Getting With It!

I am finally catching you all up on the little "sneak preview" I mentioned a few weeks ago. I don't put things off, do I ?
The girls' first snow cones of the summer. This is one of our favorite things about summer, and the girls (and Jim) absolutely love them.
Avery couldn't get enough and was sucking every last drop out of her cup.

We took a lovely Sunday drive after church to Cave Falls. I hadn't been for a while and forgot how close you can get to the water. I dressed the girls in tennis shoes but should have put them in water clothes and sandals 'cause they all waded in the water. It was freezing, but the girls didn't care. Avery actually fell all the way under, cut her leg on a rock, and got a face-full of water. She shivered the rest of the time!

It was such a nice afternoon and the falls are really pretty. We could have stayed for hours just skipping rocks and splashing around. Jim and I should have plopped down some chairs and read a book while the girls played.

I love this picture. The girls adore their daddy, and Jim adores his girls. He always tries to teach them something on our little excursions-this time he picked rocks out of the water and turned them upside down to show the girls the bug larvaes on the bottom. It was actually pretty cool because we could break open their little cacoons and see the bug forming from a little worm. He told the girls that when these bugs hatch, the fish jump out of the water and eat them. And that's what his fly-fishing is all about-duplicating these bugs and trying to fool the fish! (Didn't you all want to know?)

Ashtyn lost her first tooth a couple of months ago. It finally got loose enough for Daddy to pull it out. Ashytn freaked out cause she thought it would hurt a lot and was screaming! Jim was trying to wait 'til she stopped crying, but I told him just to pull it since her mouth was open anyways. It popped right out of course, and Ashtyn calmed down 'cause she didn't even feel it. She also had to have the tooth right next to it pulled by the dentist because her two front permanent teeth were already coming in behind her baby teeth in the wrong spot. We definitely need to start saving for braces now!

And by the way, that strange stomach flu I mentioned-it started the morning of Ashtyn's dentist app. I had to call my dad to take her because I couldn't leave the bathroom for more than 2 minutes for almost three hours(so glamorous, huh? But I did lose 5 pounds that day!). I felt so bad cause I couldn't even go hold Ashtyn's hand during her first tooth-pulling. But my dad was amazing that day. He took all the girls to swimming lessons, brought them home to get dressed, then took them to lunch and to the park (and no, my mom wasn't with him). I was so impressed, and Avery even through a couple of little tantrums for him. Ha, Ha-she is a little monster! The girls love their papa!

Swimming lessons were such a blast (hell no!). It was Jordyn's first year, and she cried for the first three days. I had to pretty much just drop her into the pool. She absolutely hates to be cold (can you blame her? She doesn't have an ounce of fat warmth on her body) and her lessons were pretty early so it was chilly. I lied and said Ashytn was 5 so she could be in Jordyn's class to help her. Good for Jordyn-boring for Ashtyn. She already knew everything they taught in that level so didn't gain much from the two weeks. Oh yeah-while Jordyn was crying cause she didn't want to be in the water, Avery was crying cause she couldn't get in the water. She's not old enough yet, so everyday for two weeks, we stood outside the fence while she cried cause she wanted "to get her swimsuit on and go swimming". (Ashtyn is the one floating on her back, and Jordyn is the first one sitting on the bench by the edge of the pool).

Can I take your order? You are all just dying to find out what my new job is right? Well, even though I swore I'd never go back and got a degree so I wouldn't have to do this again, I started waitressing a couple nights a week at my parent's restaurant. They have been really shorthanded most of the summer and I thought we could help each other out. Who doesn't want a little extra cash, huh? I've actually quite enjoyed it! It's nice to see the same customers still coming in after 8 years. It's also nice to have adult conversation and come home to a clean house and kids in bed. I also get to work with my sister both nights so that is is plus! At first I was a little embarrassed to admit I was a waitress again: I'm 28, I have three kids, my husband makes 6 figures, I have a college degree, and I'm a waitress again. Doesn't it sound kind of funny? But oh well-I got over it fast cause who really cares in the end? I'm a damn good waitress and have been making killer tips. I'm thankful that my parents have this great business and am appreciative for a job in this crazy economy. So anyway, if you are in town, come visit me at good 'ole O'Brady's on Thursday and Friday nights. (By the way, I tried to curl my hair this particular night, which I never do and have no idea how to, and this is how it turned out. Aaahhh-I even burned my neck with the curling iron!)

This is my new "mommy vehicle". I traded in my Yukon (sniff, sniff) 'cause I saw no reason to have three cars. Jim had to buy a little car (Honda Civic) cause his office moved to Rexburg and his huge Diesel Dodge wasn't exactly the best gas option for driving up there everyday. We were filling up his tank every five days at $140. Not smart! (On top of my $110 every week for my Yukon) But he insists on having a truck, especially now that we have horses. So I decided I could drive a truck for a couple of years until we have another kid and need more room. Jim got rid of his huge Dodge, and we found this beautiful thing. I actually like it a ton-way nice model with leather/heated seats, sunroof, 6-disc cd, all the options. And now that gas has gone down a little, it was a way good decision! Hey, guys dig chicks in trucks, huh?

