People, A little help here???

Okay, Jake has been home for one day and I'M GOING CRAZY. There's something about him being home that makes me and the other kids crazy. I wouldn't say it's necessarily him, but the dynamics definitely change and my day goes like this...Jake and Carter playing nicely, bing horrible to Bella...then Malia screaming and whining because Carter is pestering her. Then, Bella decides she want to play with the boys who absolutely won't let her. Meanwhile, Malia is still screaming and whining, but now whe is pulling on my legs. Bella has decided she should whine and cry so she starts and Malia gets irritated, so she pulls her hair and scratches her face. I put Malia in her room where she screams (still). Now Jake and Carter are arguing and they get into some kind of wrestling match. Malia has now decided she's ready to be happy, so she comes out, announces, "I got off my bed, mom. I'm happy." Then, Jake and Carter decided to play with Malia, again not including Bella who begins crying AGAIN. Why am I virtually insane? I have no idea.

So, I have nowhere to blow off steam but the library at night when I get to escape for a little while and I get here to read somebody else's posts...BUT THERE ARE NONE! What is wrong with you people? I need to live vicariously through you and you're leaving me with NOTHING. I know you can do better than that. People, post something PLEASE. Do I sound desperate yet? Because my sanity is hanging by a thread...

Okay you masculine people...

Here you go. Is this satisfactory? Next time, go to "Template" and pick your own! You're contributers...that means you can do it yourselves. Can't wait to see what Courtney picks...

Peace Out Hawaii

So yesterday was kind of my last day in Hawaii. I leave tomorrow morning at 6am to go to the airport so technically tomorrow is my last day but really today is. Buuut seeing how today is Sunday and you can't really do jack (especially when all your friends have left already), yesterday was kind of my last day. Tara was supposed to be on my same flight but she decided last minute to go to school in Provo for the summer so she changed her flight to the Thursday before. Even more last minute she decided that she wasn't going to school any more but our original flight was already full so she wasn't able to change it back. Everyone else I knew took off Friday. The point of my rambling is that I've spent my last weekend in Hawaii alone, and as they say in The Little Mermaid "that is very boring." Yesterday I hit up some of our favorites spots - sunset beach, matsumoto's shaved ice, sunset again, and ted's bakery. While at matsumoto's I ran into the Pickards, man did I look like a loner. I was like "I swear I have friends..." Anyway, these past two months have been incredible. I came here expecting to spend two months laying on breathtaking beaches, but it turns out laying on the beach was one of our less frequent activities. Tara and I made a list of the things we've done here but there are over 60 things on it, so I'll just have to share with you a few highlights.

Baptisms at the Laie Temple - I don't know how many temples are like this, but the baptismal is located directly in the center...weird...Tara and I made a wrong turn and almost walked into a session. Talk about awkward...

We both learned to play a few songs on the Ukelele and for me who is not exactly musically inclined that is quite a feat.

We ate Matsumoto's shaved ice, Hukilou cafe's banana pankakes, and Ted's Bakery's carrot cake - these places are legendary around here and if you ever get the chance to eat at them you'll know why.

Jumped off lots of cliffs. The one I'm jumping off in the picture is the rock at Waimea bay.

Snuck into World War II Bunkers which now house props from all the movies filmed on Oahu, like Jurassic Park and such.

Hiked Stairway to Heaven. I'm not sure exactly how to explain this hike to you. It is basically a staircase that goes up along the side of a very very large mountain, and keeps going so far that as you're hiking it you feel like its actually the stairway to hell. It's closed off now and may or may not be legal to do. What you're seeing in the picture is not the top, by any means. It's not even the first platform, which there are 5 of before you reaching the top.

Rented mopeds in Waikiki with a group of 16 of our friends and spent the day riding them up the coast line. You'll see a in the picture a chunk of our group leaving costco where we stopped for lunch.

I wish I could tell you guys about everything I've done but that would take far too long. It's funny to me to think that at one point I was in it for the tan, because it didn't take long for that to become one of the least of my concerns. Everyday I was doing something new and incredible and that's what I'm going to miss most about Hawaii - the adventures I had and the people I had them with. Just to warn you, if I post any blogs in the next couple weeks they may be various combinations of sad, depressing, and extremely negative but hopefully you all willl understand why. The transition from Hawaii to the mainland won't be any easy one, in fact the only thing getting me on that airplane tomorrow (aside from the desperate plee of my bank account) is knowing that I'm headed to California and not Utah.

