I AM HAVING TWO LOVE AFFAIRS?!?!

According to My Husband and I having two love affairs. One with Mitt Romney (because I google news about him at least a couple of times a day, go to the Five brother Blog, and look at the poll numbers everyday. I know, I’m a freak!)

The other thing is IKEA – I have it on the brain.

Its so family oriented and it is SO cheap – and has some really cool stuff. (for instance, a 4 pack of those sticky hooks you put on the wall – normally like 2.99 at most stores – is 19 cents – for FOUR! Things like this literally make me DROOL! Yeah, so since I love EVERYTHING there (well, almost) and I fantasize about how to encorporate this and that in the house – I REALLY need to break off ties cold turkey – at least for awhile. I sound like a fickle lover!

REVENGE OF THE SPIDERS!!

So one of my friends told me that when they had their 17 year cicada invasion (yes you Cami!) that they were infiltrated with spiders because the birds feasted on the Cicadas. And I am confirming that THAT IS HAPPENING TO US!! I have arachnophobia - I am sure by now our neighbors are used to blood curdling screams when I am picking tomatoes and squash in the garden.

Or even when I open the back door into a giant spider web. I find them everywhere - giant spiders love the children's swingset and play house outside - they will do webs all over it and then jump all the way over to the house and do giant webs in between.

And it didn't help when I was redoing our curtains and one GIANT SPIDER jumped out of the curtains.

I just have to refrain from picturing the shower scene in the movie "Arachnophobia" - if you have seen the movie, you know what I am talking to. YIKES!!

I am the biggest nerd sometimes!

So, I am just about to hit the sack and decided to reveal on my blog what I read for night time material. I will preface it by saying I know its probably nerdy - but here goes:

I know what your thinking - why am I not normal and read things with a plot. Well, I will tell you - I do. THis is our book club book for this month - I LOVED it. I t really really made me love and appreciate golf even though I am pretty sure I suck at it:


Its also a good movie, but LIKE ALWAYS - the book is better! :)

Nauvoo Pageant: Uncut

This is the cute family that we did the Pioneer Pastimes with.
Our booth was "Children's Games."

Everynight, I did my hair, Brooke's hair, and then my youngest sister's hair - Sarah. Her hair was really fun to do because it was long. They show this DEMO dvd to all the women when you go through costumes - and I was happy I got to do one of the fun ones they showed with coil curls.

This is the back of Sarah's hair - just to fully appreciate the bun. Also this is the cast meeting we went to every night.


I really LOVED Tyler's costume. I was really sad when we had to turn it in.



It's amazing what humidity can do to a head of hair!



I don't recommend going up the hill the temple is on with a double stroller. It was a KILLER!


Brooke found the cutest friend named Cosette - the loved to play together.



This is the view the Nauvoo Temple overlooks - the river is in the Background. VERY BEAUTIFUL!

Faith Hill Tim McGraw - Soul2Soul!!!

UNITED CENTER: CHICAGO


There is nothing like winning tickets from the radio to do something this cool! Faith Hill and Tim McGraw put on a great show. Now, if we just knew their songs a little better.....

2nd Annual Texas Roadhouse BBQ

Well - we had our 2nd annual TX roadhouse BBQ with all but one of the extended family. Not bad considering some live in Nevada, and some live in Arizona! There was SO much food and HEE-HAW it was good!!

Mike & Corin and Beth & Shawn - it was fun to have you guys here!


Brian with all his siblings


The original Wayne Family


All the grandkids dressing up


All the grandkids hanging out outside

UPDATE ON GOP HAPPENINGS

August 14, 2007 http://www.usaelectionpolls.com/

"Mitt Romney Closing in on Giuliani in the National Race

Among male Republican voters, Mitt Romney is in a dead heat for 1st place in the national GOP race. Rudy Giuliani gets his advantage with women but Romney can likely close that gap if McCain continues to slip. McCain polls 19% among female voters (just 8% among males).

Romney is the only candidate that will be able to parlay his success from the Ames Straw Poll to the national scene immediately. Huckabee may have exceeded expectations that will catapult him into relevance in Iowa but he is still unknown nationally outside of Iowa (and Arkansas).

Romney has made himself the front runner in Iowa and New Hampshire and boosts from early state wins could make him the favorite in the race."

They are trying to get 38,000 more on Team Mitt for the Grassroots efforts. So far for me, it has been fun - you get a weekly updates of the campaign and how its going, info on the debates, and other. You can also sign up to help with fundraisers and stuff. Its fun to get in on the action. I love it!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN TEAM MITT

A GOLDEN EXPERIENCE

The Nauvoo Pageant was SO fun to be in. I found out we were actually the FIFTH and LAST cast of the pageant. We met some of the best families imaginable who were in the pageant with us. One family in our cast, the Bergesons, had 8 kids under the age of 10. If I wondered how things would be with TWO young kids, or I sometimes thought it was tough having late nights with them unto 11:30 pm on the stage – then I just thought of this family. If THEY can do it with 8 young kids, then I shouldn’t think two winks about handling it with only two! Its all about perspective. A SIDE NOTE: If you should choose to enlarge the picture by clicking you will notice Brians very first beard, which survived only during the week of the pageant.This is my parents, my sister Sarah, and my Brother Brent - who were in the same Gold Cast as us.

We drank like Camels - they luckily had water for us to drink!

Just to give you an idea about the success of the pageant. I didn’t realize this myself until I got this emailed to me from someone in the pageant:

Missionary Success at the Pageant
As a family we have been drawn to Nauvoo to play a small role in building the kingdom through the Nauvoo Pageant. We know the work of the Lord goes on all over the world and you don't have to come 18 hours from home to be missionaries. We can do that anywhere. However, we have been blessed to be a small part in this great missionary effort and the work moves forward. The first year of the pageant in 2005 we had heard that other pageants were getting over 400 referrals each year and we were amazed. At first we were very uncomfortable asking for referrals from those that attended the pageant. Our first day of the pageant in 2005 we got 6 referrals as an entire cast. The next night we had 16. Some may remember the missionaries challenging us to try for 100. When we got 130 they admitted they didn't think it was even possible but had felt inspired to asked anyway. President Renouf began working with us along with the directors to focus on the real reason why we were at the pageant: to bring souls to Christ and give them an opportunity to enjoy the blessings of the Celestial Kingdom. We weren't putting on a pageant. We were building the kingdom. In 2006 our highest night for referrals was 236 and we finished the 22 performances with around 2100 referrals. This year we set records weekly and finished the last night with 751 referrals that night alone. Over 5,000 referrals were received THIS year from the pageant. I know it is not about the numbers, but the spirit is so strong here and we have learned that by small and weak things great things are accomplished. The amazing thing is that our children have been the best example to us and have caused a great work to commence.

I am totally wowed by the opening of hearts that occurred during the pageant. The kids there were like missionary warriors – they usually got twice as many referrals as the adults – they were like miniatures of God’s Army.

We were in the KIMBALL DISTRICT (like an MTC district) These two are our district leaders - Heber and Vilate Kimball.

Will we do the pageant again? Brian and I really think we should do this every summer if we can. I really feel it brought us closer together as a family.

P.S. Brooke is still in her “Dog” phase as you may note from the pictures. She is no longer Clifford – she is now “Copper.” Although she was also happy to share her identity as a “pioneer girl” while in her dress, thank goodness!