New DVD Player

Devin has had his eye on this new DVD player for some time now. Every time we go into the store he has to look at it.I finally talked him to just getting it last Saturday not knowing I was going to fall in love myself. We had a DVD player that I had before we got married, but it is not a HD DVD palyer and we have a HD TV so an upgrade was in order. It's got a hard drive on it so we can record and store it on the player. It also can keep more then one time and show in it's memory so we can have all our favorite shows recorded while we do other things and watch them in the little spare time we have. It can pause live TV kinda of like Tevo...Tivo (is that how you spell it?) Anyways it is really nice and we have both really enjoyed it.

Devin crawling through the shelves of our entertainment center to get behind the T.V. to hook everything up. Kinda clever!

A few of my favorite pics. They make me smile.

This is one of my favorites because looking at this picture is about the only time I get to see the wedding band I got for Devin.

This one is hard to see , but look at the feet of this little munchkin (who made the list more then once) and you will see Aunt Crystal's navy blue high heels. Just thought she would try them on. What can I say Claire Marie cracks me up!

I just really like this picture of our niece Taryn and our Nephew Connor. So Cute

This is Ty hugging a tree. As you can see this tree is masive. This is a tree that is in front of the White House in D.C. This picture just makes me smile.

I love this picture because it captures Devin really feeling Christmas. You know that excitement we all used to get when we knew Santa had come. This was him getting his Ridgid drill set from Santa. He was excited. Don't let the look on his face fool you. I know he was excited because we weren't done opening gifts yet and out they all came.

Who can say they have seen their sisters dressed as teenage mutant ninja turtles? I can. Kelli in the blue and Jami in the orange. The other two are friends who happen to be sister's as well.

So I am pretty sure the photographer wanted to capture the girls puckered up. I am just not sure what the little gangster in the front was doing with the "peace out". This is my sister and two neices. I love this picture because claire really looks like a "little G" in this picture. She is three.

These are the three oldest grandchildren on my side of the family. This tent was intended to house the wedding presents of Aunt Crystal and Uncle Devin, but they found a new use for it at our boring reception. I love this picture

Althought this picture is cute, Bo is my favorite because he is the only other April baby .

Trail Blazing Fun

We got to attend the Portland Trailblazers game last Saturday night. We got free tickets, but we had to go early and help with a community service project the boys got involved in (well sorta)at school. A girl they know needed a favor and we got free tickets to the game.

The service project was called "operation twinkle toes" and they were collecting baby stuff for needy babies in the community. Our job was to stand and collect these items from the fans as they filed in. Devin and I got assigned the VIP box and didn't get very many donations, but Devin got to hand out the rosters to everyone. One of the workers just grabbed him and said will you pass these out for me for a few minutes? Kind of random, but whatever.

We went with our neighbors and good friends Parker and Carly. This is Devin and Parker waiting for things to get under way. Parker is a student at WSCC and he and Devin are in the same quarter. It was 75 degrees at this moment. Beautiful day here in Portland.

A view of the court from our seats. As our sister Tiana said" although not good seats you can't beat free." They played the Dallas Mavericks and won by three. It was a good game. We all had a good time.

Just to share

I took these pictures last summer when we were living with Devin's parents in Wyoming. I am not a photographer, but I think I caught something really pretty early that morning. I found them so I thought I would share. The rainbow looked like it stretched right over the Devin's dad store(which is the white building). It was really beautiful.

Music takes me home

I was driving into work this morning and a song was playing on the radio that brought a flood of memories to my mind. I thought of my child hood and the music that played throughout our home. It wasn't classical or even the Mo Tab. It was classical in another sense. I grew up listening to Fleetwood Mac, The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Lynard Skynard, Men at work, The Beattles and a whole other variety of music at our house. Over the years my music selection has varied, but each song has a different memory or brings up different feelings. It's interesting how that happens. Not all memories are good, but most are. I cannot hear "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor without thinking of my girl friends in our early dating years and all those broken hearts we had to mend. The song I heard this morning was "Piano man" by Billy Joel. I loved this song when I was a little girl. I am not sure why. I didn't understand most of the words in the song at the time, but I loved it. It gives me a sense of home and comfort I think. It calms the storms in my life when I think of my dad tapping his foot in the kitchen while he was fixing what he referred to as "Supper". I love music and I love the feelings it arouses in my heart and mind! Thanks dad for giving that gift to me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I had the most wonderful birthday thanks to so many of you. Cards and presents started arriving last week, which really was a suprise. This shirt was one of my packages that came. Thanks Skye and Rob. Love you guys!!Devin gave me money to go shopping with and a book by Glenn Beck ( whom I love) . Thanks to all my favorite people who called me, emailed me or text messaged me even if it was at 6:30 a.m. (Tyrell). My co-workers were amazing. I had a Tiara sitting on my desk when I got there, because I was "queen for the day". It didn't get me out of dipping urine samples all day. I did have to work late on my birthday, but it was worth it when at the end of our meeting one of the Doctors brought me a cake with candles and the whole office sang Happy Birthday to me. I got a amazing cook book from my friend Jeri at work. I call Jeri my Oregon mom. She works with me and I love her. This book is a recipe book just for the crock pot. Jeri also brought to work a Key lime cheesecake that I shared with everyone at work at lunch. I got a birthday song sung to me over the phone from my nieces and my sis in law which made me cry. I miss them like crazy. I felt so blessed as I left work and reflected that I really have found a home away from home. My first birthday away from my family and home and it was a wonderful day. Thank you everyone I love you lot's.

