To My Sisters...

Seriously, you all know what to get for me (and by extension Audrey) this Christmas.

You got me all the episodes on VHS a number of years ago on Ebay, and from what I recall, it was a somewhat pricey gift at the time. I did actually watch most of them. It's time for an upgrade ladies.

If you would be so kind.

I'll take the action figure too...and if they have Swiftwind to go with it, all the better.

Think about Audrey...it's really for her.

I promise.

Whenever I am reminiscing on my childhood with girlfriends and they talk about how many Barbies they had, and I mention that I didn't have a one, they look at me incredulously and say "You had NO Barbies?!!"

Who needs Barbie, when you could have She-Ra?

Barbie is a poor woman's She-Ra. Yeah, that's right. I said it.

Not only that, She-Ra and I are so similar...let me count the ways:

1) She has long flowing blonde hair (me. At age 8)

2) Her name was She-Ra. (me. Hello? My name is Cherylyn! Practically identical!)

3) She lived in a rainbow shimmery castle, she could ride AND fly on her unicorn, she could travel to different places by walking through sparkley portals, and she had the coolest get-up around...not to mention sexy, but who cares? (I didn't and don't) It was all about functionality...how else could she run unless her skirt was that short? (me also...in my 8 year old...okay I admit it, AND sometimes 29 year old dreams)

Oh, and...

You didn't really think I named my daughter Audrey just because I liked the name did you?

Audrey....Adora....

Okay, just kidding. But seriously you have to admit, it is kind of awesome.

8 is Great!

Today is our 8th Anniversary! It's funny because it feels like it has gone so fast, but then when I start tallying up all the happenings over the last eight years it feels like we've been together for an eternity. Over the last couple of years it has started to feel like there has been no B.T (before Tanner) life. I liked my B.T. life, but I love my A.T. life.

Since September 21, 2002 we have:

• Moved houses 7 times (average of almost once a year! Ridiculous!)--U-hauled it 5 times!
• Lived in 3 different states and 1 different country besides U.S. (Utah, Virginia, Florida, and Indonesia)
• Visited on vacation or lived in the following interesting cities: Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Diego, Tijuana (MEX), Denver, Topeka (not sure about interesting, but I'll throw it in there), Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Williamsburg (VA), Yorktown (VA), Charlottesville (VA), Valley Forge (PA), Outer Banks (NC), Charlotte (NC), Richmond (VA), Washington D.C., Baltimore, Annapolis, Hershey (PA), Lancaster (PA), New York, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Seattle, Portland (OR), Boise (What up Mel!), St. George (UT) (must include, it's where we were married), Jakarta (Indonesia) (lots more to come in SE Asia).
• Gave birth to three children in the last 4 1/2 years. I have spent almost exactly the same amount of time (4 1/2 yrs) either pregnant or nursing...still counting.
• Tanner graduated from 2 Universities and had 3 full time jobs since graduation! Yikes! Love you honey. :-)
• We have been put under general anesthesia 6 times combined...now that's a yikes. (2 for me, 4 for Tanner). Hey at least only half were for what I would consider somewhat serious or life threatening. Tanner went under 3 times for injections to try to fix his back...unsuccessfully I might add...which resulted in the 4th microdysectomy surgery. Also of interesting note, Tanner has had more epidurals than I have!
• We have held over 20+ callings in the church combined
• Been members of the same NFL Fantasy Football League for 4 years running, and I have won the NCAA tournament bracket twice...Tanner none. Whoop Whoop!
• I have never beaten Tanner in a full Tennis match...ever. :-( (new year's resolution 2011 anyone? I only make meaningful resolutions).
• And I only just found out this last year what Tanner's favorite dessert is. It's Cherry Pie for all of you who are interested. I don't know how I didn't know for 7 years, but there it is.

That's all I can think of at the moment, although we are sure to come up with some more tonight while we are at dinner. Suffice it to say...I love our life. See below for anniversary pictures throughout the years. I don't have a picture from last year. I remember we went to Maggiano's and the food was terrible, and let's just say it wasn't the greatest anniversary...we may have even fought. Oh, the horror! :-) I don't have one from 2005 either...maybe it was because I was 7 months preggers? Oh, and all I have to say about my hair is YIKES!

(2003)

(2004-Tanner totally dressed up)

(2006)

(2007)

(2008)

Peek-A-Boo!

I especially love how she gets all serious and wide-eyed while anticipating the next Peek-A-Boo!

Vonage Visual Voicemail

Having Vonage while living overseas is a LIFESAVER. Basically the way it works is you set it up in the United States with a U.S. phone number, then when you take it overseas, you plug in the phone adapter to the internet, and BAM! whenever anyone from the U.S. calls that U.S. number it rings in our house in Jakarta, Indonesia all for about $20 a month unlimited. Sweet right?

