Brian Regan on Tour!

Went to see Brian Regan last night during the first of two sold out shows in the 12,500 seat Energy Solutions Arena. I'm so happy for him that he's having so much success and am so happy to support such a family friendly comedian like him. To go from riding the greyhound bus from comedy club to comedy club to having over 24000 tickets sold in a city? Now that's just a great success story to the value of work and persistence and all sorts of quality traits, don't you think? So we had a great time and loved the show, so funny!

Let's see how many I can remember...

• February is the only month that he knows how many days it has ~ 28 days! Fits perfectly onto a calendar. No dates have to share their square. Other months he can't keep track of, but his mother had this knuckle thing she used to do "What month do you want to know?" "No, don't punch me!"
• New year's goal, lose 20 pounds, already gained 6.
• Krispy Kreme - Are you new? It's a doughnut! No trans fat, no nicotine!
• Doctors always late for appointments, need blood under the door for that to be okay. clamp that shut and get me in.
• His doctor has his jacket buttoned up wrong, No... I don't want you to see me.
• Dancing in a room, aliens are gonna come steal all your stuff.
• People cutting in line in front of him at Disneyworld? Grab his wallet as he passes and throw it, and taker her purse and hurl it as far as you can into the bushes ~ if they look at you like you're the jerk "Well it's obvious that this is our spot cause we've all been standing here squished together for 30 minutes... so I just thought you wanted total anarchy!"
• Checking into a hotel, Zip Itty Do Dah, magnetic card doesn't work, they make it look like you're the problem "The customer is always wrong"
• he used to feel mad and irritated at people on the airplane that make everyone wait behind them in the isle while they get situated. Instead of feeling irritated, he decided to make a game out of it, that he has to try to guess which passenger is going to be the problem man. "No... No, she looks nice... that guys okay... Oh no, there he is..." and then the next game is to guess (using his iphone timer) how long the person will make them wait. Sometimes he wins both games! "Now where is my crossword puzzle book, I know it's in here somewhere, I only had an hour and a half of wait time and the 2 hour delay to strategically place this in a convenient spot at the top of my bag,  hmmm..." and Brian's cheering "Keep going! You're breaking the record! You're at 2:14!!!!"
• Do you have a rewards card? No. And can we never ever have this conversation again? I have the item and I have money, can I give you the money for the item? I am a member of the full price club. Please? I see the sunlight outside, I want to return to my wife and children! 
• I like the stage cause I'm in control and I know what time it's supposed to end. You don't get that at social gatherings, when you're standing in a group with someone talking... when is it okay to walk away from people who are talkin? And then he acted it out, so funny cause we've all been there, right? Trying to join in with or leave from a group of people talking, kinda awkward!
• I guarantee you say this at a group party "Hey, how 'bout that $340 million lottery!" someone will always say "Well yeah, until taxes...." "Did you think I didn't know about taxes? That's still going to be millions of dollars, alright?" 
• There's a group of people that go to these secret meetings where they learn the real motivation behind things, and they get to go out into the world to be the bearer of bad news. "I'd love a playoff system in the NCAA" "Well they can't do that cause there's too much money in the bowl system..." "Wait, there's money!!?! How did you know that! You think I didn't know that? I still want to see playoffs..."
• You know why people rob banks? It's the money! 
• I refuse to be friends with people that say "cat-sup", "trousers", or "cinema"
• Kids! Guess what I found! I had to look at 10 stores to find it and had to search behind all the smooth and I was so lucky to find the very last one... Crunchy peanut butter!!!

and here are a few funny things from his twitter account for fun ~

• Useless if stolen
• Third Cone
• Seatbelts Save Lives

Fun to look through the pictures there. :) And since I'm sharing funny things, here are two more from facebook this week that made me lol and koc (kind of chuckle) ~ the Manslater, and "Let it Go" Mommy edition.

Tech Rehearsal

Today we went down to Provo for the final Tech Rehearsal for Studio C Season 4 (set to premiere April 7th!). We've tried every time to get tickets to be in the audience for the filming but were never chosen. So sad for us.

Lily wanted a picture with Natalie... "just like our Natalie!"

