Bedtime Prayer... the twin way.

Hey! Here's our first video using our digital camera... if you listen closely, you'll here Brittany saying thanks in her prayers for Santa Claus and the Polar Express, had to get the important things in there! Only one of them was supposed to be saying the prayer, but like all other things when one starts doing something, the other joins in. Anyway, hope you all have a great New Years celebration!

Happy Birthdee Curtains Mommies!!!

So, to the youngest (and let's be honest folks, probably the cutest) of our bunch, let's wish the Coach a hap diddley appy birdthdee.

Here's what i miss about the coach. she would come by my carrell at law school with no other reason than to say whattup and if i wasn't there, she'd leave me 10 post it long notes on my desk. she loved anything in the world i cooked. She came over for a St. Patrick's Day party, brought some rocking orange cream soda (in beer bottles) and ate green rice krispy treats with me. she affirmatively bit my arm like a kitty cat during a the prayer at a fireside. she's so awesomely fun loving and hilarious. one time she and i were having a felicity sleep over and she convinced me to ditch school and order thai for lunch instead. now that's all great but she's amazingly persuasive because that was the day i had my mandatory graduation meeting which i ate my pad thai right through.


ain't no party like a coachney party. she seriously makes any room more fun, more boisterous and simultaneously, more interesting.
***This picture is of the Coach at my graduation party. i turned around to see this sight. a table of 5 guys at least 9 years older than coachney seriously enthralled by her, just hanging on her every word. i had to capture it on film.***
she's one of those girls we'd all love to hate because she's so freaking cute AND smart but you can't help but love her because she's so warm. plus, she's super talented. not just with her fashion sense (two snaps up) or amazing eye for hair color/ style, she is also gifted in listening to people, understanding people and letting them feel validated and aware without ever making them feel judged. she's a freaking hard worker as evidenced by the fact that she got a scholarship most of the rest of us couldn't have even been considered for. she's so multi dimensional. most people can be really cute or really fun or really insightful or really driven. coach manages to do all of those things and make it look easy. for me, the most gratifying thing about courtney is the older she gets, the more I see the spiritual, really rock solid aspects of her grow. for us old folks, the age gap feels like it narrows. she really is getting better every year. i just hope she'll hang out with us as she continues to get awesomer.

we love you coachney. you're the prettiest!

Christmas at Nana and Papa's

This was our first year at Nana and Papa's in FOREVER. A good time was had by all. We watched Christmas Vacation and laughed ourselves silly. Seriously, does that ever get old? Steven got to watch it with commentary by a few of the Lisonbees which always helps. Some of my favorite parts about Christmas this year were Matty and Lisa surprising us and bring Sarah to play. I think I'm Sarah's favorite auntie...I could be wrong, of course, but I'm pretty sure. Matty played all kinds of games with my kids which was really fun for them. Brett is currently between jobs and so he was around a lot which was so much fun for the kids. He helped them make gingerbread houses, watched movies, made them hot chocolate, and let Carter play his guitar. Courtney is always good for some entertainment. Besides wearing her "footie" p.j.'s, she took Bella to the mall for some girl time, made a gingerbread house with a "shingle roof" and hung out with us even though we're not very cool. We had lots of SORRY tournaments including Mark referring to us as "varments" (sp?). I think Matty is the king of Sorry though because he would never go "home". He would keep going around and around chasing players down until he killed them. Even when he was killed, he loved it because that's the object of the game, I guess. We did some baking with nana and the kids. Courtney made these yummy rolo cookies which were inhaled rather quickly. Nana and Papa went overboard spoiling us all while we were there. It was really fun. Rick's mom came over and spent some time with us too. She loves being in the midst of complete chaos so Nana and Papa's house is perfect for her. I bought myself a little bling for christmas. Come on now, I've been married for almost 10 years, I have to wear a wedding ring. I picked this one out myself. I almost forgot...for everyone's christmas enjoyment, they (I wasn't there) broke out the home videos from Christmas past...Apparently it was 3 hours of pure Lisonbeaker children at their finest. I'm sorry I missed it. Although, it might've been very damaging for my children to see me like that. Anyway, that's a synopsis of the Edwardson Christmas. We are back in Fresno now enjoying all the fun toys we got for Christmas...

