HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLY AND HEIDI

Happy Birthday Holly and Heidi...we hope you have a great day!! Enjoy your last year of being in your twenties!! Ha ha!! We love you.

~Paul, Jenn, & kids

Merry Christmas

I just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Looking back on this year there have been several things that happened that were significant in our lives.

#1 I started back to school to finish my teaching degree at WGU. Everything is done online and I should be set to start my student teaching next year.
#2 Joseph came back to live with us. Even though he is a little pain in the rear end and is the classical pre-teen boy (I can't say that here in a couple of months cuz he will be 13) we love him and are very glad he is HOME!
#3 On September 20th I married a very wonderful (and handsome) man. Paul is my best friend and he keeps me in line.
#4 We got to go to Idaho for Thanksgiving and spend time with the Jones side of the family. I haven't spent a Thanksgiving at home for almost 12 years.

I am very blessed and I want each one of my family members to know how much I love them and how important they are in my life (whether or not you know it you are). Happy Holidays everyone.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow....

Well we woke up this morning to 5 inches of snow. Yes I said 5 inches. I know, I know for all of you in Idaho you are thinking "big deal Jenn" but it is a big deal...a VERY big deal here. Beatty is located 6 miles from Death Valley so it is very warm here, but occasionally we get snow. Last year we didn't and the kids were very disappointed. However, as you can imagine they woke up to 5 inches and they are ELATED!!! They were all volunteering to go clean the steps and brush the cars off. I just know after school they will be making snowmen and having snowball fights. We are supposed to have snow for the remainder of the week....I haven't missed it but at least it is close to Christmas!

Christmas Tag

Mel actually saved me this week...I didn't know what to blog about!

1. Wrapping Paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper
2. Real tree or artificial? real
3. When do you put the tree up? 2nd week of December
4. When do you take the tree down? January 2nd
5. Do you like eggnog? Love It!!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Cabbage Patch Dolls
7. Easiest person to buy for? Halle
8. Do you have a nativity scene? Unfortunately no
9. Mail or email Christmas cards? If I get around to it...mail
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? stuff from grandma's basement
11. Favorite Christmas movie? Rudolph
12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? yes
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Grandma Rule's fudge and mom's divinity
15. Lights on the tree? yup
16. Favorite Christmas song? Angel's We Have Heard on High
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? stay at home
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yup
19. Angel on the tree top or star? either
20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
21. Favorite Christmas tradition? going to Grandma Rules for Christmas Eve dinner
22. Favorite ornament, theme, or color? I like blue and silver
23. FavoriteChristmas dinner? mom's stuffing and turkey or ham
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? a Blackberry

Happy Birthday Paul

Myspace Glitter Graphics

My hubby's birthday is December 4th. Happy birthday mi amor. I love you.

Exhausted

I was sooo happy to go to Idaho to see my family for Thanksgiving. I have been so blessed and what better time to celebrate those blessings than being surrounded with the ones you love. We had so much fun and thank you to all of my family and I love you all so dearly. I was able to have my children, my mother, and my grandmothers pictures taken together. Melanie and Heidi you are great photographers!! I love this photo of my nieces and nephews!! Parker is such a little ball of dynamite he wouldn't look at the camera because he was extremely ticked off at us!! Kaiden has the sweetest little voice. Madie May knows what Tuesday starts with and my two new nieces are so precious.

Happy Thanksgiving

Add Glitter to Pictures

8 Things Tag

Ok Mel...here it is the 8 things about me.

8 Favorite TV Shows

1. CSI Miami
2. Days of our Lives
3. Dr. Phil
4. The Doctors
5. Go Diego Go
6. Crossing Jordan
7. Kath and Kim
8. Exotic Foods

8 Things I did yesterday

1. Made breakfast for Paul
2. Took a shower
3. Dove to Vegas
4. Went to the Mall
5. Went to Walmart
6. Got a Pap smear
7. Got bad news
8. Drove home and went to bed

8 Things I am looking forward to

1. Getting my teaching degree
2. Teaching High School
3. Halle going to kindergarten
4. Going to Idaho for Thanksgiving to spend with my wonderful family
5. Getting a Blackberry
6. Losing a million pounds
7. The weather cooling down here in Nevada
8. The Superbowl

8 Things on my wishlist

1. A maid
2. A Cadillac Escalade
3. A Blackberry
4. A new mattress
5. A new living room set
6. A Jeep Commander (if I can't have the Escalade)
7. That I will never have to to laundry again...it will just do itself
8. That everyone could just get along

Hooray!!

