happy anniversary

Happy anniversary to:

my sweatheart

the other half of my apple

the father of our children

my best friend

my better half

the one who keeps me calm

my comic relief

the smartest person I know

my teddy bear

I love you babe

bunk beds might have been a bad idea

A couple months ago we bought the girls bunk beds for their rooms. There was some playing in the beds for the first week or so but I think the novelty of it all has worn off and everything had been running smoothly, until last night. Around 11 I heard a huge crash and ran to the girls room where I found Riley (who went to bed on the top bunk) face down on the floor. She was crying so I picked her up and tried to comfort her. I thought she was just scared but as I moved into the hall I could see she was bleeding from her face. I called for Jeremy and ran to get some paper towels. We were trying to figure out where all the blood was coming from and found that she was bleeding from her nose and mouth. We moved her to the couch and started talking to her. We told her she fell from her bed and asked her where she was hurt. She looked at us and answered that her lip was hurting the worse. We had her open her mouth up wider and I found that one of her baby teeth (that was not loose) was hanging by a thread and two of her grown up teeth seemed to be jammed up into her gums. There also seemed to be some damage to her gums. We kept cleaning her up and talking to her when she asked us, "how did I get hurt?" We had just gone over how she got hurt but we explained to her again what happened. I called my mom to see what she had done with my sister Clare when she had some bad injuries to her teeth as a little girl. While I was on the phone Riley asked Jeremy again, "What happened to me? Why am I hurt?" We decided to take her in because her pupils were dilated huge and she seemed to be a little disoriented. After waiting at the ER for 4.5 hours and after having a CT scan her list of injuries amounted to; tooth and gum trauma, two huge goose eggs on her forehead, some bruising around her eyes and nose, a busted up lip, and a small concussion.

We were grateful that there were no facial fractures or swelling of the brain. Who would have thought that falling out of bed could have been so dangerous. Riley was a real trooper and did lots of coloring and a little napping during the whole hospital visit. We both stayed home from school today so we could catch up on sleep and to monitor Riley and make sure she was ok from her concussion. It looks like we will both be going back to school tomorrow. I am so grateful that everything worked out and that Jeremy was worthy and able to give our little girl a father's blessing before we went to the hospital. Riley often likes to comment that she's "not lucky" I would say that last night she was very lucky that her injuries were mostly cosmetic and nothing worse came from her tumble. She did however say that she does not want to sleep on the top bunk anymore... I guess she and Brooke will both have to share that bottom bunk for a while.

decisions

Everyday we get the opportunity to made decisions. These decisions range from simple to complex and sometimes even life altering. This weekend I had heard through a series of text messages that three Caprock students were involved in an accident. I heard that one of these students was killed and another one was in serious condition at the hospital. I did not have any names but once I got to work this morning it was clear to me that the young man who died was in my second period class. I was not particularly close to this student. I did see him everyday but other than an occasional smile we had little to do with each other. He was a bit of a class clown so often times he only lasted in class for about ten minutes before the teacher threw him out and sent him down to the office. I think the only real conversation we had was actually about the Rubik's Cube. I saw him working on one and I mentioned that my son loves to play with his. He then asked me if he has solved it and I said yes he can solve it but it takes him a while to finish it (this was a while back). Despite not knowing this young man very well I was still very effected by his sudden passing. Today most of the kids in my second period class were very upset. There were lots of tears and no one was able to focus on anything. The school district brought in a trauma team to help the students and staff deal with their grief and all the principals were seen comforting students. It was such an emotional day for everyone. I had several students come up to me and make comments to the effect of, "If it happened to him it could happen to anyone." I agreed with them that no one knows how much time they have on this Earth however often times tragic deaths are partly to blame to individual choices. The students involved in the accident over the weekend were racing another car at two in the morning. I don't know if alcohol was involved but regardless there were choices that lead to their horrible tragic accident. I know that many young people have the attitude that they are invincible or that nothing wrong or bad will happen to them. Many times they make decisions based on these feelings. After explaining this idea to several students through out the day I started thinking about my own decisions. Some good and some not so good. I may not have put my physical life at risk with my decisions but did I risk my eternal life? Have I put my own or my families eternal life in jeopardy? Can I do better? Can I make better decisions? Of course I can. I know a huge reason for our mortal existence is to learn and grow. I want nothing but the best for me and my family. As the mother of my family I feel much responsibility for making the best choices for all of us. I never want to assume that I am doing ok when I know I can do better. I am not invincible or immune to spiritual danger. None of us are. We need to always strive to do better. It was a sad day but I have personally been grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from this experience and pain.

a special message from Jake

***I'm Jacob Clement and I approve of this message***

blog homework

I have really fallen behind on my blogging (thanks to Em and facebook) I thought I would try to catch up on a blog tag I received from Tenille (my favorite pretend sister-in-law) a while ago. Here's the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. List the rules
3. Tag six fellow bloggers
4. Leave them a comment so they know they've been tagged
5. List 6 random facts on your blog

This will be a challenge for me. Random seems to be my middle name and I feel like I'm an open book so it might be hard to come up with things people haven't already heard.