Colorado Christmas

Ashley at the Enterprise Christmas Party. She walked in the front door, saw Santa, and then cut in front of the whole line and sat herself down on Santa's lap to let him know what she wanted. They had a nice chat.

Camille sat on Santa's lap, too. Emma wouldn't. All three kids were asking lots of questions about Santa. Ashley saw him pass by on his way to the men's room and asked, "Santa! Where are you going?"
Santa: "Uh, I'm going home."
Bash: "But where is your sleigh?"
Santa: "It's on the roof!"
It was funny. Before we got there Emma looked at me seriously and asked if it was the real Santa. I told her to decide for herself. Isn't childhood great?

Santa gave everybody gifts and we got play foam (which by the way is seriously cool). This is the "firesnake" the big girls made when we got home.

Guess who has daddy wrapped around her little finger.

Ashley got a little dog that walks and barks, a big hit. She was pretty cute walking it around. I got some fun video at our big Christmas Eve dinner, some of Ashley leading 30-40 of our family and friends singing Christmas carols, and a little of Nate as Jesus sleeping in a file box, I mean a manger. We also got a webcam for Christmas so as soon as I figure it out, I'll post video of Nate smiling, it's about the cutest thing in the world.

Party in Flagstaff!

I was just wondering if someone could give us out of touch Texas Lisonbees the low down on Flagstaff. Do we have dates yet? Who do we need to pay? Is everyone in, etc. Anybody who has any information at all can feel free to tip me off. Thanks guys. Can't wait to party like it's 1999.

More pics with my new camera.

Just playing around with the camera.
This is fun!!!

Merry Christmas!

Hey everyone! Just testing out this new digital camera Dale got me for Christmas. If I actually figured this thing out afterall, be prepared for tons of pics! :) Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas holiday!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Sorry to monopolize the blog with my novel, I just need to vent.

Ok so you all know how fond I am of the beast...I mean my roommate Lauren. Well, her little annoyances sort of piled up throughout the semester until they became too much to handle. Among those little annoyances were:

• leaving my bathroom looking like a beauty salon that hasn't been swept for a week
• using our hallway as her personal laundry room
• using my toiletries without asking after being asked about a zillion and one times not to
• going in my room and taking my phone charger
• taking my things (which I find in her room) and then lying when I confront her about it
• letting her scary guy friends sleep in our livingroom over night
• turning the heater up to 90 and then when it becomes unbarably hot turning on the air conditioning to compensate
• letting her freshman friends use our washer and dryer

As annoying as every single one of these things was, I was able to put up with all of it. What I could not put up with was her shanking me on the utilities. Every month I would divide up the bill and tell my roommates how much each person owed and for the next three weeks before the bill was due I would remind them just about daily. You would think with this kind of persistance I would have been paid back at least once, right? Definately not...not one single time. This month after weeks of nagging Lauren we got into a blow out. I asked her if she had the money and for the eleventy billionth time that month she lied and said she'd have it later that day. I said that I needed in the next hour before I left because I needed to send the bill before the mail went out. She had the nerve to ask "why are you freaking out about this?"

And the conversation went something like this:

Me: "Why am I freaking out?? I'm freaking out because I don't have the money to pay for my own utilities, let alone yours!"

Lauren: "Well thats not really my problem is it?"

Me: "How is it NOT your problem that you don't pay your utilities?"

Lauren: "I didn't make you sign up for them. If you have such a problem with it take it out of your name."

Me: "Brilliant idea, why didn't I think of that. Oh wait I did, and then I remembered you REFUSED to put it under yours so I didn't really have another option."

Lauren: "Well thats not my problem, is it?"

Me: "Its going to be your problem when I take the cancel the utilities."

Lauren: "No, I'll just move out."

