A tribute to an AWESOME man

I'm now just getting a chance to sit down and tell you a little about this amazing man. Aaron's Grandpa passed away November 18th. He was surrounded by his family. We were able to attend the funeral and it was beautiful. I learned so much during the funeral. I would like to share a little bit about him that I learned.

He had been on his mission for 1 week when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He was able to finish his mission. After returning home, he joined the Army and went to Germany. He served on the frount lines during hte Battle of the Bulge. During his time in Germany, he was also awarded the Silver Star.

He was a man of integrity, honesty, humor, love, hard work, devotion and a great example of what the gospel is all about. During Taps at the graveside, I couldn't hold back my tears. I cried for the man I knew. I cried for the man my children will only know through stories and pictures. I cried for the heartache of my mother-in-law. I cried knowing that one day (hopefully many days and years in the future) I would be in the same spot as grandma. Emotion overcame me.

All of his direct decendants and all but 7 of the spouses & chidlren of the direct descendants were there. It was an honor to be a part of it all. It was so fun spending the time with family and being able to feel of the love in the room, no matter which room we were in. Enjoy some of the pictures of these wonderful people!!

22 grandchildren

Do you recognize this man? I sure don't!!

Mark with Maggie (she was done with the bow!)

The Whole Lewis Family

The Aaron Lewis Family

Comfort from daddy since mommy was a mess.

Waiting for the graveside service to start.

At Attention!

Day 12 of Give Thanks!!

For day 12, the thing I am most grateful for in my life is the Gospel. I am so thankful to be born into a family that practiced the gospel. I was taught to read my scriptures. I was taught how to pray. I was taught the importance of family. I was taught the importance of gaining my own testimony and that is what keeps me from going insane. I pray that I will be able to teach my children the same values. What is important is not in the physical things.

Because of the gospel, I am able to spend eternity with Aaron and my little family. I love him so much and am thankful for all he does!!

Day 11 of Give Thanks!

For day 11, I am grateful I am NOT pregnant anymore. If I had to come up with a time in my life that I was the least happy, I would pick being pregnant.

Having said that, I am thankful that I was pregnant because I got these:

This is our little family (little, ya right!) at our Thanksgiving dinner. We ate at Chuck-a-rama. It was nice to not have to do dishes and clean up the mess after my children. Being pregnant almost makes it worth it!!

Day 10 of Give Thanks

Today, I am thankful for sleep. Naps (I don't get them anymore, but I am thankful if my kids take them.) Nothin' beats a good night sleep. I can't function without a good nights sleep. I am going to take that back, I am learning to function on a good night sleep, but I am not a happy girl! Raise your glasses to a good nights sleep (hopeful!)

Day 9 of Give Thanks!

Sorry, I am a day late. For Day 9, I am thankful for tissues!

Day 8 of Give Thanks!

After a long ride in the car and dropping daddy off at the airport, I am thankful to be able to sit and watch football! So, for Day 8, I am thankful for Football!!

Day 7 of Give Thanks!

For day 7, I am thankful that I was born in America. I live in a free land where I am able to express myself without worry of persecution (kinda!). We have the right to vote and for our voice to be heard. Sometimes it works our way, sometimes it doesn't, but we have the right. I can't imagine my life living in a country where I could not express my opinion, because if you know me, you know I have an opinion!

Day 6 of Give Thanks!

Sorry I missed a day, we were traveling to the funeral. For Day 6, I am thankful for the examples set by those who have gone before us. We just got done with Grandpa Schwendiman's funeral and I am so proud to have known him. What a great legacy he has left for us and my children. I hope my children will be able to listen to the stories of his life and strive to be just like him (only Utah fans instead of BYU). He was truly a great man!

Day 5 of Give Thanks!

After getting some much needed sleep last night, my give thanks for day 5 comes from the awful dream I had this morning. I am thankful for the service of so many people. Doctors (that had to be #1!), Military (that had to be #2), police, fireman, government workers and all those who serve the public daily!!

Thank you if you are one of these!!

Day 4 of Give Thanks!

I kind-of already used this one, but I am using it again. After my night last night, I am thankful for toilets and towels. I spend the night throwing up and I am so thankful I had a towel to wipe my mouth and a toilet to puke in. I didn't have to clean anything up, I just flushed the toilet. Arg! I wish I felt better.

Day 3 of Give Thanks!

I wasn't sure what I was going to put for day 3, and in the last 20 minutes, I have come up with 2.