Ok I am very excited because I just got my LAST assignment back for the term and I am now officially done with one term. I just have 3 more to go!!! I am so stinking excited and I have nobody to share it with right at the present...I just texted Paul and told him but I don't think the librarian would really care or appreciate it if I start jumping up and down. Now I can come home for Thanksgiving and not stress about school work. HOORAY!!

FYI

Well there isn't a whole lot that is happening here in the middle of nowhere. So I thought I would do like Heidi and just post some general happenings. I am winding down my term at WGU, I have one essay left to do. Hopefully, it will get graded before Thanksgiving so I can have that weekend to enjoy my family. We are getting really excited to come to Idaho, I don't think that I have spent a Thanksgiving with my side of the family since before Tony and I got married. Paul is just working hard and he is getting ready to start coaching middle school basketball after the break. Joseph...well what more do I need to say. He has a terrible terrible attitude!! I know for the most part it is because of his age because when I sub at the middle school they all act like that. He has a new girlfriend. I guess we will see how long that last! Ben is doing good except when he and Joseph fight...ooooo that drives me nuts. Jacob is just Jacob...my little ham. Wait until we come up and he will sing you a song he made up. It is called, "Baby I'm Breakin' Some Wind."And Halle, precious precious little girl (yea right)! So that is it...our kinda exciting life!

Halloween

Ok I admit it...I LOVE Halloween. We had a lot of fun. The boys were gone trick-or-treating with their friends and so I didn't get photos of them. Halle was a fairy princess, Paul was a well...I really don't know you decide and I was a witch. Paul won $25 from a costume contest at a party we went to so that was pretty cool too. We took Halle trick-or-treating for an hour and she was happy

with that. We have tons of candy at our house. I heard a really cool tip...if you don't want your kids to eat all that junk at once put some of it in the freezer and use it later to make cookies. I think that is a way good idea!

ABC Tag

Ok Heidi and Melanie here it is!

A-Attached or Single? Attached and very happily married!
B-Best Friend? Paul
C-Cake or Pie? Pie
D-Day of Choice? Sunday--Wathcing Football all day with Paul!!
E-Essential item? Deoderant and a toothbrush
F-Favorite Color? Red
G-Gummy Bears or Worms? NEITHER they make me gag
H-Hometown? Rigby
I- Indulgences? Cheesecake
J-January or July? In Idaho July, in Nevada January
K-Kids? 4, three boys and one girl
L-Life is incomplete without? My family
M-Marriage Date? Which one? Haha 09/20/08
N-Number of Siblings? 3 little sisters
O-Oranges or Apples? Neither really I prefer veggies over fruit
P-Phobias? SPIDERS!!!!!!!!!!
Q-Quotes? "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire
R-Reason to Smile? My son Jacob's rap songs
S-Season? Fall
T-Tag 5 people? They are already taken
U-Unknown Facts? I have become a very accomplished Mexican food cook--you name it and I can cook it.
V-Very Favorite Store? Anything in the Mall
W-Worst Habit? Not ironing. I always throw it in the dryer. I would rather clean a toilet than iron.
X-X ray or Ultrasound? Depends on what its for
Y-Your favorite food? Crab legs dipped in butter or cocktail sauce
Z-Zodiac? Capricorn

My junior cheerleader...and my soapbox

Well here she is...my junior cheerleader. Football is finally over!!!

Thank goodness. I don't think I am going to do that again. It is too hard with school and work. And lets just say that the Athletic Director and I have a HUGE personality conflict. She reminds me of a control freak and I wonder what the heck she is even doing in education because she acts like she hates everyone!!! Oh well I've been told that if you don't piss someone off everyday that you aren't doing your job. She actually acts like my ex husband used too and that is freaking SCARY. I am too old to put up with peoples crap. Can you tell I am having a very bad Monday? Oh well I feel a little bit better now that I have vented.

