Library Day

I want to be an avid reader. Every once in a while find a real good book then I totally get into it. I enjoy the break from reality and get lost the story. I can think of 6 books I have read this year (even more I have started but stopped) and that is a LOT for me. I think it was the Twilight Series that made me want to read more. I got very caught up in the story and look forward to the final book coming soon. While I did enjoy the, high school romance, and teenage directed writing, of the books, I don't think that type is my favorite. I feel like if I am going to spend my time reading I want to learn something also, but not have to work to hard to keep up with the language. I want something fiction, a memoir, a life story, a historical narrative, a classic, or something highly recommended. I just finished reading A woman in Berlin, 8 Weeks In A Conquered City. That one I finished and enjoyed even though it was a sad story she did not dwell on the pain but was very resilient. I borrowed The Red Tent, and bought The Mermaid Chair from the library, then bought Water for Elephants, at a thrift store. All three of these books I started and decided not to finish, all for the same reasons, SEX! in all forms; adultery, masturbation, animals, dreams, shows, rape, YUCK! YUCK! YUCK! I don't think I will start another book without reading lots of reviews first!

I have never read the Work and the Glory or The Kingdom and The Crown series. I guess I will stick to those for a while. They are both historical, clean, highly recommended, spiritual and uplifting!

I want to teach my kids to love books and reading. As I am getting Brian Jr ready for Kindergarten and teaching him to read. I thought reading to him would be the best start, and would teach my kids how fun reading can be. I often read to the kids but this summer I have been really trying harder to read to them more.

I decided to try out the public library and their summer reading program. It has been great! The kids check out 5 books each we read them for 2 weeks and exchange them for new ones. On Fridays we have been going and checking out a few movies. They have already earned a few prizes and always are exited to go to the library. Here are the book bags I decorated for the kids. I love how they turned out! (I will post Brian's bag later) I Love it when I catch my kids reading. Or when I hear them telling stories or talking to their toys, making up things using their imagination!

Pretty normal 'round here

Its pretty normal around here to see this, after dinner and the kids are all clean. Susan gets on the table to finish off dinner, throw everything on the floor then call for help to get down.
Its pretty normal to find my purse full of new treasures. One evening I found the normal contents of my purse on the ground and when I found my purse it was full of apples. I think Katie is responsible because the next day at preschool she asked if I had any apples in my purse for her.

4th of July, not so independent anymore.

This has been a 4th of July we will never forget. I hate how bad things sometimes happen around special events. Like you may have heard before, "I always hated my birthdays that was the day my ( fill in the blank with something terrible!) ."
We have always been lucky to not have any holidays that also remind us of something sad to make us not want to celebrate. Until...
This 4th of July we spent in the hospital with Brian's parents. On that day, Brian's dad was diagnosed with Leukemia. (Officially called AML).
I hope that we will not look back on this 4th and feel sad. Although he is very sick and there are still a lot of trials ahead for the family. There has been some positive things. Brian's Parents have had an optimistic attitude, and they have great faith. Brian's Mom keeps saying that she knows Heavenly Father knows them, and knows what they need. They are hopeful that the treatments will do their job. The Jones family has come closer together with relatives that have not always been so close. Faith and prayers have been tested and strengthened. We, and others have had the opportunity and to serve.
My father in-law started Chimo-therapy on Friday and he is already feeling, better. His blood work is showing improvement. Then after we left to come back to California they found a, staff infection, and the Chimp is staring to make him pretty sick. I will keep updating on his condition.
It seems to be the trend to take unplanned trips to AZ, celebrate with family, experience someunexpected announcement, enjoy the dry air, warm breeze and thunder storm. This trip still the same, considering everything we still have another great trip to AZ!
A word about our country, I love this country, The Constitution, The founding fathers of the United states were inspired men. Everything may not be right but somethings still are. With my father-in-law in the hospital he is receiving the best treatment available and given great care thanks to the hospitals, doctors, and nurses in our great country. Please remember Brian's Parents in your prayers!

