Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. The Wagner family had Thanksgiving with my side of the family at my brother and SIL's house. The food was wonderful, but I forgot to take pictures of the spread before we started eating. The only picture I took of food is this pictures of a blueberry/raspberry/strawberry/blackberry pie that I made. Nothing says Thanksgiving like a 4-berry pie, right? I also made pumpkin and Mary made apple pie. I am so thankful I was able to pick all these berries on Whidbey Island this past summer.

It was great spending time with all the Waltons. I am looking forward to spending time with them during Christmas. I am also thankful Bert has Christmas off this year and he is setting up the Christmas tree while I blog.

Testy Tuesday

I've seen "Wordless Wednesday", and "Thankful Thursday", but I want to complain about a couple of things. That is why I am calling this post "Testy Tuesday".

First Complaint

What's the big deal Diane, you ask. It's a big deal because every single paper towel tore off like that! I even tried tearing it from the other end and it ripped the opposite way. I'm so annoyed and can't wait until I use up this role. I will use it up though, because I don't want to waste.

Second Complaint

I am getting way to many emails. About a month ago, I was trying to find online grocery coupons. I ended up on a site that gave me no coupons but now I get tons of emails everyday from all sorts of companies that I have no interest in. I am not interested in finding an online date, having someone from Liberia send me millions of dollars if I send them money first, changing my car insurance, winning a laptop, or receiving emails from Obama. The emails are now impossible to get rid of and they are reproducing. All this because I wanted some Cheerios coupons!

Birthday Party Boy

Marcus was so excited for his birthday party. He wanted Daddy to be at his party and I wanted Daddy's help, so we had to wait for a Saturday Bert wasn't in Japan, Mexico, or wherever else he goes. Twelve days after his real B-day, Marcus had his pirate party. This was the third and last time I will ever throw a pirate themed party. Nathan and Travis also had parties with treasure chest cakes and pirate hats. Hey, if it works why not do it over and over?

Marcus had a lot of friends and family at his party. Friends from preschool, church, cousins and neighbors. We played a bunch of games. None of the games went as planned, but we all had fun. He loved all his gifts and so did Travis, who has been playing with them more than Marcus. After everyone went home we sort of cleaned up and I had a hangover the rest of the evening.

Birthday parties are not my favorite thing to do. For some dumb reason I stress about everything and want to make sure my house is clean before a whole bunch of kids come over and mess it up. When will I ever learn? I should only make sure the toilets don't stink.

I am now done with my family's birthdays until May. Yeah!

Here we are singing to Marcus. We sing real good don't we?

Tag, I'm it

I just got tagged for the first time ever. So I am going to tag some of my OH mommy blogging friends. If you hate being tagged, so sorry.


A-Attached or Single: Attached. But I do have a crush on Ioan Gruffudd and Shepard Smith

B--Best Friend(s): Marla, she is the reason I'm attached. Linda is my OH best friend, Stacie is my favorite SIL

C--Cake or Pie: Pie, but not chicken pot pies, yuck

D--Day of Choice: Friday

E--Essential Item: Toothbrush

G--Greatest Accomplishment: My Boys

H--Hometown: Gig Harbor, WA

I--Indulgences: Hot Lunches For My Boys

J--January or July: July

K--Kids: 3 boys call me "Darth Mom"

L--Life is Incomplete Without: My Family

M--Marriage Date: May 14, 1994

N--Number of Siblings: 3 younger brothers, 2 brother-in-laws and 3 (soon to be 4) sisters-in-laws

O--Oranges or Apples: Grapefruit

P-Phobias: Monsters under my bed, Bees, and Losing my family

Q--Quotes: "I studied to be a teacher, but then I realized I don't like children enough to spend all day in a classroom with 25 of them."

R--Reason to Smile: My heater works!

S--Season: Spring, I love tulips and daffodils

T--Tag 5 Friends: Linda, Stacie, Nerell, Becky, and Carol

U--Unknown Facts About Me: A man named Igor once asked me to marry him for a green card, but I couldn't marry someone named Igor, so I married a Bertram

V--Very Favorite Store(s): Any fabric store besides JoAnn's

W--Worst Habit: There are too many to list

X--X-ray or Ultra Sound: I've had both

Y--Your Favorite Food: Carbohydrates

Z--Zodiac Sign: Virgo

I'm going to start my own Thankful Thursday. I was just on Tiburon's blog and she inspired me to do my own. I don't know her personally, but her blog is funny. I have also seen this on other blogs and I want to be cool too.



1. I am thankful that the heater repairman is coming to my house to look at our heater this afternoon. I was very thankful for my foot warmer in my bed last night.



2. I am thankful that my husband still has his airline job, and we have a little time to get prepared for the inevitable.