#1 - This is part of my assumed blessings, but I feel the need to express this here. I am thankful for the Plan of Salvation. With the passing of Grandpa Schwendiman today, how thankful I am that we know that we will see him again. I am grateful to know that he is no longer suffering. My thoughts and prayers go to Grandma Schwendiman and his children, Kathryn, Ilene, Wendy, Loretta, Larry and to the many grandchildren. I KNOW that he is in a better place. His love for you will never change. The only thing that will change now is his ability to watch over you!

#2 - This seems so trivial after #1, but I found myself grateful for it, so I will share. I am thankful for a side by side sink. The so very smart people that planned and built the military housing did not put side by side sinks. There is just 1 sink. How am I supposed to wash dishes with only 1 sink? I was at my friend Sharon's house tonight and was cleaning up after dinner and found myself grateful to be able to do her dishes because I could use both sinks at the same time. Maybe that is the key to keeping my kitchen clean. Shh. No one tell Aaron!

Justin's trip to the restroom

So, we had just arrived back at my parents house after visiting the Lewis' when Justin announced he had to go to the bathroom. He was back there along time, but I didn't think anything about it. It wasn't until about 30 minutes later that I noticed a whole in his head. Well, a whole in his hair. He got ahold of my brothers shaver and shaved parts out of his hear. So, here is the final result.

Aaron arrives in 10 days. After that, we are getting family pictures taken on both sides. Now, Justin will be sporting a new dew. You have got to be kidding me!

Day 2 of Give Thanks!

While I was feeding my daughter in the middle of the night, I was thinking about how thankful I am for modern advances. We get to drive cars and not push wagons. We have the advance of modern medicine. We don't have to keep a stove burning through out the night to enjoy heat. We have air conditioning instead of just opening the windows.

We have a fridge to keep our food good & cold, we have a microwave to heat things up quickly, we have gas/electric stoves to cook our food on. We have grocery stores to go buy our food, we don't have to milk the cow, kill the deer, pluck the turkey, you get the idea.

I am thankful we have computers, Internet and cell phones. Fast food joints, nice restaurants, gas stations, repair companies, malls, scrapbook stores.

So, I guess my day 2 of give thanks, I am thankful I was born in 1979 and that I live in this day and age!!

Day 1 of Give Thanks!

I have been thinking about all the things I am thankful for and have decided instead of the 12 days of Christmas, I am going to do the 12 days of thanks! I will TRY to post each day at least 1 thing I am thankful for. Let it be stated that I am thankful for each one of my kids. I am thankful for the greatest husband! I am thankful for our family and all the support they provide for us. These are given. I am trying to think out of the bix with my thanks this year.

So, for my day 1 - I am thankful for two AWESOME sister-in-laws. Carli & Robin! I didn't have any sisters growing up and always wanted a sister relationship. I was never blessed with one, so the only sister relationship I will ever have is with my sister-in-laws. How lucky I am to be able to have such great women to share the "sister" bond with.

Robin

Carli with Lana

40 things about me

My sister-in-law tagged me, so here goes. 40 things about me:

8 shows I like to watch
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Law & Order SVU
3. Biggest Loser
4. Extreme Makeover, Home Edition
5. Dancing with the Stars
6. American Idol
7. All My Children (I don't watch it every day, but I catch it every now and then.)
8. News

8 Restaurants I like to eat at:
1. Sake
2. Benni Hana
3. Red Robin
4. Panera Bread
5. Max & Erma's
6. Blimpe
7. Macaroni Grill
8. Sake (I absolutely love this place!)

8 things I have done today:
1. Went to Sam's Club to pick up pictures (but forgot to pick up pictures)
2. Cooked breakfast
3. Updated blog
4. Talk to Aaron via web cam (Happy Birthday again Babe)
5. Talked with Ilene
6. Tried to keep track of 5 children
7. Closed my eyes for 15 minutes
8. My football poll

8 things I am looking forward to:
1. The day when I can keep my house clean
2. Seeing my cute husband again!!
3. Being able to go on a date with out children
4. Sleeping through the night
5. Finding out our next base (we're moving next summer)
6. SAKE with my girlfriends in Ohio
7. Getting a lap top (so in the future!)
8. Take a nap!! (Ya right!)

