Cory and Amy.

friday.

2011-05-23T16:10:00.003-07:00

dear body,
last friday was not our favorite. remember..

..signing our life away?

..the IV?

..the stylish allergy bracelet we wore to keep
that yucky medicine away?

..the new yucky medecine that
made us feel sick anyway?

let's not do it again, ok? thanks!

love,

amy

ps. good news from the dr.. everything came back a-ok!

Operation: Rescue Domo.

2011-03-22T17:36:00.004-07:00

Friends.

It is with a heavy heart that I regret to inform you that this morning I was made aware of the fact that there are certain members of Domo's newly adopted family who are not happy with the report that they have changed their brutish ways. Shortly after this was brought to my attention I, again, started receiving photographic evidence of their feelings.

The following pictures are graphic in nature, and are not appropriate for children under the age of 2.

I am sickened to think that it is my words that have spurred these certain family members to revert to the torture and abuse of an innocent LBM. They have made false accusations, and feel that these lies justify their actions. And what's worse is that they are forcing other helpless toys to participate in these heinous crimes.

I have it on good authority that this particular family member can be especially cruel to those they consider "lesser". (Specifically, younger brothers.) Therefore, seeing how Domo is a defenseless creature, it is safe to assume that this injustice will not stop without intervention.

So, my dear readers, I must ask a favor of you. If you know of anyone who will be in or around the Idaho Falls area soon.. please.. save an innocent LBM.. save my Domo!

Thank you.

The story of LBM, Domo, and Domo 2D.

2011-03-21T19:22:00.008-07:00

Once upon a time the Mister worked at a call center. He and his co-workers had LBM (Little Brown Monster). LBM would travel from cubical to cubical. Whenever LBM would grace the Mister's cubical with his presence I would receive pictures like these.

Oh, how I wanted a LBM of my own. Who wouldn't?
Then, during one magical night spent at Golfland this happened.

Right now you're probably asking yourself, "This is all fine and good, but what does it have to do with LBM?" Well, would you believe me if I told you that when we went to buy prizes with our tickets there was a wall-full of LBM's? It's true. Ok, maybe not a wall-full, but there were LBM's that needed a home. And one of them came home with me that fateful night.

I felt that LBM was a little impersonal for a name. Therefore, we named our LBM Domo. (The name may or may not have been on his tag. There'd be no way of knowing.)

Shortly after we brought Domo home we took him on his first road trip. (He had a new cousin in Idaho that we just had to meet.) Naturally, being the doting parents that we are, we had to take amillionbagillion pictures to document Domo's first trip.

Here he is all ready to go.
Can't you just see the excitement in his cute little face?

This is the first time he saw snow.
Again, he's so excited.

Here he is all tucked in at our hotel in SLC.
He was too excited to sleep.

Helping me crochet in the car.
He's just an excited boy, ok?

This is one of his first moments in Idaho.
Once again, so excited!

When we finally reached the Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law-in-law's house we partied like it was 2011.. McDowell-style! How does one party like it's 2011.. McDowell-style, you ask? Well, it's hard to put in words, so I'll just show you.

It requires lots of yummy food.. like this.

It involves crazy-awesome activities.
Like playing in the snow.
Why yes! I did make those amazing hats.

Cute little baby-faces like this are a must!
Which is always my favorite part of a McD party.

And lots and lots of fun with cousins.
This is Blank. Trying to make Domo's excited face.
In case you couldn't tell.

We were so sad when it was time to leave. (Rumor has it that plans for another trip may already be in the making.) In the all the commotion of packing the cars, saying good-byes, and trying to get on our way before a snowstorm Domo may have hidden from us. We were already on the road before we noticed his absence. I know, I know, this is probably one of the reasons we don't have a real child yet. And to make matters worse, we didn't even turn around to get him. We figured he'd be loved by his newly adopted family until we saw them again. Obviously we were mistaken.

