My BFF - Alanna

So my best friend, Alanna (Anderson) Longhurst, has been griping about me having that old picture of us together on my blog. She doesn't like how she looks (which NONE of us do after we have just had kids) and so I told her I would replace it, but the picture that I have to replace it with doesn't have us with our kids... So I thought I would just add it to the blog as a new and better picture of the two of us.

Alanna is amazing. She took me in when I came back to Quincy after living in Missouri for 3 years and was my saving grace in a way. I didn't know anyone and had been gone for 3 year and so you can just imagine the lost feeling I had. She took me back without a bat of her eye and it was like I had never left. She is amazing and I remember her practicing her voice lessons. I used to hate her singing exercises because they were so LOUD and ANNOYING... but after I moved out of her house and we moved onto college and didn't see each other as much, I found myself missing those times and even her piercing voice lessons. :)

Alanna was the one who always made me laugh... even in the morning at 7am when we were just waking up. She would roll over to chat and immediately start laughing because my breath smelled so bad from the pickles I had ate the night previous that she couldn't stand to have me next to her and shoved me out of the bed! hahaha Or the time I went over to her house and used linen napkins for the first time... that night I had Alanna rolling because I used my napkin to wipe my runny nose and clean my plate off for dessert when I thought no one was looking. Those times were funny.

Or the time that she took me horseback riding right after I got back from St. Louis and planted a seed for the love of horses I now have. She sang the first country song I've ever heard (Tim McGraw's "She had BBQ Stains on her white T-Shirt. She was killing me in that mini-skirt. Skipping rocks on the river by the railroad tracks..." Do you know the one I'm talking about?) and now I'm hooked on country. She got me onto the Cross-Country Team and was there the first race I competed in when I got lost in the Leavenworth Forest.

Alanna has been there when I needed a friend to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, or vent my frustrations to. She took me out of my bubble of shyness and helped me become the woman I am today. She was there every Sunday at church with me growing up and we would take turns playing with one another's backs during Sacrament Meetings.

She is an amazing woman. She's a wife and mother now and I have to say she's on heck of an amazing lady. She is funny, articulate, passionate, hotter-than-snot when mad, patient, kind, always ready to give a piece of her mind or advise to you.... and I am really truly lucky to be able to call her my best friend. She inspires me to become better; and I love the fact that even when I know I have to do something, it's only when she vocalizes it to me that it really clicks. I miss her a ton since high school and we have lived at a distance from one another. She is down in Utah right now and might be moving to California soon and I'm here in good ol' Washington. But we find ways to see each other and "catch up" even though it doesn't seem like enough time in the day to do so.

I love you Alanna and want to thank you for all the years that you've been there for me and pushed me to do better or be something more. On more than one occasion you kept me on the straight and narrow, made me laugh when I wanted to cry, and have really given so much in friendship that I hope to have given back just a portion. Thank you for being strong and for being you no matter what the circumstance was. You're awesome!

Big Surprise to Me!

I was over at my apartment in May cleaning out the last of my belongings to move into storage or my sister and brother-in-law's house (Leah and Thomas), when Thomas asks me if I saw anything in their bathroom when I went in there yesterday to curl my bangs. I told him that I hadn't. He then told me something that I was not expecting to hear and am so excited about.
Leah is pregnant.

I guess that when I went into the bathroom they had a couple of pregnancy tests there on the top of their toilet and Leah and Thomas were sure I'd seen them, but I didn't. They hadn't told anyone yet and weren't planning on telling the family for another 3 weeks (the first week of June) when Leah would be 3 months along. Her due date is December 16th and Thomas and Leah both hope it's going to be a boy... but will be happy if it's a girl too.

I was totally taken back, because for a long while Leah and Thomas have always been opposite on wanting to have another one. Leah would want one and Thomas wouldn't. Thomas would want one and Leah wouldn't. The latter one was true for these last few months. So when Thomas told me that they were expecting I was in shock. I was happy beyond belief. I just didn't see this coming. Thomas said when he found out he was laughing and jumping up and down.

