From the Mouth of babes

The other day we were driving along in the car and Connor said, "Mom, not to be rude, but when you and dad bought this car, was it all you could afford?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my 8 year old! I said, "What do you mean?" And he said, "Well, I really want a car where I can like lay down and stretch out my legs." (Never-you-mind that this boy has the whole back seat of the van to him self and has plenty space back there). I said, "Well, cars weren't really made for laying down in. We usually just sit in cars." I was trying to talk logic with him now. I asked, "So, where DO we lay down?" He replied, "Our beds, maybe a couch." I said, "That's right, not usually cars. If you have a motor home, you can lay down in the bed that is IN the motor home." Then, wanting to defend our family van and our purchase, I started naming all the really cool things our van has and then I stopped myself. Even if our van was falling apart, the paint job rusty, and just an all out clunker, but still got us from point A to point B, I would want him to be grateful for a car. Grateful for a vehicle. Grateful that we can come and go as we please in comfort!

I am thankful for my van and I hope my kids are learning to be grateful for the many blessings we have that we so often take for granted.

Before there were cameras

Love it, love it, love it!! I got this idea off my friend's blog. It turns your pictures

into sketches. I love the look of it!

Try it out here

Garden Harvest

Is your mouth watering yet? This cantaloupe is from our garden. And let me tell you folks: this is the best, darn cantaloupe I've ever tasted. There is just something about home grown that makes things taste so much better. Ya'll thing a cantaloupe's a cantaloupe? Try comparing home grown tomatoes to store-bought. No comparison, right? That is how this yummy, orange fruit tasted. Heavenly!

These peaches are from our yard, too. They are seriously the best peaches. They are huge too! I wish I would have put something in the picture so you could compare and see how large these suckers really are! I'd say right inbetween a baseball and a softball. Anyway, Kenna and I made peach freezer jam today. It's a new recipe, so hopefully, it works out.

One of the FUNNEST days of my life!

Well, you might not believe me, but last Saturday was seriously one of the best days of my life! Brett took me to the BYU game! I was in 7th heaven! You have to understand that BYU games are very nostalgic for me. I grew up going to BYU Football games with my dear Grandpa Harmon. Sometimes, Grandma would even come with us. He had season tickets for many, many years. I have some wonderful memories going to these games with him. This is how I learned everything I know today, about football. We'd take a big, brown paper sack full of homemade popcorn, a bag of licorice, apples and sometimes the loud and out-spoken Uncle Rob would come with us. (I think when Grandpa brought the kids along, those were usually the weeks that Uncle Rob stayed home). Anyway, we had the same seats every year; south-west end zone, 1/2 way up. Sometimes in the afternoon, the sun would get level with and then just below the top west wall of the stadium and that was very nice: instant shade! We sat behind the same, nice couple for a lot of years. The man was always wearing a blue, suede cowboy hat with all sorts of BYU pins all over it. I have very fond memories of going to BYU games with my grandpa. I learned all the fight songs, all the cheers, and learned what a lateral pass and a safety is. I got to see Ty Detmer play and some other greats.

Well, you can see that I heart BYU games! And I haven't been to one for years....at least 12 years, probably more. And I never thought that I would be going to one any time soon. Tickets are a pretty penny these days and my dear, sweet hubby isn't much of a football fan, and likes to pretend he's not a BYU fan. (Remember, we're U of U alumni.....) He came home one day and said, "Guess what I have? I have 2 tickets to the BYU game!" I was seriously so incredibly excited! I think the excitement level surprised Brett, even. The thing that makes this so sweet is that Brett doesn't really enjoy football. He doesn't enjoy watching football. Oh sure, he's always up for a game on Thanksgiving, but that's it. Brett is not competitive and has never really been into sports at all.....ever. (I know what you're thinking, exactly the opposite of me and my family.) It meant so much to me that Brett would do this for me and include himself in it! He knew that he was the one I wanted to go with. And he did. He came. He cheered. He sang. We had a blast together! Last minute, something came up for Brett that I'm sure he would have rather done, but he knew how big a deal this was for me and we had a FABULOUS day!!!

Thanks, honey! I love you!

By the way, it was an AWESOME game! BYU's 2nd straight shut-out! Go COUGARS!

YUM!

We were up in the canyon tonight for Family Home Evening. It has been such nice weather lately, we're taking advantage of it! Tonight we had hotdogs and somthing a little out of the ordinary that I absolutely love!

For a few years now, we've been roasting something besides marshmallows and hot dogs in our campfire. It's a little candy I like to call:

STARBURSTS.

