live from rexburg . . .

Annie Eye Over!

2012-01-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

Annie has her own camera with about 900 photos on it. So she's starting a photo gallery blog! She does the comments herself, and we might include some poetry and artwork she does. If you're interested it's www.annieeyeover.blogspot.com

It is private, so if you'd like an invite comment here or send me an email.

Take that Disney!

2012-01-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

I overheard a conversation between a neighbor boy and Annie the other day.

Brian: "So I'm going to be a truck driver like your dad when I grow up. What are you going to be? A princess? Ballerina?"

Annie: "You can't just be a princess when you grow up. That's not a job. I'm going to be a dentist."

My heart is full.

All Celebrated Out

2011-12-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

With Annie's birthday on the 23rd. We party pretty hearty for a few days. Here's a photo montage of our festivities.

We always decorate gingerbread houses for Annie's birthday. Max took advantage of the craziness and decorated his digestive system with candy and frosting.

Annie gets better and better at decorating every year. This year we were able to go to the cabin the night before her birthday. So there were lots of people to share the fun with.

Five candles was a little hard for Mommy. I don't know why, but five is just BIG!

As you can see. She LOVED her new tangled paraphernalia from Gramma.

So Christmas Eve. We spent with the Mounts clan. Here the kids are holding up their illustrations of the nativity story.

Then we opened pajammies. Maelie was so into it that she went a little cross-eyed.

This is a super fun age for Christmas. Max and Annie were both SO FLIPPIN excited for Santa to come. They could hardly stand it.

Porter had a bit of anxiety over the whole Santa thing though. In a moment of frustration, he'd written Santa a letter claiming that he didn't want anything for Christmas, and "he meant it!" So when Christmas Eve arrived, he was pretty sober. Thankfully, the Big Man disregarded the request.

Annie checking out her haul.

Maxwell got some trains from Santa. Obviously Santa is willing to overlook A LOT of bad behavior, because Max has had a heck of a year...

So now we're just laying around the house detoxing from sugar, late nights, excitement, and presents. If you come over, don't expect to find me out of my pj's until the new year.

I'll Be Brief

2011-10-31T22:28:00.000-07:00

Halloween happened today. Here are some photos to prove it. I'm tired!

We had Annie Oakley, Wild Bill, and the cutest little heifer you've ever seen. She really is getting chubby lately. Just look at those legs in tights!

And that little Wrangler bottom!

Annie talked me into a Cinderella giddup for her preschool party. I might be losing my mind, but she did look the part!

Watch Out World...

2011-09-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Maxwell is two!

Grammy gave him a HUGE monkey. He's no longer lonely in his crib.

He opened some cows, but wasn't sure why...

They were for his new barn! Well sort of new. Tom's Grandpa Zollinger built this for him when he was a kid. It's been lovingly stored until this blessed day when Max could inherit it.

It. Is. Awesome.

He got all the accessories. Even hay for the loft.

He poked his fingers in most of the cupcakes. Nobody seemed to mind...

Hopefully year three will be an improvement from year two in behavioral matters. Things aren't looking good though. He played with the light switch during Sacrament Meeting during his first Sunday at church as a two-year-old.

Eastern Idaho State Fair

2011-09-26T17:08:00.001-07:00

If you think having a one-month-old would keep us from going to the State Fair, you don't know us well...

Annie and Maxwell got to milk a cow this year. Maelie participated in her own sort of milking event.

Can't miss out on the goodies. Tom would go by himself just for the corn. Glenn and MaryAnn joined us (and helped push strollers through the crowd). MaryAnn had her first tiger ear. Journal entry day!

Blessing Day

2011-09-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Our little Bea was given a name and a blessing on Labor Day weekend. Appropriate, considering her name means worker. Unfortunately, I still can't seem to remember her name. She still gets called Annie--Max--Whatever-your-name-is!

We had lots of family here for the event. It was nice to feel so much support from everyone.

Camping!

2011-09-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

Yep, we've lost our minds. We went camping with this crew. It was a long night, but we ended up having a good time in spite of sleep deprivation. Who needs sleep anyway?

Amelia didn't miss out on any shut eye...

Goofballs.

Checking out an innocent butterfly. If she only knew the danger looming over her...

Annie crossed the bridge all by herself.

Our two sweet boys.

Amelia Bea Mounts

2011-08-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

She's here!

Little Maelie was born August 3rd at 5:41 pm. She was kind of a squirt, weighing in at 6 lbs 8 oz and 19 in long. She was a few weeks early though, so we're glad she was that big!

Are you my mother?

Maelie is so even tempered. When they gave her a bath she didn't even cry! She just squeaks when she's hungry.