**Warning**
This will be a very LONG, REFLECTIVE email.


You see I look at this as an opportunity for me to undo all the hurt I caused Leah when she had Linzey at 15. I will illustrate it so you know what exactly I mean when I say that... for all of those who don't know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found out that Leah was pregnant when I was a Senior in High School. I was on the verge of turning 18 and remember it like yesterday when I heard the news from my mom. I was standing in Mr. Stagg's science classroom and after I was told the news from my mom, I remember not even able to make it off the phone without bawling. I turned to Mr. Stagg and told him I had to leave (not sure if he caught what I was trying to say) and ran out of the classroom. It was break between classes so the hallways were full of teens. I dashed to the nearest bathroom, and collapsed on the floor of the nearest open stall (as disgusting as that sounds I didn't care at the moment) and bawled... I didn't care that there were 5 other girls in the bathroom. I just was angry and hurt. Angry that my sister could go against everything she was raised to know was wrong and do it anyway. I was angry that she would do this to our mom. I was angry that I was the only one in the family that was actively attending church and waiting to have physical intimacy. I was just plain angry and hurt. Not even a minute after I had entered the bathroom, my best friend, Alanna, called my name and I let her in the stall. The other girls had exited the bathroom by this time. Alanna asked me what was wrong! I told her that my sister's test came back positive. She looked at me and I won't ever forget the horror on her face as she said, "She's tested positive for AIDS?!?!?!" I quickly informed her that it was NOT that, but being pregnant. To sum it up she composed me enough for me to wait outside the classroom as she got my items and checked me out of school and drove me to the park where we talked and ate lunch.

Now I will give you a brief synopsis of the following few months... I gave Leah and Thomas 2 complete weeks of silent treatment and couldn't even stand to be in the same room with them. That finally broke when I went off on her AND Thomas about being raised to know that what they did was wrong and letting them know I couldn't believe that they did it anyways. Then the following few months I was not a pleasure to live with when it came to my sister. I remember yelling at her (which we did before she was prego, but it intensified), telling her to take my clothes off that she had borrowed up to that point, and moving out of the house because I was the only one who didn't stay up all night because of not having to go to school in the morning.

Leah didn't allow anyone inside her delivery room besides my mom and her coach. So that left Jenny, Misty and I outside in the waiting area for hours waiting... and waiting... until the nurse told us Linzey was about to be born and we headed to the door of Leah's room. We were trying to peak in, but there was a curtain and with 3 of us it wasn't happening... until the nurse at the last minute pulled the curtain so we could see and then we all turned into blubbering idiots in the hallway when Linzey Jade Linton was born.

Just a little over a week later, I was in a car accident on my 18th birthday. I wasn't driving, but it totaled both vehicles and one of the guys in the other car ended up with a broken arm amongst other bruises and scraps resulting from the rollover and their car landing on its top. Ironically we were heading to get a snowboard from a ward member to borrow for me to go snowboarding the following day. I had never been before so I was so stoked for going and with some of my best friends. After the accident, besides a little soreness and bruises, I was still determined to go. And go I did. I had bruises on my bruises and found that I am not coordinated enough to have both my feet stuck to a board attempting to stand up, let alone glide down the hill without falling down. hahaha yeah... it whooped me pretty good. Haven't tried it since...

But back to the story... It was just a week or so after Leah had Linzey and I come romping into the house to grab something. Unbeknown to me, Leah was actually trying to breast-feed and was exposed as I came ambling into the house with 3 friends. So she is trying to throw a blanket over herself to be modest and let people know what she's doing because they want to see Linzey.

