ICE: In Case of Emergency

I will admit that I totally freaked myself out last night watching the news. Thousands in the county with out power for possibly the rest of the week. Friends with out power, friends staying at hotels! Well luckily we still have power! I love my power lines. So far all we have really had to deal with is the stupid dog wanting to get out and come back in, and Max wanting to play with Jeff who needs to work. (He is like the one guy on his team with power and Internet.) But we are warm and happy. I was actually having a lovely dream this morning about pastries and danishes when a "friend" called to check up on us. Very nice of them, but I really want a pastry now and it could be days before I get out of my house.

Alive and Well....So Far

Well so far we have been safe and warm in our house. I am so grateful for our electricity and am just praying that it holds out through the night. Max has been a real trooper through out the whole ordeal. I suspect that he is just thrilled that his best buddy Jeff has been stuck at home with us all day (and probably tomorrow too.) I wish I had more to report. There really hasn't been much in our lives lately. We have had a very uneventful month. I have been really tired and so haven't been up to much except baking pies (see previous posts.)

Jeff was called to be my team teacher in primary. This is really a case of be careful what you ask for. I mentioned awhile back that I thought it would be a good idea if I was to remain in my current class, which would go from 3 angels to 12 normal kids. I was a bit worried about the rowdiness. After only a few weeks I learned that all my worries were for naught. These kids are great they just needed someone to hold them to high standard of reverence. And as you all know I have no problem bringing the discipline. (Occasionally too much so.) So now I don't really know what to do with Jeff. We have talked about splitting the class into class and sharing time, but I love both! He doesn't want me there when he teaches cause I tend to walk all over him. (not intentionally, you know teaching it's just my thing) Not to mention the fact that there really isn't an excess room in the classroom. Grrr... so I guess I brought this on myself, perhaps this will help us grow as a couple, or if our plans to get pregnant this spring works out then I will be more then happy to give Jeff the class all together. (although that will be sad cause I really do LOVE Primary!) For next week anyway I am going to turn the class over to Jeff and help out in sunbeams since they are in need of help (and who doesn't love sunbeams (when they are not sick.).) Yeah that's about it for us this month. I am not sure that I am hoping for more or less excitement in February.

Because of course you all really wanted to know

Caught this relationship tag off my cousins blog and thought it would be fun for me. (It was actually pretty easy since both our husbands are named Jeff)

1. How long have you been together? Married 5 years

2. How long did we date? one week before we talked about getting married 2 weeks before he asked

3. How old is he? 28

4. Who eats more? At meals- me; in general- him

5. Who said, "I love you," first? I honestly can't remember

6. Who is taller? we are both the same height

7. Who does the laundry? Me

8. Who does the dishes? 80% me 20% Jeff

9. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jeff

10. Who pays the bills? Me

11. Who mows the lawn? Jeff and not frequently

12. Who cooks dinner? 60% me 40% Jeff but really cook is used pretty loosely here, gathers the food would probably work better

13. Who is more stubborn? Me

14. Who kissed who first? Jeff

15. Who asked who out? Ummm I guess Jeff

16. Who proposed? Jeff

17. Who is more sensitive? It all depends on my hormone level

18. Who has more siblings? Jeff has 3 and I have 2

What Do You Think Max Is Praying For?

New blogs

Okay I have added two blogs of note to my list. Lieslisms is a blog done by my sisters late one night with a collections of the funny things my 3 year old niece Liesl has said. I don't know if it will ever be updated again, but it is worth a stop by for a really good laugh. The second is Passive Agressive Notes.com. This site rocks. Someone has collected a bunch of passive agressive notes left in the usual places i.e. dorm rooms, restrooms, hallways, and put them into a book. The blog is an extension of that. The language can get a bit colorful , so it is not for the faint of heart, but funny as hell for everyone else.

Hey I Put Some New Shoes On and Suddenly Everything's Alright

So I hate buying shoes cause I have a hard time paying that much money for one piece of clothing. I realize how vital shoes are to an outfit, but my cheapness over powers me. So I have had really unattractive mostly dead black shoes for far too many years and decided enough was enough! So today I made my way to Dillards and got some shoes with a little spunk! And suddenly everything's alright.

This Pie Can Be Your's If the Price is Right!