She definitely has chubbier cheeks than our other two did. Which is weird because she weighed the least.

Welcome to the circus, I mean, home!

We think she's pretty darn sweet.

31 weeks

2011-06-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

The following image may be graphic for young viewers. At least you don't have to look at it in the mirror every day!

Ok, this may be a slight exaggeration, but not far off from how I feel. Or from how the little one is feeling. At our doc appointment yesterday, we found out that this little girl thinks she's done. She's already low and ready to go. SO, our summer plans have changed a bit...

Here's hoping she stays put for another month or two!

Happy Birthday Tom!

2011-06-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

Max has been naming Annie's dolls lately.

This one is Max.

and Mommy

and Annie

and Daddy!

I tried to suggest that this one was Great Grandpa, but Max was insistent.

You have to admit, the similarities are uncanny when they're cruising in their green van.

Latest Belly Shot

2011-05-21T21:16:00.001-07:00

So I realize this is probably our most confusing photo yet, but it really is exciting because . . .

IT'S OUR NEW VAN'S BELLY!

Yes, we're finally living our religion. Hopefully we don't outgrow it until grandchildren arrive.

This isn't actually it, but I googled one that looks just like ours. We're taking name suggestions should you have any!

Girls rule! Boys drool.

2011-04-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

We're proud (and honestly a little relieved) to announce the ultrasound results of our newest addition. GIRL! Yay! Thomas is a little disappointed since Max will be a sister sandwich like Tom was. But who cares, he's outvoted now anyway!

Here's a 3D ultrasound picture of her little face! And since she's coming in the summer and Annie was born in winter, I'll be forced to do some newborn girl shopping. Rough, I know.

And, for those of you who have been anxiously awaiting the next belly shot. Here I am at 20 weeks. Those hormones combined with a seven day cruise can really wreak havoc on a midriff!

Surprise!

2011-03-01T13:28:00.000-08:00

Yep, sure enough. We are expecting another Mounts to grace our family in August.

Annie is hoping for a sister, and Thomas and I don't care much either way. Max is in a blissfully oblivious state. We'll find out toward the end of March probably.

I've kind of had a rough winter with Max. He's just a difficult age to keep cooped up in the house for months on end. So I'm still trying to wrap my mind around a third, but hopefully by August I'll be ready for a baby!

I've noticed that a lot of girls like to post photos of their growing belly on their blog, and I figured, hey that seems like a classy thing to do! So here is my stomach at 12 weeks. We'll keep you posted as things progress.

I predict that my stellar stretch-mark-free abs will only improve as the months go on.

Christmas Devotional

2010-12-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

Tonight, after watching the Christmas Devotional for FHE, we asked Annie what she could do to help someone during the Christmas season. She candidly replied, "I think we should help the Germans, cause they don't have lots of money."

If you heard President Monson's talk, you'll know why we almost died laughing.

BOO!

2010-11-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

Yes, we are alive! Halloween was a blast, and here are a few pictures to prove it.

Max got right in on the fun this year.

A gorilla named Grandpa came trick-or-treating with us.

Then we had a great time and Gram and Bomp's Halloween party (Annie's fake smile shows just how much she wants to go play with Thatcher).

Together again. These cousins are serious buddies.

Our little bees getting ready for a feast.

UNO!

2010-09-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

My little man is one today! It seems like he should only be three or four months old, and I still baby him as if he were. I remember the first time I saw his little face, and I wasn't surprised at all. It was like I recognized or expected him.

Maxwell has developed a sweet little personality. One is his best qualities is patience. I have to be careful to remember when I've fed him last or changed his diaper or else I'll forget because he doesn't cry and complain. He also has to use a lot of patience with his big sister who isn't quite sure how to play with him yet.

He's also super friendly. Everyone who meets him thinks they're so special because of that big smile he gives them. He grins at everyone he sees and says hi to all the cars that drive past our house. Max is always looking for fun, and fun is synonymous for dad. So around 4:00 each afternoon he starts wandering the house saying DaDa? DaDa? Thomas doesn't get much time to himself after work. Max insists on being right in the middle of whatever he's doing.

Maxwell is a snuggler too. He gives me lots of hugs and pats throughout the day, and he attacks any stuffed animal with kisses and loves. Even when he decides to wake up at three in the morning, I can't be mad at him because of the way he melts onto my shoulder.

Some of Max's skills are walking (just barely though), clapping, waving, stacking blocks, throwing, and emptying.

I love having this little guy in our family and am excited to see what the next year brings!

