Prayers from a 2 year old...

Ellie was saying her prayers tonight, and she kept saying, "please bless awesome..." It took me a minute to figure out, but she was saying, "please bless Austin..." Funny that her slip on words is SO true!!

Today has been more of an uplifting day...I found someone who is going to make 500 helmet decals that say....In Loving Memory of Austin Moos, and the best news is that they will be done before the viewing!! Five hundred sounds like a lot, but I thought it would be better to have too many than not enough. Besides, the Snell family is HUGE, and they'll probably take at least 150! Then he has all those he served in the army with, right?

Lisa also asked Dan to speak at Austin's funeral, so Dan and I have been going over some of our fondest memories of Austin in the last five years. Dan said that he always felt like when Austin called, he needed to hang out with him...and he felt SO guilty when he didn't, now he says he knows why he felt like that!! Crazy to think about...

A Sad Day...

Early this morning they tested Austin's brain activities, and declared him brain dead. They pronounced him as dead at 10 am. They are currently keeping his body "alive" so they can harvest his organs. We can't even express how sad this is for our family.

Austin and Lisa have not only been amazing family members, but they have been even better friends. When we found out we were pregnant with Ellie, Austin and Lisa were the first people we told. It was in November 2004. Austin and Lisa invited us to a Toby Keith concert. Austin HATES country music, but he liked Toby Keith. Austin was home from Afghanistan for a couple of weeks, he and Lisa were taking a weekend away. We went to eat at the Treehouse in Salt Lake, and then went to the concert. Dan and I didn't have money to go to the concert, so Austin and Lisa paid for us to go. I can remember watching them together, and I thought...they are really in love. They danced to the music, and were so affectionate with each other. I can remember thinking that ten years down the road, that's how I wanted mine and Dan's relationship to be.

The day we had Ellie, Austin and Lisa came up (a three hour drive). We knew they loved and cared for us...they've always been so good to us.

Both times we moved, Austin and Lisa helped us. Austin even brought his boys up when we moved from Logan. I had just had Ellie, and I hadn't packed anything. They loaded us up, and helped us unpack.

Austin is the most forgiving person, Dan and I are bad friends, but Austin continually invited us over, he invited us to family parties, and parties just for the fun of it. He is the glue that has kept a family that is not "that close" together.

Dan mentioned that when his uncle died, visiting his house wasn't the same...it felt empty, but he said the world feels empty without Austin. He will be truly missed.

Please continue to pray for Lisa and the kids, pray that they will be able to get through this difficult time.

Please Say a Prayer....

Dan's cousin, Austin was in a skateboarding accident. He wasn't wearing a helmet, he was hurt really bad, and is in the hospital right now in a coma...PLEASE, anyone that sees this, please say a prayer for Austin and his family...He has three children and a wife who love him very much. Austin has been the glue that has kept our family together.

Debbie Downer Post...

For the record, I think it is dumb that I have been crying about this too...

So the death of Heath Ledger has hit me pretty hard, and it isn't that I idolized him or anything, but I look at his life situation...he was 28 and had a 2 year old. This is where we are right now with Ellie. It really hits home.

Ellie is SO aware of the people around her, and I imagine his little girl is too. It makes me cry to think that she is probably asking for her Dad and he isn't there, but what makes it even worse is that one day she'll quit asking for him. It is just so sad.

I am grateful that I have a belief system where I KNOW that families can be together forever, but part of being human is feeling upset, angry and disappointed when someone you loves leaves you. I just feel so sad for his little girl.

tsk...tsk...

As if I don't have a million other things to be doing (homework and spending time with the fam), I've been wasting away time at the computer.

My family is now calling me from the tub...only they are yelling, "Hey Blogger!" Pathetic...I know.

Well, I best be getting my baby alligator out of the tub!!

Brown

I had to test myself from Meagan's blog...I'm brown too!!

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Brown

You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy. Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart. With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver. And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision. Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music. Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart.

Take this test >

Brownies Outside...