Before we knew it, we started receiving disturbing pictures. Pictures that often included threats, and ransom notes. These next pictures are pretty graphic in nature.. you may want to close your eyes while scrolling down. Consider yourself warned.

It was about 10 degrees outside when this picture was taken.
Who knows how long he was left out there!

This picture was sent with a ransom note.
"I need $2 in small unmarked bills,
or the WD-40 gets lit."

Seeing how we weren't able to respond to the ransom note until the next day, we figured it was too late for Domo. So, we did what any parent would do. We went back to Golfland, and won us another LBM! Yes, I am aware that this may be yet another reason we don't have a human child. But, what's done is done, and we have named our new LBM Domo 2D.

He was so excited to come home with us!

Note: After bringing Domo 2D home, it was confirmed that Domo was still alive and well. And I am happy to announce that his newly adopted family has changed their ways, and they are now treating him very well. They even made him a special St. Patrick's Day lunch.

Check the forecast! (You-Know-Where) must have frozen over.

2011-02-17T19:48:00.021-07:00

Growing up every child in my family was required to do chores. There were the weekly Saturday chores such as vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, cleaning a bathroom, collecting all the garbage, etc., etc., etc. Most of these chores would rotate from child to child in order to keep things fair. You know. Because being the only girl in a household overflowing with boys things were rarely fair; so why not make the chores fair? Right?

Then there were the days we would be expected to do yard work. Oh, how I loathed these days! Unlike our weekly chores, the yard work chores did not rotate. My job was always either pulling weeds, or raking leaves. (Just fyi. These chores combined with cold, wet weather equals.. not fun.) The Brothers would always get the jobs requiring the exciting tools. (Fair, Right? I rest my case.) As long as any one of The Brothers was around I would never get my hands on a cool tool. The only thing a little bit related to a tool I was able to use as a child was a rake.. sometimes a small hand shovel, and these do not fall in the cool-tool category.

When I found out that The Mom would be spending a good portion of her day doing yard work I figured I could stop by and help out. Shocking, I know! But I was bored, and am currently on a shopping hiatus. So, what's a girl to do? Seriously, any suggestions?

Even though I wasn't expecting much, it ended up being the most eventful day I have ever spent in a yard. Of course I spent some quality time with my old companion Madam Rake, but because my parents home is officially devoid of all The Brothers I was finally able to make some new friends too! Mr. Hedge-Trimmer and I briefly became acquainted. Mrs. Leaf-Blower-Turned-Vacuum and I spent quite some time getting to know one another. At one point we even sucked up a bee. That was a little scary, I'm not going to lie.

All in all, it was a grand day. One, that throughout all those wet days spent in a yard on 13th Place, I never dreamed would happen. One, during which I continually glanced up at the sky, because I was sure I would see a pig fly.

Note: The Brothers would try to argue that, being the only girl in said household, I wouldn't know the meaning of un-fair. I would like them to think back on all of the TV shows we watched.. that's right boys! I didn't even know what a chick-flick was until I was in high school.

Also, I'm still not interested in getting to know Sir. Weed-Whacker. He just sounds mean, even from a distance. Is that wrong?

C.O.L.D. or W.E.A.K.

2011-02-03T18:15:00.009-07:00

Me and the Dog on a walk.
A very cold walk.

December of 2005 found me living in Provo, Utah experiencing the coldest winter of my life. Most of the previous 19 winters had been spent in Washington; which would provide 1 or 2 days of snow. For the most part my winters, up to that point, had just been wet so 1 to 2 months of snow was an entirely new thing for me. Therefore, the winter of 2005 was referred to as "The Coldest Winter Known to Amy" from that winter forth.

During "The Coldest Winter Known to Amy" I came to Arizona to visit the family for Christmas. Our first Christmas in Arizona, mind you. I came home to find the entire family wrapped in blankets, wearing robes, long sleeves, and slippers. I would constantly hear them talk about how "freeeeezing" they were.

