Enjoying a quiet night!

Its real late! I should be in bed, and I'm even tired, but the house is so quiet. I just don't want to go to bed. Instead I'm blogging and looking at everyone Else's blog. Do any of you do this too? And the later it gets, I'm thinking "Your crazy Anne, your going to be tired tomorrow" but I'm not listening, I think I'm just going to enjoy this peace and quiet and deal with the rest later!

Tag I'm It!

Tag I'm it...

I was tagged first by my sister-in-law, Stacey, but I wanted time to think about my quirks, it was during that "thinking time" I was tagged again by my other sister-in-law, Kim, so I guess its time to get my quirks out!

kimandtrent.blogspot.com
therippys.blogspot.com


The Rules:
•Link the person(s) who tagged you.
•Mention the rules on your blog.
•Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
•Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them.
•Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

Here we go....

quirk#1:
I love accents! You know phonetic habits of the speaker's native language carried over to his or her use of another language. I've been know to break out into different accents myself. Its really fun. It freaks my kids out though. They tell me "Quit talking like Harry Potter!" That's my favorite. Although I'm trying to broaden my accent portfolio. I used to work at the Appaloosa Horse Club and we'd get a lot of calls from people on the East coast. I loved to pick up the phone, cause most likely there was an accent on the other end.


quirk #2:
I have two black hairs that grow on my forearm.


quirk#3:
Sensitive Thumb Nails! Touch them and you might be eating a knuckle sandwich.


quirk#4:
Bursts of energy usually expressed when I'm trying to get from point A to point B. For example when I'm in the process of getting to point B something in my head says "Run!" I'll just sprint in the house or to the other end of the house or to the car. This came in handy when I lived at pebble cove and my car was so far away from the house. I know, somethings you just can't explain.


quirk#5:
I have a weird sneeze! Instead of one big one, I can get between two and the most I've ever done is fifteen! (That's only during allergy season though) I know, I'm amazing. My family counts when ever I start sneezing just to see how many I can get. I have stopped counting a long time ago. Try driving when a sneeze come on. YIKES!


quirk #6:
I'm Jumpy. I'm convinced all those horror books I read as a teenager, has made me a jumpy adult. Although my mom is just as jumpy as I am, so I might have inherited it? I'm real easy to scare and I'll scream, a good let it out, Pearce the eardrum scream. I scream at Brad all the time! And his only response to me when I do it is "How long have we been married now?"

Fort Casey! 8-22-08

Fort Casey!
We had our annual camping trip with the McClung's last weekend!
We went to South Whibdey Island this year to camp. And Friday we took a little day trip to Fort Casey. It was built way back when for the WWI and they also used it for WWII.
My boys thought this was very cool. And I agree with them it was very interesting. This place had no guard trails...at all. With my kids, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. The boys had fun climbing all over things and looking threw things, and yes they played army.

Then afterwards we drove up to another beach that looks right out towards Admiral Way, the boys threw rocks into the water and built forts from all the driftwood and Roger, Dawn, Brad and I sat on driftwood and watched barges, and more barges come in, two barges had tons (literally) of scrap metal or aka garbage. It was cool. It was very refreshing to sit by the water and relax.

One big Cannon!
Jaeger is leaning over this guard trail and Owen is inside. This little watch tower is very high with steep stairs. I started up it with Luke, but had to turn around when I realized it was very Luke unfriendly.
The Redford kids squished in the van we were on our way home. We were actually waiting for the ferrie. Lucy is zonked out!

If you look a couple of pictures down, you'll see this from afar. The boys thought this was way cool.
Every wonder what it looks like down a cannon barrel? Jaeger is at the very end. You'll have to enlarge the picture to see him though. Its a cool photo.
The thing that cracks me up about this picture is Jaeger has his arm around the gun like its his best friend.

This is Luke running for the green things. Well its more like "wait for me, guys!"