Thanks Lynne for the photo shoot! Isn't she amazing? She got Max to hold still for a few minutes without screaming his head off. I should hire her to help with diaper changes.

Speaking of Miracles . . .

2010-08-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Annie was asked to give a talk in Primary. We had practiced it with her, but Thomas went up expecting to help her a lot. She rattled it off without a hitch! Once I had her home in front of the camera she sped it up a bit, so hopefully you can understand her. The paper she's holding has Annie-glyphics to help her out. She's not reading that well yet.

A long time ago, before we were born,

My Great Grandpas went off to a war.

They fought for this country and our liberty,

Then each one returned to his family.

My mom's Grandpa Hammond hung this picture on his wall,

So he could always see it when he walked down the hall.

When my mom and dad met, they discovered very soon

That my dad's Grandpa Zollinger was in this picture too.

Of the fifty-five in this photo, all that came home were three;

One Grandpa Hammond, another Grandpa Z.

Miracles still happen. I know that it is true,

Because I wouldn't be here, if not for those two.

Jesus is my Savior. He died for you and me,

So families could be together for Eternity.

So the miracle I'm grateful for each night when I pray,

Is that I can hug my Great Grandpas again someday.

Fancy Pants

2010-08-09T11:27:00.001-07:00

Annie headed out looking ravishing the other day.

To jump on the trampoline of course.

shout hooray

2010-06-27T22:50:00.000-07:00

Thomas officially left his twenties in the dust in June. We did some serious partying. Unfortunately, the photo documentation of said partying is limited. He did get this trifle which he'd been asking me to make for months.

We also celebrated Annie's half birthday in June. Since she's pretty much a Christmas baby, we do birthday presents on the half. She was a little excited about her present this year.

All she'd been asking for were hot dog sticks (random), but we decided to make a fire pit to accompany her objects of desire.

Maxwell and Mom were big fans as well. Check out the grip Max has on that fork! I love his face in this picture, because we managed to capture how he looks almost all the time. He's the happiest little cheeseball in town.

whiskas

2010-05-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

Since Thomas hasn't been able to work for a couple of weeks, he thought this would be a perfect opportunity to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams; growing a beard.

He decided to shave. What do you think of the different looks?

Hello Glenn circa 1987!

Let the Tom Thumb Jokes Begin!

2010-05-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday (the 1st), Thomas decided to run a threshold through the joiner at his shop. His tender little thumb slipped into the churning blades and he landed himself in the ER then the OR with a joint that is MIA. That's right, the whole middle joint is in the pile of sawdust in his shop. So he won't be able to bend it anymore, but they reattached the tip to the base and hoped it would take.

Pain killers made him a little too loopy for life, so he discontinued those after a few days.

Here's the cast he had for the first while.

Yesterday, the gory wound was revealed. Dr. Larson was SUPER happy with how well the tip attached. We give credit to excellent blood flow and a wonderful Priesthood blessing.

Stitches (or sewing according to Annie) come out Wednesday. They'll also do an x-ray then to see how the bones are lining up and fusing. The hooks will be there for 8-10 weeks, but Tom doesn't mind having a built in bottle opener.

This was out of nowhere

2010-04-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Maxwell's milestones seem to be instantaneous. Either that or I'm just a very inattentive parent. For instance, a few weeks ago he just started sitting up. He never went through the tipsy or slouchy stage. He just sat up one day like a pro.

This new trick was the same. We were getting ready to leave my parents' house, and he just started playing his favorite game. Surprise! Now he wants to play all the time. He even yanks on the collar of his shirt to try and cover his face. It's pretty stinkin' cute!

Max's mechanic

2010-04-13T10:36:00.001-07:00

Annie slid herself under Max's walker the other day and announced, "I figured out the problem! The motor's rotten."

Seriously Overdue

2010-03-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

So I finally got around to emptying off the camera, and I'm alarmed at all the catch up I need to do. So here's a start...

We decided to make a quick trip to Washington so Thomas Maxwell could meet his namesake. Grandpa Mounts seemed to like meeting the little man too.

Annie liked these pink fish at Pikes Market.

And Grandma Mounts helped her make apple juice.

We went to the Aquarium in Seattle. The touch pools were amazing. I think I enjoyed it as much as Annie.

Maxwell liked the bright colors . . .

and he made a new friend.

I was seriously terrified of the drive with thing one and thing two. But they were the best kids any mom could ask for. They traveled phenomenally! Maxwell complained a little, but never even cried. Maybe he was just excited to meet Grandma and Grandpa Mounts?

When ya gotta go . . .

