Porter's First Soccer Game

this has been a long awaited day! every saturday morning in the spring we see all these families having a grand ol' time at the soccer park and now we can too. It really is cute. And it's great to see Porter not in lazy mode. YAY!!

I forgot to add that Porter scored his first goal last weekend in his second game. It was the only goal for the team! He is improving quickly...but doesn't want anyone to tell him "how good his moves are".

I DID IT!!!

photo by Ashley Beal...isn't it beautiful??

YAY! first marathon complete. check check. april 10, 2011 I enjoyed the St. Louis Marathon with my friends Tera and Ashley. Let me just say, it's official...I can do anything now!

the best sight in the world was seeing my family waving to me just before I crossed the finish line. Mike made the shirt for port that says "future 26.2 just like you mom" Best husband ever!

and lets not forget this guy! Remember when Andy Bernard's nipples chaffed at the 5k race for the cure...it's true...nipple chaffing is no laughing matter...or is it...

march

This whole month has been filled with sick days! This week was the worst for Andrew. Tuesday thru thursday he was bed ridden. And if you know andrew...you know there is no way he's gonna sit all day.

So every morning Andrew and I have slept a little late due to the rough night's sleep. So sweet Porter has gotten all the ingredients to have a yummy breakfast all ready for us to eat when we woke up. When he wakes up he comes to give me a kiss and then quietly shuts the door. When Andrew and I get up I find the breakfasts:

one morning it was leftover pancakes, syrup, eggs and applesauce complete with plates and spoons.

Later that day he "invented" the boiled egg and had it all peeled and ready for me to eat for breakfast the next morning.

Porter loves to cook, but he also has acquired a nasty habit...video games.
It takes a whole winter to get kids addicted to Ipods, mario, food and movies. And now...we can't get them to stop.

J Man and Channy

Bumpy and Justin and baby leia came for a visit. Leia is SOO frickin' cute! She's chubby and snuggly. I love her! We had lunch a little "jingers" It's chicken fingers with Jenn's homemade Wingers Sauce....J.ing.ers. get it? And we had Smith's over for lunch followed by a 'three men and a baby' 'three men and a little lady' marathon. It's nice to have fam. so close.

Guatemala

many of you have asked...how was Guatemala????

I never know what stories to tell, what will interest other people...so IF you really are interested...check out my babes blog for pics without a story....

if you want a little more story...

Saturday: woke up an hour late (4:30am) drove to Chicago, flight to Dallas then to Guatemala City. (18 hour travel time) Went to Burger King where we saw our first gaurd with a gun protecting it. Steve and Laurel explained about kidnappings and violence in Guatemala. Stayed in a nice Hotel in Guatemala City with a manager named MARIO.

Sunday: Keep the Sabbath Day Holy, I know this isn't a list of the ten commandments, but we really did church stuff all day...oh and had a nap....oh and blog stalked while we were waiting for Mike's parents to get done with a meeting. Walked down the street to a member's house for another meeting about families. Played Canadian Salad.

Monday: Beautiful, between dying, run in the mountains of Solola. Raced some kids, they beat us.

Lunch on the BEAUTIFUL Lake Atitlan, met our rich-boy friend from Michigan and his hotsie g.f., Shopping. walked down the street to have a sweet woman make us fresh Corn tortillas for dinner, played canadian salad.

Tuesday: One last run. Even harder than yesterday. Shopping in the market with the baskets of dried fish, hanging animal flesh and tons of people in a very enclosed space. So cool to see how people shop around there. Took the very mild chicken bus to a nearby town. Ate lunch on the lake where we ran into rich-boy from Michigan again. Beautiful gardens, beautiful hotel. Mosquito bites. National Park where we did not zip line. we took a lovely hike over some questionable bridges. and I'll never forget the BABY RUTH Laurel bought us after the hike. Steve had a meeting so we all retired early...no games :(

this sign says "do not urinate"-- mike isn't really urinating...that's a water bottle and our cute little "flat beau".

