A Week Out Of The Ordinary
March 9th - March 15th, 2008

We began the week missing the first hour of church because we had forgotten to set our clocks forward one hour for daylight saving. When this happened I felt like the week was starting out all wrong! The week turned out to be "out-of-the-ordinary," but in a very good way! We did a lot of things we normally don't do, so it was a good week!

Later that evening (still on Sunday the 9th) we went over to Brian's parents' house in Springville to get me and Vaughn out of the house. Danny was busy cooking breakfast for dinner for his family. He was very nice to offer us some too, so we accepted!

We've been having trouble getting Vaughn to eat anything lately, but he scarfed down Danny's pancakes. We were so glad! It was so cute to see Vaughn and his cousins Kal and Lorna all eating together.

On Monday the 10th I went back to Brian's parents' house to finish cleaning up all the bottling equipment I had used over the weekend to bottle the hamburger. I also washed off all the pint jars and lined them up for the photo of the finished product. I know I already posted this picture in the last blog, but I figured since it took so long to bottle the hamburger, I may as well show it all one more time! I can't tell you how glad I was to finally get everything cleaned up and put away!

On Tuesday the 11th, I was cooking dinner and I noticed a loud sound coming from our back yard. I went outside to take a look and find out what was going on, and I found my next-door neighbor Klein Houston tilling up my garden space!!! I was so excited! I had talked a few days earlier with his wife Dawn about how great their garden area looked after being tilled. She said just is passing that she would get our garden area tilled too. I thought she was joking, but then when I saw Klein out there I realized she was serious! I have the best neighbors in the world!

On Wednesday the 11th of March Brian's sister Linda called me in the morning wondering if it would be a good day to bring her kids over to play. I was excited because we've only had Linda's kids over once before. So they came over for the morning and we had a good time together. And yes, that's The Lampateeze above being SO CUTE! He went straight for the vacuum once he was let out on the floor. He is not afraid of vacuums at all, even when they're turned on right next to him. He's a brave little boy!

Lorna busied herself with a "rocking Pooh thing." I don't even know what to call it. But she really had a fun time riding it around our house. (I think The Lampateeze got a little jealous of his big sister when he saw her on it!)

Kal had spent quite a while playing Brian's arcades with Vaughn. Then Brian's other sister Amy called and wanted to stop by because she was in the area. So she stopped by with her youngest Sammy, and Kal and Sammy set up the race track to play with. They had a lot of fun racing the cars and trying to see who could get the fastest car.

Among her many talents, Amy writes songs. She brought over a demo of her latest song for us to hear. So here she is above getting it ready to play for us (us being me, Linda and Brian, since Brian was working from home that day). The demo was really good. Amy even gave us some music and asked me and Brian to figure out a guitar part to add to the demo. It was fun to think about doing that!

I brought out the camera of course to make sure I got a few shots of what was going on. Lorna wanted her picture taken, so I told her to smile, and the above is what I got! She is so cute!

Vaughn also wanted to have his picture taken, but the little munchkin wouldn't stand still! So I took my hand and steadied his shoulder for one second while I snapped a shot. It looks like I'm squeezing his shoulder too hard and he's wincing, but I wasn't, and he wasn't! He was just smiling really weird!

About 15 minutes before they had to go, Linda finally put Alvin in his car seat because he was too hard to handle. So Alvin made the most of it and pretended to be on a roller coaster ride. Well, "Why not?!"

Eventually Alvin fell asleep in his car seat and Linda moved him into the kitchen where he could have more quiet. We found Vaughn in there a few minutes later bending down very close to Alvin and barely touching his head and patting it. When I asked Vaughn what he was doing, he put his finger up to his lips and said, "Shhhhh!" very quietly. It was adorable!!! Vaughn finally felt like he could approach his worst nightmare when it was asleep. I can't take it! Linda couldn't take it either!