It was 76 degrees on Christmas day. I was convinced that spring had come early, and that my family had lost their marbles.

70 degree weather in December?
Cold?
Come ON people!

Fast forward 5 years, and December of 2010 found me living in Chandler, Arizona. Ah! 60-70 degree weather. Sunshine every day. Does it get better than this? I submit that it can not! (..name that movie..) I must admit there were times (on the more brisk days) when I would wear a jacket, and maybe a scarf. And I would feel ashamed. But when it's 110-118 degrees during the summer 60-70 degrees can feel pretty. dang. cold.

I know the rest of the nation is currently experiencing "Snow-pocalypse", and that our 20-30 degree weather (plus SUPER crazy wind) seems pretty insignificant. Especially when compared to the temperatures dropping below 0, and the feet and feet of snow that most of the US is dealing with. But the last 3 days have been the coldest. Ever. Did I mention that the wind situation down here has been out of control? Seriously. Out. Of. Control.

So I have decided to make it official. Tuesday, February 1, 2011 to Thursday, February 3, 2011 will forever be know as "The Coldest 3 Days Known to Amy". That's right 20 degree weather and snow of 2005.. step aside.. and make room for the 20-30 degree weather plus wind of 2011.

I must be getting weak in my old age.

Note: No animals were harmed during the making of this post. The Dog has thoroughly enjoyed "The Coldest 3 Days Known to Amy". Especially during the times she has been allowed outside.

"The Coldest 3 Days Known to Amy" is subject to change. Continuous cold weather may result in additional days to said title.

Tears in the night.

2011-01-29T16:22:00.006-07:00

The other night I climbed into bed and snuggled next to a sleeping form of the Mister. (my favorite way to fall asleep.) As I was finishing my journey to dreamland the Mister's not-so-snuggly elbow decided it didn't want me next to it anymore and jerked itself into my ribs.

For me, a self-diagnosed narcoleptic, the time between consciousness and sleep is usually a very short, very intense period where my mind is rapidly becoming completely oblivious to the world. To be disrupted during this transition can be very disconcerting.

Which is why I began to cry.

I couldn't help it. I didn't want to cry, but I couldn't stop. My mind was lost in the abyss between reality and dreamland, and I couldn't get it to come back. So, I rolled over and silently cried myself back to sleep.

The next morning I told the mister about the actions of his not-so-snugly elbow, and how I couldn't control my emotions because my mind was stuck.

He laughed.
And I couldn't help but laugh too.

The end of an era.

2010-08-19T18:26:00.002-07:00

Well, it's official.

Tuesday, August 17th at 8:42PM my 2 year reprieve ended.

(read this for an explanation.. lest you think I am an absolutely horrible sister)

Although part of me is sad to see these peaceful days come to an end,

there is no denying that I have missed

..(I can't believe I am admitting this)..

the teasing.

and chasing that inevitably ensues.

the jumping out at me from corners and doorways during said chase.

the scarring me to the point of tears.

..(and maybe pee on occasion)..

the use of brute force to keep me from making it to Mom and Dad for help.

the STUPID giggle of his that comes out when I try to fight back.

and always, always, always finding a way to make me laugh when I am SOOO mad.

..(ok, I haven't missed that part)..

My point is, I'm not as heartbroken as one might think to say goodbye to such tranquil times.

3 months to the day.

2010-07-24T20:44:00.003-07:00

It's been exactly 3 months since we returned from our trip to Brazil. I guess that means it's about time to post some pics. The only problem is.. they're not all ready for the public eye.
So, here's one to keep you on the edge of your seat until the rest have passed our quality assurance inspection.

Hopefully it won't take 3 more months for the rest to be ready.

Um, does it have strawberry in it?

2010-06-26T18:33:00.007-07:00

Today we attended my brother-in-law's graduation.

Knowing how long graduations can be

(especially when the person you're there for is receiving their master's degree)

I packed a snack.

Yes, I am like a child.