Well, we might have gotten selected for the final viewing tomorrow, but we didn't register for that one cause we're gonna be at BRIAN REGAN!! (whoo-hoo!) and it was okay cause on the Thursdays before their Friday filming sessions, they have a Tech Rehearsal for the camera men and lighting crew. Their facebook page said they give out wrist bands at 1:00 for the 2:00 filming. I thought there might be high demand for this one cause it was the last one of the season, and plus I wanted to make sure we got tickets because my friend Nicole is visiting from Maine and they wanted to go too. (Get this, she drove out here again, but not just to Utah, she planned a 6 week coast to coast road trip (wow) and she's on her way back to Maine after hitting Arizona for the Temple Open House (just like the Brigham City Temple Open House last time) and then she kept going all the way to San Diego. Yeah, impressive, she is good... talk about ambition. I'm not embarrassed to tell her that I can barely keep up with her for one outing...)

So! since all of her kiddos are big Studio C fans too, it was on the list of to do's while they are here in Utah. She continues her trip home tomorrow. Anyway, so down to BYU we went. She went to the amazing "Sacred Gifts" Art Exhibit , which I didn't dare face with my brood, so I decided we'd just save our place in line for Studio C. And we got first place thank you! but it's not just cause we need to get a life...

Yeah, I knew 10:30 would be way too early, but I wanted to beat any other possible die hard fans who I thought might show up at 11. Plus I didn't know how crowded it would be with it being the final rehearsal, and didn't want Nicole's family to miss it. But now I know for next time that we could have gotten there at 1 and still made it in for the show. Although there's not gotta be a next time unless they make it to season 20 when all my kids might be old enough to handle the wait. It was a long wait, so the kids read books and drew pictures and asked me "how much longer" til it started about, oh, 127 times...

As we waited in line, we saw Stan Ellsworth from American Ride, the kids all thought that was super cool!

It was drizzling rain but not too cold. We made pb and j in line (cause Nicole's a pro and came lunch prepared, I just had pretzels and walnuts and raisins) and we got tweeted by byutv. After handing out the wristbands (#1 and #2 in line, oh yeah) they let us into the building and we waited for another hour.  It was a little exhausting for us mothers and for the little people too...

But lookie at Nicole - she's still smiling! Ya can't keep a good mom down!

Finally into the studio audience seating! Front row!

My sweet two year old Sophia was pretty terrible for most of the experience. She wanted me to hold her and I tried in between trying to discreetly nurse Natalie and hold Lily and stop Lily and Sophi from fighting (that darn pecking order...) Sophi finally fell asleep right before it ended.

Then we headed to the car and went home, after getting some hamburgers. And Krispy Kremes. Cause you can't go to Provo or the BYU Broadcasting building without a stop by Krispy Kreme. :) Good memories. And we'll miss you, Freemans! See you in another year or two!

Hangout

After my uncle's funeral, my mom mentioned that she wished they had gone out to visit Phil more and gotten to know him better. Cause a lot of life happens to you by the time you're 60+, right? That's gonna happen to us too, we're gonna be busy with life, and my sibs decided we need to keep in touch better. In an attempt to do that, they've done a few weeks of chit chatting via google hangout. Pretty cool ~

This was my first time joining them this past Sunday. Kinda fun. There were lots of things to do on it that are new to my children and that they were excited to try - such as...

Abi the pirate. And check out pirate Natalie - it's her birthday!!! and she's a bit farsighted. And grew a little facial hair.

Yeah, on my end we played with the program's features and stared at the screen a bit more than we talked. Once the novelty wears off hopefully I'll get more conversation in. But it was fun. I have great siblings. They're awesome.

I'm happy that my kids do too. It will be even better when they all grow up and become friends and confidants and realize how totally awesome each other is.

Tenor Sax

Corey got a Tenor Saxophone for Hyrum off of the classifieds this past week. On Friday to be exact. Which was perfect timing for the family pics. Rochelle took one of  each of the kids with their instrument and we also got a group shot, sweet!

A group shot was now possible for our little up and coming musicians cause they all have their own instrument. The tenor is almost as big as Hyrum! And Wes isn't really playing the soprano much yet, but he will be. Now that they all have horns, Corey's ready to really get to work. With four saxophones kickin' around, hopefully atleast one of them will be up for grabs for Corey to teach with.

