Dinosaurs

One night, we were watching Night at the Museum at home when Crystal noticed the part where the big skeleton of the T-rex came to life. It terrified her, and she then developed a fear of anything dinosaur.
She usually overcomes her fears when we let her see up close how something works and how harmless it really is. For example, when she was younger she was afraid of the vacuum until we showed her how it worked and let her touch it.
Well, it just so happens that the worlds largest Dinosaur museum was only 10 minutes away at Thanksgiving point, so we took her there yesterday to check it out.
She really enjoyed some dinosaurs...


and was still afraid of others.

But most of it, she found fascinating.




All together, the expedition was a success and even though the ones with big teeth make her nervous, she likes dinosaurs. She even has toy dinosaurs that she plays with at home now.

Here are some more pictures of our trip to the museum for those who enjoy looking at them:

Fight Night

Lisa's brother, Matt, has been into boxing for the last 6 or 7 months. He has been working with a professional trainer/boxer, and had his first real fight last weekend on Saturday, September 15th. The place was packed, and there were 8 fights that night, but Matt was last since his fight was the main event. Not only that, but they paired him up with a professional boxer in his age and weight range, even though Matt was a rookie. The fight ended up as a draw, but Matt had the biggest punch of the whole match, when he knocked the wind out of the kid, and sent him to the ground. Not bad for his first fight. Good Job Matt!

Little housekeeper

Crystal loves to help keep the house clean. Unfortunately, I can never find the broom because she takes it everywhere, and I have to keep her from throwing things we need in the trashcan, because she found them on the floor. Yesterday she threw away my Mp3 player, her pajamas, some toys and her Sunday shoes. It's a good thing I looked in there and found them, or they would have been lost forever.

Hogle Zoo

Today was Crystal's first visit to the Zoo. She had a great time and especially enjoyed the Ape exhibit. Even after watching them she played on the Brass Ape statue outside for a while before we finally had to tear her away...but she kissed it goodbye. There's nothing more rewarding to a parent than watching their child's pure delight at the world around them. When she laughs and smiles at the world, it makes us feel like the happiest and most blessed people alive. After the Zoo we ate a late lunch at a nice Italian restaurant. What a fun day!

Bored in the car

On the way back from the zoo crystal got bored so we sang "Winnie the pooh" to keep busy. Even though she enjoyed singing, she still had a case of the wiggles, as you'll see here:

Angry Crystal

I was on the phone with my friend Paula and was telling her that even though Crystal can get excited, angry, and hyper often and in extremes, that she usually backs down with a verbal warning. This video is a classic example. Scott and I told her she's not allowed to play with anything on the entertainment center and she got angry and yelled at us, but like always, began to back down when we told her not to be mad. Also, just so you're aware, we gave her a big hug after she showed that she was sorry/sad. The other reason why I posted this is because I think it's hillarious when she's angry.

Nail Biting!

Crystal has developed the habit of biting her nails...something both her mom and her dad do as well. The problem, however, is that lately she's been biting when there's nothing left to bite, and consequentially puts herself into a lot of pain by biting down to the skin. Then, she comes crying to mommy and daddy cause her fingers hurt. Well, in order to stop this habit we purchased nail biting polish and applied it today, and even though it's been making her gag she still won't stop putting her fingers in her mouth. Hopefully with enough gagging she'll figure it out, but so far the future looks bleak.

This is a picture of her biting her nails again an hour the polish was applied...

it's not the brand, cause I tasted it and the stuff tastes absolutely awful.
Here is a clip of her gagging over the taste while biting again, about two minutes after I took the picture above:

What's a parent to do? Hopefully she'll get tired of gagging and stop. I didn't even know a one year old could get into the habit of biting their nails.

Crystal on drums

I've been uploading my video clips on youtube because google video has been giving me problems. Anyway here is Crystal trying to help Uncle Jared play on his electric drum set. Sorry it's kind of dark, Jareds bedroom is just a dark, messy, cave.

Going out to eat

Crystal loves to color while we wait for our food when we go out to eat. Sometimes she gets bored. This is typical Crystal...



This little woman can't hold still to save her life...but she loves to pose for pictures:

Haircut

This glorified mugshot is dediated to Paula and Ramsey, who requested a visual of my haircut.





Nothing too glamorous, just a haircut.

A little update...

So it's been a little while, but thats because our family room computer got a virus this week, and crashed...after messing with it all week and trying to save it, (but still with no luck,) we're using the laptop. We're still fighting it though, we don't cave easily. Anyway, here's a little bit of what we've been up to...
Scott finished this semester of summer school with his ridiculously strict teacher who made him write 10 pages a week, and is taking a 2 week break before fall semester. It looks like he will graduate in December. Yay!!! After that he can get a better job and we will be able to afford some stuff.
Lisa got a haircut. It's now above the shoulders and she has bangs. She was hungry for a change of some kind, so she did it to her hair. Lisa loves change.
The Bourne Ultimatum is AWESOME!!!!!!!! Lisa and Scott give it a HUGE two thumbs up. Probably the best movie of the summer in our opinion. Jason Bourne is for Americans what James Bond is for the Brits. Long live Jason Bourne!