I can't leave the house without a snack.

Today's snack of choice..

grapes.

As snack time came around

and I began to munch on my grapes

my nephew looked at them with his big blue eyes.

"Would you like some grapes?" I asked.

His blue eyes just stared at them some more.

I tried to hand my cluster of grapes to him.

There was no change in his expressionless face.

Same big blue eyes.

Same stare.

With the grapes suspended between us I asked,

one more time,

"Merik, would you like some grapes?"

His eyes shifted from the grapes to mine.

(The only movement he made since he first saw the grapes)

Hesitantly,

and with the disgust only a 4 year old can emote,

he asked,

"Um, does it have strawberry in it?"

Our dog can fly a kite.. can yours?

2010-06-12T22:17:00.005-07:00

The kite.

The Dog.

Need I say more?

One of a kind.

2010-03-18T20:46:00.009-07:00

Today we saw this duck in our swimming pool..

all by himself.

No other signs of his species for miles.

Ok..

maybe miles is an over exaggeration..

but you get the point.

He seemed quite content

as he took a swim

(and a nap)

in our freezing pool.

He didn't even appear perturbed

by the fact that

he was the only duck within kilometers.

Nope..

kilometers would definitely be an over exaggeration.

He helped me realize

that maybe it's not so bad

to have some alone time

every now and then.

And sometimes,

in order to have that alone time,

you're the only one of your kind

for many furloughs.

..yep, furloughs would be accurate.

..i'm sure of it.

2 things I adore.

2010-03-12T23:22:00.000-07:00

Sleeping.

And.

This little boy.

Oh, I wish...

2010-03-04T22:34:00.001-07:00

Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener

That is what I'd truly like to be

'cause if i were and Oscar Mayer Wiener

Everyone would be in love with me.

(Yes, that is THE Wienermobile!)

McDowell's at night.

2010-01-24T20:05:00.001-07:00

We took a walk tonight. It was quite enjoyable.. until we ran into some shady people.

Right now.

2009-12-23T23:24:00.002-07:00

Right now we have a dog that has diarrhea.

It's not fun.

For any of us.

PS. It's not very easy to give a dog Pepto-Bismol.

It makes quite the mess.

Still here.

2009-12-01T22:24:00.002-07:00

Yes, we're still here. We just have nothing to post, so we haven't updated in a while. However, since I've been receiving quite a bit of grief for my lack of blogging, I will post this little message for all you who have been lost without our blog.

A little over a week ago...

2009-04-14T20:52:00.004-07:00

... Cory and I were able to make a quick weekend trip to UT. It was so much fun to get away, and see old friends. The only thing that made the trip any better was listening to the words of the prophet. It is always so comforting to hear their guidance and feel their love, and there is always at least one talk that seems to be specifically for me. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life, and the hope that it gives me. I know that I have a light to turn to during dark and difficult times. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan, and although I may not always like it at the time, I know that we are given trials to help us grow. And in the end, if we are faithful, it always works out for the best.

Go here if you would like to know more.

Washington DC

2009-03-28T11:35:00.015-07:00

Last week Cory and I were able to visit Washington DC. It was an amazing trip! We were there for a whole week, and still didn't have enough time to see everything!

They were draining the reflecting pond for the Washington Monument, and we just couldn't resist taking a picture inside it.

One of my favorite places we saw was Mount Vernon.

Cory was pretty excited when we saw this little airplane at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

We celebrated our 2nd anniversay on the 23rd. (The day we were flying back home.) This is a picture of our anniversary dinner during our layover at the SLC airport.. how romantic!

By popular demand...

2009-03-09T18:16:00.002-07:00

... I have given our poor neglected blog a face lift (thanks to my very talented cousin for the way cute background). Now my wonderful blog stalker (you know who you are) can rest in peace!