I had already asked my complex management a while back what they could do to help and they told me they were not responsible for utilities. This time Lauren had really pushed my buttons with her "the world revolves around me" attitude though so I walked into the management office and told them they either needed to help me enforce it or get me out of my contract. Apparently she owed them money so they were willing to work with me, but they wanted me to give it a couple days. So then today I walk out and asked her if she has the money yet and once again she said no but that she'd have it by tonight.

And the conversation went something like this:

Me: "Ok, well I've talked to Belmont about the trouble I am having with getting you to pay utilities and apparently you owe them money as well so their ready and willing to take action agaist you. We have a meeting at 1:30, if you get the money to me before them I can tell them it has been taken care of and if you don't their interested in knowing how else you've violated your contract and I can think of a few ways."

Lauren: "Great, nice to know."

A few minutes later...

Lauren: "I can't believe you're really freaking about $25."

Courtney: "1) It's $25 THIS month, that doesn't cover the last three months. 2) Their is a lot more than you not paying utilities that I have issues with."

Lauren: "Oh ya, like what?"

Courtney: "Well for one, I suspect that you have taken some of my things without replacing them."

Lauren: "How dare you accuse me of stealing? What would I steal of yours?"

Courtney: "I noticed the other day cleaning supplies had gone missing, and so I looked everywhere in the apartment and they were no where to be found. I thought you might have used them in your room so I peaked in there and noticed my nail polish. I went to check my nail kit to see if that polish was missing and I found that the entire kit was missing."

Lauren: (completely missing the point of the story) "I used the cleaning supplies on my car but I was going to bring them back...wait...YOU WENT IN MY ROOM?!?"

Courtney: "Don't even give me crap for going in my room because you come in mine all the time and use my charger. Besides, obviously I had the right to go in there because you had taken the stuff I was looking for."

Lauren: "You had no right to do that...blah blah..."

Courtney: "Ok well report me to belmont. I'm sure me walking in your room and touching nothing is going to seem horrendous compared to your list of offenses."

Lauren: "Courtney, you better lose that tone with me..."

Courtney: "Or what?"

Lauren: "Or I'll kick your bleeeep!"

Courtney: "Oh no you won't."

Lauren: "Yes I will, and I will accept whatever consequences come because I am that pissed."

Courtney: "Go for it."(I was hyped up with adrenaline so give me a break)

Lauren: "I'm calling Brooklyn and if you didn't ask her if she took the stuff then I'm going to beat your bleeep."

Courtney: (grabs purse and runs as fast as humanly possible to Belmont offices)

Point of the story, aparently Belmont had been the reciever of one of Lauren's angry rages before when her car was towed so once again they knew I wasn't making things up. They immediately switched me to another WAY NICER apartment within the complex and they claim they are going to evict her. I went to BYU off-campus housing and reported her for everything. I just worry that she's going to talk her way out of this like she does everything else. The thing is, she graduated early from high school so she thinks she's sooooooooo smart and she got a scholarship for basketball so she thinks shes sooooooooo valuable and she's conviced that the world owes her something. What she doesn't realize is that its actually her that owes the world for the oxygen its providing her with to produce that useless rambling that comes out of her mouth. I think the problem is that all along I let her get away with crap just for the sake of peace so it fed into her self-absorbed mentality and she mistook me as stupid and timid. This last week though I've stopped putting up with her and I think it was an unpleasant surprise to find out I'm actually kind of smart and pretty far from timid. I should have just told her from the start "Guess what Queen Latifa, I also graduated early from high school...not that impressive. And get this...I have a scholarship too! Laddy freaking da...you're not that special!"

I think I've posted my quota for the next year in this blog alone, which is good because now that I'm not living with Lauren I'll have nothing interesting to write about.

Folks, Merry Christmas

Just wanted to make sure everyone has or is going to watch Christmas Vacation at least ten times during the holiday season. It's our family theme...don't let me down on this one.

Happy Holidays from us to you! :)

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Houston, we have a problem...