Yes, you read right. We roast starbursts. It is SO good. You have to try it. All you do is pop one of these babies on the end of your roasting stick, let it sit in the fire for a few seconds until it's nice and gooey looking, and then let it cool off for a minute. The out side becomes just a tiny bit crispy and the inside is all melty. It is super yummy. Take my word for it!

Look at my new trick!

To some, this smile may look a bit strained, but to those who know Makenna well, this is her most happy, cheesy smile she can produce. This smile comes after riding down the street on her bike with no training wheels! She can really do it! We started on Friday afternoon. My good friend, and her little girl Kylie, had taken 1 training wheel off her bike and Makenna wanted to try that. So we did and it got old, really fast. She said, "I want to take the other wheel off too!" I had a sit-down chat with her and told her that learning to ride a bike is hard work and takes practice! There will be falls and scrapes and bruises (I showed her all my scars from my youth that were caused mostly from riding my bike) but it is so worth it! She agreed to do her best. So, we worked Friday night, Saturday morning and then later this afternoon and tonight. She got it!

(I know, nice apron)

After Makenna really got the hang of things, she kept yelling to our neighbors and her friends, "Look at me!!! Look at me!!!" As she's yelling, she forgets to watch where she's going and almost biffs it a few times! I wonder where she gets that.........

We're so proud of Makenna and we can't believe she's big enough to ride a big-girl bike! She's growing up too fast!!!

First Day of School! (Updated)

Here is Connor in his first day of school outfit. Isn't he so cute with his goofy little smile!? Yes, he chose that outfit himself. Sports shorts, and a nice polo shirt.....hmmmmm......At least it matched, right? I can't believe that this boy is 8 years old and in 3rd grade! Where does the time go? I remember taking him to kindergarten and the ensuing years have just flown by! Attention all mothers: ENJOY THE TIME YOU HAVE WITH YOUR BABIES WHILE THEY'RE STILL HOME! It doesn't last long! You'll have your own time soon enough, but you'll never get those little babies and toddler years back! *Sniff sniff*



Here is Connor right by his bike! He loves riding his bike and has rode it every day since school started. He missed riding his bike during the summer because it found a new summer-home: hanging up, at the top of the garage. Why the banishment, you ask? Well, Connor was riding down the street one day and was picking up some pretty good speed, and turned left onto our street, only to find himself face to face with a car! Luckily our good neighbor, Jeff, was watching and driving very slow. Connor was fine, but I watched the whole thing and almost had a heart-attack. Seriously. So, he was banned from his bike for more than a month! Before letting him get back on we've had lots of safety lessons and some new rules. He ALWAYS has to wear a helmet, and any time he crosses the street he has to get off his bike and walk it. I know that's lame sometimes, but he is not experienced enough on the bike to be able to look behind him and really, in front of him, before crossing. I think in a year or so, that will change. But for now, that's the way it is and he is more than happy to oblige.

Makenna on the morning of her FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL . She is beyond thrilled!



McKay loooking a little sleepy, but happy to be going to kindergarten, nonetheless.

The twins on their first day!! I can't believe my babies are in school! They look so big!

I just had to include this picture, even though it wasn't the first day of school. This is McKay and Makenna on the 2nd day of school, "Red" day. Makenna was so excited to wear a dress and Mickey was super happy to be wearing spiderman!

The kids are loving school! I'm very happy with their teachers so far and they all seem to be adjusting well. I seem to be adjusting well, too. The first week was hard. The first day was hard! I held it together at their school and then when I got home I lost it! I bawled and bawled for and hour or so. I just felt so lost! For 8 years I've been at home with at least one child at my side, and now, they're all in school! I knew I had plenty to do and lots to keep me busy, but no babies at home with me! No one to go to the store with. No one to go to Costco with and share the joy of all the samples. No one to weed the garden with, no one to fold the clothes with. To me, it just signifies that we're out of that baby stage, and we don't want to be out of that stage, that is just the way things are right now. This is the beginning of the end! Once they get in school, the time just FLIES!! Then they start to get more friends, mom and dad become less cool and before you know it, you have teenagers! Well, I have learned to enjoy the moment! Enjoy every second: every diaper, every feeding, every thing you can!!! Don't wish life away thinking of time alone or older kids, or less dependant kids. It just goes by too fast and we all need to be grateful for the blessings that we have right now. I am so thankful for my 3 wonderful kids! We are so blessed to have them in our lives. We are also grateful to have good teachers and a good school right by our house!