The Itsy Bitsy Spider

I washed a load of towels the other day and when I opened up the washing machine, this is what I discovered! I thought it was worth mentioning, especially since the same discovery was made not too long ago at the Sullivan's house in Orem. The invasion of the shake heads(as the Merrill girls so fondly call them) has begun!

"Help! We're being invaded!" (that is a movie quote & I'll give an Internet High-5 to the 1st one who guesses correctly!)

Janie, this posts for you!!

Well I'm finally posting again. Last week was just crazy for us here at the Norris household. We had a few illnesses, a daddy who was out of town, many a church things to go to, a mom who has had the realization of moving hit her, and just the everyday stuff that we all deal with throughout the week!

Lucky for me, despite my crazy week I didn't lack for a source of entertainment. Janie kept me rolling pretty much all week with her little personality. Lately Jared and I have just gotten a kick out of the things that come out of Janie's mouth. The other day I told myself I have to start writing all the hilarious things down that she says right away because she makes so many funny statements that by the end of the night I can't remember them all. She has taken her big sister role very seriously and is always telling Chloe "don't worry, Big Sister Janie will teach you all the important stuff to do." I've caught her telling her how to walk, how to go poo-poo on the potty, how to roller skate, how to splash in the bathtub!"
I came into the kitchen the other day and she had made "the bag monster" see the above picture. And she has hit the age where she needs to know why things happen. Just last night we went for a drive and as we were driving by a dairy she asked, "Oh yuck mommy. What is that stinky smell." I told her it was cow poo-poo called manure. She thought for a minute and asked "Daddy, why do the cows have to go poo-poo?" Jared told her because they had to go just like she has to go to the bathroom. Her answer, "On their potties." We laughed and Jared said, no they go on the dirt. She looked around and said. "Oh! Now that's gross!"
I was really sick earlier in the week and poor Janie had been ignored, so I told her we could make cookies for the kids when they came home. She had an enjoyable time licking and redipping the beaters, needless to say we didn't share these cookies with anyone outside of the Norris clan. And Janie is our girly girl. She changes outfits several times a day and loves to wear her little dance leotards all around the house!


So thanks Janie for helping mommy get through last week. I just don't think you can get any cuter!

If I were a rubber duck....

This is just a quick little 10 second clip of my adorable, tiny (but getting chunkier) babe! The video itself has very little content, except for our Chloe enjoying her bath with her ducky. She's starting to pick up bigger things and every bath she just stares at that duck thinking, "I should know how to pick this thing up!" She can usually grab it for a couple of seconds before it drops.


If any of you are partakers of the Angie Sullivan blog feast, you know all about this rubber duck thing! And if you aren't don't worry-it's just a duck quiz. So I went ahead and took the quiz and I think it's pretty accurate. I'm pretty straightforward about most things, but I don't know if Jared would think that I was uncomplicated. Especially after today-it's a long story, but it has been just one of those days!!

Traditional Rubber Duck You are uncomplicated and straightforward. You are the duck other ducks are based on – the quintessential rubber duck. What-type-of-rubber-duck-are-you quiz brought to you by the rubber duck lovers at RubaDuck. RubaDuck Click to find out what kind of duck you are!

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you think this is an accurate representation of me or not!

What's in a Name?

Once again a game of tag and I have crossed paths. This one was sent from my fabulous friend Torrie. These are the rules: You must post the rules before you give your answers. You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name. you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name.

Dedicated to my family
Almost, always a pessimist before an optimist
Wishing my house would sell
Needing a Peach Slurpee at this moment

Well I guess I have 4 letters in my middle name, so for my 4 people I tag: Angie, Jamie, Melanie, & Jen.

Going back in Time!

I've been tagged by my good bud and fellow Mezzanite Jamie. Happy reading!

A Decade Ago I was:
Celebrating my 1 year anniversary, while puking my guts out because I was pregnant with Logan! I was probably enjoying doing the laundry because we had just purchased a washer & dryer for our apartment on Starcrest Drive (1100 South) in Orem (no more hauling loads of wash to my moms house or to the in-laws). I watched Emily in the mornings and worked at Inofnational in the evenings. I was enjoying serving as our wards "FHE specialist"-gotta be the easiest calling on earth.

