Where do we live?

Sunday night, Adam was upstairs finishing his Seminary lesson, Noah and Macie were asleep, and Cory and I were playing Dancing with the Stars in the Wii. Nothing too exciting, right? Well, around 9:30 I heard a helicopter. I didn't think too much of it. But it just kept getting louder and louder. I went to the back window, and a blue light flooded the house and the yard as I opened the curtains. It was the light of the search helicopter. I yelled up to Adam to tell him, but just as I said it, he yelled down to lock all of the doors, and come upstairs. I instantly panicked. I ran upstairs, and Adam had been looked out the window to see a swarm of Police cars and police officers and the search helicopter flying really low. We had no idea what was going on. My family was here from Idaho. This sort of thing doesn't happen in Idaho! But we were all scared. Adam was the tough one, he didn't seem scared! He went downstairs and turned on all of the lights, and then came back with a knife. I guess he was scared after all. I was shaking, didn't know what was going on. I didn't know if some guy was going to run into our house and take us hostage or what. We are pretty much the only people on our block, so we probably were a good target! So, we said a prayer that we would be safe and called the Police Department. They just told us to lock our doors and stay inside. We opened the windows to see if we could hear anything, but we couldn't. We had police men going through our backyard with flashlights, and the search plane was right above us. It was pretty scary. There were police everywhere, so I guess we were a little safer. But we still didn't know what in the world was going on. So, we waited. It seemed like forever! We were so scared, we just went upstairs in our room, and waited. So, the search went on for over 2 hours. they sent out the police dogs and everything. Adam and I read the scriptures nightly, so we all read together. As we were reading, the search copters stopped. The police were still outside. But we all just went to bed. I guess we were too scared, we did go to sleep! But...we found out a few days later what had happened. I guess 3 teenagers broke into a house in a different neighborhood, and stole a gun. A witness told cops that they were in the house. When cops came, they didn't know if they would get shot or what, so they sent in the tear gas to get them out. And when they all ran out, one teen fled and hid. He ran without getting spotted. But was seen in our neighborhood. So they started the search. They didn't know if he had a gun or not, so they wanted to protect everyone by starting the search like they did. But after the 2 hour search they caught him as he ran out of a house. A house that is 2 doors down from ours. Yeah...just two doors. The coyotes lived in the house next door, and now a armed burglar was 2 doors down. He was only 14, which makes me mad to think that I was so scared of a 14 year old...but he had a gun! That is pretty scary! He could have gone postal on us or something! I don't know what could have happened. Pretty crazy though. It makes me just stop and wonder, where in the heck do I live?

Easter

 

 

 

 

Macie finally got to wear her Easter dress that I have just been admiring in her closet! I thought it was so cute...and it was a size 4 in little girls. Not just a 4T, but a regular 4! My little girl is getting so big! But with dresses, it's okay to be longer! Noah looked very handsome in his tie. Adam wasn't home for Easter, so it was just me and the kids! Mom and Cory were here, too. So it was more fun! Macie was going to go to Nursery the whole time by herself, because I had to teach my lesson. But, after Sunday School, someone told me that she was asleep in the nursery leaders arms. I felt so bad. I guess she cried herself to sleep because I left her. Poor little girl. Mom took her home, so she could get a good nap in before Noah came home! I was afraid of that. She's such a Mama's girl! For my lesson, I took Adam's tomb picture to show the girls the actual tomb.



The picture is pretty cool. Adam got it from a guy on his mission. It's a photograph of the actual tomb. And, the flowers in the picture are very pretty, and only bloom around Easter time. Which is an awesome thing, to think of new life that occurs every Spring, and the symbolism in that as you compare it to the Resurrection. But, anyway. We have the picture on our wall. And it's always on our wall, usually the first thing we put up when we move. So, it's like we have Easter everyday. But, not really. That would be the ideal thing to think. But, since it's there all of the time, it's easy to forget that's it's there, ya know? Noah has asked about it before, and I've told him that Jesus was put in there when he died, but then he was resurrected, and came back to life. I didn't go into details with him, I just told him that he was happier, and wasn't inside anymore. But this was a long time ago. I think it was even in Torrance when he asked about it. And that was nearly a year ago. But when I took the picture down to take with me to church, he looked at like he hasn't seen it for a long time! He never says anything about it, but he told me that Jesus was in there, but now he's not. He's happy. It made me smile to know that he does listen and he does understand what we tell him. That little thing he knows is such a strong basis for his own testimony of the Resurrection that he will gain in his life. Little kids are like sponges. And it's up to us as parents to help them soak up the good things, instead of the bad! Now that he's so much more aware of things, and remembers everything, I have to watch what I say...I don't want his to soak up the wrong things! But anyway, it was just cute that he remembered that. I don't know if he understood it exactly, but it's a start!

