So Much STUFF

K, so here's the deal-i-o. I have SO much to blog about, but I just can't get motivated to do it (or to upload the pictures), so I'm just gonna give you the quick low-down.

A) I DIDN'T (thankfully) break my toe. Turns out it was dislocated (though it hurt like a break). I found that out when I accidentally stretched my toes, felt the POP (and it HURT), and the next day I could move it. It was puprle for another week, but doing fine.

B) The Saturday projects continue. Again, I was LAME to not get a before picture of the yard, but we've already spent 2 Saturdays on it, and it's still not done (that should give you an idea of the enormity of this job). We cleaned up all the "crap" (literally), we raked up all the dead mile high weeds, (filling up about 8 GIANT black bags in the process), then Troy tilled the yard and spray painted where the border will go, and next week we put in the sod. Oh yea, he also fixed the sprinklers which was the real problem in the first place. We even sectioned off a part for a garden (next project = scared).

C) I pulled off the elementary school 4-6 grade choir concert. (I direct it with the music teacher at school). It was Tuesday, and let's just say I'm glad it's over! I learned a lot. :)

D) I just returned from 5 days in San Antonio, TX where I went to attend a teacher's convention with 10 other teachers and the principal from my school. I had a BLAST! But San Antonio? I don't recommend it to anyone. It was just plain ugly. Not much to do. The Riverwalk is cool, I guess, but if you want to experience something like it, just go to the Tempe Town Lake and walk around. Done. The Alamo was neat also, but nothing super awe-inspiring or anything. At least not for me. The fun was hanging out with the people there--that was GREAT! I also enjoyed going to the classes and getting LOTS of free books (cuz you can NEVER have too many books!)

E) Saw Twilight. I liked it...but then the more I thought about it, the more things I didn't like about it. I hated Edward. His make up looked like the joker (seriously, who was on hair and make up in this thing??) I liked Bella, and I LOVED the high school friends. They were perfect and hilarious. I just think Edward was too skinny and small, and he also was TOO tortured (even though I know he's tortured in the book). It was too much. Bad acting. There were parts and times where I thought he was sexy, but the black eyeliner and eyebrows and WHITE face and dark red lips were over the top. I thought Jacob looked weird. I think they did all the important scenes from the book, and I overall liked it...but there were a lot of little things that were just weird--like the scene in the woods. Just laying on the grass? Seriously, what was that all about? Also, the timeline didn't seem believable at all--she's already so in love with him right away, and if I hadn't read the books I wouldn't think that was believeable at all! I knew the story and had read the whole thing unfold, but in the movie it felt like it all happened in about a day, not a whole school year. Just not enough depth. What did anyone else think? So my initial feeling was thumbs up...my feeling now? Thumb in the middle. Not totally bad, definitely not totally great. I'm sure I'll still buy it though...

Brooklyn's spa day

So yesterday on our Veteran's Day off from school, Brooklyn and I decided to get all dolled up and go for pedis! :) She loves to be totally girly and have her hair (and make up if at all possible) done, and she loves to have her nails painted.  Since she's only 2 1/2, though, it's a bit hard for her to sit still for very long.  However, she did great yesterday.  This is a series of shots of her throughout the experience.  It's really hard to get a 2 year old to not move and to not touch her nails on anything, but she was a champ! I don't know what the deal is with her mouth--she's doing this weird thing with it instead of smiling, and it's a bit annoying, but I still think she's cute! So enjoy Brooklyn's big day out. (She got flowers on her big toes AND on her thumbs! The lady didn't ask me if I wanted to pay for those, she just did them, and I had to pay for them anyway. :( Oh well. Brooklyn loved them).

What the???

So, I BROKE my toe this morning just before leaving for school! Yea...seriously.  I must have some of the most brittle bones ever because I have now officially broken two toes, my arm twice, and my ankle.  What is up with that?  I was simply turning around to walk out of Brooklyn's room to get my shoes on, and as I turned and stepped, I kicked her toy box right on the edge, and BROKE my dang toe! I thought I had actually broken two, but thankfully not.  I hit my 2nd and 3rd toes on my left foot, screamed a little, then just kept going on as usual.  But when the pain didn't recede, but got worse and worse I suspected this was more than just a "stub." The ride to school was pretty bad, and by the time I got to school my toe was a bit black and blue and I couldn't really walk.  Luckily the secretary had a "boot" I could wear because that helped a lot, and I kept ice on it all day.  Also luckily I have a student teacher so I could keep my foot up all day while she taught. :) BUMMER! But, thank goodness I got a pedi just yesterday, so at least I have pretty toes! You can't really see the black and blue in this picture, but I tried.

I'm an Esme!

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Just because it's cute

Remember how I was just strolling down memory lane? I saw this one and couldn't help myself. It's one of my ALL TIME favorite pictures with my boys! I love it!

TAG!

So, I was "tagged" by Lana, and I'm finally doing my duty! I went to my third folder in my pictures and opened the third picture, and this is what I found. My CUTE little guys at Jonathan and Mandi's wedding in 2003. Seriously, could they be more adorable? Cooper was 4 and Carter was 2 1/2. This was at the Arizona temple. There are some other extremely cute pictures in this folder. It's kinda fun to stroll down memory lane with these!  I tag Allyson, Emily, Kristi, and Mandi.