Well, another fun and interesting feature is the "Vonage Visual Voicemail" that you can set up. Basically, there is some electronic service that transcribes the voicemail messages left on our Vonage line and sends that transcription as an email message to my Inbox. So I usually know I have a voicemail by my email before I bother to check the phone. This is where it gets AWESOME! The transcription service they use gets my name wrong EVERYTIME. In fact, some are down right hilarious, which now makes this an even AWESOMER (I know that's not a word) service because it gives me a good laugh every time I read them. I now view the Vonage Visual Voicemail service as totally worth my overall $20 bill every month in and of itself.

So, if you want to give me a good laugh, leave a voicemail on my phone (my family would probably argue I don't ever answer the phone anyway, so it's pretty much your only choice, or you can hang up, which would be LAME). I recommend longer messages with random vocabulary words. Below are some examples of my transcriptions I have received lately. By the way, I have never been given the same name twice!

September 14, 2010

Voicemail left by Melanie:

Real Voicemail: "Hey Chezzie, it's me. Just calling to say hi. Bye"

Emailed Transcription: "Hey jazzy, it's me. Just calling to say hi. Bye "

(My favorite name so far, Jazzy, arrived in my Inbox just today! Thanks Mel!)

September 8, 2010

Voicemail left by my Dad:

Real Voicemail: "Cherylyn, this is your dad. Talk to you later, bye."

Emailed Transcription: "Sheldon, this is daddy. Talk to you later, bye."

August 31, 2010

Voicemail left by my friend Jenna:

Real Voicemail: "Hey Cherylyn, It's Jenna. You know your message on your phone sounds kinda depressing, like you're depressed. Anyway, I always feel a little depressed after hearing it. Just calling to say hi and see how things are going and see how Clark likes preschool just calling to check up so anyway, give me a call when you can. Thanks. Talk to you later. Bye"

(FYI, I changed my greeting after I got this message :-)

Emailed Transcription: "Hey Sarah, man, it's John. I I you know your message on your phone. Sounds kinda depressing like your crap. Anyway I was so depressed after here but I say hi see how things are going see how Clark Lakes preschool. Just calling to check up. So anyway, give me a call back when you can. Thanks. Talk to you later. Bye "

(I love how Cherylyn was changed to Sarah, man. I also loved that they somehow threw the word crap in there!)

August 22, 2010

Call from Melanie:

Real Voicemail: "Cherylyn, it's 845 in the morning. Where are you call me. Bye"

Emailed Transcription: "Dylan and it's 845 in the morning. Where are you call me. Bye "

August 15, 2010

Call from Melanie:

Real Voicemail: "Hey Chez, it's Mel. Sunday night here, Monday morning there. Anyway, just calling to say hi. If you get this call me back. Bye"

Emailed Transcription: "Hey Chad, it's mom. Sunday night here Monday morning there. Then anyhow, just calling to say hi. If you get this call me back. Bye "

August 12, 2010

Call from Melanie:

Real Voicemail: "Hey Chez, it's Mel calling to say hi. Bye"

Emailed Transcription: "Hey Sandra, it's Mel calling to say hi. Bye "

This One's For You Mom

Okay Mom...so I know you don't have anything better to do but sit on the couch and read blogs now that you have a broken arm ;-)...SO....I went around our house and took pictures of all the shrubbery and flowers that looked interesting to me. Of course I don't know the names of any of them, but I would like to, so here is your "What is this plant/flower?" quiz!

(didn't we have a version of these that were orange at the Claremont House?)--I think they are named for a bird right?

(funky yet interesting!)

(I think these are both a plant and a tree? You had the red version of them in the front yard at the birdhouse one summer)

(smells super good)

(how cool looking are these??!!!)

(these are blossoms on a plant hedge going around the back of our house)

Wicked!

So my prayers have been answered. Another family has moved into the branch and they have a little boy that is Clark's age...and he's nice! We invited them over today to play since we are nearing the end of Ramadan and Clark is off school for the next week. They had such a blast, and we didn't even have to break up any arguments or fighting the entire 3 hours they were here except with issues regarding Andrew trying to get in the fray (it's tough being the younger sibling...I should know ;-).

I was sitting with his mom and we were chatting and drinking strawberry smoothies (yes, mom I made SMOOTHIES...die of shock). We were talking about how well the boys were playing together and she started to chuckle and said "I don't know if I should tell you this..." and of course then I was like "Oh come on!" So she said that this morning before they came over, she told her son Mark that they were going to Clark's house to play today. Her son said "Oh no mom, we can't go over to Clark's house....he's wicked!" I busted up laughing. She said she couldn't really get from him why he felt that way, but maybe Clark wasn't as sweet on Sunday as I thought I saw when I was peeking through the glass into the primary room.

Anyway, later when I was walking them out to their car, I said to Mark as he was getting in the car. "So Mark, what do you think? Do you think Clark is still wicked?" He smiled and said "Oh no, he's cool."

Thank goodness he likes Clark because Clark sure likes Mark..."plus" says Clark "Clark and Mark rhyme." So I guess they just HAVE to be friends now.

I am just glad I don't have a wicked son anymore.

