Dogs Are Gross

By Amy

First of all, can I just say, that I have the worlds most sweetest sister? The only thing that would make her more perfect is if she lived with me. I love you Ang!!!

Let's talk about our dog, Ginger. It's Ginger Louise when she's naughty. And she can be naughty. She is four months old now. This is my very first dog. And so some of these things may be very common. I just think they are gross.

She licks. The carpet, my toes, the couch and her privates.

She chases and eat's bugs.

She smells like....dog.

She tracks in mud, grass and UFO's.

She eats my desk. AND my hair.

However. Just look at that face. How can you not love that face? She's my sweet girl.

Amy

by Ang

Where do I even begin.

I saved Amy for last because I knew this one would be the longest.

I think that if you are fortunate enough to have a sister and are fortunate enough to have a GOOD sister, than your life will feel more complete than most.
My sister and I have always been close (I think I’ve said that about all of my family members, but it’s true!). We are 2.5 years apart. We were close enough in age to play with each other as children. Yes, we fought at times, but that’s to be expected. We played dolls, house, we played in the backyard and ran through the sprinkler with the neighbor kids, we put on plays for our parents, we rode bikes, we did just about everything.

As we got older and when she became a teenager, we fought even more….but we also got closer. If that makes any sense at all. I hate to say we had a love/hate relationship, but in a way, we did. We fought all the time, but when she came home from hanging out with friends (or a date!) I would crawl into bed with her and she would share all of the details with me and we would talk and laugh. I looked up to her (and still do).

When she got married and moved, I missed her like crazy. I couldn’t believe she was gone! She wasn’t that far away, but I was only 15 (which is such a hard age as it is) and couldn’t drive yet. When I finally did get my license I was able to visit her. But she just felt so far away. It’s a big adjustment living your whole life with someone and then all of the sudden they are gone!

When she got pregnant with nephew #1, she lived even further away. But I remember visiting her the most then. I remember going to work with her one day (at the dry cleaners). We went shopping in that small Iowa town, we watched movies, I helped her cook dinner when my brother-in-law got home from work. We had fun times.

After nephew #1 was born, they moved back a little closer to home, so we got to see them even more. It was great! 5.5 years later, nephew #2 was born. Amy invited my mom and I to be in the room to see him born (along with my brother-in-law, of course!). It was one of the most amazing things. Amy was strong and made it look incredibly easy. I was so proud of her.

About 5 years later, I moved to the same town as her. I was going through a rough time and she helped me through it. Being that close to her and the family was like therapy. I was always included. I helped Amy when she was having people over, or hosting a gathering or party of some sort. We planned things together, like Little Miss A’s shower. I seen her at least 2-3 times per week, if not more than that and we talked almost every day. She took care of me when I needed it the most. She was always checking up on me, helping me with anything I needed and just BEING there.

She threw me an AMAZING Paris-themed shower. She helped me plan my wedding. She opened her home for our wedding, which was beautiful and perfect. I know it was sooooo much work for her, but she did it without hesitating. I think back on our wedding now, and it really was perfect. Everything was so beautiful. It was small, intimate, and I love that I was married at a place that I love. We have had so many good times in their house, and I have nothing but good memories there.

We have traveled A LOT together. California (multiple times). Missouri. New York. Wyoming. Florida. Minnesota. Alaska. Costa Rica. France. The Netherlands. Those are the ones just off the top of my head. I’m sure there’s more! We have had just incredible times together. Eating crepes underneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Touring Anne Frank’s house in sad silence in Amsterdam. Swimming in the Pacific off the coast of Costa Rica. Kayaking (while laughing incredibly hard) off the coast of Costa Rica. Shopping at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. Catching huge fish in Alaska. Driving around San Diego in my uncle’s truck in rush hour traffic wanting to laugh and cry at the same time. Soooo many traveling memories, which I will never forget. I think we’re pretty good travel partners, so I know our traveling adventures are far from over.
I miss her terribly. We are 900 miles apart. I am so thankful for email (neither one of us really like talking on the phone). We email almost every day, so we can keep up to date on everything (including the little things). But I still can’t wait until I get to see her again!!

There’s a part in the movie ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ where Queen Anne is about to be beheaded. Her sister Mary goes to the King to plead for Anne’s life. The King asks Mary why she is there for her sister. And she says “Because she is my sister, and therefore one-half of me”. That is how I feel about Amy. Every time I hear that line, I think of my sister. She is a part of me, and without her I don’t know what I would do. She is a best friend. A confidant. She is someone that I genuinely try to be more like. She is so giving of herself and her time and has a care and concern for others that most people lack. She is an excellent mother, wife, daughter, aunt, and SISTER. I feel very fortunate that she’s mine!