I moved back into the house soon afterwards and at night when I was awoken by tiny Linzey's constant cries, I remember thinking to myself, "Good! She deserves everything she gets for going and getting pregnant!" and then falling back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I look back on those times and am truly horrified by my lack of compassion, empathy and service that I could have rendered or tried to render to my sister. I look now and realize that Leah was only 15! She wasn't even old enough to drive and yet she had a baby. The baby she had was extremely colicky and cried most every night all through the night. Linzey was also having a VERY hard time breastfeeding and Leah ended up having mastitis 3 times before she stopped breast feeding when Linzey was 9 months old. Leah also watched her nephew during the day to try to earn some money to buy the diapers and whatnot she needed. Thomas was up at Job Corps. in Curlew, which is up by the Canadian border, getting trained to be a carpenter so he could provide for his very new and young family. Leah had just a couple of close friends that came to see her. She stopped coming to church because she felt like she was being judged and talked about. And yet I continued to pester her and add to the things she had to bear.

It wasn't until I was in college that our relationship went from not being able to barely stand each other to friendship. And since then it's grown into being very close friends and sisters. I have apologized profusely for my treatment of my sister and brother-in-law. I am ashamed of how self-centered I was on top of my judgmental attitude.

So when I heard this news of them being pregnant again... I knew this was going to be different from last time. I find myself making sure that the dishwasher is loaded, counters wiped off, food put away, house picked up, clothes ready to be folded the minute I get to sit down, her bed made (if it's not already), more clothes in the washer/dryer, something heated up for her to eat, and the kids in pjs when she gets home from work, so that Leah can do whatever she wants... which usually tends to be fall asleep as we all sit down to watch tv as I fold clothes and visit.

I know that this pregnancy and beginning months will be different. When Leah is waking up during the night and finds herself wondering how she can do it... I will be there to tell her to go to sleep and let me take care of the little one for a few hours. Or when she can't stand the way the house is but doesn't have the energy to do what needs to be done, I will be the one helping to clean it as she naps.

I know I can't undo what has already been done, even though I wish I could.
I just have to be better this time.



I love my sister, Leah, very much. I look up to her as a woman, a wife, a sister, and a daughter I want to be more like. She is not just my sister now, she is my best friend. She is one that talks sense into me and picks me up on my worst days. She is always there for me and helps me to improve my self-image and find the best bargain items at value village. She has me eating better, exercising more, and going to bed sooner. She is even converting me to wheat bread instead of white. She inspires me to be a better person and sister. :o)

I am excited about this little one growing and joining us in December. I am excited about seeing Leah grow and change and soon have that pregnant glow. I am excited to be able to share my prego clothes (doesn't look like I'll be needing them anytime soon anyways! :)) and to have some words of advice for her along the way during those low days where you're feet swell and you just want to be normal again. I have some things that I didn't have last time... I have sympathy and experience now.

We Go Papa's House, Mama?

Lately this has been my favorite picture of Landon. His smile and eyes and cuteness are all captured here in this photo while he waits for me to pick him up... hahaha

April came over while Dad was visiting and I had to take a picture.



Landon is in love with Dad's hat. You would think he has never seen one before... which actually now that I think about it... no one in the house wears hats. But we have family that does. Or maybe it's just because he loves the attention from Grandpa when he takes it off and puts it on his own head. Who knows. But it's funny to see him interact with my dad. Even though his head is big, it's not big enough to fit and fill out dad's hat.... you've got another few years to go there kiddo! :)



But back on topic... I was riding the the car one day and I was stopped mid-song by Landon.
He asks me, "Mama, we go Papa's house?"
To which I respond... "No, sweetie... we aren't going to Papa's this weekend."
to which he says, "Mama, I love my Papa. He good guy."
Then I smile and laugh to myself.

You see he's been on this whole kick with wanting to be with his Papa... and good guys vs. bad guys. Everyone is either a good guy or bad guy. If we walk by a person in the supermarket he points to them and says, "Mama! He bad guy!" To which I blush and apologize and steer the cart as quickly as I can away from the guy while telling Landon that most people he sees are good guys, there are just a few who are bad.

But how do you really explain to a 2 1/2 year old that he can't go around calling people "bad guys?" Have any of your kids out there gone through this phase? Please give me input if you have found yourself in this situation and what you did and what the results were.