2009-12-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

Annie started singing her favorite Christmas song ("When Christmas Comes to Town" from the Polar Express), but it was sped up due to natural causes. She also added some suspicious choreography.

the decision

2009-12-02T13:58:00.001-08:00

Yeah, I never planned on giving him money because, quite frankly, even if I really wanted to we couldn't. We just don't have it right now. I had considered trying to find a donor who would sponsor him though.

But I never got a response from the school, which I took as a bad sign. So I wrote him an email with some links I found to Kenyan student loans that are available. I also explained that here in the US we have to get loans to pay for school, and that I'm in fact still paying off loans I got when I was a student.

Deep down, I don't think it's a scam, mostly because the information he sent was from the school and he wanted the money deposited into his school account, not a bank. But given the risk associated with this type of thing, and the fact I don't have that kind of cash-ola. I opted to direct him elsewhere.

I guess the moral of the story is that if you're looking to scam someone, don't pick somebody who has a 1987 ford ranger parked in front of their house.

Hamisi Bakari Mwachizungu

2009-12-01T09:49:00.000-08:00

Okay, brace yourself for a long story. When I was about twelve, two of my aunts who are nurses went to Kenya to offer medical assistance there for a few weeks. They took some boxes of toothbrushes and stuff from our beehives class. We included letters with the toothbrushes. Years later (about three years ago). I got a letter from the boy who got mine. I wrote him back, and he wrote me again.

Hamisi is about my age (23), and the oldest in his family of eight children. His dad died when he was a teenager, and he's been the primary provider for his family since. He lives just outside of Mombasa. He sent this picture a few letters ago, well actually it was just a negative that I developed.

I received a letter from him a few days ago, and he got accepted and started classes at the University of Nairobi through their Distance Learning program. He is looking for a sponsor to help him out with his fees that are due soon. He needs 52,000 KSH which amounts to about $700. He sent all the school paperwork, pamphlets, account numbers, etc.

What do I do? I don't even know if I can believe his story, and it's not like we have $700 just lying around. So I've just been trying to put it out of my mind, but then I see the letter and paperwork sitting on the table and I feel so guilty! I find myself thinking, "We don't have tons of money. We can't help him." but then I remember all the things we have like hot water and carpet, and I feel guilty again. Then I worry that if I help him I'll just create a monster, and he'll want money again and again. I just don't know. I'm typically kind of a scrooge, but this has really been haunting me, and I feel like I should do something.

I wrote an email to the school just so I can check his information out, and hopefully I will hear back from them soon. He also included his email address this time, but I can't bring myself to email him until I know what I'm going to do.

Advice please! What would you do in this situation?

Kongju (princess)

2009-11-03T14:08:00.000-08:00

We figured since Annie fit into Tom's Korean hanbok, we should get some use out of it, and hey, free costume! So she pranced around town as a Korean princess. I managed to snap a few shots before she was off in a candy frenzy.

I stayed home with Max to pass out candy this year, so Tom did his best to represent both of us.

Gramma surprised Annie when we got to her house. She had her hanbok on too! Annie hides her hands under the top in true Korean style. That little flap is there to keep their hands out of the sun.

Double Take

2009-10-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

I get deja-vu sometimes when looking at Max. See for yourself.

Apple Cizerd

2009-10-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to get invited to make cider (Annie calls it cizerd) with some friends from the ward (thanks Myers)! There were thousands of apples. We didn't even make a dent in the number. It was a cool still evening, and the perfect fall activity. The juice was addictingly delicious, but now I want a cider press. I've already written Santa.

The kids were great apple pickers (for at least 3 minutes).

Riding in the cart was way more fun.

The apples got a bath, then we sliced them.

Next we poured them into the press. It was nice to have some male arm strength around to crank the handle.

Max's wasn't brawny enough for the job yet. So instead he gave everyone dirty looks to show his disdain for the cold air.

There were plenty of leaves for all.

Thomas really cranked out a lot of cider! 28 gallons to be exact.

We warmed up our fingers by the fire,

and warmed up our bellies with hot dogs and apple crisp. Then we came home and made hot spiced cider. We've made ourselves sick drinking the stuff.

Max is feeling blessed

2009-10-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

And so are we! There was a lot of family here to see the little guy, and Thomas did a fantastic job. What a sweet baby boy we've got.

He fit into his dad's itty bitty shoes from yester-year.

Joys

2009-09-26T21:08:00.001-07:00

Life is magnificent lately. When kneeling to pray, I feel selfish to even ask for anything. This summer has been one of the best, and I fully attribute that to our prized collection of friends and family. And now for a summer photo finale:

Maddy came over for a spin on the radio flyer. These girls are best buddies and get along smashingly.

