Happy Happy Happy Birthday....BODHI

Bodhi in Utah, playing in the pool...I love this picture, it just reminds me of Bodhi always laughing and loving life.

Running to the pool...the epitome of summer memories as a child

Enjoying the sun, water (dirty) and cousins...Pineview 08

Dad and Child...The need for speed starts at such an early age.

Wow...your 5, your 5! I can't believe it, my cute nephew is 5 today...come to think of it, I think I have seen him a total of 5 times! We live far far too far away. Bodhi is a spitball of personality and fire and I can't wait to see him and Spencer getting into much trouble one day together. Hmmm, come to think of it, I can wait for all that trouble to happen. I hope you have a great day filled with balloons, sugar, sugar, and toys. What else does a child need (well, a lot of things but we won't get into that now).

Two Face of Crazy aka Just Back From The Dentist

I know...so weird, luckily it wore off after 3 hours!

I just don't know what to say...

It makes me laugh everytime I look at these, they just don't look like me

So today I had to go to the dentist and get two fillings and my front tooth fixed (yes, I had a total white-trash crooked smile...long story short, my front tooth broke and had to get it fixed) Anyway both cavities were on the top of my mouth so the dentist had to numb the top of my mouth. Well, it ended up numbing my face from my eye-lids, yes my EYE-LIDS were numb to the right side of my face...hence giving me a crooked smile. I look so weird and distorted! I know, I know, I always look that way, but it was even worse today, I look like I am getting ready for Halloween as two-face, huh, maybe I will to go to the dentist the on Halloween and get this done again...wait, it was WAY to painful, I mean PAINFUL...Anyway enjoy the pictures they are rather funny!

Give Me An A L E X...is 1 8...What, Your HOW Old?

Nana J and Alex..take in Aug. 07 on a hike in Telluride.

I love this picture...Jim explaining the complexity of life, Alex, wondering how Jim got off his rocker.

All the sass and the brass.

Taking rest 145 on our hike

Notice that we are all happy, this was the START of the hike...

Yes, my niece, that I still remember getting the call in Kalispell that she was born in California, is 18 today. How did she get so old? How DID I get so old? Anyway she isn't getting older, she is getting more beautiful. I am excited to see what is around the corner for my lovely Alex. She isn't afraid to conquer the world and frankly I wouldn't be surprised if she does. She has an amazing talent of writing (something I like to think I passed on to her...ya, right!) and I know she will be a New York Bestseller Author one day...I am just waiting...and if you want to write about me...well, you can...but only if it is nice...hmmm that may be a stretch. Anyway Alex, Happy Birthday, we love you, we miss you and we are proud of you!

Goofin (because what else are you supposed to do when it rains in Omaha) In The City

Spencer doing his thing...I guess?

Elijah jumping for joy...he made it down, he really made it down.

Slipping and a Sliding

The 'twin' slides

The slides with Omaha in the background

So all week, and I mean ALL week, we have had the most beautiful weather here in Omaha. The temperatures have been more on the hot and humid side however the kids have enjoyed themselves immensely after school. They have had a lot of fun playing in the water, zooming around on their scooters till 8:30 pm...ya bedtime is a whole other story sure to be told at another blogging date, and holding their breath for Saturday. Yes, Saturdays! Saturdays for a kid is like getting behind the wheel of a brand new sports car for the first time when you are an adult...you are unchained from school, from homework and from bedtime.

However, when you live in the mid-west, Saturdays during the Spring inevitably mean...RAIN! Why oh WHY does it rain every Saturday? I guess it is a question only to be answered with a big shrug of the shoulders and a mumbled i-dun-no. So we here in the Potter household said "@$#% You rain (no I don't mean the really bad word just a word I don't feel comfortable letting my Mom read) and headed to the Slide Park in downtown Omaha. It was quite nice as no one else was there but again, just like the rain, other people were inevitable and when they came, we left. Which was good timing because when the people came, even harder rains fell.