*****Names of those involved have been changed to protect the identity of the accused. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

So, the other day, we were getting ready to go to school and *Ella was brushing her teeth. She came downstairs and set her toothbrush on a towel on the back of the toilet. Then, she grabbed the towel causeing the toothbrush to fall into the toilet which had been previously used without being flushed. Ella didn't want to stick her hands in there was still pee in it, so she came to me and asked me want to do. I pulled out a pair of salad tongs to help her fish it out. Before I could get in there, she flushed the toilet. She didn't want to fish it out with pee in it, of course. Bye bye toothbrush. I just figured oh well, it'll go the way of everything else that goes down the toilet. Two days later, I walked into the dark bathroom and saw this red flashing in the toilet. YOu guessed it. Ella's toothbrush (which flashes) is stuck somewhere in the abyss of the toilet and it reminds us every time the somebody flushes the toilet...it blings red. So, don't be alarmed if you come visit and there's a red blinking in the toilet...it's just a toothbruth. Too bad we can't use that toilet any more. I think we're going to have to get it snaked out. Dumb toothbrush.

PS

In case you have wondered lately what kids in Provo do for entertainment, I have provided a classic example for you. About 2 in the morning my friends and I stopped at 7-11 for some hot chocolate and this abominable snowman comes walking in behind us. It could tell I was scared so it followed me out and of coarse my door had frozen itself shut again so I couldn't get inside before it got all up in my grill. I swear, who needs alcohol when you have the sober kids of Provo to come up with ridiculous ideas.

Things I've learned Since Having a Car in Provo

1. Parking is illegal, period. Which brings me to number 2...

2. The location of Provo's traffic court and traffic school and BYU's parking offices.

3. Its a good idea to have triple A when your gas gage doesn't work.

4. Scraping snow off a car without gloves is one of the most excruciating pains a person can experience.

5. It is possible for your key hole to freeze shut.

6. It is possible for your door to freeze shut.

7. It is possible for you to pry open your door, go inside for a while, and to come outside and find it frozen shut again.

Don't get me wrong, I LOOOOOVE having a car up here but 2 parking tickets, 1 traffic ticket, 1 hour of traffic school, 2 frost bitten hands and a couple calls to triple A later it doesn't seem quite as fun as I had imagined it.

Here's another quiz like the ice cream one, but with a Holiday twist

Hey everyone! I checked out some quizes from the same site as the fun personality "ice cream" quiz Kate told us about and here's another one. A holiday version one. Anyway, thought I'd post it and so here are my results... hope to see everyone elses and hopefully this time I will have something in common with somebody, ANYBODY! Just one person, please, be like me so I don't feel like the odd-ball again. :) Happy Holidays!



Wild holiday parties? Not your thing. Since your home is such a tasty place (nonpareils, gumdrops, and licorice are very welcoming), you'd rather hang out there with a small group of invited guests. The holidays are a lot of work for you, but it all feels worth it when everyone compliments your artful decorations and inspired seasonal soundtrack. You surround yourself with sweetness at home, so you don't feel the need to venture out -- you're happier in your own, carefully-constructed holiday surroundings.

Heloooooooooooo....

Just thought I'd ask...what is wrong with everybody? I am the only one posting and I don't even have a camera to post cool pictures...

So, today I finished my political science class. It didn't even kill me. I am still alive to tell about it...and a lot more knowledgeable about the current people running for president. My next class is Chemistry. I'm so looking forward to blowing something up. That is chemistry, right?

In other news, I was wondering if anyone has ever seen an elf on crack? I have. His name is Carter. Last night at the Christmas program Carter was seriously acting like he was on something. He was wearing a Santa hat (which made me think of Santa's little elves). He was so crazy that when we were walking out, the guy behind Carter just kind of backed out of the way so Carter didn't run into him as he ran, jumped, twirled, etc. and laughed that "I'm glad he's not my kid laugh." The funny thing is that Carter has a friend in his class who is also in our ward and he and Carter are seriously kindred spirits. They look so similar they could be brothers and the ACT EXACTLY THE SAME. Seriously, who knew there were two Carters in the world and who knew some poor sap would get stuck with both of them in her class? I love public school...

