Runnin' Utes Preview Game

My dad invited us to go with him to the Utah Men's Basketball Preview Game... the kids were so excited.  They love basketball season- there are a lot of home games and that means more chances for the kids to go.  As much as they love football games- they usually only get a chance to watch those on TV.  But basketball games are up close and personal!  Grandpa JB inherited his dad and his uncle's seats on the second row and the kids are totally spoiled.  They absolutely love it!

My Girls

I have found that life is much better when I am surrounded by girls who understand me.  Or at least put up with my brand of crazy.  Deborah and Brooke are two such girlies... they have little girls kate's age and we just have all kinds of fun.  Today we went to Gardner Village to check out the witches.

Family Home Evening

I hate a love/hate relationship with family home evening.  I know it's something that we have been challenged to do, and I know what a difference it can make in our home when we are consistent with it.  But some days... the kids just make it so HARD to want to spend another minute with them.  How terrible am I for admitting that??  But you know those days... the ones where they have spent every second arguing or screaming and I've had a bad day and Shaun's in a crummy mood, it's seriously the last thing in the world I want to do.  And sometimes I bag it.  I shouldn't but I do.

I didn't tonight though.  It was actually a good one.  We found these books a while ago called, "Who's Your Hero?" and my kids LOVE them.  It makes FHE go much smoother when I just use one of the stories in it.

This was the end result tonight... silly kids with smiles and crazy eyes.  THESE days make me grateful that not all the days are like THOSE days.  If you know what I mean.

Spud-Nick

We don't always get the chance to run away to Idaho for Spud harvest, but when we do, it never ceases to amaze me.  There is so much going on just for a potato.



We always try to pick out the biggest one we can see to get a picture with though... The one Kate is holding is seriously bigger than her head!  Dinner tonight??

Stupid Homework

Do I sound like I'm still in school?  I whine a lot about homework because I hate having to sit down with the boys to do it.  I've already done my time... why do I have to do it twice??

Actually- Ty is pretty self sufficient when it comes to homework.  He only needs me once in a while to sign something or to check his times tables off.  Ryan on the other hand... needs help with EVERYTHING!!  It's not his fault- it's the way the kindergarten is designed now I think.  But it takes us forever every night.  Or at least it seems that way.

I had to laugh though- when we had all our stuff spread across the table- it seemed pretty daunting!

Conference Weekend

We normally don't do a whole lot on a conference weekend.  Once in a while we'll go up to Idaho to visit Shaun's parents or sometimes we'll run up to the lake.  But this weekend, my parents suggested lunch in the canyon between sessions.  It sounded beautiful- and the weather was cooperating, which made it even better.

Flag Football

Ty gets to squeeze in one more year of flag football before moving onto contact.  I'm so relieved.  And he ended up on such a fun team this year.  His coach used to play for Utah, so Ty is a little star struck- he totally eats up everything Coach says.



Personally- I just loving sitting in the sun and talking to the other moms.  It's good times.

Jammie Day

Kate's cousin, Cam is going to Children's Discovery this year too.  He is in the year behind Kate and so he's in a different class- but they both go on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Cam's mom asked him what he thought Kate was going to have on her jammies today at school and he immediately replied, "A PRINCESS!"



I think he knows her... don't you??

Lions and Tigers and Bears

I got a new pedometer for myself.  I walk a shockingly small amount of steps in a day.  Like really small.  It's depressing.  So we're trying to walk around more.  And since scouts is just down the street, we've decided that we are walking from now on.

We were taking Ty this afternoon, and I just couldn't get over how much I absolutely love these babies of mine.

Soaking up the fall

We live next door to a cemetery.  Did I ever tell you that?  It's not creepy.  In fact- it's kind of nice that the neighbors are so quiet.

We take our walks in the cemetery most evenings.  Well... sometimes we walk.  Other times we ride scooters or bikes.  Tonight it was scooters!

Cowboy Day

Howdy Howdy folks!  The thing I love about teaching preschool, is I can be an idiot, and they think it's funny.  If I'm an idiot at home- my kids are to the point now they roll their eyes with their father.  But my new class thinks I'm super funny.

Anyway- it's cowboy day and we are so excited to go to school and roast marshmallows, sing cowboy songs, play game and ride on a REAL horse.  Does it get better than this?  I mean really...



And the best part is... since Kate is in TWO different classes... she gets every thing twice this year!

Be Still My Heart

I am sure that there is somewhere in the world that time just moves so slow.  So slow that it maybe feels like it has stopped sometimes.  Maybe somewhere where they are shoveling snow.  That always seems to take forever.  But here, here at my house- time just flies.  I just sent the boys back to school- but here we are two weeks later, and Kate and I are ready to go back too.  I am teaching again at Children's Discovery this year, and I am so glad that I get to share it with my Katie-bug.  It's kind of a mixed bag being a working mom- even just a part time one- but I guess if I get to do it with my little one it's all worth it.



We actually decided to put Kate in a 2/3 day split, so that she could be there with me when I was there.  I don't teach her (I will only teach 3 year olds- they are funny.  4 year olds are sassy), but I am still around if she needs me.  She is so in love with all four of her teachers- here's to a great year!

