What were we thinking?

For those of you who don't know, this year i decided to start a preschool out of my basement. My mother-in-law downloaded major, i mean major, amounts of preschool stuff for the cause. posters, craft supplies, idea books, a computer loaded with games, chairs, early learning games, puppets, boarders, $$ for a new swing set, ...the list goes on. (how 'bout a HUGE thank you to grandma sue). Before all said stuff could be organized or hung where i needed it, i asked matt to take a day off of work for me and help me paint and clean and move huge exercise equipment pieces to make room for my new little project. like the dotting husband that he is, he obliged and he took off the day before we were heading off to the ward camp out. i bought some $5 mistinted paint at lowes and we got started (after he replaced the cracked vent in the roof that was causing a leak in the girls' room, requiring reshingling and numerous trips to the roof and attic). the initial painting didn't take us long but as we worked he started getting the itch to finish "other half" of the basement and rip out the bar that has been with us since we moved in...um, yes Cheri, that was 3 years ago..we've had a bar and stencil of Sam Adams on our basement wall for the past 3 years. WHOA, nelly! When did matt forget that we are NOT home improvement people. Fortunately, i talked him out of ripping up the basement right then as we still had to shop and pack for camping and he had bishopric in 3 hours. i really think he thought we could be done before he headed off to meetings. we got off to the camp out and i thought this refinishing the basement phase matt was going through was just a passing fancy.

Life continued as normal for the next few days and while matt was out of town the next week i organized all my new stuff, hung posters, washed toys, etc. so when matt came home of friday night we'd be all ready for my open house the next thurs evening. i was planning on using those last few days to make copies, finish lesson plans, and any last minute things that i knew i'd forgotten but just hadn't remembered it yet. silly, silly me. bright and early sat morn, matt headed off to lowes and returned 2 hours later with sheet rock, joint compound, studs, screws, nails and a T-square. The fun was just getting started. those of you who know us, i mean really know us, know that this is so unlike anything mcqueen. we are the type of people to just be satisfied with whatever whoever came before us was satisfied with. wall color, cupboards, carpet, you name it, we just live with it. that Saturday, matt decided to live with it no longer. and you know, i'm fine with that. if he wants to learn how to finish a basement, great, this is the perfect house to practice on. just...are you sure you want to start this major project that we have not clue #1 how to do with only 5 days to do it? the answer was "you betcha!" what's a little major reconstruction with a deadline to keep us on our toes?

So, my newly cleaned and put together preschool room became the catch all for everything. we ripped out the bar, built half a wall, hung drywall, mudded, taped, sanded...and everything else with a hammer, hand saw, exacto knife, drill and our kids camping headlamps (until our good friends the yorks offered up our other good friends the duncans orange lamp you see in the corner of this picture so we could at least see what we were doing on the last night), the only tools we own. by thursday at 6, after many post midnight evenings, everything was put back together, cleaned and ready to go. i even had time to make zucchini bread for the event.by 8:30 that evening--i was out like a light. nothing like a major project during crunch time to get your feet wet. through it all, we're still a happily married couple, though this is the first time in our married life that i told matt's mother that i was going to kill her son. (i know i don't have a "finished" picture but its on its way--i've been too wiped out to take one yet:)

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

that's right folks, today was the first day of school. I can't believe I made it through the entire summer with out having a major meltdown (many minor ones, mind you) megs and isaac haven't been excited to go back until the meet and greet last friday. it was torture to get through the last few days. megan was stoked to find out that she finally gets her own desk. the ones' with the flip top lid. she'll soon realize that those are the worst because you have to put everything that is on your desk onto the floor whenever you want to get something out. i totally remember that being the major bummer of the desks that open from the top. we'll give her a few weeks and then i'll let you know how she's faring

isaac was excited to find out he has fish and a gerbil in his room and that he already knows 3 or 4 people in his class. i hope he survives the long day. he gets awful cranky when he's tired and hungry. Ms. Hensler is going to have her hands full with this one

the two little ones on the way home. what is mallory going to do all day with no one to tease her? it will be good for her to get some time with just mom. preschool starts for her next week and since i'm her teacher, she'll have this one week with just me and then she'll have to start sharing me with 7 other kids. we'll have to squeeze a lot of quality time together in this week.
i just wanted to add this picture of eli, who fell asleep at 9:30 after our short walk home while he was reading curious george. his little shoes haven't even come off his feet yet. the first day of school excitement finally caught up to him.