Garden Journal Entry #2

Remember back when we were all Jazzed for gardening? Those cute little plants grew tall and I thought they were almost ready to go out side so I took them in the direct sun light for a few hours, as instructed my the information pamphlet, and the little sprouts got sun burned and died a few days later. Then we put off gardening until school was out and we knew out summer plans better.

A few weeks ago Brian planed our garden. We have a banana tree, basil, yellow peppers and Jalapeno peppers (from last year) cilantro, lettuce, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and 3 tomato plants. I am exited to see how these grow! We could have a nice salsa, and salad. The kids loved the water Mellon last year I bet they will love the pumpkin! I love that Brian loves to garden. I enjoy researching how to grow, harvest, get rid of pest, water, feed and even cook the veggies. Brian got creative with the web tomato cage. Well see how our garden grows this year!

Mis-directed, missionary inspired, friendly, mexican, water balloons!

The day started out uneventfully and even a little annoying. The weather was not hot but I had then mad feeling you feel inside when its too hot, and your mad for no good reason just that its hot. It could of been the kids making me mad with constant whining, complaining, and mess making. I might have been mad because I did not get our regular Friday night date together. Instead we took the kids to the Chicken Pie Shop last night. For whatever reason I was on the verge of mad. I though a day some time at the park would be a nice change, wear the kids out, and give me a beak. I borough a book, and Brian packed the bikes.

When we got there about 3:30 the park was busy with a kids birthday party full of happy Mexican kids, parents and grandparents. Not an unusual sight to see here, (or most any park we go to). Katie walked right up the the group, passed the food table, the gifts, and made friends with a little girl. I waved her to follow us and said a quick hello. Then we sat at a empty picnic table away from the group, I sat on the ground by the table to play with Susan. Shortly after we sat down, some kids from the party ran by and threw a water balloon at each other. The balloon missed the kid it was supposed to hit, and hit the ground next to me getting me wet! I half yelped and laughed. The table close to us, full of fathers, apologized quickly. Soon after, they invited me to come eat, saying they had a lot of food. I said, "Oh thanks, Maybe we'll come over." and stayed where I was getting out my book, after about the third person invited us over we came and got a plate. There was a lot of food, and it was good! They brought us water bottles, juices, a grandma came over with warn tortillas, everybody made us feel welcome. They invited us to break Pinata with the kids, and have some birthday cake. All the time they were very friendly especially the man who first invited us over, Wilfredo.

Brian and I have talked before about how we love, and admire in the Mexican Culture that they are so family oriented. All generations and extended family are co close. At this party there was a few great grandparents. I have learned that in the Mexican Culture they are also very friendly. Brian and I were Ward Missionaries in Provo while, we were there the Stake President asked the ward missionaries to go around the entire ward and knock on doors asking who was LDS, and who went to the Spanish branch, or who was Spanish speaking, but was not LDS. We had fun and I noticed quickly the Spanish speaking people LDS or not were very friendly. They almost always invited us in. Some offered us food and wanted to chat for a while. This party was so different they were so pleasant to be around!

Brian got to talking with Wilfredo. He was impressed with Brian's Spanish and that led to the Mission and being Mormon. Will said he used to go to the Mormon church and wants to go back but had not yet. We had a nice talk with him and hopefully he will feel more welcome and a greater desire to go back. He said he and his wife want to be married in the Temple, I hope they do! We felt so welcome and had a great afternoon! Thanks to feeling the need to get out, and getting hit with a miss directed water balloon.

Korea House & Flying Airplanes at Liberty Station

For Brian's Birthday (back on June 14th) he wanted to go to Sho Gun. The Japanese restraint with a big grill at the table and the chief comes and does a coking performance throwing food in the air, with big flames coming up, and big knives tossing the food then they chop everything right in front of you. After dinner we were planning on going to go to the Adult Session of Stake Conference, so we could go to dinner for too long. When we got to Sho Gun we realised every time we came before was a weekday and the weekend was too busy to come in a sit right down. So we left and drove down Convoy Dr. where there is a lot of Asian restaurants looking for some good place to eat. I noticed the Korean House and thought the outside looked like a fun place to try out, and it was!

