Very depressing news.

I just have to tell you that Darren is very depressed right now. I think he almost cried. The news is that his favorite restaurant Changs has closed in Kent. We went on a date last night and when we pulled up the signs were all gone. So since Darren had to have his Changs, we drove to Renton so he could have his fix. Its a very sad day. We have had lots of fun times there. Zach and Kim, we will have to find somewhere else to go.

Our newest family addition

No, nobody new is pregnant. The boys brother Derek came to visit. We had a great time getting to know him. We had a very busy time but very fun. The boys golfed, they went to see Larrys gravesite, we went downtown seattle, had a big bbq and told lots of stories. We are so glad you are part of the family Derek. There are more pictures on Kyle and Chelsie's blog too.

A post about Allison

Well, some of you know that we have had a really hard time with Allison going poop on the toilet. She just refused to do it. It has been a really stressful time and I was at a point where I thought she would still poop in diapers till she was 20. Wellll, guess what. She has not pooped in her panties or a diaper in a week. She will go all by herself on the toilet. I am so thrilled. Over a week ago I just gave up, and I have given up before hoping she would just do it but this time I think it just clicked. Last monday she called for me and I found her in the bathroom and she had gone. I was so excited for her. Honestly though I wasnt sure if this was going to be it because she will go every once in a while so I thought ok, we will see. Then the next day. And then two days later she went twice and so on. She did have one day where she almost started going and I caught her and she said she wanted to go on the toilet. I am so proud of her. I guess I wont have a grown daughter pooping in diapers. It takes so much stress off. Anyway, sorry you had to hear about pooping and toilets I just had to tell everyone.

Carrie the Nurse

I just have to give a shout out to my mom. She is now the proud owner of a Licensed Practical Nurses Degree. I am so proud of her. It has been a long road but I knew she could do it. She made the honor roll and recieved a clinical excellence award in her class. She did such a great job. Even though we didnt get to see her as much as we would have liked, we knew that it was important for her to do this. So next she will try and get into the RN program, which is hard to get into, they only take like 40 students each semester so you have to camp out and its first come, first serve. I am very proud of you mom, I knew you could do it. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Today I am 28 years old. I love my birthday. I have to tell you how much I love my husband. He knows me very well. For my birthday he got me a set of Le Crueset pots and pans. I was so shocked. Its a really pretty dark blue. I guess at christmas time I was looking at them at Williams-Sonoma and he remembered. Just so you know you can get them wayyy cheaper on Ebay. I dont have much going on today, I think I will clean out the van but we are going to dinner with the family tonight. I need to find something to cook. Since its morning, all I can think of is eggs so Im off to make breakfast.

I love my mom!!!

My mom surprised me last night and picked me up and took me out. We had so much fun. We went to Pasta and Co. My favorite pasta place. Then we went to Bellevue Square. She gave me some spending money so I was able to get some L'OCCITANE lotion which I wouldnt usually buy. We went to Sephora and I found this perfume that I havent been able to find cause I couldnt remember the name if it. Its Herme. They made a little sample of it for me. Then we went to Whole Foods which is a trip in itself if you dont usually go. I wish I could do all my shopping there. We had a great time. Thanks Mom.

New Food Blog

I know I started a craft blog forever ago and havent put much on it but now I am going to start a food blog. I am aspiring to be like Jenni Burns and blog about everything. Check it out. I am excited. I have been trying new recipes and think you will like them. I am also wanting to bake more so I will show you my pretty nummies.

Happy Birthday to my 4 year old!!

Happy Birthday peanut, you are such a blessing to your daddy and I. You can always make me laugh with the silly little things you do. I just wish you would stop taking your clothes off all the time. I love you Allison and cannot believe that it has been four years already. It seems like yesterday we were driving to the hospital to have our little girl and now you are writing your name. Have a wonderful birthday little one. I love you with all my heart.

McCain Conservative Commitment

Dear Friend:

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I know how important it is for our president to appoint men and women to the court who will not legislate from the bench.

We've seen the consequences of overreaching judges who have created a right to same-sex marriage and even a right to abortion.