(p.s. – do the pictures meet your approval Amy? I left all of the embarrassing ones out, because I know you have plenty of awful ones of me). :)

Dad

by Ang

My dad and I have always been close. When I started writing this post, I was trying to think of some of my earliest memories of me and my dad. I remember the first trip we took to California. And I remembered my dad taking me out into the water. I loved it. I had a red and blue plastic boat. Here we are!:

I obviously loved my dad when I was a child, but I love him even more as an adult. He is such a strong person. He’s endured. He is humble. Generous. And SMART. I always said that if I were ever to be on ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’, I would use my dad as a lifeline. He just seems to remember a lot of useful information (he and my husband are like walking encyclopedias).

My dad took us on family vacations every year. Usually we went to Kansas City or Arkansas to see family. Of course there were the ‘bigger’ trips – California, New York, Colorado, etc. One year just him and I went to Colorado. We went to a wedding. It was so much fun. We got a lot of bonding time in. Family vacation was something we could always count on. Usually every year in August we went. It was the highlight of the summer and we had lots of laughs in the car along the way (remember the cobra?). He taught me how to drive. He grabbed the wheel when I almost hit a tree. He was patient (and brave) with me, even when my mom was laying down in the backseat because she was so scared.

I value my dad’s opinion. I am never afraid to ask him what he thinks. He is balanced and fair.

I love how much he loves my mom. My mom will tell me little sweet things that he does and he is constantly surprising her with concert tickets, gifts, etc. He treats her like a queen (and that’s how it should be).

Dad has always loved school and reading. And the History Channel. And he has tons of books! I love looking at all of his books. Every time I’m in a bookstore I see at least 10 things that Dad would love. He is an expert on the Vietnam War. He loves math and science and is extremely knowledgeable on both subjects. It’s because of him that I love reading non-fiction. I wasn’t always that way, but the older I get, the more non-fiction I read.

It’s because of him that Lonesome Dove is one of my favorite movies. I watched it with him for the first time and have loved it ever since. He got my nephews to watch (and love) Big Jake, with John Wayne. He is an excellent Grandpa. He is THERE. He loves my nephews and my niece and you can tell. He has been there for me too, just like mom has. He would help me with anything if I asked, and would do so willingly with a smile and his wonderful sense of humor. He and my brother packed up all of my stuff in the van when I moved to New Mexico, trudging up and down the stairs of my apartment (while mom and I conveniently made excuses to stay inside and not help.). I couldn’t have done without his help throughout the years.

He is the type of person who would do anything for anyone, especially his family. He loves us, and we can count on him. That’s a very good feeling. I can’t wait to see you in October Pops!!!

Next up: My sissy!!!

Ohhh! Awww! Ugg!

By Amy

I have three rules of fashion:

1) I wear clothes that cover my stomach fat

2) I wear clothes that don't embarrass my children

3) I try to dress modestly

That's it. I would say I go for comfort but that's not really true. Because if it's cute and obeys the rules then I will wear it even if it causes pain. I am not into labels or name brands. Although I find that when I am shopping I always am drawn to the more expensive rack. Which is unfortunate because I don't have the money for the expensive rack.

Remember when the boot brand "Uggs" were all the rave? When I saw them I thought, "what a ugly boot. Who would pay that much for a ugly boot?" But then.......but then. I tried one on. Have you ever tried one on? It's like your foot is enveloped in your most favorite pillow. The pillow that you never leave home without when traveling and it comforts you every time you hit the hay. That's what these boots feel like. However.....the price. It was to steep for me. So I resolved that I would never own a pair. Until........I went shopping with my boss in Jackson Hole. We went into this fur shop. The ladies we were with scattered and oohh and awwed over all the pricey furs, while I wondered around trying to blend in knowing that I didn't blend in. But then I heard the sweet sound of my bosses voice, "Amy, come look at these Uggs! Do you have a pair?" And that is all she wrote.

They are still ugly. Even though I think the button makes them a little cuter. But I don't care. I almost can't wait for winter so that I can wear them. And I'm not embarrassed to say that I have worn them around the house. In my shorts. (:

Have a nice weekend!

I can't believe I have a high schooler

By Amy

How did this happen? He's just a little boy!

Sniff.

Four Eyes

By Amy

When I was little I wanted eye glasses. I thought they were so cool and was envious of anyone who had them. So I was thrilled when the nurse at school sent home a slip with me saying I should get my eyes checked. Mom took me to the eye Doctor, which was a little scary for a 8 year old. But I survived and picked out the most perfect pair of glasses I could find. I couldn't wait to go to school with them on.

When I look at this picture, it makes me sad. Besides the fact that my glasses look like they are upside down and clearly the wrong shape and color for my face, this picture is the beginning of the end. The end of perfect eyesight. My eyes got worse every year until I was legally blind. Fortunately I was able to get contacts when I was 14 which saved what little dignity that Junior High had left me with. As I grew older I didn't mind glasses so much and would often leave the contacts in there case out of pure laziness. Until. Until I got Lasik. If anyone has had Lasik you know what a miracle it really is. I laid down on the table blind. In 15 minutes I got up and I could see. A little foggy but I could SEE!!! My eyes are almost perfect. 20/15 in one and 20/30 in another.