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Today, August 18, my dad turns 65. In celebration, I wanted to take him on a stroll down memory lane-- and document our 31 of those 65 years together. I hope he can stay awake through the whole thing. wink wink!

Here we are together on my blessing day--July 4,1976. Baby #5 and you still look like you did on your wedding day. all those late nights waiting up for me and early morning paper routes and bishopric meetings haven't quite caught up to you. don't worry, its coming

still my all time favorite family picture of ours. (sorry tay! don't worry, you'll get plenty of face time down the road) its just a classic depiction of kids in different stages. gotta love kurt's arm band (if isaac ever pulls that one...) and jared's all brown with the red shoes and squinty face (if isaac ever pulls that one...). justin trying to act like he's not related and all the dirty knees. i love shem's toe head and chubby cheeks as well as my homemade overalls. what fun it was to grow up with all these people...to come from a family like this.

my one and only trip to disneyland...ever!! i don't remember any of it. hense my children will get to go when they can have a memory, however brief, of all the money and effort that goes into a disneyland trip. (like i even know!!) i love hearing about the days when shem and i were inseparable and we'd tag team you a church (before you started sitting on the stand). i love having a cuddly dad!

my baptism--the last of your children that you would baptize (shem and tay got to have older brothers). i love that my jumpsuit is way too long and yours is way too short. i'm sure you've gotten used to that over the years. as we've just baptized megan, this picture means so much more to me as i think of her and matt--how much she loves and wants to please him--i can remember feeling the same way about you and loving sharing this day with you. (boy, those chairs in the stake center sure were ugly)

the next day--my confirmation and taylor's blessing (i loved that dress mom made me and wore it whenever i got the chance) i remember you have just gotten your assignment over in the singles ward. what a fun time (at least for us kids)--getting to help with the mingles, going to singles dances, lake powell trips, hanging out with the delis' and embarrassing heather and justin. what more could any eight year old want?

i'm not even sure what school function this is but i remember you being at all of them. i'm sure my memory fails me as i think of all the places you must have been pulled to during this time. 7 kids all in sports, bishopric, selling insurance, coaching, trying to squeeze mom in somewhere. i love the memory that you were at everything (even though you probably weren't)i thought i was so cool to be able to wear your letterman sweater to this daddy daughter date. it was huge on me but we matched and that's all that mattered. no other dad and daughter were as stylin' as we were. until you started dancing--the mashed potato? come on dad--it's '88

The only two people that still make me nervous in the river are you and matt. Why that is i can't say. maybe because neither of you experienced the river in your youth. maybe your size had something to do with it. deep down, i think the real reason is that you are the two most special men in my life. you two doing dangerous things puts me over the edge.

some young women activity--being bishop through my young women's insured your presence at all church events. even if you weren't at activities, i remember always running down to the bishop's office to find you, bro pendley, bro blackham, or bro peterson--all favorites of mine. just knowing you were always around has been a comforting thought for all these years.

it wouldn't be a tribute to my dad without a picture of him as my coach. and if it wasn't me he was coaching, another sibling most assuredly had him in their team photo. as jr high and high school approached you took on the roll of spectator at our athletic events and as embarrassing as your booming voice was (EYEBROWS!!) i loved knowing you cared enough to come support me. watching megs and isaac play soccer is sheer joy for matt and i. it's fun to know you felt like that about me.

my high school graduation. i'm getting ready to fly the coop. although you've done this with 4 other kids, i'm sure i was the hardest to see grow up as i was the cutest!! i still can't believe how small taylor looks, as it seems like i graduated last year and then he got married this year! (and grew about 2 feet!)
and now i've flown the coop for good. matt still remembers you pressing down on his shoulders that day simulating passing off the weight and responsibility of caring for me onto him. one of the greatest things about getting married and having children is realizing and being in awe at how much your own parents really do love you. how much time and energy was put into your life that you don't even have a memory of. up until this point i had no idea what it was like to love your own child and to do everything you possibly could for her. i can't even begin to imagine megan's wedding day and what emotions that day will bring. i love you, dad for all the memories i have of you--but more for all the things i can't remember but knew you did. thank you for loving me enough to take care of me when i couldn't take care of myself. i hope you have a happy birthday (finishing the basement, i'm sure) and know that 6 little people are thinking of you a state away.