The presidential election will determine nothing less than the future of the Supreme Court. We can go from being one justice away from overturning Roe v. Wade to being two or even three justices away. There are also so many other important issues in front of the court- property rights, the Second Amendment, faith in the public square - just to name a few.

I have fought these battles in the Senate with John McCain. He is no recent convert to the cause - John McCain is a consistent conservative you can trust. John McCain and I stood side-by-side to confirm John Roberts and Sam Alito to the Court, and I know that as president, John McCain will appoint justices with a strict constructionist view of the Constitution.

When I raised my concerns at the nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court in 2005, few other Republican Senators would join me at that critical time. John McCain was one of them.

John McCain knows that among a president's most lasting legacies are the men and women he appoints to the courts. John McCain knows that we must have judges committed to interpreting the law, not creating it. A sampling of the names McCain supported for confirmation to the federal bench are as follows: Robert Bork, Clarence Thomas, Miguel Estrada, Charles Pickering, Janice Rogers Brown, John Roberts, and Samuel Alito. This record of supporting conservative judges speaks for itself.

John McCain made his first major speech after the midterm election losses to The Federalist Society on November 16, 2006. Commenting on the recent election losses suffered by the Republican Party, McCain stated:

'Nor do I believe Americans rejected our values and governing philosophy. On the contrary, I think they rejected us because they felt we had come to value our incumbency over our principles, and partisanship, from both parties, was no longer a contest of ideas, but an ever cruder and uncivil brawl over the spoils of power... The genius of our founding fathers wasn't that they were better people than those who came before them; it's that they realized precisely that they did not have a greater claim to virtue, and that the people who followed them weren't likely to be any more virtuous than they were. That critical insight led them to realize something important about power: if its exercise isn't limited, it will become absolute.

'Power always tries to expand. It's a law of nature, of human nature... Why has the appointment of judges become such a flashpoint of controversy in the past twenty years or so? When you understand our system in the way I've just described, when you see the wisdom in it and the humility it requires of public servants, it's easy enough to understand why we are so concerned that the judges we appoint share that understanding of the nature and limits of power.'

During my campaign for president last year, I expressed my deep concern that America is becoming a less democratic nation as unelected judges dictate more and more of our nation's laws and social policy.

I have talked at length with John McCain about these issues, and he not only shares this concern but has actively promoted a conservative view for the judiciary and the nominees we need to get confirmed and onto the bench.

Not only does John McCain stand strong on the issues, but he can win in November. More so than any other Republican candidate, the polls show that John McCain can beat Hillary or Obama in the general election.

I am proud to support John McCain for President, and I urge you to stand with me to send Senator McCain to the White House. John McCain will help us bring to an end to the federal courts' sad chapter of judicial activism.

Sincerely,



Sen. Sam Brownback, Co-Chairman
McCain for President Judicial Advisory Committee

One Semester of Spanish Spanish Love Song

Well if Ryan isnt going to put this on his blog, im gonna put it on ours. This is hilarious. If anyone has taken first year spanish you will understand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngRq82c8Baw

I dont know how to make it so you can just click on it. I thought that it just would.

A BROTHER FOUND

DARREN SAID I am very excited to let everyone know that Myself, Kyle and Ryan have found our long lost brother.. His name is Derek and he was born in Texas in 1962.. I have known for a while that I had a brother and have even tried through the internet to track him down. I really did not have enough information to find him, just his first name, birthplace, and his mothers maiden name, which was Johnson.. Derek, through information provided by his grandparents, was able to find our blog.. (read the post under our Vegas trip).. Not knowing the circumstances, I stopped looking.. wishing he would find us someday. and with a last name like Dofelmier, I knew it wouldn't take much effort once he knew his birth last name.. I am sure I will have upates for you as we catch up with Derek.. Happy New Year everyone!