Joseph or Josephina?

Here is a picture of Joseph and some of his buddies at the pep rally we had for our last football game last Friday. The cheerleaders put make up on the football players and made them model in front of the student body with pom poms. The teachers judged them and Joseph or Josephina as he is now known won by a landslide. The grandprize....a king size Reeses. Wait til you see his Halloween costume!

Happy 4th Birthday Halle Victoria

Halle turned 4 on the 18th. She is such a little character with BIG attitude. She had Diego cupcakes and got Diego stuff for her birthday! She wants me to redo her room in the Diego theme. I did it in Tinkerbell this summer when she was in Idaho only for her to come home and want it Diego! Oh well! She is a special little girl and I am very lucky to be her mother. We love you Halle.

Yes It Gets Cold in the Desert...and other general happenings of Beatty

Ok, I haven't posted anything since the wedding pictures. But I think that my life is sometimes so boring that who really wants to know. But since I don't get to talk to all of you everyday I guess it may be interesting to you. This weekend a major cold front moved into southern Nevada. Last week I was still running my central air this week it is the heater. The temperature dropped from 90 to high 50's getting into the low 30's at night.

Friday was our homecoming game...we lost by a touchdown. The boys have 2 more games, one in Alamo this Saturday and our final home game on the 25th. I am glad because Paul and I have sacrificed every single Saturday for the last two months for these kids!! I know, it is for my son too. That is one of the reasons that I agreed to be cheerleading advisor again because I would get to spend time with my son. On top of all this I have been working very steady and going to school. I am winding down my first term at WGU. Being the end of the term I am starting to stress (feeling guilty for blogging and not doing my preassesment).

Well enough about the adults boring life and onto the kids. Ben and Jacob are doing really well. They are both getting very good grades and they are the waterboys for the team. They are growing up so fast. Halle is Miss Attitude (don't feel bad Heidi) and will be turning 4 on Saturday. Joseph is doing really good. He is adjusting quite well to Beatty life. He is getting good grades, staying somewhat out of trouble, and playing football. I know he is gonna die if I tell you all this but he had a girlfriend for a whole week!!! He asked out one of my cheerleaders and they "went out" for a whole week. She broke up with him because she said her dad didn't want her to have a boyfriend. He said it was all good cuz he was gonna break up with her anyway because there was no "spark" left. Ok, so how the heck does he know what a spark is when all they see each other is at school. He was allowed to talk to her on the phone for an hour until he got grounded for catching attitude with me. He isn't too broken up about it he says it is just another "phase." Aye Aye Aye!!!

More Pictures

Sariah sent a disk of pictures. She was our official photographer. She got some really precious shots.

Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road?

As I was getting myself ready for work and Halle ready for the babysitter this morning. She was telling me the "why did the chicken cross the road?" jokes. After about the 5th time I answered her "to get to the other side." Halle says, "no mommy, to get to Vegas...DUH!" Ok, out of the mouth of babes. I would like to get into the minds of these little kids just to see the world from their point of view.

Wedding Day

We were married in Paul's brothers front yard. The Justice of the Peace did a really nice job. It was so funny when he was asking Paul if he took me as his wife Paul's mom (pictured with all of us on the last photo) blurts out "Are you sure Paul? You better be!!!" If I wasn't so nervous I would have busted out laughing. I was also really happy that Sariah could come. I haven't seen her for 2 years and we got to catch up a little. All in all in was a VERY happy day, I couldn't have asked for more. I will be posting more pictures when Sariah sends me a disk.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gurule

Hi everyone!! Here are a few photos of the wedding. It was a very special day. Joseph walked me down the aisle, Jacob walked my maid of honor, Ben was a ring bearer and Halle threw rose petals. The weather was wonderful and it was near perfect.

Happy Birthday Benjamin

Happy 9th birthday to my handsome son Ben. Benjamin David Rodriguez was born September 15, 1999. He weighed 6 pounds and 3 ounces. He is my second child and he is a lot of fun. Ben is the studious type. He loves science and wants to be an inventor when he grows up. He likes school and his favorite color is blue. Ben is a wonderful little boy and I am very thankful that I have the opprotunity to be his mother. Happy Birthday mijo.