What happened to the Blog?

On behalf of every male that posts (regardless of how infrequent) we (come on guys I need your back up here) hereby boycott this blog until we get a background that is not completely emasculating! I am trying to get prepared to have a boy for goodness sake. I have a lot of playing Pretty Pretty Princess, dressing up, wearing clip on earings, necklaces, and hair clips, and pink & purple sparklies to get over. Can you help a brotha out? For all of you Office fans out there, the blog is officially "shunned."

signed,
no longer willing to sacrifice masculinity (I don't have much left!)

Seriously adorable...

Check this out. These are the cutest pictures of Malia. Judy was watching her for me while I took the big kids to a free movie. It's hard to picture this little face yelling "Zip it Bella" all the way from Fresno to Valencia, but she did. Good thing she's cute.

Bedrest (is that one word?)

I just wanted to let everyone know that things are looking good for us here in Sacramento. We went to the doctor's yesterday and they said that things haven't changed at all - which is good. It means to me that I likely won't have to be put upside down in the hospital for quite some time and I should be able to keep this baby in until she's ready to come out. GOOD. VERY GOOD. It, of course, also means that I will continue to stay flat, but I'm starting to get used to that and as of yesterday, I can now enjoy a pleasure we probably would have never experienced otherwise - cable. Wow. Sometimes my choices are so overwhelming that I have to just turn it off and breathe. Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers for us. We are learning and growing a lot, but I believe that everything will work out wonderfully!
-L

Fresno

Okay folks, so we officially moved. The move went very smoothly...sort of. After sweating out whether or not our stuff would fit in the biggest moving truck Budget had...the elder's quorum managed to stuff every little bit in which was some kind of miracle. The actual drive up was lovely...Malia had bronchitis, Bella threw up a couple of times and the moving truck wouldn't go more than 25 miles up the grapevine. After we got there, the new elder's quorum unloaded us (for which I am grateful) and we now have an apartment lined from wall to wall with boxes which are not going to be unloaded since we have to turn around and do this again soon. The first night was tough...the boys were crying and although I tried to hold it together, Nana and Papa leaving was sad for me. Little did I know, my night was about to get worse...much worse. Bella threw up a couple more times and THE AIR CONDITIONER DIDN'T WORK. Which, if you've ever been to Fresno is A VERY BAD THING. They fixed it the next day after sleeping in a house that was 83 degrees. At some point int he midddle of the night, I was lying on my pillow crying because I was hot and tired and I WANTED TO GO HOME. Too bad I was home.

Anyway, things have imporved since then. Everybody is well. We went to a ward bar-b-que at church which was so fun. People are so friendly. And, even better for me...not all the moms are model skiny and gorgeous. They're more your average kind of people which I LOVE! The party was at this group of four houses on the same street owned by a dad and his three grown sons and their families. The backyards just don't have fences to separate them so it's like one huge backyard. The next night, some random person I sat behind in church invited us to a bar-b-que at her house. She lives in the country next to her three sisters and her mother and they all have lots of property. The kids WERE IN HEAVEN. We ate overlooking their pasture. After dinner, the kids fed the cows and had races in the dirt. For entertainment, they threw oranges (which were ruined in the frost) in the street to see them smash. The, the evening culminated with a homemade airgun which they filled with glow sticks and shot into the air like fireworks. The kids had such a fabulous time. Oh, and let's not forget the kittens...five of them. Malia dragged them around by their necks and they just kind of hung limply while she lugged them around. We had so much fun. I can tell I'm going to like this ward. In sacrament meeting, I noticed two women with tattoos, a lovely older lady with lavender hair, a few people in wheelchairs, and families with kids of all ages. Now that's my kind of ward. A little of everything. I really enjoyed it and people were so nice to us.

Anyway, that's it for now. In case you haven't figured it out, I don't have access to a computer except if I go to the library or somewhere else that has a computer...so my posts aren't very frequent for now...