The fair of course! We love watching the people almost as much as eating the food.

Words cannot express Annie's love for the ferris wheel.

We had the most beautiful float on the river with Gramma and Bampa.

With a standout picnic of course . . .

On our way to the hospital (first we grabbed a few groceries and tied up some loose ends around the house).

Annie was busy at Gramma's making a special blanket for her new brother. She picked out the fabric and everything, explaining, "The monkeys on it will make him laugh!"

We're still waiting for the laughter.

What a sweet boy. Life is so good with our new little one at home. So long sweet summer.

Yes, I know, enough pictures already.

2009-09-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

We think his hair-do is second to none.

2009-09-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Max described his first encounter with Annie as "tolerable".

He's here!

2009-09-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

He arrived at 10:43 pm and weighed 7 lbs 2 oz . He was pretty mad at first but he warmed up to us fast.

2009-09-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

This baby ticker just gave me a braxton hicks. Yikes. I think I'll go dig out the old car seat.

I have uncles aunts and cousins . . .

2009-08-30T18:52:00.001-07:00

This year's Gunderson-fest was as fun filled as ever! Some of the highlights included:

Spelunking (or trying to find the cave until Annie lost her lunch)

Fishing at Cliff Lake

Gramp Camp

Gramma Pajama Night

Kai's baptism

Treasure hunt

Rocks in West

Dan's beans and rice

Swamping La Pizzeria

Amy's brownies

The 200 cumulative lbs. we gained . . .

I think Annie is yelling girls rule boys drool, but I can't be certain (she, Katie, and Milli were vastly outnumbered).

My lovely "full figure" and Tom's toned buns (if he hadn't been holding Annie, I think this opportunity would have been more than I could resist).

Annie wasn't sure about Bret's driving skills, but Dallin would have happily stayed there all week.

Gramma Pajama night! While all those boys camped, us girls held down the fort at the cabin. Magic wands, dolls, and new jammies were just part of the excitement. Annie was heartbroken when the spell was broken at 9:00 for bed.

A good ear cleaning at Gramma and Bampa's.

randoms

2009-08-04T15:43:00.001-07:00

We haven't posted much this summer, and I'm hoping that a few photos will substitute nicely enough.

Good old splash park and free lunch

Rainy day puppet

Hijacking the mini-bike

Bad photo of the drive-in

Making brownies

Ace is the place

2009-07-18T21:16:00.001-07:00

This morning I asked Annie where I got such a smart little girl. She replied, "At Ace . . . in the girls."

Hopefully they still have some selection left in the boys department.

Disney Daze

2009-06-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

One of Annie's favorite rides.

Bummer! She didn't get to go on the biggest rides, but she was legal for a lot, even the Matterhorn.

The highlight of the trip. Meeting her beloved Cinderelly.

She thought this little roller coaster in Toon-town was the best.

Over-stimulation anyone?

We got lucky. The firework show wasn't scheduled until peak season (two weeks away), but they did a trial show one night we were there. Annie had been telling us about the fireworks at Disneyland for months, so we were super happy to see them. It was an impressive display set to music with confetti at the end.

Annie was a trooper. She was pleasant even without a lot of sleep, and we drug her all over orange county without much complaining. She even navigated the airport on her own.

The Show Off

2009-05-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

We had three ultrasounds with Annie before she would let us peek and see that she was a girl. Our second child was not so modest . . .

He already looks cute!

There isn't much left to the imagination.

Here is his little arm in flex position. See his clenched fist on bottom and the perfect little shoulder muscle on top? He's already letting us know how tough he is.

The technician had a hard time measuring his legs because he was treading amniotic fluid so fast she couldn't get a picture. You could say I'm nervous. I've been able to feel him moving for over a month, and things get pretty hoppin' in there now!

Everything measured perfectly though. He's growing like a champ!

9.8!

2009-04-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

I finally did the lame-o mommy move, and took the camera to gymnastics. She's been going for a couple of months now and adores it. We're going to take a break for the summer but hopefully can start again next winter, depending on the baby situation.

Annie stretches . . .

She hangs on the rings, then drops into the big foam pit. Pretty rad, I know.

Forward roll on the tumble track (somersault on the big long trampoline).

Bear crawling on the bars.

She's a lot braver now than the first time I put her up here.

Ta-Da!

Cousins/Divas

2009-04-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

These pictures have been residing on my memory card for a while, and this is the first I've gotten around to setting them free. We went to a birthday party for Annie's cute cousin Thatcher, who turned one. The party was at the church "cultural hall" (don't you love that name), which was awesome because there were tons of kids there and they could run crazy and free. Annie's second cousin Ally came to party, and the two of them had a great time chasing balls around the gym, eating cake and cheetos, and doing the twist with balloons and streamers.

