the big differences....

between dial up and high-speed

So some of you know that I have never had the joys of high-speed internet. I know, I know we are not up to speed with the technology, surprisingly seeing as I grew up with a computer savvy papa and a brother that is now into computers and that my mom was the "Computer Lady" at my elementary school (I was the coolest kid every one loved my mom).

That was until YESTURDAY and the BEST package came from the UPS guy. HIGH-SPEED comes in a box, who knew. So I waited patiently until the time on the card saying when our internet would be up and running and have loved it ever since. "Wow, the page is already up, I am never leaving," Brandon said.

With dial-up I had no idea people had music on there page. It just sounded like someone was trying to yell at me, ever minute or so.

I didn't know people had pretty back grounds on there blogs, seeing as reading the post and leaving the page happened before any of that happened.

If someone's words were written in white I could only see pictures, and I found myself in the 5-10 minutes of waiting to make up my own stories to there pictures, (usually not the right story, but my imagination was working, right??)

Having more then one page open just made the internet too slow and just made me so frustrated I just wanted to lie and the floor and throw a tantrum.

To look at all the blogs and read my e-mail and check facebook, and look at anything else, took HOURS, hours I don't have and would have to break it up during the day. refresh the pages at least once and also want to lay on the floor again.

If any one posts a video you can forget it, I don't even check that post!! (and telling me to turn your shouting music player off, doesn't help my cause. I would just have to wait for that to appear, wait for the shouting to start and hurry and push stop so it knows I want it to stop)

Waiting for pictures to download is a joke, so shrinking is (was) the way for me.

Calling my brother or sister for the use of the computer was a weekly thing. I need a program will you download and save it to a disc for me? Can I use your computer to get things done for achievement days?

Hey did you guys know that people have tickers that tell when they are going on vacation, having babies, getting babies, losing weight, how old there children are and when there anniversaries are???

Well all of that is in the past, and I can do all of that AND more in the matter of an hour or less.
I feel like a piece of me was missing and now it is found. No need to throw any more tantrums, make phone calls to use someones internet or get a program, and I can hear the music and watch the videos. What a great day, everyone have a great one. I KNOW I will (sigh)!!!

Swimming Lessons

So a friend in the ward asked if we wanted to do some swimming lessons with her and her son, we said sure and we finally were around enough to have some water fun.
Here is Braden and Claire before lessons started.
Side note: (for journaling purposes) I bought (on a really great deal, I might add) end of last season and 24 months swimming suit, thinking Claire would fit into it the WHOLE summer, NOPE it fits her a little tight, 2T here we come.
We learned to jump in the water and then swim back to the wall. claire would rather have just stayed in the water.
Claire loved her first two lessons, her third one was hard she had a cold and she screamed the whole time. The 4th one she was fine until we dunked them under the water and she was not happy with me after. 2 1/2 good swimming lessons not so bad, hopefully when we stick her in lessons again she will be a little more brave.

Things Claire can do in the water now:
Blow bubbles
kick her feet, (so stinkin' cute)
kind of jump off the wall and climb back up

One More Monkey Jumping on the Bed

Well the time came that we decided to stick our little monkey in a "big girl bed". Let's just say she was so excited. While Brandon was putting it together, she was standing next to him jabbering the whole time. When we got sheets, and blankets and her pillow on we were ready to push it against the wall. She helped me out with that. (we have since moved it so the side of the bed is against the wall).Our little jumping monkey

So far so good, she has fallen out once, but it was right when I laid her down for bed and she cried and then started giggling again and went down soon after.

NOW on to getting rid of the binky, guess we can wait til she is a little more comfortable in the bed, seeing as she usually only has it when she is sleeping.

I am Ready Now!

Well this little girl with a mind of her own, and a little bit stubborn has decided that she can WALK!!!! That's right I said it she decided on Monday all day that she was going to roam the house and also stand herself up without any help from me, the couch or some other object. So all in one day she decided it was time. She did this with crawling as well, so why am I surprised at all.
Some one told me the other day Claire must be smart, because she knows she will fall if she isn't careful so she is waiting until she wont fall as much. That made me feel better as a mom seeing as she is a little over 16 months old and just walking.

Claire likes me to take pictures of her now, just so she can look at the picture after I have taken it. After that she will climb into my lap and she will "discuss" the photo.

Walking down the hall

I am coming for you mom!!

And Claire's favorite face and also her new favorite thing to do is to carry one toy in each hand and walk. I told her she would love it and she didn't believe me until she could. She loves to walk and we are so proud of her. And she doesn't fall as much as I thought she would, but she did watch a lot of other babies before doing it herself. when she does fall I say "try again" and she will do just that. If she starts to cry I say the same thing and she will actually stop crying and just try again. gotta love that!!

Better Late Then Never! Right?!