Disneyland

In just a little over a month I get to go to Disneyland. I am going to do something I hate to do, which is travel alone, and I am meeting my family in California. I am so excited to spend a week with all my nieces and nephews and most of my siblings in Disneyland. Devin is not going so I am braving the journey and meeting my family there. Disneyland can be fun as an adult, but nothing beats the look on my niece's face when she sees Cinderella or Belle. I just love it! Most of all it's the family traditions we have started when we go. Like my big brother running to the Indiana Jones ride full sprint to get in line as soon as the gate opens. I just can't wait.

Sigh...............

So many things to be grateful for today. First of all Devin is done with finals!!!!!! We actually went through two six packs of Pepsi and he even has some left over for March Madness. Second he has done really well so far with the grade's he has gotten back. Third our dear friends little girl is getting better. For our friends in Portland you know what I am talking about. For our family and friends back home here is a short story. With all the stress that seems to settle in here like a cloud and hang for a while. We had some friends who had there baby girl in the ICU for several days with a severe case of pneumonia. We have all been very humbled by thier experiences and we all look at family a little differently. I have told Penny a few times how grateful I have been for her sharing her thoughts and feelings through the computer about what she has been going through as a mother, but I am eternally grateful for a knowledge of a Loving father in Heaven and our family relationships. We are so blessed to not only have our families, but dear friends in the gospel to share experiences and blessings with us as we face a trial. I am thankful to Penny and Eric for letting us all be a part of it! Heavenly Father has really blessed us all with a further knowledge of his divine role in our lives. May we remember it always! Fourth on less serious note.... I am doing really well so far on my March Madness picks. Yes I am grateful for March madness. It's fun. I didn't used to get into it, but with Devin's encouragement I have done a bracket the past few years and I love it. Happy Easter everyone. We love you all so much!

Thank heavens for PEPSI!

If there is anything that I am learning and learning fast is that finals week sucks. Devin has finals next week along with everyone else in the school. I know he is stressed when he says" Crystal can you pick me up a twelve pack of Pepsi from the store"?It's the week before and he is already asking for Pepsi. The mood around here changes as well. I don't see any of the other wives. Some even leave town to ensure no distractions. Anyways I think I learn to admire Devin even more when I see the sacrifices he makes to study. GOOD LUCK HONEY! I LOVE YOU!

Just for fun

This is my latest polymer clay project. I made this for one of my co-workers for her birthday. She is Irish and loves St. Patricks Day and she was born in March. So I thought a leprechaun would be the picture gift. The sign says "Parking for Leprechauns only."

This is Grace our little neighbor. She watched a movie with her cute little elephant head phones while all the older girls including mom had our book group. I hosted this month and couldn't help but post this funny picture.

DERBY, DERBY, DOOOOOOOOOOO

So our Elders Quorum had a Pine wood Derby contest last Friday night. It was really fun. This year they let the wives build one as well. I must say that the women did very well. I didn't build one. I had a pretty busy week, but It was still fun. Here are some pics from our Pine wood derby event.

The track that Darnell built. Yeah some people were claiming Devin had an advantage because his brother built the track. Boy were they wrong!

The car that Devin built. He decided to go with sponsors like Jr. himself. Instead of National Guard he did Farmer's Feed, Tiana Simpson Photography, Horizon signs, Prader View chiropractic and Simpson Services. A little shout out for all the family businesses.

The Competition.

My favorite entitled. "My daddy didn't help me"! A special thanks to Brock Kunz car that made me laugh, however I did learn this was the idea of his older brother's family. Thanks Kunz family for making me laugh. Ironically this car did pretty well.

Our youngest driver and one of my Favorites in the Ward. Yep that's right folks little Reese Kunz had a her own car that beat most of the older boys. (it was her dad's from last year)She is so cute. You should see her with her pink tutu on. Thanks Penny for letting me show off your kids since I don't have any of my own. Here's to pine wood Derby 2008. We salute you!