Here are some photos of the dynamic duo.

Birthing Classes

2009-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Annie's tummy looked suspiciously large and lumpy one morning. We were shocked to learn that there was definitely a baby in there.

"I think it's time!" I yelled to Thomas as Annie unzipped her pj's.

Ragged and exhausted, Annie proudly held up her baby Susie.

We think she just has babies on the brain because of this recent development.

That's right! This picture is a little outdated. Our then gummy bear is now about the size of a lime. It should come out to play the first week in October. If only the process were as easy as unzipping my pj's . . .

bobbette

2009-03-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

I finally decided I'd had it with the scraggly hair that refused to grow, and Thomas finally came to grips with the fact that Annie was not blessed with his luscious locks and agreed to let us cut it. She was pretty stoked about the whole idea, and now tells everyone how, "Christine cut my hair."

The cut is almost exactly what both her grandmas have. Weird? You tell me . . .

Eat my shorts Punxsutawney Phil!

2009-03-03T12:58:00.000-08:00

As Thomas and I left the house this morning at 9:00, I wondered why I had a jacket on. It was sunny and beautiful.

"It's downright balmy out here!" I exclaimed to Tom. Then we got in the car and the thermometer only said 38 degrees.

It has been a long winter.

In over my head

2009-02-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I told Annie to go pick out some books for us to read. She snatched one of her favorites and announced, "Well, I obviously want to read this one."

I'd like to say that I replied, "Extraordinary my darling! You are tremendously clever!" But really I just gaped at her.

Winter Excursion

2009-01-21T14:44:00.000-08:00

Thomas had a couple of days off work, so we organized a trip to the cabin with his family. We really had truckloads of fun. Here is some photo documentation if you're interested:

Getting the snowmobiles up there proved to be tricky (losing a hood, getting pulled over, then not having a license . . .), but it was worth it in the end . . . I think.

Annie read/recited books for anyone who would listen.

She helped write thank yous with Grammy and Aunt Cari.

Kempton and Annie were the babies, and got their fair share of doting.

Liz and Ryan came too (notice Ryan has a leather glove on to protect himself from Liz's wicked slap shot).

Annie thought she was fairly awesome in these goggles.

Mandi proved herself "Gamer of the Decade," and Kempton showed off his standing skills.

Ready for action.

Grandma Z has a new lease on life! She was the most anxious to get out of town, and loved every minute of it.

The cabin wouldn't have been complete without the little gymnasts bounding all over the place.

We had fun sledding down the kiddy hill right next to the cabin. Annie cried every time her turn was over. I cried a little too though when it was time to come home!

Hairy Scary

2009-01-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

This fall, Tom decided to attempt the shaggy look.

This is what we were going for:

This is what we got:

We waited patiently for him to get through that "ugly phase." Unfortunately, his hair refused to grow longer, it just grew bigger. The pictures hardly do it justice.

Two Fast

2008-12-23T20:51:00.001-08:00

Annie turned two today. I can't believe my sweet, tiny little infant has grown into a beautiful, hilarious, caring, curious, and smart little girl. Life offers no greater emotion than what we feel as parents. Her laughter makes me happier than I ever thought possible. Her tears bring me more pain, and her successes fill me with a pride I've never experienced.

I'm so grateful for my little friend who thinks my name is Mommy Kaye Mounts.

disclaimer

2008-12-23T20:25:00.000-08:00

The following images may be too graphic for young viewers. Yeah, annie's second birthday party was pretty intense.

Annie blew out her candles like an old pro this year.

She unwrapped presents with increased finesse.

Grammy and Bomp gave her a Cabbage Patch doll named Fern Trudy (special thanks to Auntie Peach for opening the darn box. She decided giving birth to real babies is easier). Annie loves the doll; the name we're rethinking . . .

She especially loves Fern's shoes, and wore them all around the house.

Annie in her new kitty jammies from Gramma and Bampa.

Annie rocked out with her music maker set from Gramma and Bampa too. We're encouraging her to start a band in our garage.

Dough heads

2008-11-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

We had a great time cooking the dough then smashing and mixing the color in. Annie loved tearing it into tiny pieces that were super fun to clean up. She made a snake, and when I asked her what his name was she said, "Thomas Kaye Mounts." The recipe is pretty simple and makes a nice textured dough (not too grainy like salt dough). It does leave a film on your hands, but washes off easily.