Kid Updates

Clark, who has always been my BIG boy is growing up. He is now adjusting to our life here in Jakarta. We have all been excited for him to start his last year of preschool and so far he loves it. My mom sent us the cutest red white and blue clothes for the kids, and Clark just loves his shirt and I have to tell him he is only allowed to wear it once a week. He is so much like me (peach skirt anyone?), even down to the skipping over the cracks in the ground outside just for fun. I still remember doing that. He never wants to be alone (me), he only wants to do fun stuff (me), and he always makes up creative excuses as to why he can't do the hard things (me also). He is fun to be around and he is a good big brother and it is fun to watch him and Andrew play together. He still takes naps everyday for about 2 hours after school and I love him for that as well as his big bright eyes and happy go lucky personality.


Andrew is my happy to play by himself kid as long as you are okay with him getting eggs out of the refrigerator and rolling them across the floor, flooding the floor with the water from the Aqua dispenser, or bringing half a watermelon from the fridge upstairs to me first thing in the morning while I am still trying to get out of bed and saying "Mom, please can I have some watermelon?" in the sweetest voice ever that I almost don't care that he has dripped watermelon juice all the way through the house (that's the longest run on sentence EVER! No, I am not going to fix it honey). We have nicknamed him "the destroyer" and not having known that we call him that, the nursery leader on Sunday said that he is just great except that they call him "destructo" because he topples everyone's building blocks....but he then flashes this big 'ol cute smile and it's just so endearing. That's Andrew, also known as Andoozie (he is SO clumsy) and Pain-in-the-A (see above regarding eggs and water). :-) He also wants to go to school SO badly. He is always on the go team, and after we get back from dropping Clark off everyday, he rides his bike (which he rides better than Clark I might add). He reminds me in both looks and charm of my dear husband, and I just can't help but melt at the sight of his cute face, which is why I must march him straight to his room after said egg and water episode(s), because otherwise he just might flash me that sly grin of his and I'll be done. One thing he does get from me is he can do the Bruce Carter lip lift, which I can also do. Whenever he thinks something I say is weird or funny, he will repeat it back to me, and do the Bruce Carter lip lift...it's hilarious.


Andrew charming LaLa, our driver.

...and then there is Audrey. She is super cute...or as Andrew says "SUPA COOT". She is smiley, giggly, and is getting some pudge around her wrists and legs. She is 5 months old and weighs about 14 pounds...so she is packing it on nicely. Our pembantu, Siti, doesn't know how she is so big only drinking my milk (Indonesians rarely breastfeed for very long because they all have to work). She is just dying to feed her some real food, and I am equally dying to not. I have to say that starting solids is NOT one of my favorite things and I put it off for as long as I feasibly can. She sleeps great, eats great, and is starting to chill out more on her own for longer periods. She is like Houdini because we kept seeing that she HAD rolled over but had yet to see it. One time she did it as Tanner and I were supposed to both be watching and waiting for it, but somehow we both got distracted and the sly girl busted a move. Finally the fifth time was the charm and we actually saw her skills. She loves being outside and playing peek-a-boo, but don't even think about tossing her in the air. YOU....WILL...PAY a la blood curdling scream. She is starting to find her voice and squawks a lot when she's just hanging out. I have a feeling she is going to be a talker just like her mama. She still has her birth marks on her forehead and in between her eyes, and I really wasn't conscious of them when we were in the states, but then when we came here, a lot of the locals ask about it i.e. "What happened to her face?!" I read that they are most likely going to go away by the time she is 2 or 3, so it will be interesting to see if/when they go. She has daddy (and mommy for that matter) wrapped around her pudgy little thumb and I think Andrew is just biding his time until he can play WITH her instead of ON her. I say the line "Andrew, please don't squeeze your sister's head" at least once a day. All of her darker newbie hair has fallen out and the blonde is starting to thicken up. I think Clark wraps it up nicely when is says on a fairly regular basis "Mom, Audrey's so cute at being zero." AND "Mom, Audrey's the best."




As for me...Clark starting school was a big thing for me just for the sake of having a forced routine. I like routines, but I am not very disciplined to keep them going. So, I like the fact that we have a schedule now to work around. I read to the kids in the car on the way to and from school and I love pick up and drop off. It's just such a traditional mom thing to do, and I find a lot of joy in it. I like my alone time with Andrew when we get back to go play outside together, and I always get good snuggle time in with Audrey during feedings. I have to say I was wondering about the whole 3 kid thing there for a minute, but now that there is some method to the madness, I am enjoying it a lot. The things that I thought were going to be difficult moving here have turned out not to be such a biggie and some things that I thought were going to be easy are not. I'll save that for another post. Suffice it to say, I am happy and at peace with the stage of life I am in. My kids are my life, and it's great. There is a lot going on around me and there are temptations to do a lot for myself and leave my kids home (because I can), but most of the time that doesn't sit well with me, and I think I have finally found the right balance and am learning to shut out everything and everyone else around me that tries to tell me otherwise.

While my friend Kelly was visiting us from East Timor (get your atlas out yo), she took some cute pics of the kids while they were playing outside (see the good ones up above). Kelly's visit deserves a blog or two on their own, so stay tuned, and fasten your seat belts because it was a wild and crazy ride...and I was just in the passenger seat most of the time!