We were able to come in and sit right down. At the table we were surprised to find our own grill in the middle of the table. That was an ironic and pleasant surprise. With you order for dinner comes about 12 small sides. Everything was new to us, pickled jicama, bean sprout salad, fish noodles, spicy cabbage salad (Kimchi), seaweed soup, broccoli and a spicy sauce, and more stuff that we didn't even know. Brian had a great time he got to do the grilling! They put our main dishes on the grill and gave us the tongs then came by every once in a while to help us. It was a fun experience to try so many new foods and cook ourselves. For desert they brought fresh oranges.
The picture is not from us but our dinner looked just like this!

Our Next Date:

I have been trading babysitting with a friend Jen. I watch her kids Mondays and she watched mine Friday afternoons. This Friday (June 20th) we took extra time because I will be watching her kids 2 times next week. Brian and I used the time to go on another date. We This time we went to Liberty Station. It is a neat place. It used to be the Navy recruiting and training Station opened in 1920's that closed in 1997 but had now been reopened and remodeled into a shopping, business center. It is still being remodeled but a few stores are open. Less stores then I thought but it was still neat to walk around. The place is beautiful! We had lunch and Panera Bread Bakery and Deli then waled to Ace Hardware. Because Brian's birthday was Monday it is still his Birthday week I told him that was why it was ok to go to Ace for a date. Really thought Ace Hardware was fun! My favorite part of Ace was in the women's bathroom. What the heck? Why did they do this? Its just so funny to me! Brian called it a Head to Head Toilet face off. I just had to take a picture of this! What other funny captions on this photo?

Next adventure was with the Balsa Wood Airplane. I have never played with one before and was thrilled when it too off! They are light enough that a rubber band twisted to cause tension that powers the propeller is enough to make it fly. It was fun playing right in the middle of the beautiful court yard. The place it still so new half the buildings were vacant and the others open to the street so there was almost nobody there. It was a perfect place to fly! It was fun to be spontanious and enjoy each other on another date.

Clever! Cute. and "Hey blog this!"

I must say I can be pretty darn clever...

Getting my kids and Nephews to clean the carpet and kitchen floor for the reward of an ice cream cone. It worked well enough on the carpet that I noticed a change the next morning. Just rags, warm water and a little soap, lots of scrubbing and rinsing!

..and lets face I can create some cute stuff! I decorated the back of a cheesy duckling puzzle for one of my favorite Primary girls as a get well gift.

I wanted to get her a "feel-better-duck" but couldnt find any toys other then the puzzle of some ducklings (actually I think they might have been chicks) in a super cheesy basket

In the Fuller Family we have a tradition of giving each other "fee-better-duckies" (usually a stuffed toy) my Dad gave Jenny one first after some bad sickness and named it the feel-better-duckie. The cute name and idea stuck . I wanted to share this tradition with Elisabeth and giver her a little get well gift. The puzzle wasn't cute enough for my standard so I decorated and personalised the back. I was happy with how it turned out.

As I finished creating a crayon masterpiece my supportive husband removed a hot dog from the package. He then placed it on a plate then proceeded to to microwave hit the 30 seconds button then enjoyed a late night snack as he mumbled, "Hey Blog this!"

For Fathers day I had another cute idea. I took a regular silk, tie and let the kids decorate the front with fabric paint. I think it turned out very cute. Then I painted the back, that was aslo cute but made it hard to tie.

As I was getting out the camera Katie kept complaining about the invisible ouwie on her foot. When she saw the camera she asked me to take a picture. She brobably would have said "Blog this!" If she knew thats what I do with the pictures.