Carter is a good one for information though...today as I was sitting there with him doing his homework ( I have to sit right next to him and literally put his pencil on the paper about a hundred times before he gets it all done) and he said, "Mom, at recess me and Jake chase girls." Who knew? I didn't know they even knew girls existed? All this time I assumed they were playing football. I asked Jake if it was true and he said no and got all embarassed about it, so you know it's true. He got really crazy when Carter told me that Jake likes to chase "Taylor" who I happen to know is an adorable little blonde girl in his class. And then, I told the boys it was no big deal, that girls are silly and like to chase boys sometimes. Carter asked me if I ever chased boys when I was young and then he asked why girls just didn't go talk to the boys? Oh, the games they we play...even at age 6.

Has anyone ever heard of a service dog that helps people with panic and anxiety attacks? Me neither, but there is such a thing. A lady in Walmart today stopped me to talk about her dog that is certified to help her with panic and anxiety attacks. That's not all she told me. TMI folks...So the Christmas season is in full bloom. I have done all my shopping and wrapping and today I did my last grocery shopping until after christmas so I won't have to brave any stores until after the holidays. Now, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the season...Tis the season.

Somebody start posting right now....

This one's for you Justin...

Okay people, we invited some friends over for dinner last night. Their kids are all grown and married, but she is a second grade teacher and a kid at heart. So, we had a nice dinner, then we let our kids open the gift they had brought for them. It was a marshmallow gun. It is the sweetest thing ever! You blow into it and it shoots miniature marshmallows. It's made of PVC pipes and it's painted camouflage. I can picture Justin, Dale, Rick, Matty, Mark, Adam, Brett and my boys having full fledged marshmallow wars. It could get a little ugly if someone, hypothetically, of course, wet the marshmallow before he put it in. Then, it would stick to whomever it hit. Now that would be sweet. So far, it's not too messy to clean up and rick and the boys sure had fun with it last night. I would include a picture, but we don't have a camera...so picture it in your minds...

Now's your chance...

Okay fellow lawyers...now is your shot to move to Fresno and join Rick working for Uncle Sam. They are hiring a research attorney in his officde because one of his co-workers is out on disability for like a year or maybe permanently. So, if you like short hours, low stress and paid government holidays...send in your resume. It doesn't pay great, but money isn't everything, right? Besides, there are houses in my neighborhood that are being auctioned off next month. You could get one of those houses for really cheap and we could be neighbors! What could be better than that? I mean really, I would send Carter over to visit every day. Now sure, we did get robbed, but most homes (including ours) have a security system and as long as you don't get one that backs up to an open field, you'll be fine. So, who's game? We'll be happy to hand in the resume personally for all interested parties. Oh yeah, one more perk. Fresno is gorgeous right now. The fall colors are still in full bloom. I have never seen so much red, orange, and yellow on trees! It is absolutely fabulous. Don't all jump at once...I don't want everyone fighting over this opportunity...

Apparently, it isn't rude....

Matt and I seem to get a lot of telemarketers calling our house. I usually don't answer, but when I do, I always seem to have the weirdest conversations. Here's the one from today...

guy: I'm calling about your discovercard. Would you like to be enrolled in the identity theft protection program?
me: no.
guy: you mean, you don't want to be protected for up to $25,000?
me: no
guy: well, what about...
me: I said no, so that means we can stop talking about it (making sure he didn't actually have something important to say about my account - my dumb)
guy: well that's my job mam, I'm a telemarketer. if you didn't want to talk, you could just hang up.
me: oh, I thought hanging up would just be rude
guy: no it's not
me: okay, fine.

click.

Sarah's Blessing - Thanks

Many many thanks to you Lisonbees who could make it to Sarah's blessing day. It was such an enjoyable visit and so fun to see you after too long. I think my brain was kind of checked out for most of the day (I've been suffering from that condition since her birth...), so I REALLY appreciate all your help with the food (and cleaning up!), etc., and being patient with my total lack of hostessing. I wish I had taken more pictures, so email any if you have them.

A little help here...