This really isn't a great photo, but the only picture we took of any adults. Funny. Savanah was asleep, Dawn is walking by me.
Fort Casey looks out towards Admiral Way. It was beautiful. Looking down at the water, you could see the currents hitting the land and then moving back out into deeper water. There was actually a calm spot, where the water was perfectly still, then 20-30 feet all around the water was filled with waves. It was very cool to see the water like that. And the rocks on this beach were breathtaking. My Mom and Aunt Ardis would go wild. Although, I don't think you can take rocks from this beach, there protected, then again, every beach over here is "protected". Jaeger climbed into this little hole in the wall and automatically laid down like this. Kind of creepy if you ask me.
Here he is sitting up in it.
So they had walkways all over. It echoed like crazy. And the kids were running all over exploring. They would run up head of us and we could hear their echo, but you couldn't tell which direction they went, I had many panic attacks thinking I had officially lost them. But just as I would be about to freak out they would come into view. It was dark and sort of creepy, walking threw all of that concrete.

Brad's backpacking trip...50miles

Brad was able to go with the young men on the 50 miler backpacking trip, trekking across the mountains. Although I was in Utah, I sure did miss him. Having no contact with him for a week was really lonely and different. He does go on business trips a lot, but we still talked to one another, in the evenings or during the day, but having absolutely not contact with him, was hard. I'm glad he's back. He had so much fun. When Roger dropped him off at the house, Lucy just looked up at him, staring at all the facial hair (Brad is always clean shaving, so this was weird for her to see) So she looked at him and then at Roger, and back at Brad and said "Dad" and then giggled "Your dirty!" This picture looks like he almost didn't make it. A mosquito bite right by his eye. Ouch!
Check this out! Keep in mind that pack weighs about 7olbs.
I went on a 50 miler when I was a youth. I loved it. Being out in the wild, totally secluded. It makes ya want to frolic around, in the nude, cause nobody is gonna notice. I don't think they did that though. I love the feeling of being way out in the middle of nowhere, surround all by God's creations...minus the thought of Bears of course.

There is beauty all around!
I might be able to make some hikers out. John, Nick, Brother Yuen, Mikko, Bishop, Eithan, and David. (I think I have them right)
Some of us just want to do this, just thinking about doing a 50 mile trek threw the woods.
There is my mountain man!
A pretty meadow, perfect with wild flowers.

My long lost sister, who's not really lost.

Some of you might not know this...but I have a long lost sister, Jennifer. But she's not really lost. This is the story. Me and My sister Shonda have different Dads. Jennifer and Shonda have the same Dad, but from different marriages. Yeah, were not "blood" sisters, but we claim each other anyway. We started talking and building that relationship about 2-3 years ago. You can tell she's a Newman, and you can tell I'm not a Newman. But you'll only know that if you've seen Newman. I'll have to post a picture of Newman. This was our very first time meeting each other!!! So now you can guess why she's my long lost sister, but she's not really lost story. We met at the pool in Provo, let the kids swim while we chatted. It was a lot of fun! And so good to FINALLY meet her in person. Anne and Jennifer
Our kids: Owen, Savanah, Kenzie, Ember, Ashlynn, Jaeger, Lucy and Luke
Owen, the only boy in this picture, Savanah, Kenzie, Ember holding Ashlynn, and Lucy.
This is my sister Shonda with her daughter Jenessa
So this is the sister, Jennifer and I share. So looking at their pictures side by side they don't really look alike, but I can see Newman in both of them, maybe in different ways.
This is Newman. I was preganat with Savanah (Nov 2007)
Newman and Brad. (Nov 2007)

Owen and Newman. (Nov 2007)

I had to inculde a picture with his hat off, you know to get the full effect.

At Mom and Dads house.

The reason we went to Utah was so Mom and Dad could get Sealed together in the Temple. Sealed together for the eternities. What a special, scared thing for me to witness. Did I mention I got to be my mothers escort. I'm glad she picked me. I shall always remember it. I plan on being sealed to them too. I don't have a picture of this event though, cause its trapped in moms camera. Stay tuned for that picture! It was very special

Our time spent at Grandma Jac and Grandpa Glen's house was pure blissful. I even got to Moe, Mow, (which ever it is) the lawn, on the riding lawn mower. It was fun. Dad wouldn't let me go around the block though. Maybe next time. These pictures capture exactly what it was like there. Fun in the sun and more fun, fun, fun.