Good news folks. Michelle got Carter signed up for AYSO soccer in Clovis, so he can get to work on those mad skills.

but does anyone else think it's a problem that she signed him up in Clovis, NEW MEXICO? We'll have to let the coach know he may be late for practice.

good week

This is turning out to be a great week for the CO Lisonbees, we just found out this morning that Justin passed his first section of the CPA!!!

Folks, folks, Merry Christmas!

Soon there will be another Lisonbeaker BOY, yes I said BOY. Did anyone miss that, we're having a BOY!!! Thanks for your prayers and fasting, we finally got one!

Are we having fun yet?

We went camping this weekend with some families in our ward. We had such a blast. I hope we'll go again soon. The kids were really good, the site was close, it was perfect. But in case you doubt we are still Griswolds, we did break a tent stake and were lucky to get our tent up. I made sure to buy a nice fat air mattress to sleep on--I even got the one with the pump included, and then forgot to charge it! Smart, huh?

another blog to check

Hey guys,
I started another blog so I could put as much junk on it as I want. It's www.lizzydid.blogspot.com

Leave me comments so I know you came!
(It's just to keep more updates on us, not to compete with the family blog.)

Hap diddley appy Birthdee Marky!!!

So, it's somebodee's special dee. Happy birthdee Marky! I'm so excited for you to be old like the rest of us! YAY! I know you are having lunch with the girls (and Dad) but I thought I'd send along a little birthdee cake for dessert. Mmmm. Delicious.

Surely your biggest wish ever already came true because you're related to all of us and you just couldn't wish for a cuter daughter... SO, in case you're stumped, I'll offer a few alternative suggestions. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure you should wish for the Lakers to take the NBA championship, UCLA to become national champions and the Dodgers to have a perfect season. Anyone else have suggestions for the Markinator?

Then, as depicted below, you should party like it's 1999. In fact, we here in Texas will carry on the Lisonbeaker tradition of celebrating your birthdee without you. Party at Dale's! Woo hoo! Live it up, Marky. We've only got a few good years left to that fateful 3-0 and I hear that one's a doozey!

thatta girl

I found out at the Doctor's office yesterday that I gained about seven pounds. I was so excited when I saw the number on the scale that I asked to see exactly how much I was last month so I could chart my improvement. I didn't gain any weight last month, and I think in total I had only gained two pounds for the entire pregnancy. I was pretty darn proud that I finally "popped." Sure, I don't want to gain seven pounds EVERY month, but one big hurrah is okay, right?

So anyway, I met the "doctor" for the first time today, because before this I had been seeing the Nurse Practitioner. Besides getting all crazy about some other issue (which I will not discuss on a BLOG, but really, everything is great), he then said, "That's not good" when he saw the seven pounds. I was expecting to get a "thatta girl," but NOOOOO, he had to be all weird about it until he looked at the rest of my chart and then told me I was fine. Well GUESS WHAT. I KNEW I WAS FINE TO BEGIN WITH. How long do you have to be a doctor to figure out that you should know something about the history before you go scare a poor little first-time pregnant girl.

I love my nurse practitioner. I want to keep her, not him. And I've also considered buying a reliable scale, blood pressure monitor, urine thing (can't I just use those pool slips?) and baby heart beat monitor so I could do my own monthly checkups, because sometimes I walk out trying to figure out what they did that I couldn't have done.

Dr: Your uterus is right here
Lisa: Really? I had no idea; I thought it was some kind of alien growth in my belly
Dr: That's right where it should be, at your belly button for 20 weeks
Lisa: You're JOKING. The thing I read said that it should have fallen to my thigh by now
Dr: Are you feeling movement?
Lisa: Of course
Dr: That's good
Lisa: Really? I thought that was bad. I thought I wanted a sedentary baby.

Of course, the sad part is that nothing I just repeated was ever said aloud from my mouth. That would have been much more entertaining.

ANYWAY. Things are great - we'll have a gender update (HOPEFULLY) on Friday.

Are we having fun yet?