The 1st Grade Trip of Fields...From Slides to Roosters

Elijah and I after eating our lunch
Elijah petting a baby chicken...okay not so much a baby but a tween chicken.
The cranky tour guide and Elijah riding the wooden horse.
Elijah showing how much he LOVED the guide!
They were hanging in a covered wagon.

Okay so I have been really slack on my blogging, but in my defense, I...and then we....and I couldn't....and so....yup that sums up the last few days. However, one thing that I did manage to catch on film was Elijah's first grade field trip. The entire first grade class from Bancroft Elementary had the opportunity to go to the Griffin Family Farms. It is a working farm where kids can come check it out and see what goes into running a farm. Elijah had a lot of fun seeing the roosters, roostering (is that what they do?) the cows, cowing (you know, in their spare time) and all the other animals animaling on the farm.

I think the funniest thing about the farm was Debbie (who's daughter is also in first grade) and I got lost...thanks Debbie, the adventure was fun and even talking to the Mexican, while stopped at the light, to ask for directions, who couldn't speak English was even great! And then second, our tour guide (ya, I tour guide for a farm..."these are ducks, you city kids have never seen a duck before"...seriously) was from Brooklyn and about the crankiest person...EVER!!! Why, WHY, would you be a tour guide at a farm for kids when you hate kids and you hate farms? Hmmm... Anyway at least the pictures are cute!

Um...Happy Birthday...Just 3 Months LATE

Nana and the Secrets...
This was taken a few years ago but this is of my brother and his cute wife and my Mom
In Snowbird a few years ago...on the top of the tram
Mom and all her glory
In Telluride riding the tram.

So I was sitting here thinking that I never posted a birthday post for my Mom...yes, I am the worst daughter ever, yes I am insensitive, and yes I am shallow, jerky and all those things that come to mind of a daughter that doesn't post a birthday post for her Mom. So to make good, just 3 months later, I am posting a birthday post just for my Mom.

My Mom really is an amazing lady. She never complains when asked to perform a task and she never complains after the task has been performed. She always is willing to help and she helps with a smile on her face and a warm embrace in her heart. She is always telling us to pray, much to my chagrin sometimes, but she speaks the truth...she is always leading this family on her knees.

She is an amazing Nana J to her grandchildren and she never passes up a chance to play with her kids that she wished she had first. Just last week when she was here visiting, Spencer asked her to skip with him and without a minutes hesitation, she started to skip...that is my Mom. We have had the opportunity to travel with her a few times...we have gone to California, Colorado and Moab and we have always had such great fun with her. She is such a trooper, again never complains and just likes to go, go, go, go...now you know where I get it from. I know she misses my Dad...plain and simple but I know he is always with us. I love you Mom, even though this is 3 months late.

Coco Keys...Day Two of Spring Break 09

This week the kids have Spring Break...or otherwise known as Spring-what-the-crap-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-kids-for-the-next-five-days-and-make-sure-they-don't-fight-or-kill-each-other-or-I-don't-kill-them-first-break...wholly crap that is a really long explanation but every parent that reads this will know it to be true.

Anyway getting on with my point...yesterday the kids just played with friends then we all, yes Jim included, can you believe it, went to see Monsters vs. Aliens. It was funny...ya, not much else can be said about it. But today was really fun...I finally took the kids to the Omaha Hot Spot, Coco Keys. It is a huge water park that is inside the Holiday Inn in downtown Omaha. We arrived bright and early (okay 10 o'clock but you know that is bright and early for me) and stayed until 4:30. We had a great time racing each other down the water slides, lazily chillin' in the lazy river, laughing our guts out as we tried the Lily pads, trying our jump shots at water basketball and of course hanging outside in the hot tub...phew and that is only half of what we did.

I don't have any pictures as I was very worried about taking the camera to the water park, I didn't want it to get stolen, so you must use your imagination. Just picture me in a hot bathing suit looking like a super model with three gorgeous and well behaved kids...okay who am I kidding, I was in my Wal-Mart special black bathing suit that cost $12 that I hate and three kids that I couldn't keep track of all day! Regardless we can't wait to go back!