Random

2008-11-18T20:01:00.011-07:00

What I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Going to school- 7th grade, I think.
2. Doing homework
3. Hating school- 7th grade, I think.
4. Hating homework
5. Babysitting

Things on my to-do list:
1. Clean the house
2. Do a load of laundry, or 2
3. Return Annie's yucky food
4. Call Aunt Sue for a recipe
5. Get Christmas music for work

Snacks that I enjoy:
1. Fruit
2. Goldfish
3. Wheat Thins
4. Cheese, Tillamook
5. Ice Cream

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. ADOPT!
2. Get our food storage
3. Donate
4. Buy Cory a new truck
5. Invest

5 places I've lived:
1. Fremont, CA
2. Vancouver, WA
3. Provo, UT
4. Goodyear, AZ
5. Mesa, AZ

Jobs I've had:
1. #1 Nanny for the Fieldings
2. Regal Cinemas
3. Dr. Anderson's office
4. Barry Family Dental Group
5. AZ Pediatric Dental Care

5 People I Tag:
1. Karri
2. Jason
3. Kathrin
4. Katie
5. Lori

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (hopefully some day soon!)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (does Scottsdale count?)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (only because we thought I couldn't)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (don't tell mom!)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

Another picture from the resident chef:

.. stop looking so confused,

it's mashed potatoes and gravy.

Soup-less Soup

2008-11-17T21:32:00.004-07:00

Another picture from the resident chef:

Chicken.. check. Noodle.. check. Soup.. ?????

The case of the run-away soup has not yet been solved. Authorities report the soup was last seen in the pot with the noodles before the veggies and chicken were added. It is important to remain calm; the chicken and the noodles are not in any danger of loosing their delicious-ness, they are still edible, and even quite scrumptious, without the soup.

Little and BIG Greatfuls

2008-11-16T17:21:00.021-07:00

I guess I've really felt like getting into the spirit of Thanksgiving this year because this last week I have been making an effort to appreciate the little things in life. My little things have ranged from coming home to a moldy-pumpkin-free porch, or a clean front yard as I like to call it, down to listening to the birds chirping while taking Annie for more walks. I know it sounds like a scene from Snow White; enjoying nature while listening to the enchanting song of birds. I promise there was no singing along with the birds, and there was absolutely no prancing through the woods, it just made me happy to hear their little chirps. I was also grateful for things such as ice cubes, commas, dishes in the dishwasher and not the sink, and my pillow, although I've always had a deep affection for my pillow. I could keep listing all my little things, but I'm sure it would become obnoxious by the time I started on my Tuesday gratefuls, and I don't even want to know what everyone would be thinking of me by the time I got to Saturday. So I'll just end my little thing gratefuls here.

This week we got new carpet in our 2nd bedroom. This was not mentioned on my little things gratefuls list because this is a B-I-G grateful. We needed this new carpet because of Sage; our first attempt at dog-parenting. You see, she would often confuse our 2nd bedroom with the bathroom, making it necessary for us to replace the carpet after only 1 year and 8 months. Such are the woe's of parenting, sigh.

A picture from the resident chef:

It was a lazy night.

Halloween

2008-11-05T20:58:00.019-07:00

For some strange reason I've always loved Halloween, and it's not because of all the candy that's involved. I'd like to think that my fondness for a holiday runs deeper than just chocolate. It's probably because I love fall. I love walking outside and feeling the crispness in the air, watching the leaves fall, pulling out jackets, scarves, and long sleeved shirts. And even though I failed to get any decorations related to Halloween or Autumn up this year I did manage to carve a pumpkin. However, I refuse to post a picture of it. Not out of embarrassment of my lack of artistic abilities; I was able to overcome that problem by using a handy pumpkin carving template, and I think it's one of my best carvings every actually. I, once again, was not fast enough getting the camera out, and sadly my lone Halloween decoration began to mold and rot before I could document it's beauty. I will not force you to look at something so disgusting; I would only do such a thing to my neighbors who are still being subjected to it sitting on our porch. (I'm trying to think of a good way to convince Cory that he wants the privilege of throwing it away, because I don't even want to touch it.)