Viva Las Vegas

We had such a great time in Vegas. Alot of sightseeing. We didnt do everything that we wanted to but we did see alot. We loved the Bellagio and MGM Grand. The MGM is huge. We kept getting lost. I liked New York and Paris. I was able to treat myself to acrylic nails. I dont usually do things like that for myself but it was a fun treat. Andrea Bocelli was amazing. Our seats werent that good but the sound was unbelievable. He did a tribute to Pavarotti and I think it was better. He has such an amazing voice, I even cried at one point. Darren really enjoyed it too. It was a fun time to get away and spend some time together. We will definitely go back. We didnt go on the ride that I would pee my pants on. It was at the other end of the strip and it was really windy. Im so glad. Anyway Here are some pics. I cant seem to take good pictures with my fat face and all.

Vegas Baby

We are so excited, this weekend Darren and I are going to Las Vegas. He won a 2 night stay with airfare at a golf tournament last summer so we thought we would go. We have always wanted to go and now we get to. And no kiddies. It will be really nice to go away for a weekend just the two of us. We havent done this in a long time. If any of you know of great places to go please let me know. We are staying at the monte carlo hotel. Right in the middle of everything. Darren wants me to go on that ride that hangs off of the hotel, 900 feet from the ground. I told him if he wants me to pee my pants and throw up on him I would go. We really wanted to go see Andrea Boccelli but by the time we went to buy the tickets they were all sold out. oh well. We might go and try and see Hoover Dam. So I will post when we get back. Have a great week everyone.

I have decided to not do pampered chef. I wanted to do something that I enjoy. I have been making some things. I put them up on Etsy.com. Let me know what you all think. Its just for fun. And I dont have to go out and do parties. You can check it out at sweetlittlethings.etsy.com.

A cute bag

I made some bags last summer and just remembered that I had them. They are so cute. They have a little girl playing on them. I was thinking of selling them. I have 3. Im going to put them on Etsy, a website for people who make things and then sell them. If any one is interested, let me know.

Question for all you ladies.

Well, I have to ask you all a question. I have been thinking about selling Pampered Chef and I wanted to get everyones opinion. I just wanted to see if anyone still likes it. Please let me know.

On another note, I am freaking out a little because I found out yesterday that I am hosting Thanksgiving this year. Even though I am nervous I am excited. I have always wanted to do this but didnt think I would get to until later in life. I just want to have everything perfect. We might have from 11-17 people, not sure yet. Im hoping for the 11 not 17. But I will have lots of help so Im sure it will be fine.

Shuttlecraft

Well, remember when I said all I needed was a mini-van. Well we got one. Except it was on the day of Allisons last soccer game. I actually got kind of nervous. I didnt think I was ready for one. I kept looking at a Dodge Durango. But once we got home and put the kids in it I was ok. It was so much easier to put them in. I think I will really like it. We are trying to sell our old car. Its a 2006 focus with only 10000 miles on it. If anyone is interested.

My little Allie Kitten

This year Allison really wanted to be a cat. Well I couldnt really find one so I had to improvise. I must say I have to toot my own horn. I found a ballet leotard and the ears and tail. Then I thought that would be kind of boring, soooo I made a cute litte skirt. I was pretty proud of myself. I thought she looked adorable. She had alot of fun at the fall festival. I even took her trick or treating at a couple of houses on our street. It got me motivated to craft again. I havent done much since we bought the house. Sewing machine, here I come.

Looking for a job

Im looking for a little job. I want to maybe watch 1 or 2 children in my home. If anyone knows anyone please let me know. Things are good around here. We are loving our new house. Alot more space. The kids love the back yard. I have to learn to organize better since there is no garage. There is a shed but I dont want to have to go out there every time we need something little. Anyway, not much else going on. Have a great week.

I am officially a soccer mom

All I need now is a mini-van. We have been having so much fun with Allison in soccer. It is hilarious. Little 3,4,and 5 year olds running after a ball at the same time. She wasnt really into it the first game. She played the last 2 mins. as goalie but after that she has loved it. Some times she plays on the field and then other times all she does is dig in the dirt on the field. She loves her team and her coach. We said we need to take him home with us because she listens to him. He is so patient with all of them. Now I hope she keeps liking it so she can get that scholarship.