Catching Up

Yikes! I have totally ignored this blog--mainly because I have no idea what I'm doing and as I check out my friend's and family's blogs, I am sooo super impressed. Way to go guys! And please, don't laugh at mine. I'm old-school still. . . scrapbooking and journaling on paper!!! Aahhh! Don't shoot me! I'm so not green. . . yet. =)

OK, so to catch up on the highlights . . .

Winter brought some snow. . . even on the mountains of Southern California! These pictures were taken at the base of the Long Canyon hiking trails in Wood Ranch. This was such a beautiful scene as I drove into my neighbor several times throughout the day.

A few weeks ago, Kamryn had her "Superstar" week at school. Everyday she got to do special things like having me come in and read her favorite books to her class, share her baby book to her class (this was one of her favorite days), play her favorite games, and have visitors come in. Her favorite day was having daddy come in with his special friend, the Good Neigh Bear. Oh, my gosh! The kids had a BLAST! They laughed soooo hard! Kamryn could barely contain herself. Once the class settled down, Eric talked to the class about what he does for a living and had the kids participate in a 911 simulator. . .with the help of the Good Neigh Bear, of course. The kids talked about the difference between a real emergency and things they shouldn't be calling 911 about, practicing their address and phone number. All in all it was pretty successful.

After that week we all ended up getting sick....dropping like flies. And, of course, it happened when my calendar was booked!!! It was a long few weeks but I got to recuperate at home in WA. I got the rare opportunity to got up to visit my family, attend the Portland Temple with my most of my siblings and parents, see the blessing of my newest niece, Reina Suvi Guinn, and enjoy everything that life is about.

Last Saturday Eric, Reagan and I tagged along on a serious hike up above the Big Sky development with Eric's sisters and their family. The view at the top was unbelievably beautiful. I wish I had brought my camera, but I know it wouldn't have lasted some of the rock climbing we had to do. The hills, so green, went as far as the eye could see. And the clouds hung low on them making it look as thought you could start running and end up on the other side of the valley. Like Eric's sister said, it looked like we were in Ireland. So, for a moment I pretended I was. The view to the west was like walking into a scene of "Little House on the Prairie". The grass was tall and green with beautiful blooms of yellow scattering the field. The large oak trees had settled in the most perfect spots. I told Eric I wanted to build a house up there--away from everything in place so peaceful.

She's Embaressed!

This morning was a little like the movie "Something Wicked This Way Comes"--I just needed to hear the creak of the empty merry-go-round spinning by itself. Oooh, the thought makes me shutter. The Halloween winds have entered Simi and its blowing everything everywhere and causing things to change from what they usually are--including my children! Ok, well maybe only my oldest, Reagan.

Rocking out to some Halloween tunes on the way to school, Kami and Reagan all done-up in crazy hairdos (it's crazy hair day at school today), and me being all proud of myself for being so fun and festive, the change came! Boom! Just like that. From the back seat, I hear from my soft spoken Reagan, "Turn off the music." Huh? What? Did you say something Reagan? "Turn off the music." Why? "Because". Because why? "Because I want it off." Why do you want it off? "Just because". (Silence because I sooo didn't understand the request. At home she wants the same music on. She makes up funny dances to that music, but now she doesn't AND she doesn't want to tell me why. HOLY CRAP!!!! She's embarassed! She doesn't want her friends to know she listens to it. It's not hip enough. Hip? What? She's only 8! What does she know about hip? Am I not hip???? Oh, no.) Reagan, are you embarassed by this music? "Yes." Do you not want your friends to hear that you're listening to it? "Yes." OK.

As she step out of the now silent car onto the school sidewalk, I thought to myself--You're embarressed by funny Halloween music, but not embaressed to go to school with shoots of hair sticking straight up from your head. Whatever!

Our First Blog

Ok, so apparently, we have arrived! Whoo-Hooo! We are official bloggers, with a spot and all! So really, it's hard to image that so many want to know what we do, what we like and what we think each day of our lives. It seems so silly. Why not write a book and at least cash in on the royalties--"The Little's: Lives of the Normal and Everyday People"? It'll be a shocking twist of events that mold the lives of five very normal individuals. Will they be able to muddle through the daunting tasks of what everyday people must endure? Watch as these five people do what only the ordinary can do. Happy Blogging! ;)