A few days later on Friday the 14th, we got a call from Marianne Firth, a very good friend of ours, inviting us over for dinner. Higginsons never pass up an opportunity to eat with the Firths because Marianne is a really good cook! So we headed over there for dinner and fun! (We also rarely get to spend time with Marianne, so we couldn't pass up an opportunity to see her and her husband Clayton). We got there and Marianne was just finishing up cooking her famous Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs. While they were cooling down, Brian and Marianne and Julie took some time to look up old high school classmates on MySpace. It was really fun to watch them and listen to stories they had to tell about their high school days.

Vaughn on the other hand, decided to take the time to watch Marianne's fish. He LOVES fish! He kept tapping the glass trying to get their attention, but of course they would just swim away. He also got out their big container of fish food and tried to feed the fish. Luckily the lid didn't come off. Otherwise they would have had about a pound of fish food to "fish out" of their tank!

After dinner the girls went to watch a home-decorating show while the guys (and I) went to watch the Jazz game. Linda's husband Danny went to ask Linda something, and I decided to take a picture of his short shorts, which I had been making fun of that night! (Danny had just finished running). Danny was a dork and hiked them up a lot higher (after I took this picture-- thank goodness!) We like to tease each other.

While the adults were all doing their thing, Lorna Kal and Vaughn went out on the balcony to watch trains pass by. We were all inside eating when we heard Kal yell, "I hear a diesel!" He calls trains diesels. So cute! So he was really excited to go outside and watch the trains, and naturally the other kids wanted to see too.

Eventually Lorna left to play inside, but Kal and Vaughn stayed put. They really enjoyed listening to the train whistle, and the sound of the wheels clanking on the tracks. Kal had his flashlight out trying to see the trains a little better.

Julie took this picture of me and Marianne and The Lampateeze, just to prove I was there! I'm always so busy taking pictures that I don't get in them. Marianne grew up with Brian and his sisters, and she adopted me as a friend when I married Brian. She is SO NICE and so FUN to be around! She is very easy to talk to and very friendly. She can make anyone feel comfortable. And I already mentioned she is a great cook.

After watching trains for a while, and after the Jazz game was over, we all gathered in the living room to talk. Vaughn however, decided to get his Aunt Julie to play with him and some stuffed animals he had found. Julie was very happy to accommodate him!

After snapping the above shot of them playing together, Vaughn stopped his playing to make sure the stuffed animal's head was turned towards the camera. Only after I took a second picture, showing the stuffed animal's face, did he go back to playing with Julie. What a weird kid! Julie thought it was hilarious!

And here's Robert, Jared and Marianne's husband Clayton, sitting and talking in the front room. We stayed for a while after dinner and had apple crisp with ice cream and talked. It was a really fun night, and we were so glad to be able to spend time with Marianne and Clayton. We love you guys!

The next evening, Saturday the 15th, Brian's sister Amy got us tickets to see a play that two of her girls were in. The play was Willy Wonka, and their school was the first in the state of Utah to put it on. We were excited to go because we got to take Vaughn, our nieces were in it, and we rarely ever go to plays. It turned out to be a really fun night! Here's me and Brian waiting to watch the show. (Brian and I both didn't like this picture because it makes us look so fat!)

Brian's sister Amy got Vaughn a little toy to play with during the show, and he loved it! It had a button you could push that made it light up and it was really cool. Vaughn couldn't take his eyes off it!

This was taken during the intermission. Vaughn's cousin Kimball was playing with a balloon, and Vaughn loves balloons, so Julie took Vaughn and helped him and Kimball to share the balloon. Vaughn had a lot of fun with it! Julie is a natural with kids!

So on to the play... During the play they had the Oompa Loompas come out at different times. During one of their songs, they had the Oompa Loompas line the walls to sing and dance. It was a neat effect.

Our niece Alex was an Oompa Loompa, and she did a great job! Here she is dancing and singing during one of the songs.

She also got a chance to come up on stage for part of the play to sing and dance. Alex is such a sweetheart!

They had a really ornate set built, and I just wanted to show you some of the Oompa Loompas on stage with the set in the background.

Our other niece Riley played Violet Beauregard in the play. Here she is singing and dancing in dead center with the long blond hair.

Brian and I thought this part of the play where Charlie and Grandpa Joe steal Fizzy Lifting Drinks and fly was really funny. They did a really good job making it look like they were flying, but it sure gave the actors Mega-Wedgies!