Corey bought the sax more for himself than for Hyrum. He needed one since Joseph has assumed ownership of Corey's alto. And once Hyrum starts band in Jr. High in another year and a half, he might get to have the tenor, but until then, Corey's get to toot his own horn. :)

Individual Shots

Presenting... the children as their individual selves, not in order by age or by order of picture taken, but in the order that they were downloaded, just to change it up a bit and to let them know that they don't always have to fall in line. :)

#6 - Abbers

#3 - Eth!

#4 - Little H

#1 - Jose

#7 - Lillers

#2 - Hey Mel

#9 - NATALIEEEE!

#8 - SOOO FEEE!

#5 - Wessers

Family Pictures 2014

What did I tell you? Is Rochelle good or is she good? Despite Lilian's lack of cooperation, (and here below we have another example for ya...)

...we still got some that turned out with a few extras to spare. Let's give a big congratulations to Natalie ~ she's made it into the family photo! And now our walls and blog will be up to date with her little face to say hello to everyday. Good bye family photo with 8 cute kids -

Hello to our new happy family ~ Corey and Me and kids equals a big ol' party everyday.

And now 2014 is officially documented. Oh, would ya just look and Natalie and Sophi's little faces!!! So stinkin' cute. Sophi's got such dark eyes, and Natalie's baby blues, sigh. Wish Joseph would have had a companion kid closer to him up there on top. And Mel's a little scrunched. Hyrum's face got it last time, this year it's Melodie's turn. You can kinda see her shirt there, but with her hair in the shadow it all just kinda blends into mine and makes her look like a bodyless head. Well, you'll just have to squeeze in a little taller next time Mel. :) 

We try to get family pictures or some other kind of full group shot twice a year. Sometimes very simple, for example: The family picture taken at the hospital on the day Natalie was born? Yes, that counted. And every other year or so we try and get them professionally done. 

I've tried to make sure we have family pictures taken twice a year since back in 2008 when I heard this quote: 

“These things are important: 

temple marriage, mission, college. 

Press on, set goals, write history, 

take pictures twice a year.”

That quote right there, by a man named Jay Hess, was shared by a prophet of the Lord in a message he shared back in October 2008 - Finding Joy in the Journey. (about half way down in that article). I'm really glad that he gave that advice and that we've tried to follow it. It is so wonderful to have living prophets on the earth today! You know Moses? Peter? Yeah, President Thomas S. Monson is one of those. There are apostles on the earth today too, just like when Christ called and ordained to lead the church when he was on the earth. And it's for real too. If you're wondering "what kind of message would a prophet give if he were living today?" Finding joy in your life's journey is one message he would share, plus so many other wonderful things that help us be happy if we choose to follow them. Messages are shared each month in the Church magazine, the Ensign, and also every 6 months we have a full blown feast with General Conference. Here are a few of my favorites from President Monson.

April 2003 "In Search of Treasure"

January 2012 Ensign "Living the Abundant Life"

October 2012 "Consider the Blessings"

Another General Conference full of inspiring messages is coming up soon in April! :) Good stuff. I love my family and am thankful to belong to a faith that believes in and supports the family so much.

Family Picture Shoot

So... we got family pictures taken. I did the little girls hair during the day when everyone else was at school. Around 1:00 Joseph and Melodie got home, I had Mel watch the kids while I ran Joseph out to find some blue jeans that fit him, and told him to stop growing. After that errand, I helped Mel do her hair. Now it's 2:00 and elementary kids arrive home. Soon it's one hour until departure, everyone is getting dressed. Ethan home from school at 3:15, I try to do final touches on myself, I wake up Natalie from a nap and get her dressed. I take count of the kids and we're short one. Where is Lily?

We find her on her bed asleep. Her hair's all messed up, blah, oh well. 20 minute countdown. Lily is not cooperating with Melodie, so we switch. Lily's not cooperating with me either and as I feel her I can tell she's got a fever. Doh, sorry Lily! But you gotta come - sorry! So on top of not feeling well Lily informs me she hates the clothes I have for her. I keep forcing them on. Mel is getting Natalie dressed. She leaves her for a second for some reason and Natalie is sitting too close to the edge of the bed and in her prepping to crawls mode she pushes herself up and then over she falls off and bonks her head. Carpeted floor, but she's screaming and I run over to that emergency as I yell for everyone to start to get in the car (usually a 20 minute process in itself...) There's no blood or goose-egg on Natalie and I calm her down. I can't find all the bows I want and Sophia won't wear her boots, I start to just throw things in a bag and we'll fix it when we get there... Ahh!