Despite having a decomposing pile of pumpkin on our porch, and some slightly unhappy neighbors, my Halloween spirit was not dampened, and we celebrated Halloween to it's fullest. I started off the evening by stopping by my parent's to see the nephews in their costumes, and helping Mom bake some cinnamon rolls. After that I drove out to go trick-or-treating with the nieces and nephew in Goodyear. I should add that this drive included me almost running out of gas, unable to find a civilized gas station during rush hour traffic, and ending up at a gas station in the heart of Phoenix that had some.. let's just say.. disreputable looking gentlemen around it. Fortunately nothing came of this adventure other than a full tank of gas, and a creepy Halloween story. After trick-or-treating with the kids I headed home, and got their right as Cory got off work. My Halloween enthusiasm was still going strong, and we decided to go to the corn maze at Schnepf Farms. It wasn't until we were surrounded by corn that I became aware we were in a "haunted" corn maze, and although it definitely added another frightening experience to my Halloween, I prefer "un-haunted" corn mazes. But now that I'm in the safety of my own home, with nothing but a rotten pumpkin to scare me, I have to admit it was pretty exciting to have such a scary night.

Our Week of Dinners, A Missionary, and A One of A Kind Birthday Celebration

2008-10-18T10:31:00.012-07:00

So it has taken me a few weeks to post it, but here it comes.. our week of dinners!

Sunday was family dinner with my family- Roast Beef, Potaotes, Carrots, Homemade Bread, and of course.. KoolAid. (delicious.. and easy because I didn't have to make it!) Sorry.. no pictures.

Monday was family dinner with Cory's family (at Cafe Rio.. yum) to celebrate Casey coming home from the W-A (my home state)- I had their bean burrito, and Cory had their stake quesadilla. (Once again.. delicious, and easy because I didn't have to make it!)

Some pictures of Casey coming home.. just for fun..

Cory.. the baloon man!

Tuesday's dinner was sort of a flop. I was going to make salad with crispy chicken. (healthy and delicious) Well.. I made the chicken, and was letting it cool. I was going to cut up the chicken and throw it on the salad right before Cory got home. Well, somebody who has a slight sleeping problem, and is probably borderline narcaleptic, fell asleep on the couch. When they finally came back to reality the chicken (that had not been cut or put with the salad) had disappeared.. into Cory's stomach.. he didn't know I had planned on making a salad. He says the chicken was delicious though, and I didn't mind that he was satisfied with 1/2 a meal. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture early enough.. but here's the proof that I made it.

Wednesday was Salsa Chicken Burrtios (thank you Kimberly.. this is one of my favorites!) Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of this meal.. but I swear I made it!

Thursday we had the left over Salsa Chicken. I honestly made it, just forgot to take pictures. Cory and Casey are my witnesses because they both ate it.. and they even lived to tell about it.. that must say something about my cooking!

Friday was home-made Pizza night.. and I actually took a picture before it was gone!

Cory also turned the big 2-4 last week. We had both families over for cake and ice cream.. our house has never had so many people in it! We had so much fun.. and the lemon cake and snickerdoodle ice cream made it uniquely Cory!

Wanted: A More Domestic Wife

2008-09-27T21:41:00.002-07:00

We are going to have another moment of truth (.. we've been having alot of these lately.) I will be the first to admit that I am not the most domestic of wives. I do pretty well at keeping up on the laundry (.. mostly because we only have so many clothes), I keep the house pretty clean (.. it can only get so dirty with 2 people living in it), but the area where I struggle the most is making dinner. So, I decided to set a goal for myself. (.. drum roll please..) I am going to make dinner Tue-Fri this next week. (Sun/Mon are excluded due to family dinners both nights.) Now, to all you domesticated wives.. I know this hardly sounds like anything special (.. 4 whole meals.. big whoop), but in this McDowell household.. when this particular goal has been met.. there will be cause for celebration! So, to make acomplishing this goal easier for myself (.. the resident chef) I took a trip to the grocery store today, and bought all the ingredients I will need for our 4 meals. To be honest, this isn't the first time, I've tried this before. I've even made it 2-3 days, and then (for some reason or other) I just stopped. This time is going to be different though. Why you ask? Because of you! I am posting my goal on our blog so there is no backing out, I will post pictures of every meal every day.. so you will know that I'm not cheating, or giving up. By the end of next week.. we will have our more domestic wife! Wish me luck.