Here's Riley looking ever-so-sweet during one of her parts!

And here's Riley during the part where Wonka shows the kids the machine that makes the stick of gum that's a meal.

Riley did a great job of being very expressive and very funny!

She is a natural actress, and she really got the attention of the crowd with each scene she was in.

After she takes the gum and chews it, Violet of course turns blue, and to create this effect, they shined a purple-blue light on Riley. It actually worked really well! They also had Riley (Violet) blow up like a big blueberry and eventually pop. It was so cool!

And here she is singing her "eulogy" after exploding.

Towards the end of the show, Alex came back on stage to finish her dance. Once her dance was over she remained there and it was a perfect time to take a picture!

She spotted all of us taking pictures and watching her, and she gave a really cute smile!

At the end of the show all the actors came out for a bow, and here's Riley and her "mother" coming out for their bow. They both got a lot of cheers.

After the show, the kids got up on stage to play for a while. Vaughn really wanted to get up there too, so Aunt Julie put him up there, and he was overjoyed to be on stage. He had a lot of fun playing with the other kids. It was a GREAT play, and we really enjoyed being there with family and watching Alex and Riley perform. So that was our great week!

And here's one for the road...

I had to show Alex again because she was so adorable smiling like this!

Love, Lisa

Dave & Heidi Visit, Family Fun and MORE Bottled Hamburger!

March 1st - March 8th, 2008

On the weekend of March 1st, Brian's brother David and his wife Heidi and their kids came down to Utah for a family wedding. They crashed at Brian's parents' house in Springville for a couple of days. Their stay was so short that we only had one evening to see them, so we tried to make the most of it! When I got there, Heidi and I both had gotten our hair cut, so it was a fun surprise for both of us! And we had also each gotten 12 inches cut off! It's funny how us sister-in-laws are connected mentally. So here's me and Heidi after our fun discovery!

And of course we had to give our sassy pose as well. Heidi is really fun to be around! I'm sad she lives all the way up in Boise. And I'm sad that we only got to see her and David and the kids for a few hours! I didn't even get a picture of Annika, their newest addition. She is the baby that I said Heidi called, "Fat and pink and delicious!" Boy is she ever cute!

Robert's girlfriend Heather was gone that weekend, so naturally Robert could be found moping around the house. He just sat there with bugged eyes spacing out.

When I asked him where Heather was, he flipped out. He literally lost his marbles. So I figured I'd let the poor sap just BE and he would eventually come out of it! (Note: these pictures were posed. Robert isn't THAT pathetic!)

Here's Heidi just having fun talking with whomever was in the kitchen. P.S. I really like your shoes Heidi! It's just too bad I didn't get any pictures of David or the kids.

We all gathered over there for dinner, which Linda and Julie were very gracious to cook for us. We had quite the full house, so it was a lot of work. But they cooked us some delicious Navajo tacos. Yum!

Amy and Brenden's kids were over to play too, so Vaughn of course took time to play with his cousin Kimball. She has always been extremely kind to Vaughn. Whenever we ask Vaughn to smile lately, he does a funny face like the one he's pulling above. Weird!

Once Kimball was tired of playing with Vaughn, he was kidnapped by his older girl cousins. Here, from left to right are Alex, Maren and Riley. They decided to give Vaughn rides in a sheet, which he LOVES! Thanks you girls!

And here's a view of Vaughn spazzing inside the sheet. He just couldn't get enough of it!

After a night of fun with family, Brian and Vaughn were pretty tuckered out, so naturally they took a nap Sunday afternoon. Here they are asleep next to each other in the living room. It was so cute to see them sleeping there!

Vaughn fell asleep sucking on his hand and holding one of his little plastic golf clubs. It was too much!

Vaughn usually has to have two things when he goes to sleep: his golf club and his Tigger doll. Brian's sister Rebekah gave Vaughn the set of golf clubs for his birthday last year, and the Tigger doll before that. I guess Rebekah really knows how to pick gifts! Thanks Bekah!