Reality

Well here it is. Part of my ever so real life. I take Halle with me to cheerleading practice. While we were practicing in the gym Halle went to the bathroom, I called for her and she said she was using the potty. I went to check and she had found a red sharpie and decided to color on the bathroom floor and the locker room floor. Ok so here I am trying to teach junior high cheerleaders and trying to clean up a mess in the bathroom. It was a terrible day to say the least. I actually went home and cried.

Beatty Hornets #8

Football has officially started. Joseph is really excited. He comes home so tired from practice but thats a good thing for mom. Football season has just added to my stress...with the wedding in two weeks, practices (Paul is coach) and cheerleading (I am coach) and games I wonder if I am gonna make it through. Wait til you see my reality!!! This is part of it.

2 more weeks

Well the countdown has officially began. It is exactly 2 weeks from Saturday and I am getting married. Now I am starting to feel pressured. They have me working already...I guess the teachers didn't get enough time off this summer, so I am officially panicing. Anyway, Holly and Heidi I need addresses for you and I already have yours Mel.

6 Quirks

My sister Melanie so kindly tagged me to write 6 quirks about myself. Here goes:



1. My kitchen is my pride and joy. If anything what-so-ever is out of place it will drive me INSANE. With 4 kids it is almost impossible to keep it clean 24/7 but somehow I do it because I can't do anything until it is clean.



2. Paul says I pick the most inopprotune times to talk. He actually said argue but I call it talking. It is usually after the kids go to bed and if I have things to say that he did that made me upset I do it before I go to bed.



3. I am a chapstick freak. My lips can not be dry at all. I wonder how much I spend on chapstick in a year. I have made my son Ben into a chapstick freak too. He hates dry lips.

4. I have 3 boys and needless to say they ALWAYS leave the toilet seat up. There is nothing worse than getting up in the middle of the night and going to sit on the toilet and almost falling in.

5. This one most of you already know because of a previous post. I am a CSI:Miami freak. I record all the old episodes on A&E and then the new ones on ABC. If I had it to do all over again I would be a forensic scientist.

6. And like Heidi, I hate to iron. I used to have to iron all of Tony's white shirts when he worked for DeVry and ISU. They had to be starched and creased down the sleeve. I spent too many hours ironing so I do what Heidi does and throw them in the dryer.

I tag anyone who hasn't done this and Holly needs her own blog.

Licking the Bowl

Do you remember when your mom let you lick the bowl or the spatula after she had baked a cake or cookies? Yummy!! Halle has discovered this little treat as well. I baked a red velvet cake and she couldn't even wait until it was done so I let her lick the spatula. It took a while to clean her face due to all the red food coloring in the batter. Ah to be young again!!

First Day

Ok, I cried when each one of the kids went to kindergarten. And I know that I will bawl when Halle goes to kindergarten because she is my last, but today I was doing cartwheels and somersaults when the boys left for school today. They were all decked out in their new clothes, shoes, and backpacks. We went to Vegas on Saturday and they had a BLAST picking out all their new things. Paul and I were not so happy as it set us back a few hundred dollars!!! Here is a picture of the elementary/middle school. I will be posting pictures of the boys in their new duds.

CSI: Miami

Ok, ok. I am addicted. I record on DVR all the old episodes on A&E and the new ones on ABC. I didn't realize how much it affected the kids until Halle and Jacob were playing in her room and I heard Halle say: "I found the body under the bed." I asked them what the heck they were doing and they tell me they are playing CSI: Miami. I guess it could be worse.

I am Sloopy Pottynose

Here is a fun little experiment I used as a time killer for high school students. They loved it!