Wicked

Cory is graduating high school this year. And since I'm living in LA, and Wicked, the musical, is here, I thought I'd get him a ticket to go see it. But, it stops in June and doesn't come back until December. And so I had to hurry and get tickets. And, oh man...people were selling them for like 200 bucks! I love my little brother...but I didn't really want to spend 200 bucks for his ticket. Especially because I couldn't just buy one ticket...I had to get two, so he didn't have to go alone. But, leave it to me to find a deal on craigslist! I love craigslist. I mean, really love craigslist! I found a totally good deal, and I called Mom, and they came for Spring Break. Dad was working, so he didn't get to come. We all felt bad and guilty! He'll get to come next time! Cory and I drove down to Hollywood, and it was awesome! I really hasn't heard anything about Wicked. I didn't even really know what it was. I'm out of the loop on these things! But, Cory really likes it, and Alison does too. And I've heard of lots of other people that went, and loved it. So I thought I'd see what it was all about! It was so good. It's like the behind the scenes story of Wizard of Oz, and the wicked witch of the west. It was good, I'd highly recommend it!

SpiderMan Girl

Macie loves to dress up, just like her brother. This morning she insisted on the SpiderMan costume in the dress up box. It's a little big, but she loved it! She kept saying Spider Man. Noah corrected her by tell her she was Spider Man Girl. Pretty funny. The video is a little long for what it is, but she says Spider Man pretty well! I really do her hair, by the way...she pulls it out within the first few minutes, though.

I don't think I have laughed so hard in a VERY long time! I don't have the greatest pictures...so if you have any better, let me know! But I sure did get a good laugh! I had tears just streaming! Macie thought I was crazy! But she just laughed right along with me! I don't know why Macie and I have Oriental people in ours...what's up with that? I really don't think this is an accurate thing, but hey, everyone needs a laugh sometimes! Some even have the same people, even the same picture! They have to be related! Except, Adam and Cory do have one of the same...go figure! (If you don't know who the people are, I probably could tell you...I thought it would show it, but I guess it doesn't, and it takes forever to load to make another one! sorry!)

Potty Time

I don't even know where to begin! I thought I had read enough about potty training and got as many tips that I needed. But, Noah just doesn't care! I have heard that boys are harder to potty train, but seriously, being wet doesn't even phase the boy! He can just be sitting playing with his toys, pee, and then not care. He'll just sit there until I find that he is wet. I've tried Pull-Ups, what a joke! He just thinks he has a diaper on. So, no luck there. I've tried letting him go commando, nope, no luck. I've tried just letting him wear underwear so he knows how it feels when he's wet, nope. No luck. And I've even tried setting the timer and having him sit on the potty for 20 minutes every half hour, and giving him LOTS to drink in the meantime. But, you guessed it, no such luck! He could probably sit in a wet diaper for days and not even care. (No, I don't do that, I promise!) He doesn't care if there is a chart that has pictures of toys that he could get if he goes potty on the big boy potty. He's just content with what he has! Macie is more interested in the potty than Noah. And she's 22 months younger! She's gone on the potty 3 times, on her own. But then she sees Noah not going on the potty, and then thinks that it's okay! I swear, I'm going to have kindergartners still in diapers! Any ideas?

Nursery

 

Macie turned 18 months old today! She finally gets to go to the nursey! YEAH! No more wandering the halls during classtime! Adam and I can finally sit through a Sunday School class together. I don't even remember the last time that happened! She did really well in there. I stayed in there most of the time, just because I was nervous that she would cry. Sometimes she cries so hard that she throws up, so I was a little nervous. But I left for the last 25 minutes or so, and she did fine. I probably could have left the whole time and she'd be fine! There are only 2 other kids in the nursery. And one we babysit sometimes, so she already plays with him, and likes him, so it will be good. With Noah, I stayed in there for like the first month, and then he got so used to me being in there that he would cry when I'd leave, so I think with Macie I'll just send her, and hopefully she'll be fine! I have to teach the Beehives, so I can't stay with her. Noah was a little jealous, however. We wen to pick Macie up at the nursery, and Noah walked in, and said, "Bye, Mom, I play now!" Then when I told him it was time to go home, that started a huge tantrum, kicking and screaming! Oh, it was great! He's the youngest in his Sunbeam class, and has a harder time than the others making the adjustment from playing the whole time to having to to go to singing time, sharing time, and then a lesson. He's doing better though! His class is all boys. 5 little 3 year olds! Well, most of them are already 4! But, he likes it anyway. I have a Sunbeam and a nursery goer. Man, I feel old!

 

Don't they look cute all dressed up for church? Noah was so excited to wear a tie, just like Daddy! He was very proud of it, and showed it to people at church. He loved it. Macie got to wear her pretty new dress. I just couldn't resist the photo shoot!