First Crandell Project

Alright, so as you know we've been working on being a better family in all ways.  First was finally getting a good routine of reading scriptures and praying as a family.  Check.  Next is trying to get our boys to be more responsible--having a chore chart and a way to earn "Crandell cash" which can convert into real dollars to be used as desired (after putting 10% into tithing and 10% into savings). Check. (Well, in theory it's happening, they're just still not great at it at all).  Finally, we want our kids (and ourselves) to be more hardworking and full of service.  However, before we should bust out the service for others, we figured we needed to first tackle some serious projects at our own house.  We felt that working together as a family was what we were lacking and would help us be a better, stronger family.  Trust me, we have a list of project ideas a mile long.  We spent a whole FHE coming up with what projects we will start tackling on our "Project Saturdays."  (That's right...no more sleeping in, reading/watching TV/playing video games on the weekends.  It's work time!!)  Here is our list:

1) Clean up the back yard and plant grass (if you've ever seen our yard, you'll understand that this in itself is probably the biggest project around.  If you haven't seen it, count yourself blessed).

2) Clean out the garage (again...WOW.  Need I say more?)

3) Pass off scout requirements

4) Do piano flashcards 

5) Pick up trash

6) Organize things in the house, such as: bookshelves, clothing, toys, shelves, computer desks, videos/DVDs

7) Paint: family room/kitchen, curtain rods

8) Plant flowers in our front yard

9) Plant a garden

Now some of you may look at those as some extremely lofty goals.  And you'd be right.  But, since we are taking the prophet's counsel to heart, we are going for it.  We started this Saturday. I'm so sad that I don't have a before picture--because we couldn't even WALK in our garage it was so full of crap.  We were really trying to be able to park in the garage, but since we have a retardedly tiny garage, we still can't.  BUT...it doesn't matter because we can WALK in there now!!  I can get to my freezer with ease, I know where all of our camping supplies are.  I've put all of Brooklyn's old clothes (6 TUBS FULL) into those space saver bags (which I don't think are that great, BTW), and I can get to our food storage.  So...3 photos for your viewing pleasure.  I realize the right side of the garage is still full of stuff, but at least it is organized. Enjoy!

In our cleaning frenzy I also organized all of our videos and DVDs and the bookshelf in the front room.  I was on FIRE!  Next Saturday?  The backyard begins...

Happy LATE Halloween!!

Yea, so in the spirit of "catching up" on my blogs, I'm going to post my oober late Halloween pics, because they are cute!  For the first year ever I didn't get pictures of my boys carving their pumpkins and I'm a bit sad about that.  However, I did get them all in their Halloween finery.  Brooklyn was Princess Cinderella, of course (her new fave), and the boys, who used to be the cutest and most brave of super heroes refuse to be anything but scary disgusting monsterish things nowadays.  I'm a mean mom, though, and don't let them be totally sick (which makes them mad, but hey...at least I'm letting them dress up sort of scary at all, right??) They were as "scary" as they could be.  Cooper was some sort of vampire (with the yucky blood on his mouth), and Carter was "Death."

  

So Much to Post...Where do I Begin??

OK, So I know I'm a lame post-er, but I can't help it.  I am slightly busy.  (Not that you amazing bloggers out there aren't).  However, I have literally taken the last day or two to just "catch up" on all my blog reading, and now I have to try and find some energy to do some posting of my own.  Hope you're in for a long haul...'cause I've got lots!

First:  A cute pic from my school's Fall Carnival (held Oct. 3...that's how old these pics are).  My sisters Allyson and Dixie came with their families, as well as my brother Porter and his family.  The lines were a bit long and obnoxious, so it wasn't as fun as it could've been.  On the upside, I won one of the raffles--3 months of free car washes! Cool, huh?  My student teacher also won a raffle - a $150.00 karate birthday party for child and 20 friends - however, she has no kids, so we "won" that as well, and Carter gets his free party  next Saturday! Woot! Woot!  (We only do parties every 4 years, so he gets a lucky "bonus" party, because hey...free!

Second: My class had our annual "Fear Factor" Fall party, and here is one of my favorite stations: Bobbing for rats in a tub full of live goldfish!

Another favorite station is "Dirty Diapers" where they have to figure out what the "poo" in the diapers is.

They also found "worms" in whipped cream, and ate "pig brains".  Overall it was a smash hit!

Third: My sweet nephew Max Van Patten was born.  Allyson had him on October 21st (I think...uh oh, I hope I got the date right...) anyway, he is SO SWEET! And I am SO BABY HUNGRY! So I've enjoyed holding him lots lately.  Here's a pic of Brooklyn enjoying her new "brother cousin."

Fourth: I turned 34 on Nov. 2nd, and my two sweet boys (mostly Cooper, but Carter threw in an egg I think) made me a cake FROM SCRATCH for my birthday!  I was quite impressed.  It was a cream cheese pound cake (Troy said it was more like a 10-pound cake, but it wasn't too bad for a first attempt...and done ALL BY THEMSELVES!)  Troy and I went to dinner at Oregano's (Pizooki anyone??) and saw Eagle Eye, then Sunday I literally LAZED around all Sunday (after stake conference of course) and watched all the DVRed TV shows I never have time in real life to watch.  It was AWESOME!  Oh yea, and Troy got me a bracelet (you know, the medic alert ones since I'm broken and have Diabetes now), and a $20.00 gift card to Borders (BOOKS = MY FAVE!)  I also got lots of phone calls from family and a nice lunch and gift card to Barnes and Noble from my team mates at school.  All in all it was a lovely birthday, and even though I'm getting OLD, I had a good time.  Here is a picture of the boys with the cake, and of me after blowing out the candles (please forgive the pj's and awful hair...remember I was lazing around all day!)

Fifth:My boys performed in a piano recital at the mall and did an EXCELLENT job!  They hate practicing and it's like WWII every time I try and get them to do it, but they are truly talented and amazing, so I'm always happy when they do well and feel good about their hard work, and hope it will help the next time I'm nagging them to practice!  They do love performing. (I DON'T know where they got that from...)