Into the car we go and I'm sure we're 10 minutes behind, but we met up with the photographer at the exact time which amazed me - I thought someone had switched the upstairs clock ahead 15 minutes or something. So, yeah! Looks like we're on the home stretch? Up the canyon to find some snow...

The valley temperature was very deceiving ~ or maybe just cause I had started to break a sweat, but I was worried we would be too hot. Not so, we were too cold and I was kicking myself for not bringing some blankets, which I had thought of but didn't act on right away, and the impression got lost in the fever, bonked head, and rush for the car. Lily was fine in the car drive up, but for her individual shot she smiled doing a really scrunchy face, and I unfortunately forgot that she's a feisty four year old, cause when I told her to just smile normal, she lost it and said "But I don't know how to smile!" and it was downhill from there...

There was no consoling her. My bad. I'll try to remember next time. Of course next time she probably won't still be four, but she will still be Lily, and Lily has a "I'm not going to cooperate for these photos" reputation that she's trying to uphold. Please see exhibit photos 5, 6, and 7.

Even the Elmo hat couldn't bring a smile to this little girl. After coming back down home we took a few more in our yard like last year, and I bet the amazing Rochelle from Pointe Digital might still be able to work a miracle for us! Crossing our fingers.

Chills

I watched this video yesterday and I love it, totally gives me chills everywhere.

I showed it to some of the kids last night, then to Ethan and the girls again this morning, and seriously each time I've got chills on my arms and legs. It was filmed up at the Ice Castle in Midway. The Piano Guys just released a cover for Frozen too. I love uplifting and inspiring music like this. Sadly for my children, we haven't taken them (or ourselves) to see the movie yet. We'll see it soon kids, I promise!

Last night we went out to dinner. I had some of them pipe up and accuse us of never taking them out. We have been out before, but usually it's been breakfast or lunch, so too bad for me, I didn't know that didn't count. I should have brought the camera to collect evidence for myself against future allegations. But I didn't, but I have the receipt, and I will keep in a safe place. Children of the future, let it be known your gracious parents did take you all out to eat for dinner on February 20, 2014. And it was to a restaurant, not a fast food joint. And it cost $89 bucks. Which is why we can't do that again until some of you have left the nest and are off at college or on missions.

Movies... we don't do movies either, except an occasional dollar movie. If you kids work like champs this weekend and amaze me with your cleaning prowess, you might maybe be able to go see Frozen. But not tonight, we're getting family pictures taken. We're going for chilly outdoor style, but unfortunately all the snow around here melted last week. Probably gonna head up the canyon. This was my clothing inspiration, with a few less plaid shirts, I only have three... Maybe I should go thrift for more real quick? Hm, we'll see how it goes! Gotta start getting little people ready for it. It feels likes a full 24 hour process.

15 Years

15 years sounds like it should be a lot, but from this side of it looking back, seems more like months than years.

I hardly planned anything about my wedding, other than the groom. That part of it was many years in the making and none of the other stuff mattered to me except it being in the Salt Lake Temple. But I do wish I would have cared a little more about getting a good photographer. But that was in the days before "Bridal Expos" (I think?). Well, maybe it wasn't... but if they did have them I wasn't aware about it yet.

Luckily we did have a wedding video made and that was great. Maybe I can take some new pictures off of the tv screen from that? I'm glad we have that. The guy from Final Touch was in my parent's neighborhood. There's Darren Schmitt working his filming magic...

We're gonna let the kids watch our dvd with us tonight as part of our "Too-bad-for-us-our-anniversary-falls-on-a-school/scouts/jazz band practice/youth church activity night" celebration. :) Part of the video soundtrack was "You're the Inspiration" cause we're a love story from the 80s, and cause nobody writes a love song like Chicago! Good times. Looking forward to another 15 years with the best husband in the whole wide world! (I promise I'm not trying to be the girl version of Newlywed in the facebook Friends video (at 1:45) :) ha, "gonna shove it down your throats!!"

"My Husband is SO cute!!!"

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Pictures from Mel's Camera

Melodie and I were looking at her pictures recently. She confessed that she basically just takes about a hundred pictures of Natalie everyday. Yep, Mel's pretty much as crazy about Natalie as I am. And who wouldn't be? I mean look at those eyes!!