Happy Birthday, Birthday Girl... Mom, Nana, and Jolene

Jolene and Dick...the Gulf Coast of Florida 2006
In April of 06 Dick and Jolene came with us to Florida...I think Jolene was freaking out that she was going to have to sit for 5 hours on a plane next to Spencer...but she did great, I never had to put her on time out or anything.
Christmas of 2004...I love this sign that we gave to Jolene, she always was scattering kindness
I love this picture...the two most important women in Jim's life...his Grandma Gene and his Mom at his graduation from the University of Utah
Jolene and Elijah when he was just two months old...January 2001.

I thought this title was most befitting of the women we called Mom, Nana and Jolene. She wore many hats, wore many titles but I think the one she loved most was Birthday Girl. Jolene loved her birthdays and being the center of attention just for one day. She loved receiving gifts, even though it would take me about 2 weeks in advance to figure out what we would get her...even though we would always fall back to the old stand by, a Nordstrom Gift Card. I think 9 out of 10 times she used it to pay off her card but still, it is the thought that counts and she always looked cute!

I will never forget planning her surprise 60th birthday party....it was a pain in the butt! Trying to plan it without her knowing something was going on and trying to get everything just right for the woman we loved so much. We did a really good job until her sister showed up from Las Vegas; she knew something was going on. However it ended up being such a fun night and just such a tribute to the lady that we all love.

No matter the hat, no matter the title, no matter the age, we will always love Jolene. We miss her tremendously...and to be honest, we always will.

A Birthday Poem

I know Jim's birthday was a couple or weeks ago but he received this text from his clever, clever niece (the one we call Alli, Alli-Woo, or Alli-the-sponge-bob-aficionado) And then Jim responded with his little clever, clever ways...

**I was a little put off by his answer, I am the clever one in the marriage...he is the smart one, the funny one and everything else one and now he has stolen the clever one...dang (I did write d@mn but thought that might be to harsh) you Jim

Alli's text to Jim on his birthday:
Jim you don't need a trim,
kids are pullin every limb.
you're lookin so slim,
I hope today you win!
happy birthday! :)

Jim's response to Alli:
A trim I don't need is what you say,
put that trim off for another day,
or for good since I am bald anyway.
my limbs my limbs put I hope they stay,
for 36 of course is old and gray,
with all that pulling they may all fall off one day.
oh to be slim I wish it were so
will someone pass me that last hoho,
by receiving your clever text won is this day,
and so thank you very much is what I have to say!

The Tornado That Was Cut Short

The Tornado know as Potter/Haun

Kohl feeding the ducks...Kohl fending off the ducks.

Nana J and the kids on the Pedestrian Bridge.

Brynn showing off Omaha...which she kept getting confused with Oklahoma

On Thursday night, we had a tornado blow into the mighty city of Omaha. It didn't make the news, it didn't wipe out the electricity, it didn't even blow down any trees. It was a mini-tornado, it blew in from St. Louis and landed in my home...okay, okay it wasn't a traditional tornado that causes the city sirens to go off, it consisted of Brynn and Kohl. The boys were so excited that their cousins were coming from St. Louis they could hardly stand it and when they got here, it was a whirlwind of playing, laughing, and having fun.

On Friday, we had great fun driving for a half an hour to Mahoney State Park only to do be told that the fun area would open at 4:00 p.m....it was 11:00 A.M!! So we turned around and drove another half an hour to the Heartland Park and feed the ducks and ate lunch (okay my kids ate lunch, Kohl and Brynn just sat there...they didn't like what I brought for lunch). However they did have fun feeding the ducks, it was a little crazy as the ducks waddled up to us...we didn't even have to go to them. I guess they were hungry or they wanted to check out the spectacle of the Potter/Haun party. Our trip was cut short when Spencer so kindly pushed Elijah into the pond...with the ducks...with their waste...and the scum...and the garbage...it was Gross...to say the least...