Owen refilling that bucket. Watch out that smile only means, your getting wet in about 2 seconds.

Grandpa Glen, Savanah and Lucy.

If you drove by their house, you'd find one of the Redford family on this swing, if not all six of us plus mom and dad! It was a perfect place to say goodnight to the sun as it set down.

And we played in the water. And played in the water. And played it the water.

Me and Mom.

Mom your getting shorter, I've never been taller than you. You might want to watch that.

Just kidding I had heals.

We wiped mom out every night. She is holding Savanah and literally was so tired in the evening she would pass out in her chair. I told you five kids is work!

Here is Dad and Savanah again. He's not my biological dad, but in the short 5 years of knowing him, I proudly claim him. He has taught me so many things. This man is a jack of all trades. He can fix anything. We've fixed both of my car windows together. When I say "we" I mean he tells me to unscrew that, put this there, take that off and do this and that while he sits and makes sure you do it right. He gives direction and I can take direction well. We make a good team. We've even "fixed" things while over the phone. You know how it goes "A..Dad...How do you fix this?"
Did I mention we played in the water? I think he might have gotten wet unexpectedly...by maybe a big brother?

Watch out she'll get you too. Mom got these cheap water gun from the dollar store. They were the best squirt things. Even Luke could do them. For days and hours they would fill theses buckets up and then slowly suck the water up in that squirt gun until it was empty.



It was great not doing dishes for two weeks! Thanks for letting us visit! Everyone of my kids had such a good time. I'll miss being awaken by Dads "take your pill" alarm. It literally is an alarm that goes off, each and every morning at the same time. Dad can't even hear it. I think it was his way of getting me out of bed. It worked.

Frist week in Utah

Well, my first week in Utah I made a pilgrimage back to the homeward I grew up in. Good old 8th ward. We moved into that ward when I was in the 7th grade and left that ward when I came to Washington in 1998. So I have a lot of memories there. During sacrament meeting I kept thinking to myself... my testimony grew in these very walls, in this building, in this neighborhood. That day I was able to catch up with some childhood friends. A friendship that has been building for eighteen years! Were not really that old though. heheheh!!!!

Anne, Elizabeth and Heidi

If I new how to use the scanner I'd scan a old picture of us, just to get the full effect.

It was just like the good old days...us laughing, everyone talking trying to get a word in. It was so good to see you girls. Oh yeah...Elizabeth is 7 days older than me. I would always tease her and say she was the "old" one not me. So we progressed together in Young Women's. I think I completed most of my requirements for YW because I new Elizabeth would and if I didn't I would look pretty silly, while Elizabeth got all her jewelery and I just watched in front of the congregation. I seriously think I had nightmares about that. Hehehehe Don't worry I think it only happened a couple of times. (wink-wink)

Silly, silly girls

Heidi, Anne, and Savanah
My bestest friend! We had a good time didn't we Hilda. We even had our own secret writting code. I could almost write it and read it as fast as normal english. Don't ask me too do it today though. I came across a note of ours the other day. Only a teenage mind could read that stuff as fast as we did. Good times!
Here is the Sanders Family and the Redford Family. It was pure luck I saw Heidi. She happened to be in town visting. Happened to be in town. How lucky is that? She lives in Idaho. Thats not just down the street. Thank heavens for the good luck, cause it was great seeing her and her adorable family. Here we are again.

Kamie and Anne

Kamie was one of my very first friends, one of my best friends.

So many grades of sharing lockers and a whole lot of other things.

We chatting outside on the deck while my kids were running around outside in the backyard. And I just kept thinking,Wow I used to play around here in this very same yard, and here my kids are running around playing. I of course was much older than they are, but still it was a very tender reality check for me. Thanks for all those fun memories Kamie.
Can't visit without taking a picture of her parents. Kamie, Richard, Anne, Sherry. At times I felt like they were my second/adopted family. Don't they look so good!
The Redford Family and the Gilchrist Family.

I hope, Kamie, you were able to get all the balls my boys batted into the tomatoes. Sorry again for that. It was great seeing you!