Vaughn used to sleep like this all the time, and when I saw him sleeping like this I about melted. He hasn't done it in months, so I made sure to take a picture of him to remember it! We even have an ultrasound picture of him before he was born doing this in the womb. Boy does that bring back some memories!

On Tuesday we went over to Brian's parents' house for dinner and to watch American Idol as a family. Linda provided two rotisserie chickens that she cooked herself. I made garlic-ranch potatoes. We had a pretty nice meal together! And here's everyone chowing down!

I made sure to greet Danny with a very crazy smile when he got home from work, because he looked a little stressed.

Danny gave me a very nice glare to let me know he appreciated it! You're a DORK Danny!

But I guess it was a night for grumpy moods, because even Baby Lampateeze was not his usual smiley self! What a sad face!

Later that evening Robert came home from being out somewhere, and Vaughn ran to him to welcome. Robert gave him a little ride.

Vaughn was pretty stoked because #1 he LOVES his Uncle Bobby and #2 he LOVES rides. Thanks Robert!

Little Lorna saw that I was taking pictures and wanted to join in on the fun. So I told her to smile and she gave a great little smile! Then I wanted to take a picture of her without the flash...

...so I told Lorna to smile one more time. She was already smiling, so she just "smiled harder" and this is the face that she made. We were all laughing so hard!!!

On Thursday evening we went over to the Springville house again to watch the American Idol results show. No, we're not obsessed. We actually just like to sit around and make fun of the show! Isn't that just as dumb? But it's so much fun! So for dinner that night I made some homemade pizza. It was a real feast!

Vaughn enjoyed sitting next to Kalel while they ate dinner together and played with Star Wars toys. Kal was nice enough to eventually share his R2D2 toy with Vaughn. Vaughn was so happy he smiled really big at Kal.

Kal eventually noticed, and took a closer look at Vaughn, trying to figure out why he looked so weird! Kal is a really good buddy to Vaughn and we're so glad!

Yes, we went back to Brian's parents' house on Friday AND Saturday because I was doing some bottling with Linda. We were bottling hamburger, and there was no way we could do it at my house because there's much less space for kids to run around. Another bonus is that Brian's parents have a fenced-in back yard, so we can let the kids outside to run around. So the guys helped watch the kids on Saturday we were bottling. Eventually though, the kids went in the house, and the guys didn't come in. I went out to see what was up, and I found all the guys watching Brian draw with sidewalk chalk! It was so cute!

Brian didn't want me to post this, but too bad. He did this very fast sketch of R2D2, which I thought was pretty cool.

And just to prove that they're really very manly, the guys made sure I got them in a very many pose. I guess real men draw with sidewalk chalk!

Later that afternoon while the hamburger was processing, Vaughn snuck over to watch Linda cutting some fabric for some headbands she makes. Vaughn was really interested for some reason!

We eventually realized he wanted to try out Linda's scissors. So Linda very kindly let Vaughn try the scissors out on some scrap pieces of fabric.

That's all Vaughn wanted, and afterwards he was very happy to sit and watch Linda again!

I mentioned we were bottling hamburger. Well, this is a picture of what we start out with....giant 10-pound rolls of fresh hamburger! They're kind of nasty huh? But I have to buy them this was to get the best deal. I go to Sam's Club and get the 80-pound case of hamburger meat. It is so much cheaper than the packaged patties, and it's 90 percent lean. You can't get much better than that! And the leanest ground beef is the best for bottling. So anyway, that's where we began!

And after all the cooking and cleaning and bottling, and two days of very hard work, we finally got 79 pints of hamburger done, with almost enough meat for one last pint! Since we started out with 80 pounds, that was almost exactly 1 pound of hamburger per pint! Perfect! I don't think I'll be bottling hamburger for a long time. My feet and legs were killing me! And I could barely fit my swollen feet into my shoes. Whew! So thanks to Danny and Linda and kids, and Robert and Jared and Brian for putting up with all the canning and hectic stuff over the last week. We love you guys!

And here's one for the road...

Here's Lorna, very proud of herself after finding and applying Linda's lipstick! ADORABLE!!!

Love, Lisa

P.S. I am finally caught up on our blog entries!!!!!