Hello State Fair!

We took a little trip to the State Fair. The kids got 3 free rides for reading 3 books. Here are a few pictures from the fun events. The kids had a blast and never knew the fair could be so fun. They are already asking to go on more rides. After our rides we checked out the petting zoo and had a blast. You'll have to come with us next time!

Fun with computers

Ali had a little computer fun last night. Doug ran to the grocery store quickly and left his laptop out. I, being the extremely observant mother that I am, didn't realize what Ali was getting into. She came to me in tears, blubbering something about "fix Dad's computer", but I couldn't understand her and I didn't realize Doug had left his computer out. When he came home, this is what he found.






Ali must have had fun because she didn't stop until she pulled off every single key. She must have realized that what she had done was wrong and that she would be in trouble with dad. Doug didn't think it was too funny, but at least he could laugh about it later.

It's a good thing there is a three year warranty on his laptop. It may not make the full 3 years in this house.

The First Day of School

The kids started school on Monday, Aug. 9th. Here are some photos we took on the first day of school. Little Ali at the bottom really wants to be big and go to school too.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So this should count
for all of those times that I haven't blogged, right?!

PS - The pictures are more clear on my computer, but when I put the movie on the
web it seems to be more grainy. Sorry!
(Just don't go full screen and it will probably be fine.)

Fourth Of July in AZ

There were no parades, no floats, and no snow cones for the AZ Mangum family this year. Sunday evening we found out that there was a small event in Mesa on Saturday with fireworks, however nobody told us until after it was over.
We went to the top of Doug's school parking garage to view the fireworks. We got to see lots of fireworks from there. It was a good time, but we certainly missed the Evergreen parade, canyon trip, and fireworks at the country club with Grandma. Here's a quick picture of our family as we were headed out the door for fireworks in central Phoenix.

PS - Take note of Rachel's flag earing. Brooke and Rachel made dangling earlings out of paper and then used the small stud to keep them in their ears. They thought it was pretty cool.

Mangum Math

+

=

James + rocks = broken sliding glass door. James quickly found out what happens when you throw rocks at glass doors or windows. Maybe he will obey Mom and Dad next time?!?

Soccer Princess

Brooke started soccer last week. This is her first year playing and she surprised me with how well she picked it up. She needs to practice running full speed and kicking the ball because sometimes she seems to step right over the ball when she is in a full run, but she is never afraid to be in the middle of the fray fighting for the ball. She is particularly cute because she always seems to be one of the smallest girls wherever she is, and I love watching a small girl do as well as the older, bigger girls.

The first game she played was against our Home Teacher's granddaughter, and they were thoughtful enough to take pictures of Brooke for us (because everyone knows that I never remember to bring a camera to important events like this). And since I have been criticized for not posting enough pictures here are some to appease everyone for at least one week.

LOVE STORY meets VIVA LA VIDA

This is my new favorite arrangements by Jon Schmidt. It is a combination of two of my favorite songs, Love Story by Taylor Swift and Viva la Vida by Coldplay. The transition is my favorite part, it is so smooth it is awesome!

Mom, Mom...I Love You!

James (tugging on my leg, and with some urgency): "Mom, mom!"


Mom (usually with exasperation because I think he needs another drink, or more food, or one of a thousand other things): "What James?"


James (with a big smile on his face): "I love you!" and then away he runs.


James started doing this to me about 5 days ago and he gets the biggest kick out of it. When he first did it, I though "Wow, what a super sweet little boy I have", especially because I probably wasn't very kind with my "What James?". I don't even know how his little mind came up with this, and I thought it was a one time thing, but he has been doing it everyday since. And now he does it about 20 times a day.

And the greatest thing about it, is that even though I should know it is coming, most of the time it still catches me off guard and it warms my heart all over again. It is one of the small rewards of being a mom, when you are caught up in your busy day and your hectic, chaotic life, and then suddenly out of the blue "I love you, Mom!" It is seriously so cute. And I wish I could capture the little smile from him that goes with it. He knows that it will make me smile and that he is "tricking me" and so he gets the biggest, cutest smile on his face. I guess I will put up a new picture of him smiling and you can all imagine how great it is to get a smile like this from him accompanied with an "I love you" 20 times a day.

You are my Sunshine!

This post is for Rachel, who is my Sunshine. (That was the song I sang to her as a lullaby as a baby because she was my first blonde, so she became my Sunshine.)

Anyway...

So our family has been sick this past week. Thursday, March 19th, Rachel was taken to the doctor because of swollen lymph nodes and was diagnosed with Strep Throat and given antibiotics. Then Ali and James were diagnosed and put on antibiotics, and then Doug came down with symptoms and five days later was finally diagnosed with Strep (that is a whole other story.)

So this Thursday, March 26th we thought we were almost through being sick when Ali started throwing up. She threw up all night, then the next day I started throwing up, then Rachel started throwing up, then James.

But again, my story is about Rachel...

So Rachel apparently has the weakest stomach in this family. When she gets a stomach bug she throws up about every 20 minutes. Then towards the end, maybe every hour to 1 1/2 hours. But ALL THE TIME, more than the rest of us combined.

So at 4:00pm when she started throwing up we gave her a bucket to carry around everywhere with her. Then we have to empty out the bucket when she throws up, rinse it out, and give it back because she won't use it again if there is throw up in it. She must have heard Doug complain about this because at about 11:00 that night we hear her run into the bathroom to throw up. Doug goes to check on her and in her sweetest little angel voice she says "I ran to the toilet, Daddy, so you don't have to empty out my bucket. I love you Daddy." Now if that isn't the sweetest little thing to melt your heart.

But that is not all. So she continues to throw up OFTEN (always running to the bathroom now) and of course we are going to have to make her drink something so she doesn't get dehydrated, even though she knows this will just make her throw up again. So I bring her apple juice and say "You have to drink this so you won't get dehydrated." Rachel: "Okay, thank you Mommy, I love you." And everytime, after hours of throwing up over and over and over, she is willing to drink or eat anything I bring her, knowing she will keep throwing up over and over and over. And she always ends with "Okay, I love you Mommy". Her only complaint all night was at about 4:30 in the morning when she said, still in her sweetest voice, "I'm tired."

So today she wins my "Sweetest Little Angel" award. It is moments like this that makes it so rewarding to be a mom (not cleaning up the throw up, but the sweet little children who take affliction so cheerfully).