Anyways... back on track again... We went to Papa's house the other weekend to spend the night with them and enjoy their company. Dad and Ruth were working on Saturday when we came and so Landon hung out at their mailbox while I locked up the car and we walked across the park and down a few blocks to Ruth's work at the Water District in Othello. I learned that week that if you give a child something specific you want them to do that they are glad to do it instead of something general. So while I was unloading the car, I told Landon to hold onto my leg and then when it came time to head out I told him to keep his hand on the mailbox... he listened perfectly! I was so happy because usually he darts around on the sidewalk and sometimes oversteps into the street and I am scared to death of him darting out into the street one day when a car is coming. So this was a huge moment of newly found technique for me.



We made it to Ruth's work and Landon was immediately fascinated by a few things. First the water fountain! I'm not sure if this is just with him or with other kids, but any time he passes or gets a glimpse of a water fountain he seems to be magnetically drawn to it. Especially in church on Sunday or at Wal-Mart's check out/bathroom area.

Anyways... Focus Autumn Focus!

After I got his attention off of the drinking fountain it turned to the picture of the cranes. He knows birds when he sees them in the sky... his uncle may have even taught him how to use a duck call this last hunting season... I'm not totally sure. But you get the gist of it. Landon is totally into birds of any sort and so he LOVED the picture and stuffed crane in the entry way of Grandma's work. He kept making gun noises like he was going to shoot them!



Then he finally saw Grandma who treated him to some candy from the candy dispenser!
Plus he got 2 quarters while he was there.
Lucky duck!



On our way home from seeing Grandma at work, I told Landon he could play on the toys at the playground because we were still waiting for Dad to get home. There were a ton of softball tournaments going on and lots of kids around, but that didn't stop me from taking a million photos as always!





Then after the playing wore down and I started to get tired, we headed home.
On the way Landon picked up a stick... and I was amazed with that stick.
The stick became a whip at first, whipping the dandelions in the grass;
then a horse to gallop him around,
then a sword to cut up trees (and my leg),
then an crutch to help him walk,
then a baton to help lead the band,
then a gun to shoot the birds flying from tree to tree,
and lastly (I think) was it being a spear that he threw into the tough ground with a huge grunt.
The imagination of a little boy astounds me.



We got back and after a nap, Landon went to work helping Papa build the above ground plant beds. He helped screw the wood together, take tools to Papa, and inspecting the work. But during the process as Papa was hammering the wood to be level, Landon covered his ears... the sound was a little much on him. :)





When Landon got bored with Papa, he helped Grandma Ruth play in the dirt with cars and Transformer toys. But after a while he resorted to the rake and shovel... who knew! hahaha



The next day we came home, but not before going to see Ruth at her church. It was a long service for the fact that it was right at Landon's nap time and Landon wasn't having any of it. So I found myself out in the hallway a lot.... but that's ok... I think I'll stick to our sacrament meetings on Sundays. Then he was knocked out in the car before we even left town. Poor kid wore himself out.

Quincy Weekend Fun

Get ready for a LONG blog about the Quincy weekend almost 2 weeks ago.
A lot happened and that calls for a LONG blog with MANY pictures about what happened.

First we started out going to Verna Teeter's house because Trista (Lybbert) Teeter was in town from North Carolina because her sister, Dene' was married in the Columbia River Temple and doing a couple receptions. So I stopped right when I got into town to see her. And while we were there Landon found a raccoon hat that he loved. :)

Then I had to hit Trista up with a photo of her and I... we haven't seen each other in a couple of years and since then she has Samuel now and he's almost a year old! So we had some catching up to do! In the photo can you tell that she is tan and I'm albino? Maybe I need to move to North Carolina to be near the beach and work on this crazy, blinding whiteness I have going on here. hahaha



Then I needed to get a photo with Landon. He has overalls on and I think they are too small for them, but I didn't realize that until I saw him in these photos... so don't worry. I won't be showing him in them again. ;)



Trista's little girl, Brooklyn, loved playing with Landon on the swing. I was trying to get them together. The time they were together Landon was just barely born and I remember her holding him... boy time really does fly...