Here is what Crystal's been doing:

Eating her vegetables



Looking cute for church



Pouting when she doesn't get her way


Taking naps with Daddy


Playing in the kiddie pool


We also went and hung out at Bridalveil falls, Crystal loved soaking her feet in the freezing water...







Anyway, life is good and all is well.

Another thing...

Crystal figured out how to work the T.V. in the kitchen, and was very proud of herself!

8 random things about Lisa

Thanks to Paula, I was given the assignment of writing 8 random things about myself on my blog, so here it goes:
First:If you are tagged you have to tell your blog readers 8 random facts about you. It can be habits, facts, or weird stuff that no one else knows. Be creative Second: Choose some bloggers that you would like to learn more random facts about and tag them and explain these rules.

1.When I graduated preschool as a 4 year old I won the award for "Most Caring." They even presented it to me in front of all the kids and parents at preschool graduation.

2.I've never panicked under pressure or during emergencies. (This is quite opposite of my husband by the way) I don't know why, but when something like an accident happens, I immediately start thinking of my options and solutions, and what to do next. Maybe it's cause I was the oldest in my family and had to bandage siblings who were bleeding profusely and accompany them to the hospital. Haha!

3.I love to read (sorry paula!). I like all kinds and genre of books however randomly and nerdily enough, my favorite books are actually psychology and self-improvement books. I love reading about personality types, color coding, birth order, overcoming perfectionisim, etc. I guess loving the scriptures got me into reading other books that provide clues and instructions on improving your life. Yes, I am a closet case nerd. I also like to write, but I never share my work with anyone.

4.I usually avoid scary movies because they remind me of scary things that happened in my mission...however I LOVE the movie 1408. The script was well written, and it still had a lot of similarities to the book, written by Stephen King (told you, I'm a nerd). I also like the plot, about a guy who was bitter about his daughters death, and because of it, didn't believe in anything...he goes around sleeping in "haunted" locations trying to prove to the world that ghosts, along with heaven and hell don't exist. By pursuing this notion and provoking things of this nature, he stumbles on a room where evil really does exist, and learns really quickly, that there is more to this life than he proclaimed. He changes his selfish way of thinking and acting by the end. I also like it cause it teaches not to seek out bad things, cause you'll find them.

5.My English 1010 professor at UVSC asked me out on a date on the last day of class. This freaked me out because he had children as old as I was (luckily he was not married when he did this...at the very least). When I handed in my final exam, he passed me a piece of paper, which was a note asking me out. I was afraid of getting a bad grade by never contacting him back, so I kept the note as evidence that I could show to a lawyer or the dean in case he was that kind of a slime ball. Actually I got an A+ in the class, even though I think I deserved an A-. I guess he was scared that I would prosecute anyway, if he didn't give me the best of the best. No harm done, I moved on with life with my A+. haha! After this experience, I've always wondered if I look old. hahahahaha! There are few people that I ever told until now. My husband knows, and my family does...which they laughed about and teased me about for a long time....and I told Natalie because she was in a class with me right after it happened and I was still freaked out.

6.I used to play guitar until my brothers decided they wanted to learn guitar too...then I quit it all together, because it wasn't an individual distinction for me anymore. They long surpassed the level I was at now. Looking back I wish I would have stuck with it so I could play as good as they do now, but oh well.

7. I got into an intese argument with my first zone leader when I was a greenie in my mission. (I won't say who it is). He was saying bad things about my companian to the whole mission and it was making me mad, so I comfronted him. After a while of serious disputing and anger...I made him cry. He was afraid of me for months. By the time he finished his mission we were at peace and actually on good terms. This was the beginning of a somewhat painful process I went through as a missionary learning self-control...whether he may have deserved it or not, it wasn't my place to correct him that harshly. Patience with my opponents is still a virtue I'm working on, but I've improved a lot.

8.I'm a natural blonde...just kidding. lol. Um, let me think. Okay...before my mission I refused to date anyone who was under 23 years of age. I thought anyone younger than that was just too immature. (Even though this phase started when I was only a whopping 18 years of age, and was myself, much less mature than I am now). I went out with a 24 year old when I was 18, and also a 28 year old when I was nineteen. I would kill my daughter if she tried that! haha! Looking back now, anyone 23 or older wanting to hang out with an 18 year old girl in my day and age, doesn't sound as mature as I once thought it to be...hahaha! I guess guys don't care how old you are, as long as they think you're hot. Ironically enough, even though I had a thing for older guys, I married one who was younger than me...who, by the way is much more mature than I am in a lot of ways.

Here are the people I Tag— Lisa F, Liz, Ramsey, Erin, and Natalie (when she gets back from vacation)