I had it redone today (my hair) .  It's better I think.  I think I'll find a new hair dresser though.... I promise I'll stop talking about it now.

all 'bout me

okay I have lived with my hair for over 24 hours now and it just aint flyin.  I'm getting it re done tomorrow morning.  I'm not sure what to have her do to it now.  Most people tell me they like it better really blonde but then some say they like me better dark.  What is YOUR opinion?  Oh and I saw my friend Krista today and she mentioned my new do and color.  I told her I hated the color and she said "why, is it too grey looking for you?"  So there!  I was right! lol  (no, she doesn't read my blog).

HELP

SO I just got my hair done and I HATE it.  The stylists tried to convince me that it looked really good and really natural.  I told her that I would try living with it for a couple of days and seeing if I could get used to it and change my mind.  I also told her I thought it looked salt and pepper grey.  I really hate it and I need everyones opinion.  Is it just me do I just need to get used to it?  Or is it grey?  Just tell me what you think and if you're someone that just reads my blog but never comments, now is the time to comment!

He has a Camaro too...

I saw this guy on COPS lat week!

Halloween Granny

I stole this from Wendy. I see my near future without the surgery...

the dance off

I know it's long but how could I stop taping with those sweet moves?! (sorry about my singing)

the band

I had to put it on you tube to get it on my blog. Blogger wouldn't download any of the band videos for some reason.

Dolphins must love me....

I've lived next to the ocean most of my life.  Visited a few different oceans in the world as well.   Something I've always enjoyed is watching the dolphins play in the surf.  On many days in Carlsbad you can sit on the shore and see the dolphins swimming in the surf.  I've been on boats in the ocean dozens of times as well and have seen lots of dolphins swimming along with the boat.  On one occasion I was on a ship headed from Long Beach, ca. to Catalina Island and there were dolphins all around the ship as far as the eye could see in all directions.  It was quite the sight.  I've seen dolphins in the ocean all along the California and Oregon coasts.  I've seen them in Mexico, Hawaii, Florida and even France.  So I was shocked to hear from my daughter Emily that her 'science' teacher told the class (which all gasped in horror) last week that there are only 600 dolphins left in the worlds oceans.  WOW, indoctrination starts young.  Or could it be that those dolphins just love me and follow me in my travels... hmmmm

So scary

At the request of Heidie Lee.  Here are some pictures of our Halloween house.

and the scariest image of all.....

more...

 This was a bit tricky ti take pictures with a messy house.  I suppose that could have just added to how SCARY it all is...

such a stud...

a trip back....

I've been having some fun scanning some old photos.  Yeas, those ARE John and I!  The little boy is Christopher.

Sophie watching Sophie watching Christophers you tube movie

I'm with the band

Christopher and Johns band played at youth conference last weekend.  It was a lot of fun to watch them.  As you can see Christopher had quite the fan club.

Sophie enjoying one of Christophers you tube videos

Twilight Official Trailer

OH man it's almost here! I hope it's as good as it looks!!

Michelle holding our Sophia Michelle

One Year

One year. That's how long it has been since my sweet niece Michelle Maline Butler passed away. In some ways it has gone by so fast and yet I miss her so much it seems like I haven't seen her in forever. I know she is happy and in a beautiful place but I can't help but feel sad and sorry for myself and her family. One would think that because we have lived so far away from her the last eight years that I wouldn't be missing her yet. I miss her so much it aches. You could never be in the same room with Michelle without knowing she was there. Sometimes because of mischief but most times because of laughter. It's hard to even imagine how much the Butlers all miss her. I just wish I could hug her and tell her how much I love her one more time. Someday I'll get that chance... I'm thinking about you guys today (all the butlers, esp. Wendy). I hope you can draw some strength and comfort from general conference today. I love you

Wendy!

Wendy, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!  I wasn't expecting to get them because I didn't hear back from you.   Yeahhhhhhhh!!!!  You are officially "redeemed"  (you are automatically btw).  ;)

For the rest of you wondering what I'm talking about, I wanted some pictures that Wendy took of my kids last summer for a scrapbooking retreat that I'm going on this weekend.  So to get them to me Wendy had to next day the cd's to me.  The redemption part is because she gave my puppy to someone else lol (I snoozed and I lost).

I wanted to tag everyone but it said "tag 6 people".  I say, if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged!

I got tagged...who is next?

I got tagged...who is next?

Alex tagged me.  Some ugly secrets are going to come out...

Here are the rules:
Link the person who tagged you.
Tell about 6 quirks of yours.
Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same.
Leave a comment to let them know.

1. I make a small blemish on my face look like a boil because I can't stop picking it.

2. I feel anxious when my house is very clean. (weird) 

3. I feel anxious when I loose weight (I know it makes no sense!) 

4. I'm afraid of the dark.

5. I hate for my kids ears to be dirty and I'll chase them down with a q-tip to clean it.
 

6. I check my blog WAY too much to be normal.

Alright, so..I will tag: Lynda, Wendy, Danielle, Megan, McKenna and Miriram N.

Helicopter Mom

I am NOT a helicopter mom lol

shortcomings of a domestic Diva

I haven't posted in a few days.  It's been kind of a rough week for me.  Someone said that I "don't do anything".  It's funny how un-motivating that is.  It's like someone telling you that you're fat to motivate you to diet and exercise.  For most of us, that just doesn't work.  SO it was hard to get ALL the chores that I typically do, done.  I know it's all in my head and that I shouldn't let something like that get to me.  It's just so paralyzing for me.  Mind over matter... I don't want to slip into a depression.  Okay, enough 'Debbie Downer'...