Ward Camppout--yeehah!

for the first time in 9 years, 4 of those in colorado (we cocky Coloradoans pride ourselves in being the #1 outdoor state in the union, at least we tell ourselves that), the mcqueen's went camping! are we retarded or what? we live mere minutes away from thousands of camping opportunities and we've never taken them--i mean all together. oh, matt has taken isaac on a few father's and son's and he also took the kids last year on the ward outing. he's always sacked out in the car with the kids--but this time--we actually put up a tent and slept in said tent. that is a mcqueen family first. and it deserves a big yeehah! (thank you jared)
it was good for us to go with a big group so we could glean all sorts of camping tidbits from those who know what the heck they're doing (unlike us) and could borrow anything we forgot (such as a pump to blow up our air mattresses) and could eat with those who can cook anything over an open fire (we did cook hot dogs and even went out on a limb and dutch oven cobblered, too) we burnt it. the kids loved getting out in nature. it was so nice--isaac, you wouldn't hear from for two hours or so. he was climbing any rock he could find
and playing good guys/bad guys with whoever would happen across his climbing rocks. megan took off with the girls, picking flowers, swinging in the hammock, and disrupting the good guy/bad guy balance. mallory would not keep shoes on her feet! i'm surprised she didn't step on anything lethal or on fire. she drove me nuts. her favorite play place was the water faucet. she was out of clothes in the first few hours. eli just toddled around exploring anything and everything. sticks, leaves, rocks, and dirt clods were all items that had to be removed from his little mouth. baby #4 has to figure out how to survive on his own. mom and dad are too busy sitting around in the camp chairs shooting the breeze.
speaking of shooting--i fired my first four weapons on our little jaunt up the canyon. our good friends, the duncans, brought a whole array of guns for no other reason than to shoot pine cones with. matt wore a gun on his hip for 3 years and i never once touched it and in 2 hours time i had fired more rounds than i probably will for the rest of my life. ironic, i know.
unfortunately, the only time i thought to get out the camera was when we were all packed up and ready to head home. so here we are, in the van, on our way back down the canyon. when we shall return--no one knows--it might take us another 4 years

i'll go where you want me to go... if i can wear my suit!

thirteen years ago today, matty entered the mtc.

i just wanted to post these pictures of him and his parents as a tribute.

for those of you who know and love matt and his blue suit--this is where

it has its beginnings--his wardrobe hasn't changed much in those 13 years!!

love you honey ( and your suit!)