3. I am thankful for my husband and wonderful sons. They are the loves of my life.



4. I am thankful that I have only gained 10 pounds since my surgery. Hahaha!



5. I am thankful that Thanksgiving is at my brothers house, and I only have to make green bean casserole and pies.



6. I am thankful that Marcus didn't hit that car with a shopping cart the other day.



7. I am thankful that Bert is working at the squadron for the rest of the month and will be home every evening.

8. I am thankful for finding mistakes while balancing my checkbook and finding out we have more money than I thought.


What are you thankful for?

Forget The Jonas Brothers and NKOYB!

Here is the cutest boy band ever! You can even listen to their music on Sunday. Well, they aren't really a band, but a choir, but they are so adorable.

I discovered Libera this past Christmas Eve. We had taken my mother-in-law to midnight mass. After we returned home, I wanted to finish watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert with Sissel. I had bought the CD earlier in the Christmas season and was a big fan of Sissel and the whole CD. PBS was showing other choir concerts that night and the next one was going to be "Libera Angel Voices ". "Interesting", I thought, "A boy's choir from Liberia. That might be cool." When the show started, I was surprised that all the boys were white. During the first song "Adoramus" I was hooked. I started recording the concert, and their songs were the first songs I added to my ipod I got for Christmas. I love "Abide With Me" and "Be Still My Soul". Oh heck, I love all their songs.

So check them out, you won't be sorry. Did I mention how adorable they are? It makes me want to sign my boys up to sing in a choir. Oh, isn't Josh the cutest? I love his smile.

Chores I Hate to Do

I don't mind doing the dishes, but I hate unloading the dishwasher.

I don't mind watering the flowers, but I hate winding up the hose.

I don't mind washing, drying, and folding the laundry, but I hate putting the clothes away.

I don't mind vacuuming, but I hate winding the cord back up on the vacuum.

I don't mind going grocery shopping, but I hate putting the food away.

Does anyone see a pattern here?

Kid Quotes

Cuddling With Marcus

Me: "Please stop wiggling!"

Marcus: "I have to pull my pant sleeves down!"

Travis Sharing His Feelings About His Class

"I like everyone in my class, oh wait, except for one kid. Yeah I like everyone else, wait two kids, yeah two, no wait, three, four, five. OK, I like everyone except for 5 people."

13 Year Olds Are Very Curious

Nathan: "What does ____________ mean?" (hot flashes, erectile dysfunction, communism, etc.) He wants to know everything!

Not Just a Soccer Mom Anymore

I have had at least one son playing soccer every fall for what seems like forever. The fall of 2007, Nathan played on the academy team. We had a lot of fun going to his games, but we were driving a lot. After the long season ended, Bert and I decided Nathan was not going to advance to the next level, the select soccer team. The $900.00 price tag, Sunday games, and more traveling helped make the decision almost easy. I say almost because I knew I would miss hanging out with some of the other soccer moms that I liked.

When school started this year, we encouraged Nathan to join his middle school's cross-country team. He really enjoyed it. The two middle schools in our town compete together, so he got to meet some new kids. I am proud to say, I was able to go to all of his meets. I loved watching the kids run. I admired their perseverance, because I hate to run myself. Some of the meets were held in some lovely locations, where the kids were really running through the countryside, around old barns, up and down hills, over make-shift bridges and in the mud. One of my most memorable moments was during their biggest meet. A 7th grade boy from another school was so much slower than the other boys. By the end of the race, he was way behind everyone else. By the time he showed up near the finish line his team plus many other runners were cheering him on. It really touched me.

Nathan worked hard during the season. His times improved with each race and he had a great time. It was a great opportunity for him to participate as a team member, but to also work on his own individual progress. Great Job Kiddo! (Shhh, don't tell your brothers, but I love you the most)(Erma Bombeck)

Marcus, Travis and Nathan trying to stay warm.

7th Grade boys lining up



Run Nathan Run!

Thank You Veterans

Happy Birthday Marcus!

I can't believe my tiny baby is 5! You brings such a unique spirit to our family. You keep me company during the day. You are so smart, funny and sweet. Shhhh, don't tell your brothers this, but I love you the most. (Erma Bombeck "Motherhood the Second Oldest Profession")

Mom, What's For Dinner?

It's Sunday evening, and the boys start asking about dinner. "Tuna Noodle Casserole" I tell them "Yummy!" They don't seem very excited about it. Why would I make dinner when I have tuna noodle casserole leftovers? I will cook tomorrow, (maybe) OK?