Playdough Recipe

2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Mix with a fork until smooth. Boil over medium heat until thick. Spoon onto plate or wax paper and mix in color (if desired).

halloweena ballerina

2008-10-31T22:05:00.001-07:00

public disclaimer

2008-10-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

I knew it was only a matter of time before Annie said something uncomfortable in public. Yesterday at the store, a teenage girl was browsing near us when Annie announced that she needed to do her hair. The girl's hair was a little disheveled, and Annie kept saying it with increased clarity. "She need do hair mom. Mom, she need do hair."

So if your breath smells, your house is messy, or you're mildly obese, I apologize in advance. And if your kid has done something similar, please share to make me feel better.

handy tommy

2008-09-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

I'm convinced that the Disney show Handy Manny is based on my handy husband. Except maybe the fact that Manny (and his tools) speak Spanglish.

Babies having babies

2008-09-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Annie has really taken an interest in her "babies" lately. She loves to push them around, read them stories, give them time-outs, slather them with sunscreen, etc. When she gets them out of the stroller she even says, "Come 'eer sweetie."

Annie's modeling debut

2008-09-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

check it out here . . .

tom's pretend vacation

2008-08-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Thomas (being the fantastic husband he is) decided that during his vacation, he would re-roof our house. So Monday morning he began ripping all the old shingles and shakes off. Our house is so old that there isn't plywood sheathing under the shakes, just wide planks with 3" gaps between them. Tom removed a pretty good amount of old stuff that day. That night his manager called and said he'd heard that Tom thought he was on vacation. Oh dear. Turns out, his vacation was the next week. So we've been sleeping under the stars (sort of) all week and praying for clear skies.

So if any of you have been craving some good hard manual labor, Tom will be shingling our naked little house during the coming week, which is his real vacation.

(Oh, and thanks to those who have already helped out a bunch, namely Addison, Alex, Glenn, Stephen, and my dad).

hand-me-down

2008-08-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

I wore this little dress when I was Annie's size. My Grandma Hammond made it for me I believe (mom please verify). Annie already loves to get dressed up, and I'm happy to oblige!

cabin fever!

2008-07-23T09:44:00.001-07:00

The Exhibitionist

2008-07-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

My neighbor Emily invited me over to watercolor with her. It's been forever since I painted. All the illustration and fine art majors at BYU-I really killed my confidence.

This banana series was fun though. I'm glad I have an artsy neighbor!

fourth of july

2008-07-05T14:22:00.001-07:00

critique please!

2008-06-27T11:23:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a logo with my sister Amy, and this is what we've come up with. I'd really like some feedback from anyone. (Constructive criticism is welcome)!

Does it have quick readability? What kinds of things would you guess that they sell? Does it look professional? What was your first impression?

Thank you!

sizzlin' summer

2008-06-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

The temperatures have gone up, and we're finally enjoying a little sunshine. These pictures crack me up because they're so classic summer.

summer?

2008-06-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

Changing my header was somewhat wishful thinking. Our weather is supposed to be in the 70's by Saturday, but we woke up to snow this morning. Yes snow. Not to be confused with Sno-shack. Although I would rather have woken up to one of those.

06.07.08

2008-06-06T21:10:00.000-07:00

So Tom’s birthday is here, and I’m feeling the pressure to do something monumental. While looking at others’ blogs, I’ve seen some wildly impressive odes to husbands, and I considered that option. After much deliberation though, I decided it is more my style to embarrass Thomas as much as possible, and in doing so you might be able to see what it is about him that I find so irresistible.

I present to you a slideshow. Enjoy.

why i love thomas

2008-06-06T21:07:00.001-07:00

bookmaking

2008-06-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post stuff that I make, but I just think handmade books at this stage are so simple and beautiful that I had to share. This is going to be a photo album for Annie. It's pretty darn big, so I've spent quite a bit of time on it.

Now to just bind it in pink pearlescent leather. I'm so excited!

Biker babe

2008-06-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

So lately the weather has been perfect for riding bikes, and we've been cruisin' around the Burg a little bit. Annie loves this activity, and kept her little sunglasses on the whole time today. She's pretty funny just kickin back with dad in her shades. I think she and Tom would both prefer that I carry her once in a while, but I lack the coordination (at least that's what I say). So Tom is really getting a buff left bicep.

Yes we know we need a seat and helmet for Annie, and they're on the to-buy list. Donations are appreciated. We accept paypal, no personal checks.