all about me

the other day while i was cleaning out some old papers, i found this list of 101 things that i love. i wrote it 4 years ago when we were living in georgia duning matts training. i quickly realized how most of the items haven't changed--they've just been extended to include mallory and eli. i thought, since i don't think anymore, that instead of trying to figure out stuff about me to blog about i'd just share my little list. be prepared 101 things are a lot.
1. sunny rainstorms
2. spring flowers/temple square in the spring
3. freshly bathed babies
4. matt's brown eyes
5. the ocean in the morning (not like i've really ever been around the ocean in the moring :)
6. st. anthony, id
7. sacrament hyms
8. jogging with my love (not like we get to go jogging together anymore, but its always fun to reminisce)
9. new magazines
10. family drives (ok this changes to family drives when everyone is sleeping)
11. treats
12. being tan
13. foot massages
14. chick flicks
15. naps in the sun
16. malee's rolls
17. marinated flank
18. scrubs (my green ones that i've had since seventh grade--thanks uncle tal)
19. dressing up
20. letters from matt
21. megan's artwork
22. isaac saying "help"(at the time it sounded like "yelp")
23. baby gap dresses
24. walking barefoot on the beach (we lived by a beach, hense all the beach references)
25. nursery!!
26. dave matthew's band
27. baskin robins jamoca almond fudge ice cream
28. spooning
29. DI
30. smelly christmas candles
31. megan singing
32. wool sweaters
33. cherry pie filling without the cherries
34. cold milk
35. matt's legs
36. isaac's ears and chubby hands (now eli has taken this spot)
37. planting my moms garden
38. hot showers
39. lime popsicles
40. new baby smell
41. indigo girls
42. cheesy eighties music (think reo speedwagon, journey, and air supply)
43. hot dog on a stick cheese sticks
44. family pictures
45. sunday dinner at moms
46. mail/christmas cards
47. laying out
48. snow on christmas
49. visiting grandma ardes
50. baked potato w/ salsa
51. singing alto (although not very well, i'll admit)
52. butterfingers
53. quilts
54. pottery barn magazines
55. carmel popcorn
56. fabulous yards
57. cattails
58. bridge jumping
59. lazy floats down the snake
60. white t-shirts and khakis
61. flip flops (i'll change that to my keen flip flops which have been glued to my feet for months)
62. eddie bauer gloves
63. linen shirts
64. hydrangea
65. commercial that make me cry (this is way out dated since we've been tvless for 1 1/2 years)
66. matt singing the kids to sleep
67. thick green grass
68. disecting the thanksgiving turkey
69. orange juice
70. crisp golden delicious apples
71. lilacs
72. muellar park in the fall
73. cool paper
74. doodling
75. debit cards
76. cheap generic fruit snacks
77. big pillows on beds
78. lazy saturday mornings
79. padded bras
80. jeff corwin (see 65)
81. having control of the remote (again see 65)
82. temple trips
83. trail shoes
84. finding money in the laundry
85. nacho cheese doritos (harvest cheddar sunchips have definately taken over!)
86. crisp clean sheets
87. waterskiing on glass
88. picking scabs
89. did i mention sleeping children yet
90. spice drops
91. fry sauce
92. sugar cookies
93. strolling through craft boutiques
94. cornmeal with bacon bits
95. newly cleaned and polished wedding ring
96. flowy pants
97. king sized beds
98. peppermint candy ice cream
99. jeans that fit right (which are almost nonexistent)
100. gap clearance rack
101. beach hair

whew! if you made it to 101 you're a true fan! thats liz in a nutshell. love ya

cha cha cha--hi yah!!

ok--so i wish i had at least one of the many photos taken of isaac's karate birthday. but as i sat down to download them, I noticed the computer wasn't reading our smartcard. I took it out to have a closer look and noticed the end was mangled and dented. Mallory (as I found out after shaking it out of her) had removed the card, chewed on it, and replaced it in the computer. needless to say, she is grounded for life. that cute little twit shall never be allowed out of the house--ever again! in fact, she's locked in the basement as i write--i may tape record her wailing and post them just so you all know i'm serious!! i'm always amazed that other when other people's kids do something extremely naughty, they think it's so cute, grab the camera, and scrapbook the event. my kids have never done anything that falls in the naughty but cute because i'm a small child category. everything is just plain naughty and boy, it ticks me right off.
i've hammered that one enough and i must move on-- so back to isaac's party--we had it settled a few weeks ago that he wanted a pirate party so we, i mean i, was trying to figure out what to do with 10 little boys that related to pirates and the day we really needed to sit down and do invitations, isaac informed me that he wanted a karate party instead. is he in karate, you ask? no. has he ever asked to be in karate? no. but a karate party it is. we have a family in our ward who does tie-quwon-dough (that one's for you, jared) and they came and taught the boys kicks and punches and all sorts of stances and self-defence stuff. they were all in seventh heaven--a party where all you do is kick and punch and yell hi-yah!! matt and i giggled through the whole thing. watching these boys and their faces as they did their thing was quite comical. i had made the kids karate head bands and my token asian friend painted us a happy birthday flag in chinese. i made a terrible looking cake (so ugly we had to cut it and put it on separate plates before anyone came to try to camouflage it the best we could--why do i even try) and ended with the boys karate chopping chinese lanterns filled with candy (my easy homemade attempt at a pinata). that was it, but enough that isaac has talked of it non-stop since.
i can't believe he's six and heading into first grade. he looks so big (which i would show you if i had a recent picture!!!!) and on saturday he rode the eight miles around the reservoir by our house for the first time (on his little dirt bike with no gears, mind you). we were so proud. if you would have told us in may (when he really started riding) that he'd be doing the reservoir loop by july we would have laughed--but he did it (that proof has been destroyed by mallory's teeth as well) and a whole new world of biking has been opened up for us. hooray!! we've been waiting for this day for years.