So I got a little over zealous peeling Granny Smith apples this afternoon. My very dear friend Lara, (if you haven't checked out her blog (the Scheele Family) you need to,)has had a really bad week, (3 kids all sick.) She needed a pie. So after making her pie I discovered that I had enough apples to make a second pie. Well I don't really need a pie sitting around, so I submit it to the highest bidder. I am thinking I might give it to Sarah Allred if she brings back my pie tin (which I has long suspected that she was keeping hostage for another pie,) (I have made sure to use a disposable tin for this pie.) Or perhaps Meg can tempt me with something else.... I am open to suggestions.

Silver Dollar City

Thanks to our friends the Messicks, we were able to go to the local amusement park, Silver Dollar City last month. Max had sucha great time. He was just tall enough to ride all the little kiddie rides with a parent. (They measured him at each one.) We have gone ahead and gotten our own season passes for this year. I would like to thank Jill for taking the pictures since we left our camera at home.

Who doesn't love new wheels?

Max sure loves his cozy coupe. I drove by a random garage sale this fall and saw the coupe in the corner of my eye. I pulled over determined not to pay more then 10 bucks for it since Max didn't really need one. Low and behold it was free! Which it is in pretty bad shape (at least cosmetically.) But Max loves it. I even managed to hook the dog up to pull Max. That was fun for everyone.

Sister Tobler

I am proud to anounce that today is the first day of Sister Elizabeth Tobler's mission at the Family History Library. What a wonderful example that my grandmother has set for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. I am so blessed to have such spiritually strong women in my family. My sister Krista and my aunt Valine also served missions and from home my mother has always made huge efforts to share the gospel with friends and neighbors. Hooray for grandma!

The Little Year That Could

January

I knocked on doors a a special census worker for the city of Bella Vista, I was the youngest employee they had!

February

Jeff's sister Sarah came to Arkansas for the second time. Other then Sarah and Aunt Marty the rest of you Larkins are on notice to get out here for a visit!

March

I got called to teach the valiant 12 class in primary. This has been such an amazing opportunity! The class I got was so well behaved and spiritual. These kids taught me new insights into the Scriptures and were such good examples to me. I love primary! I feel like this is where I am meant to be. I always assumed that callings always got worse until you became a better person or something. I never knew you could enjoy the calling you had without suddenly becoming spiritually perfect!

April

We painted the living room, removed the carpet and tile, and laid down wood laminate in the living room and entry way.

May

We went to Dallas with our friends the Messicks. The temple was beautiful and made the trip well worth the price of gas.

June

5 years of marriage and no regrets (except maybe my wedding hair-do)

July

the sad passing of my grandpa allowed us to see both our families in Utah. I will miss him very much.

August

They say that the best way to make the Lord laugh is to make plans, well I kinda feel that that's what happened to Jeff and I this summer. We went to so much trouble to decide the perfect time to have baby # 2, and yet had an ectopic pregnancy anyway. I love that all the info they gave me said that having an ectopic pregnancy in no way means you'll have another, yet have listed under possible ways of detecting if your having one, "have had one before."

September

Max started Mom's Day Out once a week. I got a nice break, did some cleaning, relaxing and service.

October

We got a new addition to the family, the 32 inch flat screen!

November

Jeff switched teams and is so happy to be appreciated and valued

December

I got a lovely visit from my Grandmother, my Aunt Mardie, and my cousin Liz. It was fun to show off all my hard work. Jeff and I are so happy in our little house in Northwest Arkansas.

So I got rid of my cold...

Thanks to the stomach flu! So previously I mentioned that no matter how bad I felt all was good compared to the roto-virus I got a few years ago. Well that statement still stands, that was the worse I have ever felt, but we got too close this week. Friday night around 5 o'clock I got the stomach flu. Even though I had been a diligent and gotten my flu shot, it got ugly. Luckly, it was only about 14 hours of pure bathroom floor torture, and it was at night so Max was asleep, (only Jeff and I got sick.) I also loved that it happened after a day of crap calories, you know, old- not even good, christmas cookie calories. The real downside to this flu, was that it was too close to the misery I had previously expereinced with the roto-virus. I had taken so much comfort thinking that I could never feel that bad again. (I am a good girl, I get flu shots, I don't go to Mexico, and I don't eat shell fish.) This experience has shaken my confidence. Something worse could be out there waiting for me.