Two trailer park girls eat brownies outside, brownies outside, brownies outside...
Two trailer park girls eat brownies outside, brownies outside, brownies outside...

Guess who's back, back again?
Shady's back, tell a friend...
Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back...

Yeah, so that really isn't the lyrics of that song...Dan told Ellie they were, and now Ellie want's to listen to Eminem's Brownies Outside song all day every day.

Another funny mess up of words has been occuring lately...
Ellie likes to tell bedtime stories, and she starts them all with Once there was upon a time...the story usually consists of three kittens (sometimes blue, purple or white) and a pirate (sometimes blue purple or white). The pirate usually hits the kitties, and the mother cat gets mad.
THE END.

Super Cute Templates!!

I found a cute site for templates (thanks Meagan)...as I have stated before, I am HTML iliterate, but I finally figured it out!! Well, I still only had to cut and paste...I'm just special!!

Anyway, we are all still sick, but hopefully we are on the mend. I think it is only supposed to last two weeks tops.

Also...CONGRATS to the Clark family. We see that you guys are expecting a new little one (your blog wouldn't let us post a comment). Dan (my Dan) is jealous...I'm still not ready for another one. He can live vicariously through you!!

New York, New York City North!!!

Ben got his mission call, and he is going to the New York City North Mission. We are glad he is going state side, if he was going to a foreign country we don't know what he'd eat!! He leaves April 23rd. It is crazy to think that when he comes home, Ellie will almost be five, and Lucy will be Ellie's age.

House of the sick...

Don't worry, it isn't puking sick...it is much worse...coughing and runny noses!! I hate runny noses! Especially now, because Ellie wipes it on her sleeve (EEW!!). Dan and Ellie both have colds, and are currently doped up on Nyquil (YAY for peace and quiet!!).

Ellie has had a cold for a week now, we've had to skip out on gymnastics twice this week...poor thing, after her naps she would try to convince me that she was better and that she wanted to go to gymnastics (too bad it was three hours earlier). She's going to get two "double whammy" days of gymnastics next week; a session in the morning with me, and one at night with Dan. I can tell bedtime is going to be amazing next week!!

What's with all the girls? I admit that I had a man on mine, Tom Brady (hubba, hubba), but Dan has three ladies!! It must be those FULL lips!!

ShopKo

I went to pick up some prescriptions from ShopKo on Thursday, My sister-in-law was there, and she gave Ellie a medicine dropper. As we were leaving, Ellie was in her carseat, and she kept on saying, "That says ShopKo." I would reply with the typical...you're right it does, but when I turned around, she was pointing to the dropper. The dropper had ShopKo printed on the side...I couldn't BELIEVE it!! I am currently learning about word recognition in my literacy class, and I was surprised that Ellie was already doing that.

I knew that she recognized buildings (she can spot Sizzler from a mile away!!), but I didn't know she could recognize the word on a building on something else. I should also say that it wasn't a fluke. We went out to eat yesterday at Applebees, and she found Applebees on the sugar packet.
She's smart!! She REALLY is!!

What Celebrity do you look like?

Tea Party

Ellie invited her BESTEST friend Natalie over for a tea party today...

They had water, and teeny tiny cupcakes...

Christmas...

As usual, I'm a day late and a bus short when it comes to posting!! We had a FANTASTIC Christmas this year...Ellie received an overload of toys!! She of course got her big girl bed this year, a table and chairs for tea parties, baby dolls, Grandma GiGi got her a set of twins (boy and girl), Grandma Jessen got her a tea set, apron, and LOTS of noisy toys....She also made her a Sponge Bob blanket!! We didn't end up opening presents until almost 10 am, Ellie was totally out for the count.

Dan and I treated ourselves earlier this year with snowboarding stuff. He got a new board and bindings, and I got the works (bindings, board, boots). We also both got two pairs of designer jeans (we are both princesses). I also got a lot of professional clothing for substitute teaching, so I'm really excited about that!! The one thing I have missed about working is dressing up, since I have been staying home, if I am ready by 2 pm, the day is a success :)!!