Last night I went to a movie with my friend Alex.  We had a good time.  Afterwards we sat and ate ice cream at Red Robin and talked for a long time.  She is so funny.  She is only 24 but DANG that girl has some stories! lol  Those are the kinds of people I like to hang out with.  She actually went on a couple of dates with John Heder.  Okay Alex, I'll stop talking about you!

Hey it's Uncle Tom!

I'm glad this case is over for Uncle Tom. Such an awful case that he had prosecute.

Our Hawaiian Princess

Isn't she just the cutest!  I know I'm a little biased but c'mon!!!  I found this little Roxy dress at Macys yesterday for 9 bucks!  I figured it's big enough that she can wear it next summer but I couldn't resist putting it on her today.  I took her to church in it without shoes.  I just couldn't bring myself to put shoes on her in that outfit!  She felt so pretty...

Behold your little ones

Well I made it.  It's been kinda a rough couple of days with the preparing and just nerves really but everything went fine.  I especially liked my sharing time.  It was about prayer.  I told the story of  Christopher getting his prayers answered as a little boy.   We were home listening to primary music and Christopher loved listening to the song "Follow the Prophet".  He wanted me to play that song over and over again.  He told me that they had never sang that song in Primary at church and that he really wanted to sing it in Primary on sunday.  One of us had the idea that he could pray, that they would be able to sing it on that coming sunday.  As the week went on I had forgotten all about his prayer.  Had I remembered I may have considered calling the primary chorister and asking her to please sing Follow the Prophet on sunday!  But I forgot, so I didn't.  On that very next sunday as I went to pick Christopher up from Primary  I realized they were all still in there.  That it wasn't over yet.  As I opened the door to the primary room I witnessed what the faith of my little boy had done.  Sitting in the room with all the children was a man with a guitar playing "Follow the Prophet" for all the children, with them all singing along.  Come to find out their special visitor was the man that wrote "follow the Prophet".  He was passing through LA from Utah (I think) and had stopped in to our primary with his guitar to play for the children.  A small miracle really.  Our church is huge with many many many congregations everywhere, including Los Angeles.  I'm so glad that the Lord answered my little boys prayer and in no small way either.  It wasn't an important prayer as far as prayers go but he cares and loves each one of his children so much that with Christophers faith he answered that simple prayer.

Front Fell Off

Enjoy! (I'm still avoiding my lessons)  Oh you HAVE to watch the other videos below this one with this same guy!!

another distraction to keep me from what I really should be doing

McKenna goes away sunday *boo.  We'll miss her a lot.  She's such a sweetheart.  I love her to death.  

I'm feeling a bit stressed out and a little paralyzed by that stress.  I'm new in the Primary presidency and so doing things like sharing time and conducting are all new to me and a little stressful.  Sunday I have to conduct, do sharing time for jr and sr primary and teach and lead a discussion with the teachers for a meeting sunday night.  That's really all bad enough but it's also ward conference so the stake is going to be in Primary.  If you're reading this and you're not lds I know it's all like a foreign language lol.  It's not a typical sunday it's just that I have some extra responsibilities this coming sunday.  I don't have to do it, I volunteer to do it.  The anxiety is there regardless.  I just want to do a good job on everything...

Danielle

Danielle Wood Reporting (from the racetracks) 

Camping fun

So we went camping last weekend with all the Wiley clan.  Can you call it 'camping' when a cabin is involved?  I'm calling it camping.  It was a lot of fun.  The weather was nice and it was beautiful up at Twin Lake.  We got to fish, float, midnight kayaking and star gazing, fish, hike (McKenna),  do nothing, fish, play games, sit around the campfire, eat smores..... you get the idea...

So cute!  Jack had SO much fun fishing with his daddy!!  They fished from shore and out in the lake from a boat.
A serious fisherman.  Branson LOVES fishing.....

More camping pictures

Such a pretty place.
Sophie was totally posing in this picture.  It was so funny!  (check out the load lol)
Me, my feet and my mother in law Jan floating in the lake.
This girl got SOOO dirty!  She was lovin it though.
Christopher lookin so much like my brother Jonathan.

Sophie at the campfire with her Grandpa Wiley.

McKenna

We have been blessed to have my niece  McKenna with us for the past week.  We get to have her another week and then she's off to South Africa!  She's doing a study on womens health in south Africa through BYU.  She will be there for 3 months.

Fancy a cruise??

Okay,calling all family and friends.  There is a mediterranean cruise happening next July.  MY friend the watercolor artist is doing it as her yearly artists retreat.  It will start in Italy and go to Greece, mesopotamia and Turkey.  Imagine being in port for a couple of days in all these places, exploring and painting the beautiful scenery!  Remember the island in mama mia?!  That's what I'm talking about!  It's 10 days long and the more people we have in one room the cheaper the price would be.  It would be amazing if we could somehow all go!  Here is the website for more info www.makeeverydayapainting.com   if you want to see the teachers work (they're awesome) it's www.cindybriggs.com and www.theresagoesling.com  You would need to put 600. dollars down to hold your spot.  Maybe a reward for being able to run a certain distance by next summer?  Just a thought!

Every bodies doing it!!!!

SO Amanda has finally joined the blogging world!  Yeahhhhh!!!  Now is the time ladies (jaylene, Christy, Jodie).  This is the way we stay in touch on a very personal, daily level.  C'mon, just do it!!!  Plllleeeeeaaaaaaassssseee?!?!?!  BTW I notice no one is commenting on my last blog lol.  I take it you guys don't agree at all.  So tell me about it!

One more

I Love that little boys smile!!!!

While the cats away... All while I was out of town

Jack and Sophie had a food fight!  and yes, Jack IS sitting on my white couch!