Happy Birthday Travis

I can't believe you are already 9! You are so smart, funny and sweet. Shhhh don't tell your brothers this, but I love you the most. (Erma Bombeck "Motherhood the Second Oldest Profession")

A Belated Trick Or Treat

I know, Halloween was a whole week ago, but I have been very busy discovering the wonderful world of blogs. Until about 2 weeks ago, I had no use for them. I thought they were places where people posted pictures of themselves drunk and naked. Like usual, I'm behind the times. So I'm playing catch up. But I digress, let me tell everyone about our super, duper, cool Halloween.

We actually had more Halloween fun the Saturday before Halloween. We started the morning with Marcus' last soccer game of the season. Then I drove Marcus and Travis straight to the church for their Primary program practice. Two hours later, I picked the boys up from church and we went home to change into our costumes. The OSC (officer's spouse club) threw an all hands Halloween party at the O'club. I helped out at our squadron's table, while the boys wandered around. I even dressed up! Of course I don't have any pictures of me in my costume, but I might dress up in it again in a day or so, and have Nathan take some pics of me.

After the party on base, we went to our ward's "Trunk or Treat". It was fun to see the kids and parents in their costumes. When we got home I made the boys pay me my "Mom Tax" and we all made ourselves sick on candy.

By Friday, most of the family was sick with colds. Nathan stayed home from school Thursday and Friday. When I told him on Friday morning he wouldn't be able to go Trick or Treating that night if he didn't go to school. He said, "Well I guess I'm too old for trick or treating anyway." What! That was when I knew he was truly sick. He may be 13, but can still pass for an 11 year old. That cut the volume of our take home candy by 1/3. Maybe next year if he still hasn't hit puberty, he will go out with his brothers again.

Friday night, David, Stacie, and the girls came over to our house to go trick or treating with us. We first did our neighborhood. We were the first trick or treaters of the evening. Our neighborhood is very quiet, with a lot of older people. Not very many kids around. At one house the kids rang the door bell and an old lady asked through the door, "Who is it?" My niece Maira answered, "A witch, a flower, a pirate, a hunter, a little cat, and a weird guy."

Here are the witch and the flower

The Pirate

The Hunter

The Little Cat

The Weird Guy

After we finished our neighborhood, we hopped in our minivans and drove over to the coolest neighborhood in town where everyone goes to beg for candy and the boys got even more junk. When we got home, Travis and Marcus were nice enough to share their candy with Nathan. We also had a whole bowlful of candy we were suppose to give away, but we didn't get any trick or treaters. The candy is gone now (thank goodness!), I think I have found most of the costume pieces that the boys scattered around the house. Time to move on to the next Holiday,Veteran's Day!

I'm Going to Try Really Hard

I'm spending way too much time stalking other people's blogs. The whole blog thing is new to me and like my friend Linda says "Very addicting". My house is such a mess right now!

Well I was reading a wonderful Mormon Mommy blog and found the best article about the elections by Bob Lonsberry. It made me feel so guilty, and good at the same time. Check it out-http://www.570knrs.com/pages/bobs_blog.html

It really touched me. I'm going to try really hard not to treat Obama the way Bush was treated by the media and Democrats. I also need to be a better example to my oldest son Nathan, he is becoming very opinionated for a 13 year old!

OK, enough about the election, I think I will post my Halloween pics tomorrow, Better late than never!

Look On the Bright Side

Oh well, the person I voted for didn't win. It's happened before. But look on the bright side- No more political ads for two years! Yeah! I was soooo sick of them, my husband was sick of them and my kids were sick of them.

Another bright spot will be not having to hear the Democrats/liberals complain about everything anymore. Everything will be wonderful now. The sky will be bluer, the grass greener, global warming is over, etc. Now we only have to listen to them gloat.

First and Last Times

Marcus is growing up so fast, my baby will be 5 years old in less than a week. Nathan and Travis both had a younger brother by the time they were four, but that's not happening again. It is so weird to be out of the baby stage of life.

Marcus had a few milestones this fall. My favorite "first" for him was soccer. He started attending soccer games before he was even born, so he was excited to finally be a real soccer player. I must confess, I enjoyed watching his games more than Travis'. The little guys are such a hoot to watch. They run in packs and just try to kick the ball. Marcus had a smile on his face the whole time he played. Some mornings he didn't want to get up early for his games, but by the time he got to the field he was excited to play. He enjoyed having is buddy Tyler on his team and Tyler's dad, Eric was his coach. It was a great season. Next stop- T-ball!

One of his "last times" was his preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch. Sometime during the hayride with his class, I realized this was my last time taking a preschooler to the pumpkin patch. Next year he will be in Kindergarten. I felt very ambivalent about the whole experience. I love it when my children reach a new milestone, but it's also sad when something that I have been doing "forever" is ending, except for changing diapers!