Hot water, a bar of soap, and a pink child later, (Elijah in the shower), we headed back downtown and walked the Pedestrian Bridge. It is a bridge that links Omaha, NE to Council Bluffs, IA over the Missouri River...got that Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri River! It is only for pedestrians and it maybe a half a mile both ways. We had a great time, despite the wind, but again had to cut it short because Elijah decided that Noah just needed the water bottle thrown at him. I did have to take them to ice cream however because Brynn asked if we could and I couldn't say no. Luckily this wasn't cut short...we got to eat our ice cream in peace. Well until Spencer started throwing spoons at the other customers...hmm, are you starting to see the pattern.

Saturday morning we woke up to the real tornado sirens going off and when I checked the weather, it was a snow storm warning...so we had to cut the whole weekend short and send Mom, Brynn, and Kohl back to St. Louis...I guess we should have guessed that it would have been cut short, every activity was cut short but we had a great time and can't wait until the tornado of Brynn and Kohl blow into town again! This is one tornado I can handle...

Oh My Three Sons...My 3 Sons

Spencer...perfecting his pout face.

Noah...I am getting the usually reaction when I ask to take his picture

Elijah...the new version of the 'peoples brow'

Our Three Sons.

Here are a few pictures that I took of the boys after the whole Pokemon incident (read below). No explanation necessary

Pokemon...It's What Brings Families Closer

The boys proudly showing off their prize possessions

In deep thought and concentration

Ya, I don't get it either but whatever?

A couple of nights ago I was in our bedroom working on the computer, answering emails regarding relief society (shocker) and Jim was at his computer working on homework (an even BIGGER shocker) when I started to wonder where the boys were. I ran downstairs to see if they had fallen asleep in front of the TV (yes, the TV, our unpaid Nanny) but they weren't there. I couldn't hear them fighting or running up and down the hall yelling "No I'm Luke, your Vader" so I was rather puzzled.

It wasn't until I stopped and really listened that I could hear them talking...like normal little human beings. I followed this "talking" and found them sitting on Noah's bed chatting about Pokemon....who knew that Pokemon would bring my wild, crazy, and sometimes a little grouchy boys together. I stood in the doorway looking at them for at least 5 minutes. They didn't even look up nor acknowledge that I was standing there. So I did what any good mom would do...I ran to get my camera. Enjoy! Oh and if you are looking for something to bring your children closer together...buy Pokemon...who knew?

Dude...I Did (away with) The DO

The Back
Spencer's reaction to the DO

The Front...yes I know Victoria Beckham and I DO look a lot a like...people get us mixed up ALL THE TIME

Okay so for the last hmmm...well I don't want to admit how many years, but let's just say for my young-at-heart-sake the last few, I have had the same hair-do. I always have been fairly conservative when it comes to my hair. I don't know why I am not more adventurous, it's not like I am still looking for a date (well, sometimes) so who cares what my hair looks like...right? Well, not exactly. I have had the same color and same (pretty much) cut since 1994...phew, I said it. Yes I know many of you were still in elementary school, some of you were in junior high, hell, some of you may have even been in diapers (oh goodness please don't tell me if you were) but it has been a long time coming. I have mixed it up a little however through the years...sometimes I have had bangs, sometimes I have had highlights but I always fall back on the same old same old...cut all one length, no bangs.

Well this time, I did it...with the help of my friend Teri, to mix it up FINALLY...FINALLY I am a little bit closer to being a blond! FINALLY I cannot throw my hair up in a pony. FINALLY a changed. Dude, I really did do away with the do and came up with something I really love. Teri's son told me that I looked like I was 21 (then I turned around and give him a 5 dollar bill...bribing kids is rather easy) Anyway, I hope you like it...I do and most importantly Jim does. Actually I just think he is jealous that I can do something with it other than just shave it...after the resurrection babe, after the resurrection.