Five things on my to do list:
1. Go to Sam's Club
2. Color my hair (if Jared doesn't have interviews!)
3. Figure out something to make for dinner
4. Help Logan with his soap carving for Scouts (he tried to carve the Alamo, but now I'm trying to get him to try a canoe!)
5. Finish the book Ghost Soldiers, that I borrowed from Jared

Five places I've lived:
1. Riverton, UT
2. Las Vegas, NV
3. Orem, UT
4. Provo/Orem/Springville UT (those were our student days!)
5. Bakersfield, CA

Five jobs I've had:
1. Fiesta Time (I worked the drive-thru)
2. JC Penney (receptionist, associate in both Home and Jewelery)
3. Emergency Essentials (up on the Mezzanine & then in MOCS)
4. Infonational (editing phonebooks)
5. MOMMY (24/7)

Five things people don't know about me:
1. I enjoy watching Arthur (with or without my kids)
2. I've never mowed a lawn
3. I'm very claustrophobic
4. I wish I could play the violin
5. My favorite flowers are daisies or tulips

So now I tag Torrie(unless you've done this one!), Michelle, Marlo, & Damaris!

Maddie the Scribe

Even though we are out in the "mission field" I am so grateful that we get conference through our local cable station (we don't have BYU TV). I couldn't imagine dragging the kids to the church to sit through 4 hours of listening to speakers. We do make them come in and listen when the prophet speaks and I decided I wanted them there to sustain the officers of the church. They were pretty excited when I told them about the Solemn Assembly and that we got to sustain a new prophet and to hear a new apostle announced. They all kept asking "when do we get to stand!" After they read the names I told them they were free to go and play. They all took off, but I wasn't too surprised when my little Madeline pulled out her notebook and began to take notes. I was impressed however, that she watched all 4 hours today and took notes on every speaker.
While she was taking her notes I was taken back to the past because I loved taking notes at Conference. My siblings and I would bring out our blankets (I also recall some mattresses being dragged into the living room too) and claim our spot to watch the sessions. I would take out my notebook and meticulously write things down. I just thoroughly enjoyed the experience of writing things in my notebook.
Madeline did a fabulous job and was very organized and neat in how she wrote everything down.
I told Maddie that I loved taking notes at Conference too, but the next day I would think that my notes were written sloppy and so I would recopy them in better handwriting (I don't know why; apparently I had some issues).
So in response she told me:
"I don't have to recopy. At school on Friday, Mrs. Ramirez told the class that she wished everyone had Madeline's handwriting!"
I don't think we have to worry about her confidence being low.




By the way, we are all missing Jared who is in Utah.
Can't wait to pick you up tomorrow. Love, love, love you!!!

It's Wheel Time!

I thought you might all be interested in my children's nightly ritual (and their dad's when he isn't busy being the bishop!) Every night at 7:30 they gather around the TV to watch the wheel spin round and round. That's right, they are addicted to Wheel of Fortune. I don't think it's necessarily their love for solving puzzles that keeps them tuned in, it's the anticipation of our family winning big!

Let me elaborate... over Christmas vacation the Norris Family became members of the Wheel Watchers Club. For those of you who aren't Wheel fans, if you are a member of the "Club"
you have the chance to watch at home and win a trip or cash during the prize puzzle, along with the contestant on TV. After the contestant guesses the puzzle, they are told what the prize is, usually a trip to somewhere related to the puzzle. Like if the puzzle was "Islands in the Stream" the prize would probably be a trip to Hawaii! Then they announce a Club members ID number, who is watching at home, and they also win the prize too. So like I was saying my fabulous husband signed us up as official Club members. So whenever the prize puzzle is on, my children all congregate in front of the TV. Then they wait for the ID numbers to appear. Ours starts with JN and so they chant JN-JN-JN. And then sadly leave after the ID numbers is announced BF-1234. But like all kids they bounce back quickly and each night they return with a new hope that the ID number is going to be ours. Oh to have their faith. I still don't have the heart to tell them that even if they say JN the numbers that follow it have to match our club ID numbers too.
Anyway here are my little Wheel Watchers-keeping the hope alive!

Side note: Just a cute picture of three of my little chickadees! I got them all brand new pj's, clearanced at Target. Don't you just love a good clearance sell!!