Aw Shucks

We went to Idaho this weekend and got our annual load of fresh corn.  Sometimes we shuck and cut and pack in Idaho, but this time, we brought it home and I put the kids to work.  We shucked and shucked and shucked until we could shuck no more.  It's all good though... when we have yummy corn this winter we'll not even remember it right?  Please tell me I'm right because right now- I never want to see corn again!!

Back to what now?

I can't believe it!  Summer is officially OVER!  Wah!!  School started on August 25 and I was so sad to see my boys off to school this year.  One in 3rd grade...



and one in kindergarten...



Fine then.  If you boys are going to leave us... Kate and I will just have to go to lunch.



Seriously though- it was so cute dropping the boys off this morning.  Ryan was a little worried about it all- but Ty put his arm around him and walked him to his kindergarten line.  I'm not really sure what they talked about, but Ryan had a huge smile when he turned around to wave good-bye.

Howl at the Moon

I am a terrible Akela.  That's scout talk for leader.  I'm not an official one, but I am supposed to be helping Ty at home with many of his scouting things.  We kind of put things off until the last minute around here... so we have been working like crazy people trying to get him his Wolf badge before he turned 9.  Happy to report...



WE DID IT!  Whew.  Now bring on the Bear.

Millions of Peaches

Canning season is in full swing around here.  We have done our jam and our pears... onto peaches.  My very most favorite peach is the lemon elberta and I found some in Brigham City this year and bought two boxes.  But that many peaches calls for that many more hands.  Luckily my grandma and my mom answered the call...

We had four generations working on my peaches this morning.  Kind of makes me not want to eat them.  Oh wait.  The feeling passed and now I need a bowl of peaches.  

We be Jammin'

Kate and I spent the afternoon making Raspberry Huckleberry Jam!  If you could have bottled the fragrance in my house today... we'd be millionaires.

Chicken Little

Our neighbor, Brig, has chickens in his backyard.  And my kids are so jealous.  They are constantly asking when they can have a chicken in their yard.  I'm not really sure what to tell them... I just keep mumbling something about 'in a while'.  Anyway- the kids take every chance they can get to ride their bikes down to Brig's house and watch the chickens.  Sometimes they get to help feed them and sometimes they just chase them around the yard- Brig says the chickens need exercise.  And on special days- Brig even lets them bring home an egg or two.  Normally the kids walk their bikes home and hold the egg in their hand and all is safe.



This egg however doesn't know how lucky it is.  I however, know exactly how lucky it is.  Ty decided to bring this egg home in his pocket... since riding his bike was SO much faster.  Does that scream disaster to anyone else??  An egg in your pocket while you ride a bike??  It could have come to a very messy end.  Instead... it ended in dessert.  I used it to make brownies.

Thank you Brig.  And Ty.

Girls Day Out

I have to admit that as much as I love having my boys, having a little girl is pretty awesome too.  Kate and I snuck away for an afternoon, while grandma Janet watched the boys.  We had haircuts...



And went out to lunch.  Kate picked... and she picked one of my favorites... greasy Mexican!  It was a little slice of heaven today.

Best Aunt Ever

So... my sister spoils my kids rotten.  Really rotten.  I mean, really, seriously rotten.  And they love every minute of it.  This summer Miss promised she would take the kids to Cowabunga Bay, a new little water park that was built in Draper.



Kate was a major pansy and wouldn't go down any of the slides unless I actually pushed her down them- we're talking the tiny ones that go about 5 feet in length, but the boys were fearless!  I think Ryan tries so hard to keep up with Ty that he sometimes forgets that he is actually only 6 and some of these slides had me second guessing.  But if he was scared- he didn't let anyone know.  We had so much fun- thanks Meliss!

9 is Super Fine

Lame title I know... but we have another birthday!!  Summer birthdays are our specialty around here (apparently I need a scarier Halloween costume), and Ty turned 9.

As Ty is getting older, Shaun and I are realizing that it's getting a little harder to figure out awesome birthday presents.  A few years ago it was pretty easy- a Nerf gun or a ball and we were set.  Not saying Ty isn't still excited about those things- but I kind of feel like if we are spending the money- it should be for something lasting.  So we settled on a new bike.  A BIG bike.  See... Ty is a small monster (oxi moron I know).  He started out huge (almost 10 pounds) and he really hasn't slowed down- in fact, since his Celiac diagnosis- he's grown even more.  So- he's way outgrown his last bike that we bought him a couple years ago... and Shaun thought he would have a better time picking out his own bike- so the morning of his birthday dawned and we found ourselves headed down to the local bike shop...

Ty had such a good time trying out several bikes in the parking lot and finally settled on this little beauty...



He seriously looks even bigger on this bike than he did before he got on it.  I'm losing my little boy and I think I have a pre-teen on my hands... heaven help us all!

Ty was so excited to get his new bike home- he hasn't been off of it since.  Thank goodness he can't get it in the door or I'm pretty sure he'd be sleeping with it too.