Then of course they start making faces and farting noises...
ok, let me correct that:
Landon was making farting noises.
He is really into making farting noises and I am annoyed as heck at times throughout the day when he'll not only just make the farting noises, back his little butt up to you and put it on your leg while making the appropriate noise for a 2 1/2 year old. I caught my brother-in-law, Thomas, doing it the other day and finally found the culprit of who had been teaching this horrible noise and motion of cocking their hip to the side as they walk while making the infamous fart noise. Thomas totally denied the allegations put against him. Then a couple of days later he told me that he found himself doing it and not realizing that he was even doing it....
so the shoe fit the crime it looked like. >.>



But then they high-tailed it to the kids pool outside when they caught sight of it! lol...



It was so funny. Brooklyn took off ALL of her clothes and then was told by her mom, Trista, to put her undies back on... but when she did they didn't go on like normal... as you can see. hahaha



Trista after a while helped her get them on correctly so she didn't walk all funny in them. :)



But that didn't stop them being so wet that they started to sag... she is such a doll and so good too! Then there's Trista and Brooklyn. Cute as can be!



I had to put this one on here... Brooklyn was hiding under the turtle cover of the sand box and when she started to come out I snapped this photo which makes her look like she's a turtle! hahaha Loved my timing!



Then it was off to Dene' and Kenny's reception at the church... they had a Hawaiian theme going on if you can't tell... and she and Kenny are so about being the Next Top Model!



Trista was the photographer with her umbrella light and camera at the ready! lol



Us dressed up for the occasion.



Then the roast began... but I couldn't take my eyes off of Dene' and Kenny for too long.
They were so happy it just couldn't be hidden... it was contagious!
I am so happy they met eachother and that they are married now. I know they will have an amazing life together because they both are amazing individuals.



I scared Trista with my camera shot of her! She wasn't used to being in the line of fire.



Then I jumped in the car with Kristina (Cox) Taylor to head to a baseball game in Ephrata.
We ended up sharing her Ipod earphones to listen to the songs and had fun as always when she is driving and we're chatting. I am now thinking that this looks a lot like the one picture I took of us making a trip home from BYU-Idaho together in 2004!



Later on Sunday we made it back to Kristina's house to celebrate her little boy, Parker, 1st Birthday with a family/friends party! Landon fell in love with this jeep. It was Taija's.



But when he finally got to drive it, guess what happened...
yeah... he went straight for the only tree he could find in the backyard. hahaha
I'm worried about him getting his learner's permit after this one! ;)



But once we pulled him back and put him on track he was off again with Taija hanging on for dear life! hahaha



This is Kristina's mom, LaDawn Reynolds. She is amazing and got me hooked onto Ruby Red Squirt from a can. She is so funny and really scared of mice. This weekend she had a mouse that was stuck under the drawer in the kitchen with a paw in the mouse trap and she waited until Kristina and I got it out... well I tried, but Kristina took over because she didn't think I was pinching the tongs too much... which she found out was harder than she thought. :)



And here is Kristina and I at her house. She got me hooked on Tootie Fruities too! hahaha
I think back and love the memories that encompass the last high school nights to horsebackriding, to hanging out in her entertainment room with friends, to driving around the country in search of a bonfire. I have really enjoyed the time that I have had with her.
She's amazing, just like her mom!



Landon on the swing out in back of Kristina's home.




These photos are how I think childhood should be. Fun and carefree.



Then he got an attitude with not wanting to eat and just wanting to play around...
He has the pouting face down pat!



Then it was cake time for Parker and cupcake time for the other kids.
Landon looks more like he's snarling than smiling here...



Then it was outside to play some more. He LOVES bikes and tractors.
Today on the way to daycare we passed some tractors that were tearing up the road and Landon pointed them out and told me what they were and then continued to say that he LOVED tractors. I couldn't have been more proud of my little boy!