- The Resident Chef

Thinking of Others

2008-09-26T12:18:00.006-07:00

We have had a few accidents happen to friends and family within the last month. A few weeks ago Cory's cousin's 20 month old baby got hit by a car. She is still in the hospital, but seems to be recovering well. Her family has made a blog for anyone who is interested in donating or just keeping up on her progress. The blog is www.kissesforcallie.blogspot.com. (I have a link to it on the right side of the page.)

Last month my boss's wife's cousin and his wife (I know that's a confusing connection) were in a plane accident. It was a small plane, and they were both seriously burned. They are still in the hospital trying to recover. She has an amazing blog that will cheer anyone up when they're having a bad day. Her blog is www.nieniedialogs.blogspot.com, if you ever need a pick-me-up this is the place to go! Her sister has a blog as well, and puts updates on the Nielson's recovery if anyone is interested keeping up with them. Her blog is blog.cjanerun.com. (I have links to these blogs on the right side of the page as well.) I know this is kind of a depressing post, but these circumstances have made me stop thinking about myself and start thinking about what I can do for others, especially for those in need.

Missionaries, Baptisms, and New Additions

2008-09-10T21:35:00.020-07:00

A few weeks ago Justin, my younger brother, reported to the MTC. Now.. we're going to have a moment of truth here. All growing up I could hardly wait for the day when I wouldn't have to deal with my pesky little brother for 2 whole years. I mean.. he couldn't chase me around the house, or do other things that little brothers are so good at doing, if he was 1/2 way around the world. Right? Well, as that day started creeping closer I noticed that I was intentionally trying not to think about it, almost as if I might miss him! I found myself thinking things like.. who will put on a dress and dance around the house with me when Justin's gone? Who will finger paint with me? Who's gonna put me in a headlock and make me eat snow? (No.. I didn't accidentally slip that last question in there.. I'm actually going to miss the teasing.) So, Monday night, before their long drive to Provo, I put on a stiff upper lip (or tried) and went over to my parent's house to say goodbye for 2 years. On the way home Cory decided I needed some french fries, ranch to dip them in, and some pop to wash it all down. (what a wonderful husband.. he knows there's nothing better than drowning your sorows in grease, fat, and sugar!) I am very proud and excited for Justin, and I know that he is going to love the time he spends in the Dominican Republic, even if it means he can't tease me for awhile. :) Good luck Justin.. we love you!

We had another very exciting family event the week before Justin left. Cassidy (my niece) was baptized. It's hard for me to believe she's already 8 years old, it seems like she was just a little baby. It was very special to see her make this big decision in her life. She is growing into a beautiful girl, and is setting a wonderful example for her siblings and cousins. We love you Cas!

We also have a new addition to our family to announce. A beautiful baby girl! Her name is Annie. She is very sweet, full of smiles, and loves to play. She is a little more hairy than we had hoped our little girl would be, and has 2 extra legs, but we still love her.

Harry and Laurie (Timothy and Kristy's neighbors) have had Annie since she was a little puppy. The Chiuaua and the Golden Retriever they had as well didn't allow Annie to get as much attention as they wanted her to have. They were kind enough to give her to us, along with anything you could ever need for a puppy. They knew that she wouldn't have to compete for attention in our family. :) We are very grateful for their kindness. Thanks Harry and Laurie.. we love our newest addition!