No One Mourns the Wicked

HA!  Remember when I told you I had wicked tickets for this summer... it was finally time!!  Shaun is not a huge musical fan and he's already seen the show once, so I decided to take Ty with me.  Ty actually loves musicals- he went on a field trip when he was in 1st grade to see a musical at the local high school and he has been hooked ever since.  He loves going to them and he loves to watch them on TV.  I think I have a kindred spirit in this one.

Anyway- we also went with my sister and her husband, and my brother and his wife... so naturally we had to grab something to eat before we went.  We settled on a little German deli that is right next door to the theatre- Sigfrieds (my personal favorite).  Ty loves it too, and we bought a little treat to share during the show.



I will tell you- Wicked did not disappoint.  Ty was engrossed from the first note to the last.

Ryan turns 6

Hello!  Can you believe that?  Ryan turned six today!  I'm in awe that my middle is getting so big!  Seriously... I'm supposed to send him to Kindergarten in a month.  I don't know that I'm ready for that!



I sure do love this little bear of mine though- he is such a sweet little man.  He is funny and kind.  And he has a way of talking you into letting him do things that you never would have thought of... his big brown eyes have a way of melting his mama.  I love his quick smile and infectious laugh- here's to another year sweet boy!

For the Love of the Game

Seriously... I found another reason to love summer... more little league!  All-Stars is kind of crazy after just playing rec- we are on the road every day for another game, and sometimes double headers.  Luckily, most of the games are fairly close- the farthest we have to go is Bountiful- which is only 20 minutes away.  But we are doing a lot of sitting in the sun watching ball.

Ry doesn't mind and Kate just makes friends wherever we go- so they are pretty excited with the way things are too.  Shaun joins us sometimes after work when he can, and grandma Janet is always at my side.  Grandpa JB actually volunteered to help coach (shocker I know), and we see him most nights now too.



For the most part though- with enough snacks and a few toys- I think we'll make it through this summer just fine.

All Stars

So... great news on the baseball front this year.  Ty made All-Stars!  He tried out last year and didn't make it- so he put his heart and soul into making sure he made it this year... and all those hours paid off!  I'm so proud of him!

He was actually awarded the game ball tonight for hitting an in-field home run, a triple and fielding a couple of fly balls.  He was on cloud 9... not that I blame him!  Great job tonight sweet boy!

Basketball and Waiting Games

Summer 2014 is finally here and we are READY!  And it seems like most of the places around here are ready for it too.  We are still swimming, but I was also able to sign the boys up for a local high school basketball camp (coincidentally it's my alma mater... go titans!).



Unfortunately for Kate, it means that she spends a lot of time right here...


in the back of our Durango... just waiting for her brothers to finish.  At least she's cute company right?  And I may bribe her from time to time with Skittles- she seems okay with it.  :)

Hel-lo Summah!! We've missed you!!

I love summer.  Spring is nice, winter is stupid and I have a tiny infatuation with fall.  But oh.  Summer.  Summer is bliss.  Sun tanned toes, a little sweat on your brow, the smell of grass, chlorine and sunscreen... it's truly the most wonderful time of the year.  And with it comes swimming lessons!

I'll get you my pretty...

Once in a great while, we get to play hosts to Shaun's parents, Jacki and Orllo.  This weekend was one of those times and the kids were so excited to show grandma and papa around.  They had the weekend all planned out for them.  One of the stops on their list was the new City Creek Mall downtown- they love it!  It's out door and they have a little creek running through the middle with fish and the Disney Store... is there really more to life than the Disney Store?  Not in their opinion.

The mall itself had a cool display for an upcoming show... you may have heard of it... a little song and dance called "Wicked."



I have two tickets for it in July and I am so excited to go and see it again!

Happy 4th Katie Bug!

I can't believe that my baby is 4.  What the hell happened??  I swear she's still just a little thing- but she's already got a year of preschool under her belt and opinions and everything.  It's just not fair.  I wish they could stay little.

True to form though, when asked what she wanted for dinner on her birthday- we ended up at the Cancun Cafe, her most favorite Mexican restaurant.



She was pretty excited about the sombrero and moraccas.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

We made it!  Whew!  I feel like I always kind of fall apart at the end of the school year.  I drop the ball and projects get kicked to the backburner.  Mostly, I feel like if the kids make it to school that day... I win.



Ty was uber excited about today- he was going home with some friends to go to a new trampoline house they put in around the corner.  Sounds like a pretty good time for a now 3rd grader!!

Father/ Son Bondage Time

Ty is working hard on earning his wolf badge in Scouts, but he kind of hit a road block when he was supposed to build a project.  The Scout book gave him a couple of different ideas, but what he really wanted to build was a BIRDHOUSE.  I just looked at him and thought 'seriously?', so I turned the project over to Shaun... our resident master builder.  He's been in retirement for a while but I figured he could help his boy out with this project... otherwise it was going to be me and he'd never get his badge.

So Shaun and Ty sat down one evening and built away... it was hilarious listening to their running commentary.  I should have sold tickets.
 

As it turned out though... little Ty may have to have some more projects around the house.  He gave the finished project to me and I kind of think it has to sit out on the coffee table so I can show it off!