Look at those cheeks!! That little slobbery chin!

Look at that back! Look at that posture!

Oh, look at that sweet little face ~ Natalie, you are adorable.

Sigh, yes, we have all been struck with cupid's arrow and are head over heels in love with this baby girl.

Solitude

Corey and I were fortunate to go skiing today for a quick anniversary get away. I'd never been to Solitude before, it was nice. I'm not very good at skiing, but someday I think I could be. It's fun. But right now it's a little more work and fear and trembling for me than fun. But luckily with how skiing is set up, you spend more time on enjoying pretty views (with cold wind) on the ski lift than you do spending time speeding downhill to possible humiliation. This time I didn't fall or wipeout, but I did a lot of snowplows. Tried to learn how to turn. I also stood paralyzed with fear on the top of a big steep hill a few times.

Corey was very kind and patiently waited for me. Someday I hope to be good enough that I'll be able to be his skiing keeper upper rather than his can't ski slower downer. Celebrating 15 years on Wednesday. :)

February Party

February/Love/Valentine/Anniversary party - DONE!

I'm two for two and already the kids have memories that are defining their childhood about "what we always did" when they were little. I can already hear the conversation in 20 years from now "Hey, you guys remember how we always had a big fancy family dinner party every month!" When reality is that as for the present moment in time, it's actually just been twice that we've done this. Two meals. Even if you count the whole day of anticipation, it's still just two days, and that is a comparatively small portion of their childhood years. But Corey and I talk about how most childhood memories aren't necessarily about reality, it's more about impressions that last, right? Yeah! Well these fancy dinners are leaving an imprint. It's fun.

 (nice Joseph)

We had salmon and red potatoes and red grapes and Pink Lady apples at the table, with grape and cranberry sparkling cider. Sophia in the picture below was holding the very end of her long stemmed rose that Corey gave her, and kept unintentionally whacking it around and turning it 180 degrees and landing it almost right into the flame of the candle.

Teenager Joseph was proud to show us that he was able to put 3 - 5, yes that is 35 red grapes in his mouth! A new personal best!

Yeah, pretty fancy dinner with manners like that, right? Yes indeed. A few of the details involved: first thing I did yesterday morning, like at 8:00 was set the table. Sleepy eyed Abi came downstairs and looked at me confused "Are you making dinner?" Not yet. Then I supervised the baking and spent the rest of my time hanging lights and tulle from the chandelier. Sophia's ready for the fun to begin! (Don't break the plates by hitting them with the forks please...)

We made little strawberry hearts for the table decoration this time. Most of them got eaten and not wasted, which was an improvement compared to how our little veggie snowmen got treated last month.

And I put marshmallow hearts on the kids plates too. And Mel tried to make some roses out of the strawberry remnants and leaves.

I put the finishing touches on the meal and the girls finished up the dessert buffet: 

Now for one final touch - ambiance!

Cue angelic music... Ahh! ~  and cupid's arrow struck their hearts, making little pink princesses start to sing and twirl and dance ~

Looks like little prince charmings are ready too.

Of all the foods prepared, the fruit salad made me the most happy.

And nothing says kid heaven like a big bowl of marshmallows.

That was a last minute idea since I still had most of the bag full. Meant to make pink rice krispy treats, I don't think anyone noticed a treat missing. So I just threw the marshmallows into a bowl. I sighed/shook my head when I noticed during clean up that the marshmallows were the only treat that was entirely eaten and gone. Kinda funny, there's really no need to put work into cakes unless I find joy in it cause these little people, well they are just as happy with a bag of store bought marshmallows.

Abi also asked if she could put her valentine treats from school in a bowl for the treat table. I couldn't resist her humble offering. Yes Abi, your pixie sticks and half eaten rice krispy look great there!

Melodie helped Natalie suck on the tips of hershey's kisses ~ the baby needs a lil' bit o-chocolate too, right! Mmm.

Everyone wore fancy clothes with white, pink, red, but Natalie got to wear her pink pjs cause they had a little heart on them. She is my little valentine.

Perfect evening. Then we watched a movie (Croods, my first time watching it, quite a few clever parts in there!) and I gave them their party presents~ new pillows ~ that's a "love" gift cause it's like a hug at night time! And I wrote on their pillowcases "Love you, goodnight!". And then we went to bed.

Now it's time to go clean up the mess.  :)