So anyway, sorry for the long post, and I know I didn't cover everything, but at least I got this info. down to put in the record book. I hope all of your summers were great and that fall is off to a good start! (Damn this cold weather!!!)

Random Nonsense!

I saw this on a friends blog and thought it was hilarious. I had to share it with everyone at work. So, here are my alias':

1. Your Rock Star Name (first pet and current car): Marvin Silverado

2. Your Gangsta Name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Neopolitan Chocolate Chip

3. Your "Fly Girl" Name (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name): C. Has

4. Your Detective Name (favorite color and favorite animal): Pink Cat

5. Your Soap Opera Name (middle name, city where you were born): Michelle Las Vegas

6. Your Star Wars Name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name):Hasch

7. Your Superhero Name ("the"+ 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The Blue Dr. Pepper

8. Your Nascar Name (the first names of your grandfathers): Bart Dean

9. Your Witness Protection Name (first letter of mothers maiden name, fathers middle name): I.Lynn

10. Your TV Weather Anchor Name (your 5th grade teachers last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Hulse Hollywood

11. Your Spy Name (your favorite season/holiday, favorite flower): Spring Lily

12. Your Cartoon Name (favorite fruit, article of clothing your wearing right now + "ie" or "y"):Watermelon Caprisie

13. Your Hippy Name (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Fiber One Maple

14. Your Rock Star Tour Name ("the" + your favorite hobby/craft, favorite weather element + "tour"): The Reading Sunshine Tour


What a totally random post but kind of fun since it is complete nonsense. We all need some of that every once in a while!

Hallowed Day

As I pulled out of the garage this morning to take Ashtyn to school, I was caught off guard by the flag in our yard that the Scouts put out on holidays/special dates. I thought to myself "what holiday is today?" Then I realized it is September 11, and my mind instantly went into reflective mode. I remember hearing the horrifying news of that dreadful day 7 years ago. I was sitting in my Creative Writing class at BYU-Idaho when they announced it, and then I went to the MC and watched it happening on TV the rest of the day. I remember watching the news whenever I could for the next two weeks feeling the heartache for those involved and shedding tears for the victims and their families. I remember being hopeful after a few days when they still were rescuing people from the rubble, and then feeling the hope slowly burn out as it became too long for anyone to survive. This tragedy hit me to the core, and I will never understand how anyone could do this to another country (I have never really understood war or acts of terrorism). I will also never forget the courage and patriotism that arose during this tragedy and am thankful for all the service men who sacrificed their lives to help.

It just so happened that I had a poetry assignment in my creative writing class that same week. I chose to write about the attack on the Trade Centers, and this is what I came up with just two days after it happened. (By the way, our poem could not rhyme, and we had to use illiteration in the first line. I can only write poems that rhyme, so this was a struggle for me!)

BROKEN PIECES
(In response to the terrorism attack on the World Trade Centers on September 11, 2001.)

Cutting through the clouds with calmness
the passenger jets slice the sky.
The silent sun has already risen,
giving reason for another beautiful day.

But an unknown evil is lurking in the midst
with a destructive design on their minds.
Heading toward the heart of the nation,
the innocent people as their bomb.

A shining skyline is abruptly changed
as swarms of smoke fill the air.
Two great giants come crashing down,
and America is left standing in awe.

Our lives, our families, our nation
has been suddenly shattered apart,
broken pieces amidst the chaos and destruction
that can never again be glued together.

A mastermind plan has been carried out
with no second thought of pain or guilt.
The message is sent, a war is waged,
and the fight is about to begin.

Who are these beasts with hearts so hollow,
not shadowed by shame or thought?
Death and bloodshed upon their hands
only fuels their flasks of hatred.

They think their action has destroyed us,
that the damage done is beyond repair.
But the human heart can be broken
and time after time, still go on beating.

Now our hearts beat together
as a whole nation for one cause.
Hand-in-hand we are unified,
to pick up the pieces and rise again.

Gone Fishin'

My husband-doing what he loves! My uncle, from Washington, came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and Jim took him to the river. They have kind of made this a tradition that every time my uncle comes, they go fishing. Jim has taught him a lot about fly-fishing the last couple of years, and they always have a great time together. He taught my uncle how to nymph (whatever???) this time and had great luck!

I remember after Jim and I were first married and living in Rexburg. He would take off fishing 3-4 times a week while I did homework in the evenings. Fishing has always been one of his passions, and he hasn't been able to fish much since that first year. He's lucky to get in 1-2 trips each season lately because he's so busy (mostly because of his travel schedule-and kids-and horses!!)
I'm so glad he was able to get out the other weekend and enjoy the river. It always makes him smile like a little boy! He wants to teach me how to fly-fish, but I'm just content sitting on the shore with a good book (yeah-like that ever happens). I also have this weird thing about not liking to kill animals-even fish; especially since I don't eat them!