Wednesday: 8 hours of fun at the church waiting for Steve and Laurel's meeting to finish up. We read, napped, read a little about where we want to move next. More blog stalking. stayed a nice hotel in Antigua. Canadian Salad.

Thursday: walked around Antigua. Visited the old Convent. So cool. Lunch at the most beautiful McDonalds I've ever seen. Saw a volcano Erupt.

Macadamian Nut Farm. Back to Guatemala City for a BYU bball game and Elder and Sister Clarks. One more game of canadian Salad and off to MARIO'S hotel.

Loved this bathroom at the macadamia farm...

nice, huh? Tips Only facial at the macadamia farm

Friday: Guatemala City, Miami, Chicago DRIVE HOME another 18 hour travel time. Arrive home to find our sick kids and sick babysitters. Turns out they all got the 24 hour throw ups. the 24 hour diarrhea, Meagan got an ear infection. It was tons of fun here at the Cranney residence. Dan and Meagan, they're who we shared a moving truck with on the way here to Missouri, watched our kids so we could go on this awesome trip. Maegan works at Truman and had her spring break the week before the boys did, so they talked us into leaving the boys with them and enjoy a little vacation. We sure enjoyed it and COULD NOT have asked for better sitters. These guys are little angels from heaven! Love Dan and Maegie. They're sweet kids!

Here's a fun little clip from a guy on the street at the market. It was surely a highlight.

Hoe Down

I have talked about how the Med School here has a little club called SAA. SAA is a group for students' significant others. It is a LIFE SAVER for many of us! This month they put on a Hoe Down. Babysitting. Food. Karaoke. Dancin'. It is SO hilarious to see these med students gettin' jiggy wid it. I provided free "couple photos" for many of the couples. But I still managed to miss many of them. I love these guys and never wanna forget how much fun we get to have. Med school is hard, but it def. has it's perks...little moments like this make it all worth it.

"blogworthy", I should say so! Matt and Kenz. win cutest little couple for my "couple photo" contest.

tyler and aimee...they're alive! (haha, sorry you're so shiny and bright...don't be mad!)

sarah and ben know how to strike a pose from across a room.

tyler and kyle karaoke

Ian and Michelle.

Monica and Aaron.

greg and angel.

sarah and benny.

yeee hawww

Mike and Allison. these guys are sweetie pies! If you ever need to borrow sugar, They've got it pouring out their ears they are so sweet! love these guys!

Kyle and Chelsi A.

It came down to kyle and I Best dressed...and I think we know who won...No, not me...him! Can I compete with a stash like that?

Daniel and Meagie poo, ahh...so young.

Tyler and Chels R

Tyler and Mike...might as well be a couple. You know they're talking about school.

Ryan and Lisa A.

Mark and Jenny B.

seriously?

Joe and Nat S. they came up with their own poses...

aren't they cutsie wootsie?

g & a just had baby #4 but it's like they are on their honeymoon...

maybe a bit crazier.

Nauvoo take two

Mike is now the Young Men's Secretary for our ward. So when he got his first meeting in Nauvoo, the boys and I hitched a ride. Mike and I were married in Nauvoo and NEVER dreamed we'd be in it's stake. After the two hour ride and One $108 speeding ticket (mike's not that perfect after all), the boys and I dropped the clan off for their meeting and set sail for tourism.

Turns out that winter isn't really a hot time to be touring Nauvoo. We found the Smith Cemetery where Joseph Smith Jr., his wife Emma, and his brother Hyrum are buried. It's a peaceful place. However FAR too cold to be posing for pictures.

Cemetery overlooks Missouri River

Smith Cemetery

Cranney Fam. stayed at this lovely home for our wedding.

Mike's personal tour of the cemetery

Being here in the winter really helped us realize what a horrible journey the saints had when thy left Nauvoo. Bloody footprints in the snow. We are so glad to be warm and have many modern amenities.