Name Changes (and a little more)

I've been thinking about this article and the safety of the internet. There's some good discussion and some good comments. I don't want to be completely paranoid, but I also don't want to be stupid. It's hard to know where to draw the line. I think my strategy is to be more private with identity theft details:–no birth city–no birthdays–no last names- no birth names.

I gave my kids the chance to pick their own pseudo-names. My son picked Reed, after one of his favorite football players. Reed?? No offense against the name, I'm just having a hard time with that one. It doesn't seem to fit him...but he refused ALL of my suggestions. And I had a lot of them. He threatened (can you believe that?) to not allow me to use his image or quotations or life stories on my blog unless I used the name Reed. Ok, Ok. Reed it is. My oldest daughter chose JJ. Youngest daughter chose Montana, after Hannah Montana, of course. The little foster guy will be Little Guy. Husband will be Hank. I'll continue as Susie-Q.

I apologize if I deleted any of your comments. I went through those as well and had to delete quite a few because of the details shared. I wish I could have just edited them, but couldn't find any way to do that. I love love love your comments, so PLEASE keep them coming! Just remember not to use any of our identifying information. Thanks!

If you only knew how much time I've just spent going through all my posts and comments. Oh. My. Gosh. I'm not sure it's even worth it. But it's done now. Yay me.

If you have me listed on your sidebar, THANK YOU !! Could you please make my name Susie-Q or just use the name of my blog (Live...Laugh...Love) Thanks so much.

If you see anything I've missed, please let me know.

Nativity: Cousin style

Mary and Joseph come to Bethlehem to be taxed--still receiving instructions from Great Grandma.

Gangsta Joseph and his pregnant wife


Hey, what's going on with that baby?

Donkey, stay back. Donkey doesn't like being told what to do by Gangsta Joseph

Baby Jesus with the long blong curls

Come, let us adore Him. Notice Pete and Jared in the background planning the X-Box football tournament instead of paying attention...

Pensive Angel

The Making of a Gingerbread House

Teenage Opinions

One the of the many exciting things about raising a teenager, I've found, is that they have so many strong opinions. Mine does, at least.
Yesterday, as I was driving Reed to his orthodontist appt. we passed a small toyota truck. You know, one of those little trucks that fit 2 people up front, with maybe 1 little person squeezed in the middle. Out of the clear blue (well, it was actually more like a rainy grey) Reed shouts, "I HATE that truck!!"
I'm quickly trying to assess what that little truck might have done to us and why he was spewing such venom towards it.
He continues his rant. "Those trucks are so wimpy. They don't even DESERVE to be called trucks. They're like a car with a little bed on the back. Their like Crucks. In fact, that's what I'm going to call them now. Crucks. I HATE them." And he continued to shout "CRUCK" at every small truck we passed.
Whoa nelly. Where did THAT come from? I just had to laugh at his sudden strongly held beliefs about the unworthines of a small truck. (No offense if you happen to own one...I'm sure it's great!)

Important Questions

Bus is scheduled to come at 8:04 a.m.

8:01 a.m. Montana (still in pajamas) : "Mom, guess what my favorite animal is?"
Mom: "Monkey?" no "Penguin?" no "Dog?" no
Montana: "It's a dolphin"
Mom: "Really? Since when?"
Montana: "Yesterday"
Mom: "Why, what happened yesterday?"
Montana: "Nothing"

8:02 a.m. Montana (still in pajamas): "Mom, guess what my favorite shape is?"
Mom: "Square?" no "Circle?" no "Triangle?" yes (jumps around crazily)
Mom: "Really? Since when?"
Montana: "Just today....no actually, it's ALWAYS been my favorite shape"

8:03 a.m. Mom: "Guess what my favorite thing is?"
Montana (still in pajamas and so excited that I'm playing this game with her): "What?"
Mom: "It's when little girls hurry up and get dressed so they don't miss the bus!"
Montana: "OH!" (giggles and runs off, gets dressed, dashes out the door...)

8:07 a.m. Bus arrives late (PHEW!)

