Free Time

I found this on my sister-in-law, Hollie's, blog.

I was introduced to a little game where you can make a fake album cover for your fake band.

Here's what you do:

1-Go to Wikipedia.org and hit random. The first random article you get is the name of your band.

2-Go to Quotationspage.com and hit random. The last four or five words of the last quote is the title of your album.

3-Go to flickr.com and click on "explore last 7 days". The third picture no matter what it is will be your album cover.

4-Go to picnik.com to put it all together.



Here's mine!







Thanks, Hollie! Apparently I have too much time on my hands, too! Or I just got home from mutual, sat on the couch next to Chad with my laptop and didn't feel like watching tv.

UB40

I titled this post in honor of Chad's favorite band. Or his LEAST favorite band. I get confused. Nonetheless, it is all too fitting because as of January 10, 2011, my husband-be-forty! He is over the hill, and through the woods, and on his way to the old folks home!

 He insisted on a quiet affair, assuring me that all he wanted to was to have dinner with his family, eat some cake and ice cream, and watch the BCS tournament football game. He had wanted to take a cruise through the Mexican Riviera, but sadly my mother was not able to come and watch our kids. So, I gave in and did as he asked. His aunt and two uncles were here visiting, so they were invited along with Chad's parents. We had yummy steaks for dinner and Elaine made Chad's favorite cake, red velvet. It took a team effort to light all those candles!

Here is Chad grilling our steaks on his birthday present. We have used the same grill Chad had before we were married - a tiny, old, broken thing. We have been teased repeatedly about gettting a new one and so I thought this would be a good time. Nothing too fancy, but we were able to grill all 10 steaks at one time! Imagine that!

As soon as dinner was finished, this is where the boys planted themselves for the next 3 hours.

 

I love Chad. After 11 years of marriage, we have grown closer together and are figuring out what makes each other tick. It was not love at first sight, but I told Chad today that I wish I would have known he was to be my eternal companion when we first met. I wish I could have known what an important moment that was. Like in the movies, when a couple meets and the music starts and the camera zooms in on just their faces. Like that. Our meeting was a life changing event and I don't even remember it! Oh well, I will have to be content with the fact that it didn't take long for me to realize how special Chad was and that we would spend our lives together. Chad is 40 now, working at the same job for 9 years and serving on the Stake High Council. You don't get much more grown up than that. He is a good husband, father, and provider. I feel so blessed everyday that we are a family!

December at-a-glance

December was a busy, busy month as always. I thought I would just post a handful of pictures of significant events and then move on to 2011, shall we?

Our ward did a float for the Coolidge Light Parade in the early part of the month. The theme was "We Believe..." and Chad and I and the girls walked along side and past out little candy cane messages while the boys rode on the trailer. The weather was perfect and we were glad we participated as we were the only float that depicted the Savior and the Nativity.

Ressa's soccer season ended. Yipee! I always dread the last few games when it gets colder and colder. Her coach was a bit of a tool, always substituting the girls and weakest boys out, as if we were in some ultra competitive league. Oh well.

A family in our ward makes a big breakfast for the homeless in Phoenix on Christmas morning. This year they asked for coat donations, and hygiene kits that they could pass out to the homeless. So the Rowley clan got together on a Saturday and assembled 30 kits, with each family assigned to bring a certain item/items. I chose to bring hand towels but the ones I found at the Dollar Tree were all white, so I bought some dye and dyed them all brown. Chad gave me a hard time, saying the homeless wouldn't care if their white towels showed the dirt, but I am stubborn. The kids had a good time putting them together!

Christmas Eve, we met Nate and Carrie at Polar Ice for some ice skating. It went alot smoother in my head. I didn't imagine the skates being THAT uncomfortable and the kids picking it up easier than they did. Let's just say I needed a back adjustment after holding on to the girls and slowing making our way around the rink. But the kids had fun and that is what matters.

Christmas Eve went smoothly, since all the preparations had been done in advance. It was just our little family this year, a first in a long time. I prefer a large crowd, but this year Chad's family wanted to do their own thing in the morning and meet up later. So we had a peaceful night and then Chad woke us all up at 6am to open presents. He is just like his mother! His parents came and joined us and it turned out to be a lovely, although quiet, Christmas morning! Chad's siblings all came later and we spent two days together. Elaine really outdid herself this year with all the acitivities and food. We had a treasure hunt, nativity play/talent show, and different activity stations. Pretty amazing!

New Years, we threw together a quick little party and a few friends were able to come. We had fun and most the kids were able to stay awake past midnight. 2010 was a good year and I am glad we got along so well. I hope the New Year is good to us, too!