Okay, the move is Saturday. I spend every day wandering around wondering what else we're not going to use so I can pack it. I start one box in a room, then wander to the next room where there's probably a box already started...and this continues all day. Then I get ambitious and try and clean something only to find an hour later the children have messed it up again. And, lucky me, we get to move into an apartment and then pack and move into our house 2 1/2 months later. Somebody please shoot me. The sooner the better.

Neighbors...

I don't know about you, but I've generally had good luck with neighbors. This lady who lives next door is renting...she's kind of, well, shall we say...white trashish? But, she takes immaculate care of her yard...better than the owner used to. Anyway, she's been banned from the elementary school for being a psycho. But, she's always been nice to me. She asked me yesterday, "So, when's the big move?" I answered Saturday. She then said, "Now, what are you going to do about the daycare you have?" For a minute, I didn't know what she was referring to, then I realized that she thought since I had so many kids, I must run a daycare. Nice. I thought that was really funny, but then I ran into my neighbor on the other side...a 50something Columbian guy. He's very jolly and happy. So, I was in the garage getting our swim stuff ready and he came over and started talking. After like 15 minutes, he said, so you're going swimming? I sad that we were. He said with big eyes and a wide grin...are you wearing a bikini? I laughed and said no (thinking to myself...time to go!) Then he said, I love to look at women in bikinis. They are so beautiful. I don't do anything, just look...Wow...I don't think he realized he said that outloud. He's a little cooky. Nice, but cooky.

milestone for Em

Last week Emma called me outside to look at something and she was riding down the street on our neighbor's daughter's bike with no training wheels. Who knew? Easiest kid I ever taught to ride a bike! We took the training wheels off her bike yesterday and she cruises around looking like a pro. She picked up swimming in a similar fashion, just calling me to show me what she had taught herself to do. She must have at least a little of Justin in her because I have no athletic talents whatsoever--unless you count the ability to paint my own toenails when I am pregnant. Emma is also working on loosing her third tooth and will be starting second grade in less than two months!

the love interest

It's true, I can't deny it. Here he is, in all his stained shirt, short glory! This is Ethan Lovejoy, Emma's betrothed. But when you have a kid as beautiful as Emma, you have to expect this, right?

Guess who put me up to it...

CALL THE ZOO!!!

Kristin, this first one's for you. Mostly I was just trying to recreate the "Mary was happy but sad" moment. I think I nailed it, but I'll let you make the call. Here's Adam pressing the flesh with our nearest ancestors. I'm not going to lie. I had SEVERAL moments where it took all the restraint I could muster not to pull a dad and scream at the monkeys/chimpanzees/apes "Hey Mackenzie. Get down off that tree."

By far, my favorite moment at the zoo was in the gorilla exhibit. I mean, this thing must have weighed 3 trizillion pounds but he was behind some pretty thick glass. When we got there, he was leaning up against the glass wall but doing a Rene Zellweger pose all looking over it's shoulder. ANYWAY, this little boy about 2 years old pounds on the window and says "Hey Monkey! Come over her and bite me!" Ahh, kids. Hilarious.

"She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen"

Folks, this is Brandiggity Dawgs Rocking 8th Birthdee Bash. You know you wish you'd been there. Here is the little man pictured directly above with his little buddy Marquise. And all the way up top, feast your eyes on Brando's little love interest. Her name is Sophie. For those of you who haven't heard the tale, before they moved to Provo (and subsequently back to the big D) and Brando came home from school one day and said "Daddy, Sophie kissed me at school today...but I didn't make her stop!" Big ol' Pimp, that kiddo. Making us all proud. In any case, I have it on good authority that this may be the real one for Bran-the-Man. Turns out he told Adam and I when we were babysitting one night that Sophie is the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. So you see folks, the next generation of Lisonbeakers are as big of heartbreakers as their incredibly good looking and humble predecessors. What? You want proof? Here goes: Carter and Elizabeth, Brando and Sophie, Emma and her 2 inch shorter boyfriend who I'm told has proposed and whose proposal Emma has accepted...feel free to confirm, Kate. What can I say? We just might need to start wearing shirts that would rival Dad's "I can't wait for tomorrow because I get better looking every day." You know we could rock that look. I can see it in my mind...and we're breathtaking.