Bad eyesight is hereditary. My dad passed it on to me, my sister and my brother. Thanks dad! My husband has perfect eyesight. Well, not perfect anymore. He is starting to need reading glasses at night. But that's just cuz he is old. Ha ha!

I figured my kids had a 50/50 shot of having perfect vision. When my first born hit 8 I held my breath. I kept testing him while we were driving.

"Do you see that billboard over there? What does that sign say?"

Every year I would wonder, would this be the year I get a note from the nurse? Now he is 14 and still has perfect eyesight. I know he could still need glasses at some point. I just don't worry about it as much.

A few months ago my youngest started complaining of headaches during and after school. I thought he was just being lazy. Because he is lazy. But then he would complain even when he was with his friends. Or doing something fun. So I took him to the eye Doctor to RULE IT OUT. Unfortunately he has my genes.

He is 8. Same age as I was. There are two differences though. One, I was near-sighted. He is far-sighted. And two.....

He looks super cute in his glasses!

How Does My Garden Grow?

By Amy

Like a Jungle!

With elephant sized produce!

I realize that these giant sized zucchini are not that great for slicing. However they are great for shredding and baking! Especially for Pineapple Zucchini Cake.

The problem with my garden is that I was gone for almost two weeks. And the weeds and plants just kind of all grew together. I have to admit that I am a little scared when I go in there to dig around for vegetables. Snakes and spiders and who knows what else may be living in there. It may not look pretty but I am reaping a load of fresh veggies. That's all that matters to me!

Grandma

by Ang

My Grandma is one of the few genuinely kind people that I know. I have VERY early memories of her. When my brother was a baby, my sister and I would spend the occasional weekend with her. We would either go to their house in a small town about an hour from where we lived, or we would go to their city town home. It didn’t matter where we were…it was fun. Most of my childhood memories though came from the house in the small town. Usually we would get there and the first thing we would do is go to the grocery store. Grandma would let my sister and I each pick out our favorite box of cereal. The sugary stuff that we never got at home, of course. So we would go down the cereal aisle and look at whatever toy was featured inside the box and usually go with the coolest toy. Then when we would get home, Grandma would get a giant bowl, dump out all the cereal so we could fish out the toy then put all the cereal back in the box. To a 5-year-old, that is just plain fun.

She also let Amy and I play house in her house. She gave us free reign of the Tupperware drawer. In the basement of their house (which was the least scary basement I’ve ever been in), they had another small kitchen and some cabinets. So we played house down there. It was so much fun.

She also had this cool organ that was in one of the spare bedrooms. She had all kinds of sheet music that had numbers that correlated to the digits of your fingers. So when you played, it sounded pretty good (especially when you’re 5!).

At night we would take a bath and smell like ivory soap. I love Ivory soap, just for the smell. I recently bought a bar of Ivory just to keep in my cabinet. Whenever I miss my Grandma, I take a whiff. It reminds me of her. Then we would brush our teeth with her cinnamon Colgate toothpaste and be tucked in to bed.
And then when my Grandparents moved to the city for good, the fun continued. They managed some apartments and so we got to use the pool whenever we wanted. My brother had a big raft that we would put in the middle of the pool and jump onto. I remember spending many summer evenings over there with the whole family. They were also within bike-riding distance of our house, which made it very convenient.

I think my Grandma is responsible for our whole family’s love of the Huskers. When we were kids, they had season tickets, so I remember going to games at a very young age. When we didn’t make it to the games, we always watched on TV (and still do!). It was so much fun.
She took me to California with her one time to see my aunt and uncle. It was a very memorable trip for me, and I know it was because I was with my beloved Grandma!

She helped me with a major garage sale one time, and we had so much fun. We laughed a LOT. And sold a lot too! She is always helpful and so nice to spend time with.

Grandma has always been a big part of my life. She is so sweet. She says the funiest things also, without trying to be funny. We all love being around her. I miss her so much, and I can’t wait to see her in October too!

Next Up: Dad

Up Up and Away

By Amy


While I was with my boss in Wyoming I worked by butt off. But I was also included in some adventures. Like this one. Stunning.

It's Over

By Amy

School has officially started. In my book that means that summer is over. Should we see how I did?

This was taken the first week of summer.

This was taken the last week of summer.

Not to shabby. In a nutshell we.....

~ ~Had TWO vacations: Wyoming and Colorado which consisted of whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, golfing, horseback riding, and spending time with friends and family

~~Went swimming five times. Which doesn't seem like alot. But in all instances i included friends for each boy and in most cases a sleepover was involved.

~~Fun with all three sets of Grandparents

~~Two District Conventions

~~Two Movies (probably not as much as they would have liked. But I usually had extra kids with me and movies are super pricey)

~~We got to see the Budwieser Clydesdales. Up close and personal.

~~We got a dog!!!

~~Multiple sleepovers

So there you have it. I asked my kids if their summers were "fun" enough. They both agreed that this was the best summer ever. Mission accomplished.