Well December has been quite the busy month. I had a party for my Achievement Day girls, and lets just say, I am glad they went home to there parents that day, they had so much sugar between school and that party, they were bouncing off the walls. but we had a great time, with games and food and lots of laughter. Christmas for us was great, seeing as on the 24th Brandon went back to his old job, that's right, they called him up and offered him his old job back and he gladly excepted. Also on the 24th started us on quite the holiday fun. the pictures are a little out of order, but that is okay, I don't want to take the time to fix them.

christmas Brandon video taped the whole thing, His sweet new golf shoes
Claire's PJ's we opened on Christmas Eve, and she just couldn't wait to play a little Wii fit. Also notice the fun hair do. (look for more later)
Waiting in line to go and see Santa (my scanner isn't working at the moment so no Santa picture) she was so excited as we waited in line, as soon as I set her down, she started screaming.
Cute hair do, #1
#2
#3, can you tell it was french braided? We have had great hair do's this month, her hair is getting longer, we get pony tails, topsy tail creations, and all sort of other fun do's.
Christmas at the Cooper's took place on Christmas Eve seeing as this year was in-law year. Dera helping Claire open her present
this is such a cute coat, my Mom made one for all the little girls
This little one had the best reaction to a present I have seen in years. It is a fairy costume and it was wrapped wings in one box everything else in another. She got so excited when she opened the wings so forgot about the other box and started jumping up and down. when her mom and dad told her there was more her eyes got so wide and her smile was even bigger.

After the Cooper Christmas we headed over to the cemetary to see Brandon's grandma and grandpa that are buried there.

Then it was Christmas for us. We headed over the the Carlson's to celebrate my father-in-laws birthday and then open christmas presents. This picture below has a Fur Real pet in it. a Dog and it barks and plays and snores. And Claire has to take it everywhere. Gives it loves ever chance she can and wont let anyone else play with it.
Also in the last month, Claire as slowly started to us a spoon
notice it is upside down and that not much makes it into her mouth
She now sits at the table with us, and LOVES it!!!
She has started to walk like Mowgli from the jungle book, and would perfer to walk on her knees as well. (We are so close to her walking all the time now YAHOO!!!)
This is the hat that was in the present Aunt Dera was helping Claire open, it was from her cousin. She loves it, but was not happy when I took the picture. She will wear it all day.
We have had many of these lately
And found out she got 3 molars in christmas day. Fun

AFter all the Christmas fun, we started into New Years fun, we spent the evening at my parents and rang in the new year playing Scene It Seinfeld, (thanks Shannon). Then most of us headed up to Boise for the young man's baptism. Cameron we are so proud of you!!!
While we took over Wendy and Jeff's entire house, Claire got to sleep in Ellie's big girl bed did really well and loved it.
We ate lots of food and did lots of dishes...
Played games...
and lounged for two days.
Then we headed home to recooperate from all the fun we had. Hope all your holidays were are fulfilling as ours were.

25 things about me

So I got tagged and thought I would share a few things about myself, but since I don't post a whole lot of anything on facebook I thought I would just blog my answers.

SO,

1. I absolutely love my hair with red in it, but probably wont do it again, because is washes out quickly
2. I love to throw things away, and will finish things just to do so
3. I am the youngest of 7 kids, therefore putting my immediate family over 30
4. I really enjoy running and it makes me feel good afterwards
5. I have to take a shower and get ready everyday so that I feel like a person and not a slacker
6. I really love to read and will read almost anything
7. I also love movies and will watch almost anything
8. I am a scrapbooker
9. I do not really like to shop, but when I get out and find something that works, I love it
10. I wear a lot of accessories and have a lot of shoes, because well they always fit, clothes do not always fit
11. I love to clean, and I love the look of a clean toilet
12. I enjoy doing laundry, but do not like to fold it. Brandon tells me that is because all I have to do is change everything to washer and dryer, and then the work begins
13. I have been married for almost 4 1/2 years
14. Before Brandon and I moved we lived below a 55 year old toy freak, who lived next to smokers, which caused him to have "breathing problems", who lived above a family that cooked curry everyday and it seeped through the walls (get all that)
15. the first car I drove was a manual Chevy, Nova that I got when my brother left on his mission that had a super man sticker on the steering wheel and a smartie in the radio nob to keep the station in.
16. I have been pulled over twice in the past 4 months and now whenever I see a cop car think, will it be me, and what will it be this time?
17. I broke my arm at 5 while riding my TRAINING Wheel bike and landing on grass, went to tell my mom and she told me to go home and tell my dad. ( my mom likes to tell her story, but I think mine is better)
18. I have had stitches or/and have a scar from all of my brothers, which include things like, baseballs, boomerangs, pickle jars, and toe nails
19. I do NOT like sea food and feel sick if they still have the eyes on them where they can look at me
20. I really like to exercise
21. I love music and will listen to just about anything
22. I have a beautiful daughter that just turned one and is fun, so I think she is a keeper
23. I love to sleep, but don't always get as much as I should
24. We recently went to visit my sister and her family in Australia and had a great time
and last but not least
25. I enjoy a good party game, and for the most part like to learn new games.


So I tag who ever feels like do this, have fun
RULES: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

Looking, Searching, and Praying

So Monday started as any other day, I got up went to the gym came home, Brandon got ready and headed off to work. Claire and I played, had naps, and were just waiting for daddy to come home. Well a little after 4:00 I saw him pull up, thinking it was a little strange, because he doesn't usually get home until after 5:00.

Well Monday didn't end like any other day. Brandon was let got from his job. The company he was working for has done some major down sizing starting with closing his branch he was managing while we were in Australia. The day he was let go, many others were as well. As well as more going on since then.

I tell you this simply because we are in need of work and need your help. If you hear of anything we would love to hear about it. Brandon is trying anything right now, well we need insurance and pay to get the bills paid. Please if you hear anything, we would be very grateful.

We never thought this would happen to us, but no one ever really does, we feel blessed with everything we have, and feel like we are being watched over in this time. This may be a great blessing in the future for us at a different company. For now we are Looking, Searching and Praying that it will be sooner rather than later.