Missionary Predictions

China for Elijah and he has some mad chop-stick skillz

Italy for Spencer...that boy can down the pasta

And Hawaii for Noah...sweet sweet sweet Hawaii

While at the visitors center in Independence, the boys found (and enjoyed immensely) the display with many different translations of the Book of Mormon...the boys each found one in which they may be reading one day in the far off future.

A Little History Lesson

The crazy spiral church in Independence

Sitting at the base of Liberty Jail

The infamous clay county...luckily nobody came after us with a shot gun but we did get some nasty looks...

When we drove back from St. Louis, we stopped in Kansas City, MO for the evening so we could take the boys to Liberty Jail and to Independence to see the church history sites. I must say it was amazing to be at Liberty Jail...if you ever have the opportunity to go, GO! It will deepen your testimony of Joseph Smith and what an amazing prophet he was. I think the thing that touched me the most was that he never complained!

Thanks To The Turkey, The TV, and To TODAY!

Drake...seriously, this kid is so freaking cute!

The Sisters...Lori and Ann

Noah and Kohl...

Chase and Spencer

Elijah and Brynn

I was trying to go for a whole T theme title but it really doesn't make sense, but then again does engorging on high calorie foods to show our gratitude make any sense as well? Maybe, maybe not but I do know that driving to St. Louis for the Thanksgiving holiday made perfect sense. We drove down Tuesday morning (not realizing cooked fish from Sunday night was still sitting in the microwave...only to be discovered 5 days later...whatevs!) and came back Saturday. It was so nice to hang with family, laugh with family, eat with family, and just chill with family. A big thanks to Lori who made it all possible...seriously that woman can cook...who knew?

A Little Birthday Magic

Group HUG...

Elijah and his two buddies Sidney and Diana (they are our neighbor's)

Elijah and Shae Lee...yes he is SO a ladies man!

Elijah and his friend Kevin...

On Saturday Elijah had his friend birthday party. He has never had one before because his birthday is always so close to Thanksgiving that it has always been really hard to plan one. But this year, we made it happen. We took a few of his friends and brothers to The Amazing Pizza Machine and well the name says it all. He had lots of fun playing, eating and just being with his friends. The best part, he told me, was when he won 100 tickets and of course getting birthday presents from his friends.

Elijah Allen Potter...You're 8, Now A Little Poem

Umm...the shirt says it all

Elijah got a lazer tag get-up for his 8th

Saweet...presents!

That's how many...baby!

Elijah's favorite things...presents and his brothers

I can't believe you are 8!
You are so great.

Maybe we should have named you Nate?

But you will have a good fate.

When you go fishing, always take bate.

I hope you find a great mate!

Maybe her name will be Kate.

But you still can't date

Don't hate

Cause, your only 8...

Love your rhythm and blues motha...

Self Portrait Magic

Is this my best side?

Spencer and Mom...and sucker stick!

Noah and Mom...I swear I didn't look that old 10 years ago!

Mom and Elijah...and dirty face...yes, yes I do make my kids wash their faces...just not for pictures!

This is how we do family pictures...ghetto style!

Dance Dance...Dance Yo Pants...OFF!!

I was dancing, my hands were a snapping...even my lips were a bouncing...

Noah and Spencer having a dance off.

Just bust a move Noah, just bust a move.

Think Pulp Fiction...but with all your fingers!

Our last name should have been 'twinkle-toes' because my kids LOVE to dance...they are always busting out their moves and so I thought I would finally get some on camera! Noah has a certain 'latin-flare' about his dance moves and Spencer is more of a 'hip-hop' kind of guy. Elijah, well, he just watches and laughs at all of us.

27 Has A NICE Ring To It...

We are Yankees fans, they just won the World Series...for the 27th time...enough said!

It's...Well...RED!

My new hair...ya dig!

The Great Pumpkin Escapade

Okay so this is after...see below for the before.

Elijah drew the face, I carved the face...we're thinking of going into business together "The Potter Pumpkin Design Team" it's catchy...

Noah presenting his pumpkin...he designed it and cut it!

Spencer is trying to tell you that his pumpkin is a self portrait...right, maybe it's the triangle eyes or the fact that the pumpkin is orange, but I see it...I see the resemblance.

Noah and the guts...hmmm, sounds like we just found a name of his band!

This was the before...why yes, Noah is trying to feed the pumpkin his Icee...why do you ask?

Last year, I was eager to 'dress up' our two concrete steps with cute Halloween decor, so natural we bought 5 pumpkins. Little did I know the wildlife, and I mean literally, would eat away our pumpkins so that come Halloween night, the pumpkins we so carefully picked out of the patch would be gone! So this year I was smart...I waited until Halloween day at 1:00 in the afternoon to go buy our pumpkins, I would out smart those critters this year! Little did I know that this fall would be known as 'the great pumpkin shortage of 2009'. To make a long story short, 3 stores, 3 really, REALLY, upset little boys, and 1 hour later, we would come home with only 3 pumpkins...at least the wildlife wouldn't be eating my pumpkins this year!