Aaron David Lewis

This is a post dedicated to my sweetheart! Today, Aaron is 31 years young. He says he feels a lot older than 31, but as Kennie says, Age is just a number! My cousin tagged me a while back, so here goes:

What is his name? Aaron David Lewis

How long have you been married? 7 years 3 months and 26 days

How long did you date? 4 months engaged 7 months

How old is he? 31

Who eats more? Right now, him by loads!!! He usually eats more unless we are at Sake.

Who said I love you first? He did

Who is smarter? Aaron.

Whose temper is worse? Aaron does, but he has more patience so he doesn't lose it as often as I do.

Who does the laundry? I do.

Who does the dishes? I do most of the time.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do.

Who pays the bills? I do.

Who cooks dinner? I guess I do. I don't feel much like cooking lately, but he doesn't much either.

Who drives when you are together? Him

Who is more stubborn? I am.

Whose parents do you see the most? Probably about the same

Who proposed? Him

Who has more friends? I would say I do.

Who has more siblings? He does.

Who wears the pants in the family? Both in different ways

I love you Aaron. We miss you like crazy and can't wait to see you!

We're Here

After

1657.4 miles
$44.78 on junk food at gas stations
$210.90 spent on gas
2 full days in a car
$54.24 on the most ghetto hotel EVER (really)
8 states
4 meals at McDonald's
1 meal at Wendy's
4 hours of sleep (Saturday night)
watched 2 deer get hit (almost hit 1 of them)

We made it safely to Utah. It is so nice to be out of the car. My job today is to clean the car, and I mean clean. My dad and I took the seats out last night and I am going to vacuum and shampoo the carpets.

And we're off....

The car is packed, the kids are still asleep (for the moment anyway), the house is a mess, and the dishes aren't done. But, in t minus about 30 minutes, we are off. Grandpa Burnside, Maggie, Kennie, Justin, Nate and I are Utah bound.

Those of you in Utah, we look forward to seeing you! Those of you in Ohio, we will miss you like crazy!

Daddy, we will miss you and look forward to seeing you in 19 days!

Maggie at 5 months

Maggie turned 5 months old yesterday. Boy, how time has flown!! I almost wish we could go back to 2 months, because she was an angel and she is so not an angel anymore.

Here is a few things about Maggie at 5 months:

• Wakes up ever 2-3 hours during the night
• Sometimes takes a nap but sometimes not
• Smiles more
• Switched from Zantac to Prilosec
• Weighs 11 lbs 10 ounces (6%)
• Talks more
• Likes her paci but loves her fingers
• Rolls all over the place (especially when she’s mad.)
• Her hair is slowly growing in
• Sill wears size 1 diapers
• Loves her oatmeal with applesauce or bananas.
• Still loves her mama

Mom & Mags

We attended a wedding this weekend and the photographer (my great neighbor Rob) took this picture of Maggie and me. I thought it was so cute. Just wanted to share.

Politics according to a 5 year old 1st grader

They must have talked about politics today because here is our conversation on the walk home from school. (Players include Me (Sassy), Kennie, Zach (neighbor) & Karissa (neighbor).

We walked out of the school door
(Kennie)- "MomwevotedtodayandIvotedforVarakObama."
(Sassy) - "Kennie, slow down and start over. I didn't understand anything you said."
(Kennie) - "Today in school, we voted and I voted for Varack Obama.
(Sassy) - Still a little clueless
(Karissa) - "Kennie, I voted for John McCain. Why did you vote for Barack Obama? Don't you know he is going to make everything cost more.
(Zachary) - "I voted for Barack Obama. My mom pays for everything."
(Sassy) - "Kennie, why did you vote for Barack Obama? It's not Varack Obama, It's Barack Obama."
(Kennie) - "Oh. I don't know mom, I want to change my vote."
(Sassy) - "I'm sorry Kennie, it's too late."
(Karissa) - "Don't you know that Barack Obama is going to take away all the guns, too?"
(Sassy) - thinking in her head, HOLY MOLY!!! How did these kids get so smart.
(Kennie) - "Mom, if Barack Obama is going to make everything cost more and he is going to take guns away, then no one will vote for him, right? Why would people want everything to cost more?"
(Sassy) - I can't believe I am having this conversation with my 5 year old!! "Kennie, who won at school today?
(Karissa) - "Barack Obama!"
(Kennie) - "Mom, Barack Obama had 90 and John McCain only had 40. Why can't John McCain win?"

Then, all 3 of them stopped everyone we came across and told them that Barack Obama is going to make everything cost more and take away all our guns so we need to vote for John McCain. Remind me why people put signs in their yard. They should just tell their 5 year olds......Crazy