A day with Noah & Macie

I'm trying out this collage thing. I saw it on my cousin's blog, and loved it. I think I may have too many pictures, but hey, it's worth the shot, right? Macie got a new dress. And she loves to put dresses on and be pretty, so we tried it on. She loved it, of course. And Noah...he's just a ham for the camera these days.

 

Sunny Sunday

Living in Palmdale is interesting. Not only do we have squatters and coyotes as mentioned in other posts, but we have crazy weather. Just last week it was in the 20s for the overnight lows. Well, now it's around 75+ during the day and then at night it cools down to around 55 or so. I almost feel guilty telling the kids that it's getting cold so they should come into the house when the temperature is only 65! After an Idaho winter, that's shorts weather! Break out the slip and slide and swimming suits, because it's summer! Weather is funny. But every day this week we have played outside for a good 2 hours! It's so nice. Sunday was particularly nice. The kids were so cute in their church clothes, I had to take pictures! They are growing so fast. Everyday I just can't believe my two babies are so big.

Squatters

I grew up in Idaho. Never lived outside of Idaho. But, I have now lived in California for a year and a half. I never thought I'd be a California girl. Since I'm 100% Idahoan, I'm not up on the "big city" lingo. When I heard the word squatter, I thought of people who lifted weights. You know, squats? Much to my dismay, that is not what a squatter is. A squatter lives in places that he's not supposed to. Usually breaking in. I have previously posted that we had coyote neighbors. That scared me enough. Now we learned that the same house with the coyotes has been broken into by squatters. Oh man, where do I live? I want to go back to little safe, naive Idaho! I hadn't ever heard of squatters there! And so close to my house? I'm so ready to just move! I don't want this by my house! By my kids, especially. California is not the place for paranoid parents, I'm learning!

California Rolls

I haven't ever eaten a California Roll. Adam thought I was crazy. But I really haven't ever eaten one. I think that it's probably the closest I'll ever get to sushi. Not so much liking that sushi is raw. But California Rolls are fully cooked, well, that's what the package said, so I thought I'd be safe. And since I live in California, now is as good as time as any to try one. And, ya know what? They were good. I don't know what kind of fish was in them, but it was good. A little soy sauce, and yum! I was impressed. I do think that there is seaweed in California Rolls, but oh well. It was still good before I found that out, so I'll deal with it! I made Adam take a picture to record this momentous occasion! But I think I'll even have them again.

Words of Macie

Macie is starting to talk like crazy. And we can understand her! Noah had a pacifier for nearly 3 years of life, and then was put on seizure medication that pretty much halted and speech development for a few months, so having our 18 month old say so many words is new to us! When we first moved to Torrance in October 2006, we had a dumb doctor tell us that she thought Noah was autistic. Her reasoning was that he didn't like the doctor, and wouldn't look her in the eye, and he didn't know 250 words. Okay, so I know and use 250 words on a daily basis? I mean he wasn't even 2 yet! 250 words? And of course he didn't like the doctor, he had just spend nearly 2 weeks in the hospital with seizures and pokes to draw blood every 2 hours. Would you like any doctor after that? And he was sick at the time we tooki him in anyway. So, we just didn't listen to the doctor, and everything is fine. Anyway. Macie knows lots of words. Last night, we were laying in bed, and Macie was with us, because she's been so funny lately. She loves to be with Daddy, so when he gets home, he instantly becomes Crazy Macie and doesn't want to sleep. She just wants to play with Daddy. But, she was saying so many words. so I was going through all of the words she knew. I'm curious to see the count. So, here are all of the words she says and actually uses. Here we go:

1.Mom
2.Daddy
3.Noah
4.Macie
5.Baby
6.ball
7.dog
8.puppy
9.kitty
10.Mickey
11.Buzz (She LOVES Buzz.)
12.Pa
13.Ma (Grandma)
14.Papa
15.Nana
16. book
17.sock
18.shoe
19.hair
20.eye
21.teeth
22.milk
23.nurse
24.run
25.go
26.bye-bye
27.hey
28.no
29.me
30.hi
31.hello
32.phone
33.light
34.yogurt
35.cup
36.pop (they say soda here...but we will not conform!)
37.juice
38.crib
39.night-night
40.yumm
41.cream (ice cream)
42.outside
43.car
44.truck
45.butt ( I don't know where she got this one...it's new)
46.play
47.bath
48.pretty
49.dress
50.diaper
51.yucky
52.potty
52.stinky
53.wet
54.horse
55.hat

I'm sure I'm missing some, maybe I'll add more once they start coming to me! But if animal sounds count, she can say a lot of those too! She's got a good elephant, lion ,kitty, dog, pig, horse, snake, monkey, and cow. I can't belive she's so old! Where did my baby go?