Champion

Today Reed was a champion. Not a champion because his basketball team took first place in the Holiday tournament this weekend. Although they DID do that. He was a champion because he was true to his beliefs. We believe in Sabbath Day Observance. Not just 'go-to-church-in-the-morning-and-do-whatever-you-want-the-rest-of-the-day' observance. But observing and honoring the Sabbath Day for the entire day. He didn't play in the championship game today. He showed up in his church clothes and sat on the bench with the coaches. But he didn't play. And it was his choice. I'm proud of him.

Montana's Clash Day (yes, it was on purpose)

If it seems like most of my blog entries are about Montana, please don't think it's because I love her the most. I guarantee that's what my other children will think. It's actually because... she's the most BLOGGABLE. She's a really bloggable child. She does the craziest things, says the craziest things, and wears the craziest outfits. AND she likes to mug for the camera and have her cute mug posted on my blog.



JJ, on the other hand, will let me take her picture, but only with the instructions "You can take my picture, but you better not put it on your blog!" (sorry, JJ)

Reed just smirks everytime I try to take his picture. Until I yell at him to stop it. Then he doesn't really feel like getting his picture taken anymore.

And Little Guy . Well, he's just Little Guy.

Volleyball Season's Over...

JJ played her first season of volleyball this Fall. She loved it! She only got to play in 2 games, because all the rest were played on Sunday, but she enjoyed the practices and learning the game. At this age, they play 4 on 4. If they actually hit it over the net, it's a big big deal. To get 3 hits per side would be incredible. I think it happened once this season. The kids sure had fun, though.

JJ serving underhand (not very many kids can serve overhand yet)

I love this picture because she's listening to her coach so attentively--so eager to learn

She's ready for the ball



Good game, Good game, Good game...

MeMe

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time with this "tag" thing...I really should be able to come up with some things to say about myself. OK, here goes:

* I'm a night owl. It's a good night if I get to bed before midnight. I need time to myself without my "MOM" hat on, and that's the only time I can get it.

* I wish I wasn't a night owl because I have to get up early every morning and shower before Little Guy wakes up or I'm toast.

* I love playing volleyball! When I was in school, I only played up to 9th grade and then quit. I didn't like the stupid little drills, I just wanted to play the game. I wish I had kept going. I picked it up again as an adult and play on a competitive city league team once a week.

* I never cared much about football until my son started playing. Now I can't get enough of it. Watching it, that is.

* I've never been to Disneyland and if I never make it there, I'm OK with that. Sorry Lisa W.

* I love to buy school supplies (on sale). I've got a stash of paper, notebooks, pencils, crayons, scissors, markers, you name it. It's a weird fetish, I know. But I can't stop myself.

There. I did it. Now it's your turn. 6 things about yourself that I don't know. I tag Lisa C, Kim, and Kelli.

Tag, I'm It

I've been "tagged" by my friend, Margaret. I'm supposed to tell you 6 things about myself that you don't already know. Hmmm... Since the one or two readers that I have already know me, I'm having a hard time coming up with anything. While I was mulling it over last night as I was trying to get to sleep, Hank was tossing and turning also. So I took the opportunity to "tag" him. I asked him to tell me 3 things about himself that I didn't already know (I figured asking for 6 was pushing it)

Here's what he came up with:

(1) "The last time I went to the mall, some guy grabbed my hand and started to buff my fingernails." I don't know if it was just late or what, but I laughed SO HARD at that one.

(2) "I want to serve a mission with you when I retire and I hope we go to Tonga." That didn't really count, because we have always planned on serving a mission together, but I didn't know he secretly wanted to go to Tonga. I guess I should have known, since he LOVES all the Tongan BYU football players. Not like lovey dovey love, but like manly football love. You know what I mean.

(3) "I got a Harry & David gift basket at work today from a client and I set it out in the lunch room to share with everyone, but first I took the package of smoked salmon and hid it in my desk so I could snack on it later. I mean, who really likes smoked salmon anyway?" He does, for one. That gives me an idea for a stocking stuffer. Thanks, honey.

OK, that was easy. Now I just have to think of a few of my own to share...