BTW: after all the trick-or-treaters came and went, so did the wildlife, and lets just say while my kids were inside gorging themselves on candy, the wildlife was outside gorging themselves on my pumpkins!

Halloween 09: You Know Your Kids Are Getting Older When...

Death, Bones, and Ninja aka Noah, Elijah, and Spencer
Elijah walking in his schools costume parade
Death...coming to get ya...
At Spencer's school, they got to go trick or treating around the zoo and wow, did he come home with a loot of candy.


As I reflect upon Halloweens past, I recall three cute little boys, dressed up in fun cuddly costumes ie: Pooh Bear as a bumble bee (my personal favorite), Tigger, a jaw-wah (okay not so cute and cuddly but not DEATH!), of course Harry Potter and a few other Star War character favorites thrown into the mix for good measure. However, this year I finally realized that my boys are growing...by the costumes they choose. I guess that's the problem right there, I let THEM pick their costumes but you know I have to loosen the reigns eventually. I figured Noah would probably be beaten up if I made him dress up as Christopher Robin. But how cute would that be for Noah to be Christopher Robin and Elijah as Pooh Bear and Spencer as Tigger...okay, okay, yes they would ALL get beaten up if I did that but still a mother of three can dream can't she?

Actually I think more appropriately they should have dressed up like the 3 Stooges...again a mother can dream can't she...

Yup...It's Official...

No, I am not pregnant and I certainly did NOT win the lottery, however it would come in handy, anyway, the official part is I am like my Mom. I am sharing a scripture that just seems to hit close to home and maybe it will hit close to your home as well:

Mosiah 24:14 "And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."

I say that I am officially like my Mom because she is always sending us scriptures and little tid-bits from the Leadership of the Church so yup, it is official!

Potter Monster Mash

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A Typical Conversation About a Typical Topic

The other day I took the boys to Mahoney State Park, when we got home we were all starving and this was the conversation that I had with Spencer...it was rather humorous:

Spencer (yelling at me from bottom of steps): Mom, MOM, I'm hungry, are you going to fix dinner?
Mom (yelling at the top of the steps being a smart A): Well, I thought you were going to fix dinner tonight?
Spencer (yelling, with a little bit of attitude): But it IS nightime!
Mom (chuckling and yelling at the same time): Well, I thought YOU were going to fix dinner!
Spencer (putting his little hands on his hips and getting a little agitated): ME?
Mom (laughing and hamming up just a little bit): YEA!
Spencer (yelling and getting even more agitated): I'm not cooking dinner!
Mom (wondering how long I can drag this out): Why not?
Spencer (not missing a beat): Cuz, I'm not the MOM!

We ended up eating corn bread and taco soup...prepared NOT by Spencer.

A Letter To All....

Dear All,

So I have been thinking about a lot lately...okay not really but it makes me sound smart and sometimes I need a little intelligence added to my intelligence. Anyway, I have been thinking about how I am not taking the time to communicate with you, our loved ones and distant friends. It's not that I don't love you, or consider you close and personal friends of the Potter family, it's just that I am always, ALWAYS, on my phone dealing with the latest and greatest problem in our ward. For the two of you who don't know, I am the Relief Society President, little did I know that this calling would turn into Person On The Phone 24/7 Dealing With Other Peoples Problems.

In fact before I received this calling, I had the 1500 minute plan on my phone, I never went over on my minutes. But now, with this calling, Jim put me on the unlimited phone plan...I have used 1205 minutes and I still have 2 weeks until my billing cycle ends. Any questions?

So why am I making this post, I will tell you why...If you don't get a call from me for a while, or an email, just know it isn't because I love you or I am not thinking of you, but by the end of the day, I am so tired of talking that I just can't talk anymore. I know, me...tired of talking...who knew?

Love and kisses from the land of corn and cows, or in other words, corny-cows!
Ann

A Weekend Update

The happy family...Noah, in typical fashion, will not look at the camera...BOYS!

Somebody making some random comment about this weird and random ceremony!

A distant memory of a distant conversation:

old lady at church: WOW! Three boys, you are going to learn to love Scouts.

young lady at church (aka, me): What's scouts?

Well, I have learned quickly what scouts is...um, maybe I will be able to tell you by the time Spencer has entered the sacred tradition of blues shirts, weird badges, and skits that make NO sense. Until now, I just know that scouts is a tradition of blue shirts (really...blue polyester, come on!), weird badges (that I seem to always sow on in the WRONG place) and skits that make no sense (left hand grater, right hand cheese...let's give them a big GREAT!...what?)

Even though I am absolutely baffled by this long standing institution, the other night Noah received is tiger...no his lion...um, no, oh ya, his Wolf! I now have two pins, a Bear and a Wolf. Wait, three pins. He has a Bobcat too. What an animal!

A Worthy Read...A Total Birkin!