This is the gruesome twosome all ready to go to church (notice Annie waving her little fingers off). Tom and Annie have been total buds lately. Maybe it's because she is realizing that he's way more fun than Mom, or maybe because Tom's hoping for a sweet Father's Day gift.

websters visit

2008-05-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Our friends Rick and Collette Webster came to visit a few weeks ago. Tyler tried to get Annie to ride off into the Arizona sunset with him, but she politely refused. We're still trying to get used to 80˚ weather. I think our little Idaho flower would wilt in Phoenix.

rainy memorial day

2008-05-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

We went to visit the cemeteries where my grandparents are buried today. We got rained on, but it was nice to see how many people remembered and cared about my grandmas and grandpa.

Although Annie is standing by my Grandma Gunderson's headstone, this picture shows just how little Gunderson she's got in her. She's Thomas in a pink sweater.

Tia Lisa, Bradley, Zack, G & G Gunderson, and Great Grandpa Aden came with us.

girls trip

2008-04-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

We (my mom, Amy, Lisa, Annie, and myself) went on a girls trip to Utah. Dallin got to come too because Bret doesn't nurse so well. He probably wished he hadn't though, when Annie tried to ride him like a horse.

Annie got her toes painted while I got a pedicure. She loves her pink toes and still gets excited over them. She was quite the little shopper, and it was nice to have lots of moms around to take good care of her. We packed every minute of every day, and came home on my b-day (#22)!

This is the car ride home, and sums up how we all felt.

Mild Addiction

2008-04-16T11:05:00.001-07:00

Annie loves the movie Hairspray. She won't watch Baby Einstein, Sesame Street, or even SpongeBob, but she'll zone into Hairspray any time of the day. She starts dancing and even sings along (she has "GO-GO-GO!" down perfectly).
I think she's secretly hoping Zac Efron would go for her chubby cheeks.

pretty darn cool

2008-03-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

So if you need some basic photo editing done, and don't want to use your hard earned stimulus money on photoshop, this is a great solution!

clipped from mail.google.com

Today, Adobe releases Photoshop Express for the web.

Now before you go berserk, let us exercise some journalistic caution — it’s not everything you can do in Photoshop fit into a web browser. Not nearly.

No layers here, no fancy pants masking. But for 95% of your photos, it offers pretty much all you need to fix ‘em up, and it does it with style.

Whether adjusting exposure, white balance, or hue, touching up blemishes, or distorting your image, Photoshop Express provides an easy slider and thumbnails to give you an instant preview of your image at various settings. Even undo is better than you’d expect.

No, it’s not a Photoshop replacement, but it is a remarkably slick and well-designed basic photo-editing and sharing application. Arguably the best so far.

So what does it cost? It’s free, amigo.

Adobe Photoshop Express for the Web

Annie's art

2008-03-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

we call it "Spring Meadow."

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T11:49:00.001-07:00

I'm currently the Primary secretary, and since Annie won't be old enough for nursery for another 87 days, she runs around during singing time, trying to get the CTR 5 class to do the wave.

Since it was Easter, we were watching a movie about the Resurrection in Primary, and after they'd laid the body in the tomb and pushed the rock over the door Annie started yelling, "Nigh-night! Nigh-night!" I took her out to try and salvage some reverence and to have a good laugh.

Here are some pics of our Easter jubilee. It's fun now that Annie's old enough to get what's going on. She actually had a blast looking around for Easter eggs, and gave an "Oh WOW!" every time we opened one up.

halloween 2008?

2008-02-21T20:23:00.000-08:00

So, nobody call social services, but we noticed a hilarious resemblance between Annie and the infamous Dwight Schrute from the office.
Don't get me wrong, we think Annie's the cutest girl on the planet. It's really just Dwight's baby face that does it. Well, that and Annie's extensive knowledge about bear attacks . . .

drumroll

2008-02-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

these little beauties took longer than we'd hoped, but we think thomas did an awesome job! now i just need to put in an order so we can get some furniture for our house!

finally feeling better

2008-02-09T12:43:00.001-08:00

just when we thought she couldn't get worse

2008-02-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

annie's ready for her close up. poor little freakshow!
the second picture is after she took her prednisone, which seems to make her a little crazy

benadryl anyone?

2008-02-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

annie's reaction to amoxicillin made our super bowl sunday more exciting than usual. she gave us a pretty good scare; swelling up and getting huge red hives everywhere. the picture doesn't even show how funky she looked. we had to take pictures because her swollen ears finally look a little like her mom's (or jesse or brian or kai).

she was pretty sad, but started feeling a little better in time for kickoff. the swelling's gone down, but she still has big red marks all over that look like burns. poor kid! :(

"I too, don't understand . . .

2008-02-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

. . . the hair doing", I told Annie. "But", I said, "there will come a day, when your current facial expression of confusion will be one of jubilation."

play dohn't

2008-02-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

annie was being a little too quiet one day . . .