1. My actual middle name is not Random it's Florence. Making my maiden name Eliza Florence Reed. Like all my other siblings I was named after ancestors. When I was little I use to feel like my name was really old fashion and weird. I can remember wishing I was named Jennifer or Amber or something like that. For a while I use to tell kids my real first name was Elizabeth and that I only went by Eliza for short. Everyone pretty much bought it and left it at that until one girl said, "If I was you I would go by Beth instead of Eliza..." I was sort of crushed that she confirmed all the feelings I had about my name, so for a very brief time I would respond to Beth by a couple kids in my class.

2. I am horrible at most things domestic. I am average at best with my cooking skills and much lower than average with cleaning, organizing, laundry etc...

3. I arranged Jeremy and my first "date" with his sister Amanda. It involved lots of luck and a fair amount of sneakiness. Jeremy still denies that I asked him out first.

4. There are very few vegetables that I will eat.

5. In my opinion a new outfit is soooo much better than any kind of happy pill doctors can prescribe. I seriously think that doctors should just prescribe a new outfit to all the woman out there that need a little extra help. I'm sure it ends up being much cheaper than all the co pays and doctor visits.

6. I really HATE Barak Obama... he scares me. Mitt was robbed!!

Now I get to "tag" six fellow bloggers: Let's see I will tag Jocelyn, Shaunna, Sarah, Carl, Heather W., and Vicki Good luck everyone!!

So I scored a 40 on this how ever there were a couple that I left black even though I may have done them. If I did do them then they weren't memorable. Looks like I have a lot of living left to do...

So here’s a list of 100 things. All the things I’ve done are highlighted in red. Copy this list on your own blog and come clean on everything you’ve done. Do it. You know you want to.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100.Visited Italy

halloween 2008

Thanks to Mom and her amazing sewing skills we were able to pull off another awesome theme inspired Halloween. The girls all LOVED their costumes (and really what's not to love). They commented all night on how "puffy" they were. They really want to wear their skirts to church this Sunday. Jake had many funny comments about his costume this year. First let me explain that I have their weird obsession with having all the kids dress in a theme. Last year we were blessed with our fourth child and were finally able to make my dreams come true of a complete Wizard of Oz cast (Dorthy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, AND lion). This year the girls have been very obsessed with Hairspray. I thought that they would love to dress either in 50's or 60's style clothing. After a few phone calls with my mother we came up with poodle skirts white shirts and scarfs. This of course meant that Jake would have to play along and dress as a 50's style little boy. I bought him a pair of very snug fitting jeans, a crisp white t-shirt, and I searched for two months for an inexpensive leather/pleather jacket. The jacket was never found so come Halloween night Jake's first comments was, "This isn't much of a costume mom, I think I would rather just stay home and pass out candy this year." I tried to tell him in the big picture he is totally in a costume. He just has to stick with his sisters so everyone knows what he "suppose to be". As the night went on Jake really warmed up to his costume and the theme.

When we finally ended the night and got back to the house Jake asked me, "When will I be old enough to pick my own costume?" I started thinking about this and as sad as it is to think about Jake probably only has about two or three more years of Trick or Treating in him, so I am considering letting everyone just have free range next year on costume choices. I'm not going to lie the thought of totally random costumes makes me a little ill. The other thought that keeps creeping into my thoughts is, the movie Twilight is coming out this year and it's really suppose to be a huge hit... doesn't a family of attractive, kind "vegetarian" vampires sound cute? I'll keep you all posted.

tag I'm it!!!

So my fabulous blogger friend Tenille has tagged me twice (unless she knows another Eliza that is). The first tag is a photo tag I am to post the photo that is in the 8th file and 6th picture over... Drum roll please.................


Here is Morgan at Chuck E. Cheese or as my good friend Torrie likes to call it Chuck E. Disease. She hasn't had much luck with Mr. Cheese and her kids' health. We have all been lucky and left with our heath intact

Let me see, I will go ahead and tag Torrie, Mom, and Brooke to post their 3rd file-4th picture.

flashback

So I was looking at some of my older posts and started laughing out loud when I watched this old video of Brooke. You may have all seen this but I think it's worth watching again.

fall photos

These are mostly for our grandma's and papa's benefits but while you're here you might as well check them out... I can guarantee they'll put a smile on your face. These pictures were taken Friday night at the kid's school. They had a family pizza picnic to encourage parents to come by the school and check in with their kid's teachers.






We LOVE our teachers!!

