24 hours. We are so blessed to have you all as family.

Tay's last basketball game - tonight!!

hi, this will be a little test to see if the grandma's really log on and witness my materpiece-in-progress :) Taylor's last game of the year will be tonight (it was rescheduled from Thursday) at the middle high gym @ 5:30 pm. Hope you can make it - she has been watching more Jazz games with Ryan and thinks she has some new and improved moves to show off!

-mandi

My First Post!

Well, I must say, this is going to be an addiction for me. One of my friends in town turned me on to this and all I want to do is sit at the computer and post! So, I will make this first one quick. This last week went by really fast. I think the thing that stands out most from last week was the fact that we cut Taylor's hair 6 inches!!! I will post a picture of her new haircut tomorrow and you can check it out. Ryan is having his shoulder-operation this upcoming Friday, so it is going to be interesting around here for a bit. Other than than, life as usual. Have a good week.