Baby-fixes and Midnight Brawls

2008-08-02T18:25:00.007-07:00

Last night we had a movie night with Tanner, Emily, and baby Kendall. We had a great time, and the fact that I got to hold Kendall during the whole movie made it even more enjoyable! (hey, I've gotta get my baby-fixes in when I can.)

We left their house around 11:45, and when we were getting off the freeway I noticed Cory was not going home. I tried to get him to tell me where we were going at almost midnight, but he just smiled.. then Borders came into view, and it all made sense.

Now, I will be the first to admit that I like (some may say, "I'm a bit obsessed with") the "Twilight" series (seeing how I read the first 3 books within a week), but I had planned on being in the comfort of my bed at midnight when "Breaking Dawn" was released. Cory, apparently, had other plans for me!

It was a new and scary experience to start fights with everyone supporting "Team Jacob", and high-fiving everyone cheering for Edward, but I managed to walk away with only afew bruises. (ok, maybe I'm trying to make this sound more eventful that it really was.) I do take some pride, however, in the fact that I was in line at a bookstore, at midnight, for the release of a book. If that's not dedication (or obsession), I don't know what is!

Unfortunately, since I didn't know that we were going, I didn't have the camera with me. So I don't have any pictures of me whooping some Jacob fan rear-end, but I'm sure you can all use your imagination and picture it!

Our Last Few Months

2008-07-04T12:06:00.024-07:00

Obviously I've fallen behind in keeping our blog up to date, so I'm going to jam our last few months in this one post. (Hopefully it's not too overwhelming.. or boring!)

Back in May we had the McDowell Family Retreat. We all drove up to Payson, and went to Camp LoMia to plan for the Haymore Family Reunion that we will have up there in November. On the way home we stopped at the Tonto Natural Bridge. It was absolutely beautiful, and ALMOST reminded me of home! We had fun taking pictures, and enjoyed being outside (even though it felt like it was 200 degrees!)

In June the Bates Family had a momentous occasion.. the first Bates Family Campout EVER!!! We camped at Bear Canyon Lake. The kids had fun playing by the lake, catching bugs, and pretending to fish off the truck bed. Even Dash enjoyed being outside and unleashed. It was really fun to be together, and spend time in the great-outdoors. Unfortunately Jared, Julie, Jeffery and Joshua were unable to make it, but hopefully we'll have another trip soon!

Also, in June, Cory and I became the proud parents of a Wii! Cory entered a drawing for it, and he actually won! He couldn't believe it at first, but has quickly become a professional Wii golfer.. watch out Tiger Woods. ;) As for me, I enjoy spending my Wii time cow racing, and shooting, with a little bowling thrown in here and there, but I am far from a professional! Needless to say.. Cory loves every second he and the Wii get to spend together.

July 3rd marked Cory's last day at University of Phoenix. (YAY!) On July 15th he started working for Verizon Wireless. We've enjoyed the change, and are excited to see what's in store for us! Hopefully in the future I will be better about keeping our blog up to date so you won't have to be stuck reading another one of our "mass posts" again!

We're joining the circus!

2008-04-19T08:23:00.010-07:00

When Cory's little brother got a new unicycle, I found out about a talent I didn't know my husband had! Needless to say, I think we should join the circus. The only thing holding us back is the fact that Cory doesn't have curly multi-colored hair! Oh well, I guess we can dream.

German Pancakes

2008-04-19T07:53:00.010-07:00

So.. a couple of weeks ago I decided to be domestic and make breakfast for Cory. I had never made German Pancakes before, but heard it was pretty easy. (My kind of meal!) I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were actually very easy to make.. a little too easy! As usual, whenever I'm in the kitchen something has to go wrong. It's pretty hard to mess up German Pancakes though, and everything was going really well.. that is, until the end. When I went to take them out of the oven this is what we found! I like to call them "Exploding German Pancakes a la Amy". The good news, however, is that they still tasted fine, they were just trying to take over the oven! :)