WE'll BE LOyal Scouts

We had our blue and gold banquet for the scouts last Friday. It turned out really well. The leaders did a really great job. I just showed up and helped with the decorating and the food.
We tried something a little different this time. We painted their faces for each rank they had achieved.
Kade got his Bobcat, and Nathan got his Webelo and some activity badges.
He has already earned his Arrow of Light, but we decided to wait for a month for him to get it. He is really excited.

I Love It

I came up with some festive valentine hairdos this week in time for the Valentine parties at school. They looked so cute on the girls.

This was Annika's. This one lasted for two days.


I forgot to get a picture that includes her face. And the hair is supposed to look like hearts if you can't tell.
This was Adrienne's Valentine's Day 'do:



She also had a cute heart hairdo in for her field trip:



I didn't think to take pictures of it until someone commented on it while we were there, so they are all blurry because she was too busy to sit still for me.

Happy Valentine's Day to my sweet little girls.

So Much Fun

Some days I really want to quit my job. Some days I really just want to run away. Some days I really feel like we DO live in a barn.

Then there are those days where I laugh and laugh. Like Sunday, when there was a lull in Fast and Testimony Meeting and Adrienne told me everyone was waiting for her to go up and sing for them (her own composition, of course). Or how she went a got a picture book to read while we did family scripture reading. She demanded a turn and we got to hear an interpretation of scriptures by a four year old. It consisted of lots of "Jesus"s and "Behold"s and "Yea"s.
There are those days where I wonder how I got such thoughtful kids. Like when the tooth fairy forgot to come and Nathan left Kade a dollar.
The days when the pride is bursting, like when I go to parent teacher conference and hear about how smart, helpful, and exceptionally kind my kids are.

It somehow makes it easier to get through the hard days when I remember the laughter and wonder and satisfaction that maybe I do some things right once in a while.
They sure make things interesting.

And, I think I fixed the You Tube video below so that it can be viewed by everyone now. Still figuring things out, sorry.

A Magician's Assistant

The kids' orthodontist throws a huge party each year as a "Patient Appreciation Night". We have never gone before, but decided to do it this year because it was held in a fancy theater and was going to be a magic show.
The kids love magic. And glow sticks. Both were in abundance that night.

Just keeping it real folks. This picture is priceless. Yes, Annika is picking her nose, Kade is picking his nose with his glow stick, and Nathan has figured out the power of suction.

During the show, the magician asked for helpers from the audience.
Each time, the kids all madly waved their arms.
Finally, he picked one of them...
It was Annika, of course.
Thankfully, he didn't talk to her for long. You never know what that girl is going to say.
Burke and I wondered if he mysteriously hypnotized her. We have never known her to hold still for that long. She said she was nervous when she got up there and saw the big crowd. (It was full--800 people).
She didn't realize what had happened, but loved watching it when we got home.

Thanks to Burke for thinking to bring the camera.

Growing Up

We had parent teacher conference last night.
At Nathan's conference we were presented with a permission slip for the big "Maturation Talk". The teacher laughed when she asked us to sign it right there during the conference. She said that when she sends the notes home and the kids find out what they are, the permission slips don't find their way back to school.
Nathan looked confused as we all got a laugh.
When we got home, he asked us what she was talking about.
After we explained what it is, he rolled his eyes and said, "Oh, I can see why nobody brings their notes back to school."
Then he said, "So I guess we talk about it when we get to college or something, right?"

Burke wishes.
Can't wait.
March 5.

Because He Loves Me

... and has for 14 years.

Through fourteen years we have moved 8 times, had a combined total of 6 jobs, four pregnancies and four deliveries, six hospital stays, a bout with carpenter ants and the "crazies" that came with them, three broken bones, one set of stitches, three car accidents, one lawsuit, and lots of vacations.

It has been a wild ride, but I'm ready for more.

I love you!

A Super Duper Derby

It is that time of year again.
Pinewood Derby!

Nathan's last, Kade's first, Burke's 6th(?).

The boys had a great time designing their cars, especially picking out the colors. We went with gold and blue this year.

Nathan's was The Comet. Kade's came to be known as The Truck. (Very creative, I know. That's just how we roll.)
Burke spent waaaaaayyyyy too much time on his car. But he finally got it to work. It lasted for one race. But then Nathan picked it up and it didn't work right after that.
Kade took second place, Nathan was fourth.

It was a lot of fun.

Last week we rented Down and Derby. It was hilarious and somehow appropriate...