Now that you have seen the cute pictures of the kids let me show you what 90% of my pictures of Brooke look like. Brooke is a beautiful little girl who is NOT a fan of taking pictures. I don't think I have to worry about this one wanting to live her life in the fast lane of modeling.

Brooke took these picture of Morgan and me. Morgan LOVES to give very intense kisses (verging on painful). I just love them because they are so sincere and heartfelt.

bad mommy

CONFESSION:

Sometimes I turn into "cyber mommy" and get a little preoccupied with the whole internet/blogs thing. Jeremy will occasionally have to say something to the effect of, "Liza you need to put down your crack pipe and walk away" when I've been on for a while. This all being said here is a prime example of why it's best to wait to do your surfing when the babies are all nicely tucked into their beds.

If you're struggling with the pictures that would be peanut butter. It took four shampoo jobs to get it all out.

***side note*** yes that's carpet in our kitchen, and yes it's the next "big project" for the house. The person who thought that was a good idea needs to be put into a mental hospital.

random sampler

I am still undecided with the whole public/private thing. I actually watched an episode of Law and Order SVU which totally freaked me out but then I checked out the whole process of going private and it kind of looks like a huge pain in the booty. So out of my laziness I will be staying public... at least until the next episode of SVU airs. I loved getting all the comments. There were a few people who commented that surprised me. It's nice to know that the same blogs that I stalk are indeed stalking me too.

Saturday the kids and I got to hang out with a coworker/friend and her kids. It was so much fun getting to know her and meeting her adorable kids. We really had a blast playing and eating at Chick-fil-a and then moving the party over to the Discover Center. After we got home Riley would tear up at the mention of any of the Johnson's names. She makes BFFs very easy.

One thing that I find very cute about Jacob is how he really tries hard to be just like his dad. Dad likes football, Jake likes football. Dad talks about cool fast cars, Jake talks about cool fast cars. Dad follows baseball, Jake follows baseball. You get the picture. Jake tries so hard to keep up with the big boy talk but of course his knowledge is semi limited (I mean the kid is only 9 years old). Jake learned a while back about some super fast car called a Viper. I know nothing about cars but I hear it's like the awesomest of awesome cars. Now any time Jake sees a semi sporty looking car he always asks either me or Jeremy if it's a viper. We can be driving down the street and a yellow Dodge Neon with a little pinstripe job and an added spoiler and Jake will immediately say, "AHHHH Mom is that a Viper?!?!?" To which I have to remind him Vipers are very rare to spot especially in Amarillo, Texas. Jake thinks he sees a Viper like two or three times a week, but of course has never really seen one. Well on Saturday just down the street from us was a fundraiser for a big private school in town complete with a car show. I slowed down so Jake could check out the cars and he screamed, "Mom it's a REAL Viper!!"

Sure enough it WAS a real Viper. Jake was very excited and couldn't wait to tell daddy that he saw a REAL Viper (not a suped up Neon).

Sunday we had our biannual Clement conference tradition of watching the first session of conference followed by homemade biscuits and gravy (Jeremy makes them not me). Jake and girls were Jeremy's little assistants and the food turned out wonderful. My man knows how to cook!! I love our little tradition of watching church in our jammies and eating biscuits and gravy twice a year. Don't you all love Conference Sunday? I loved listening to Sister Dalton's talk on women of virtue. It was inspiring to me and I thought she was a very good speaker. I also felt so proud as President Ballard spoke on all of the advances in South America through missionary work. All my favorite men served their missions in South America and were part of that rich missionary history. I ended up taking some allergy medication with my biscuits and gravy so the second Sunday session was not quite as crisp in my memory, thank goodness for DVR I will have to take the next few evenings to re watch the talks while not under the influence of Benodryl.

Tonight for FHE the kids and I (sadly Jeremy works every night until about 8:30) drove around downtown Amarillo leaving little notes for strangers. I got this idea from Nie Nie and thought it would be a big success with our family. Two weeks ago we actually talked about the importance of being kind to everyone and how it is nice to serve others. After talking about being kind to strangers I gave them the idea of leaving little notes for people. They loved the idea and we went out to Target to pick up the supplies. We then worked on making the little notes and making a list of nice things a stranger might like to read. The two older kids wrote the little messages while Brooke drew some little decorations on the cards. Tonight was the big night to actually leave all our little love notes for others to find. We left them all over including; the police station, library, a small downtown park area, bus stop, civic center and the kids school. After we were done we still had several so we left a couple at some of our friends houses anonymously. The kids were so funny about it all. They would race out the car and look around before leaving the note and racing back. At first they didn't really get why we weren't telling everyone it was us who left them but I explained that sometimes we do nice things for others without telling them it was from us. We really had a fun time hanging out together planting our little love notes for strangers.