The following is excerpted from a children's book. Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants. The evil professor forces everyone to assume new names. So:

1. Use the 3rd letter of your first name to determine your new first name:
a=snickle b=doombah c=goober d=cheesey e=crusty f=greasy g=dumbo h=farcus i=dorky j=doofus k=funky l=boobie m=sleezy n=sloopy o=fluffy p=stinky q=slimy r=dorfus s=snooty t=tootsie u=dipsy v=sleezy w=liver x=skippy y=dinky z=zippy

2.Use the 2nd letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:
a=dippin b=feather c=batty d=burger e=chicken f=barffy g=lizard h=waffle i=farlke j=monkey k=flippin l=fricken m=bubble n=rhino o=potty p=hamster q=buckle r=gizzard s=licken t=snickle u=chuckle v=pickle w=hubble x=dingle y=gorilla z=girdle

3.Use the 3rd letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:
a=butt b=boob c=face d=nose e=hump f=breath g=pants h=shorts i=lips j=honker k=head l=tush m=chunks n=dunkin o=brains p=biscuits q=toes r=doodle s=fanny t=sniffer u=sprinkles v=frack w=squirt x=humperdinck y=hiney z=juice

Have fun and let me know what your new name is!

More Halle-isms

Halle informed me yesterday (as I was yelling at the kids to do their chores or else they were grounded for life) that I needed to "Calm down, breathe, and quit yelling mommy!!"

I asked her yesterday where she got all her energy from. She has stopped taking naps unless she is REALLY tired and she told me that she got it from the cops! I tell you this girl is CRAZY!!

This is how I am feeling right now!! I can't wait until school starts!!

"Halle-isms"

A few days ago I was reading on my sister Heidi's blog about sometimes as mothers we don't take time to notice the little things that happen everyday with our children. I can't begin to say how true that is. While I love each and every one of my children with all my heart, there is just something about my little girl that makes me smile everytime you mention her name. I don't know if it from having all boys, that having this little girl is a breath of fresh air. Don't get me wrong she is a little spit fire and has a mind of her very own, at her tender age of 3. I decided to share some of her little sayings with you, which I call "Halle-isms." I hope you get as big of a kick out of these as Paul and I did.

1. One of Halle's favorite cartoons is Ni Hoa Kai Lan it is about a little Chinese girl and her friends. We were in Vegas at Applebees and a rather pretty Asian girl is our hostess and greets us as we walk in. Halle grabs her shirt and tugs on it and says, "Did you know I can speak Chinese too?" Ok the hostess was gracious and didn't say anything but she probably wasn't even Chinese.

2. That same day, mind you, we were at an appointment for Paul's daughter. The office was soooooo busy there were tons of people. Halle was getting bored and a little fussy. I started showing her pictures in magazines and making up stories. She grabs a "Self" magazine with a drop dead gorgeous model with a body to die for. Halle announces (rather loudly) "DANG!! This girl is UGLY!!" Ok, so much for lessons in manners. I wanted to crawl under the chair and hide.

3. At Ben and Jacob's spring choir concert Halle and I were sitting below some kids from the junior high. There was this boy that smelled like he hadn't taken a shower for at least a month. Imagine the smell of B.O., rotten sneakers, and dirty laundry, mixed in with whatever they had for dinner that night. Halle kept whispering to me "Mommy let's go, that boy stinks!" I kept trying to divert her attention, because I couldn't move until the boys had sang. Well finally my beautiful daughter had had enough. She got off my lap, turned around, and yelled, yes yelled to this poor 6th grader, "YOU STINK!! GO HOME AND TAKE A BATH!" And of course she had to add her gagging and choking sounds! Oh, man I wished I was invisible that day.

"I'm Wiggly Mommy"

Last night Halle started to run a fever. I gave her some Tylenol and she fell asleep. This morning when she woke up, she was throwing up. I ran her a bath and as she was getting in the tub she told me that she felt all wiggly. So I'm thinking that is her description of dizzy. It was too cute, but the poor thing has the stomach flu!!

INVITATIONS

Ok, I need some help!! If any of you know a good website to order invitations I would LOVE to know. With the kids being back and me trying to balance my time between them and school, I am letting the wedding planning slip a little. I need something sweet and simple, nothing too fancy but if anyone has any suggestions, I NEED THEM!

SAVE THE DATE

Paul and I are getting married on September 20th, 2008. We are really excited. It isn't anything fancy but we are getting married here in Beatty at his brother's house. Joseph is walking me down the aisle, Halle is a flower girl, and Ben and Jake are ring bearers. We are going to have a BBQ and dance with live music afterwards.