Hey folks...I am teaching R.S. on Sunday and the lesson is on sustaining our leaders. I am having such a hard time figuring out how to make it the least bit interesting. Does anyone have any examples (good or bad) about sustaining our leaders? I would really appreciate it. Seriously, I am going to bore them to death if I don't get some help here...

What the?

Yesterday I looked out the window to see Bash and her friend...

Yes, it is December here too. But before you call child services, it was 72 degrees yesterday, so I'm not that negligent.

KABLOOOEY!!!!

So, for this post, I'm going to need you all to channel Clark W. Griswold. So, I'm pulling out of my driveway at zero miles an hour. I'm watching behind me because I have to be very careful how I pull out since our fence borders our driveway in the back and so if I swerve even a snitch I'll take out my own fence. On the radio (this is not a lie) "Happy holiday, Happy holiday, May the calendar keep bringing happy holidays to you." All of the sudden, my car is just JOLTED, I mean rocked like a baby with colic.

I look behind me and see nothing. I put on the e-brake thinking "I'm not far enough out of my driveway to have hit a trash can." I look to the right. Nothing. I look to the left to find a car that had sped down the alley behind our house SO FAST that she couldn't even pull her car to a stop until she was cleanly in front of the house next door to mine.

Her front fender was crumpled back showing the scars of functionally side swiping my bumper. Oh, and her hubcap had popped off and was resting soundly (what was left of it) in my drive way.

This sweet little sister (not so much) then pranced herself out of the car and confessed the following two things:

1. This happened to me in our last neighborhood. (Things that came to mind to say: 1. "Does it count as 'happening to you' if you're the one that causes it?" and 2. "Genius, learn your lesson and stop barrelling down the blind alley!")

2. I just didn't see you. I completely didn't see you. (Things that came to mind to say: 1. "Well did you see what was on your ipod which you were fiddling with when you Kabloooied poor innocent Reginald?" and 2. "I hope the song was good b/c it's gonna cost you!")

And worse! Poor Adam still suffering from back trauma hears the sound (and heaven can only imagine what he must have thought happened) has to haul his stricken carcass out to survey the damage. Luckily the appraiser saw my car this afternoon and felt optimistic that it couldn't be my fault. I heart him.

And the photo? While this isn't my trusty car Reggie, it's an accurate represenatation of how he feels this afternoon. Get well cards to Reggie are totally appropriate.

So I'll cut right to the chase...

In the Dallas, each stake has a Nativity Exhibit where members are invited to lend their nativities to be displayed for a week and we invite non member friends/ co workers to come and see this display where there are hundreds of nativities from all around the world. AND, there was a PENGUIN NATIVITY! If a penguin nativity isn't awesome enough to get you out here to visit, maybe nothing will...





EXCEPT THIS. Feast your eyes on Dale and I!!!


Yes, by a cruel twist of fate, Dale ended up being asked to be Mary and Joseph in the live nativity. No, it wasn't as awesome as Kristin's portrayal of Mary (you'll all recall "Mary was happy but sad.") No, we did not have to reinact Luke 2 before we could open our new pajamas on Christmas Eve and no Dad was not video taping us. But yes, if you must know, that was Dale sticking his tongue out at me while I was EVER SO REVERENTLY trying to hug (and nuzzle just a little). Anyway, who's in? Christmas in Texas next year? Buellar? Anyone?

Classic Basher

So this morning Ashley has been walking all over the house talking on her princess cell phone. It is Katie's Mom's B-day so Kate is cooking and I am cleaning. I asked the girls to clean up their morning mess. Emma and Camille start cleaning but Ash keeps chatting on her phone.
Me: Ash, help the girls clean.
Ash: Dad, be quiet.
Me: I need you to help clean up.
Ash: Dad, be quiet, I'm on the phone.
Me: (laughing but trying to be serious) Ash, help clean up.
Ash: Dad, be quiet, do I need to spank you?
Me: (laughing hysterically) Yes.

..... three minutes later ....

Katie is cooking in the kitchen with Ash standing on a stool monitoring the progress.
Katie: Ash, can you put this in the pantry?
Ash: Um, I'm on the phone.