I just finished "The Book Thief" for my first ever book club...book club, club...anyway enough with the books and the clubs, it's all about the book...the BOOK. Please read this book, it is so good and it is so unique that I would be constantly thinking about what I had read the night before. I don't want to give a lot away, but just read it. I am now going to start rating the books I read but of course I have to do it on my scale:

A 3 star book, a must read will be called a "Birkin" because I feel that the ultimate bag would be a Herme Birkin bag hence a must read...got it.

A 2 star book, is just okay, or wait until the movie comes out, would be a knock-off or a "Prodo" it may look like the real thing, but honey, it just isn't...you know it's fake, your friends knows its a fake, everybody knows its a fake.

A 1 star book, oh good gravy I didn't even finish it, it just wasn't worth my time will be a "Wal-Mart" bag...just like a 1 star book is not worth your time, a Wal-Mart purse is NOT worth your money.

So there, my rating system has begun, you may not agree with my rating system, but frankly I don't really care...it's my blog and I can rant and rave if I want too...


DISCLAIMER: Please note that this website is not an official site representative of Jim Potter but is instead a private, unsponsored website for Ann Potter's rants and raves. While Ann Potter has tried diligently to provide accurate information, there may be inadvertent inaccuracies including technical inaccuracies, typographical inaccuracies, and typographical errors and other possible inaccuracies, for which I apologize. Thank you Jim Potter

A Quick Glance Into Insight.

I am usually not one to throw religion into the faces of my loved ones but I must take this minute and toss a few religious thoughts out there. This past weekend was General Conference and because only three people read this blog, and all three are LDS, they know what General Conference is. I loved the talks, I love the spirit that was felt and I loved the way it rejuvenated me, spiritually, physically, and mentally.

I was most impressed with Jeffery R. Holand's talk, maybe it was because he was talking a little bit louder than most, but he talked with such zest, such zeal that you couldn't but help take notice. I love how he is so black and white, I create a lot of gray and get boggled down by my own weaknesses but with such talks as this, it wipes away the distorted.

I must admit, I miss President Hinckley. I just never thought I would miss a man that I had never met, that I had never talked too, that didn't know my face but he knew my problems, he understood my fears...I miss him and I easily get choked up when I see his picture as well as hear his voice. I do love President Monson however and I always love his stories...he has lead an incredible life.

I am so grateful that we have this inspired weekend to look forward to every six months. I remember as a kid, teenager, not to long ago, that I always looked forward to conference because I could sleep all day, now I look forward to conference to receive guidance, inspiration, to feel the Spirit. I hope all of you...okay the 3 of you, felt the same way.

Just...For...The...RECORD

Okay so if you start to notice some crazy songs on our blog play list, ie any song by Toy Dolls, this is all Jim...well a throw back to his skater punk days. I told him I wish I had some pictures to go with these songs but atleast I can give you a visual. Jim, 1987, ripped up jeans, (before they were ever popular and you had to spend $150 for them to be ripped) Mohawk...yes, I said blond, curly, MOHAWK, think Mr. T, just not as cool...don't tell him I told you that. Of course he had to have the quintessential skater shoe, Airwalks, and of course the multi-colored flannel shirt over a t-shirt that expressed his musical interests at the time...again, ie Toy Dolls or The Exploited.

I was joking with Jim about whether or not I would have 'noticed' him during these so called skater-punk-days (which I know there is still a skater-punk inside of him bursting to get out and do an ollie on his board), I must admit I like boys that were slightly different...think Gap, khaki's, hair that didn't resemble a washed-up 80's icon, and polo's...wow, I am SO glad my taste changed...as Jim is sitting in khaki shorts, a polo and hair that resembles...well, still working on that but like most things in this life, I usually DO get my way.

WATCH OUT PEDISTRIANS....`

How can you NOT love that face!

Riding through the puddle

Just hanging out on the bike...

Guess who can ride a bike?

This One Is For Tammi...Gray Mary-Janes

My new Grey Mary-Jane's...what do you think

Should have been a shoe photographer...oh well, I'll just buy them

So these where the shoes I bought while talking to you...So we were 912 miles away from each other while I bought them but we did the next best thing, chatted on our cell phones! And our husbands thought our shopping escapades would chill after I moved...ppp, whatevs!

Creative Juices...SO NOT FLOWING

Over Labor Day weekend the boys and I went to a Military Park to honor our country, Jim labored over the law...we all have our ways.

Spencer the Kamikaze

Noah and Elijah...walking, talking, eating chips (you can't see the bag)

My cute friend Dana and I at a shower the other day...see, I do have friends...well as long as they get their checks.

Katie and I at her shower...ya, I look like a dork and I am not even the one who is 8 months pregnant.

Usually I will write corky little blurbs about all things Potter; you may laugh, you may roll your eyes, you may flip me off via telekinesis, whatever, but lately those creative juices have so not been flowing. It isn't due to a lack of creative things we have been doing in this family; I pin it on the oh-so-stress of life. After spending all day trying to solve other people's problems and worrying about other people's problems, I am humorously tapped. So I will let the pictures do what they do best...sit there and look pretty while people wish they had been there and done that.