CHILD FAMILY

The Raccoon

2012-01-31T12:29:00.002-07:00

That is what we have been calling Drew lately. He is nuts. He chewed through my computer cord. What the heck?! People kindly describe him as "busy," but I think he is like some kind of wild animal. I finally decided to document a weeks worth of damage and here is what I got: Computer cord chewed through. Wood floor colored on with ball-point pen. Two incidents of meaningless pants peeing, one of them described by the perpetrator as "a pee party in the kitchen." Pen on bedroom wall(no other person in this house has ever colored on a wall). My favorite pic here is the one where he has pen on his face and he is clutching the Lego creation that he stole from his brother's room while he was at school (he had to find a chair to reach it on a shelf.) Also, he chewed the cover of my Nook, leaving perfect, CSI-style bite marks on the front. I promise I give him lots of attention. No other child has been read to this much and never have I enacted so many different scenarios of "Cars go to a haunted house" or "Transformers go to the temple" which sadly ended with an original song by Drew that involved Optimus Prime blowing up the temple (we haven't played that again.) I know I am not alone on this. A neighbor recently told me about her "busy" son who put her Social Security card in the shredder as she watched from across the room, not able to make it in time. It's all worth it, though when he says to me this same week, "Mom, will you teach me how to do your hiccups?"

Old Timey Boxer Finally Potty Trained

2012-01-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

Targhee thinks this is hilarious. He taught our red-headed child, with the physique of Irish boxer from the 1920's to jump around with his fists up saying, "put 'em up, put 'em up." It is pretty funny, especially because now he does it whenever he takes his clothes off for any reason. Seeing him in these undies also reminds me to document the disaster which was potty training this child. He is a year older than the other boys were when they were done with it. I have thrown out more underwear with him and begged and pleaded and bribed and cried and made up more songs and cheers and stories and motivational speeches than I ever thought I was capable of. But, it is done. It is done.

Sunday Daddy

2012-01-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

These pictures sum it all up for me. These are the kinds of moments that don't seem really important, but this is what makes life great.

Hot Chocolate

2012-01-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

I want to remember when their cheeks are red from playing in the snow. I hate winter, but they don't and I shouldn't ruin it for them, so bring on the hot chocolate.

Piano Man

2011-11-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

Jack had his first piano recital a few weeks ago. His grandparents were there and he did a great job. He was very nervous beforehand and actually cried some tears. This is not like him at all, as he usually basks in the spotlight. He told me afterwards that it was all worth it. He said, "Mom, the feeling of performing for all those people was spectacular." That is so him!

1st Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-29T14:51:00.000-06:00

Evan started Kindergarten today and loved it. Here were the highlighs (after dragging anything I could out of him.) No one cried, but someone forgot to come in from recess. They got to look for a pirate's treasure and it was Rice Krispy treats. He got to sit by Hadley. He saw Jack at recess who ran up to him but did not hug him. That was all I could get. Sometimes I wonder if those of you with girls just get the whole run-down of the day when they get home. I have to beg for any snippet. Anyway, I thought he might have had a little more trouble when I dropped him off, but he didn't even look back. Drew and I are using the time while Evan is in school to race around and do as much as possible. It is amazing what can be accomplished with only one child in tow.

Best Year

2011-08-24T14:46:00.000-06:00

Jack told me a few weeks ago that this is going to be the best year of his life. He went back repeatedly at the end of the last school year to visit his soon-to-be 2nd grade teacher, Miss Farley. He just wanted to get to know her a little better, so he would visit her at recess every day. He is right, she is wonderful and this probably will be the best year of his life. I am so glad he loves school and learning. Doesn't he look like a happy second grader? I so love the Miss Farleys in this world. Our good teachers need to be supported and appreciated. It is a trluly noble profession.

Summer Fun

2011-08-24T14:17:00.000-06:00

Drew thought the Clinton City parade was the hilight of his whole summer. Everytime we drive by the spot where we sat he goes nuts yelling about the parade. The other photos in this collage are just some fun summer pics.

Las Vegas in July

2011-08-24T14:03:00.001-06:00

That title just makes you want to go get a big cold drink, doesn't it? Well, it was wonderful. We went to visit Uncle Jared and Aunt Jen and our little cuzzies and we had a blast. Aunt Jen put her whole week on hold for us to stay and play. We took out favorite babysitter, Katie, and drove down for the week. Jared and Jen live in a BEAUTIFUL community with the most amazing private pool and waterpark. We went swimming almost everyday and nearly had the whole place to ourselves. Jared watched the boys one night so the girls could go shopping. Jen watched the little boys so Jared could take us to the strip one night (including the Gold & Silver Pawn shop). Then Katie babysat one night so the grown-ups could go out for a HUGE and delicious meal at Hash House A Go Go. The boys wrestled and chased and yelled and laughed together all week. We love our cuzzies and miss them already. Thanks again, Jared and Jen!

Uintahs Camping Trip

2011-08-24T13:50:00.002-06:00

The boys were very excited about our camping trip to the mountains. Here are some of the highlights. The mosquitos were BRUTAL. I have never seen them so bad. We kept up the Deet, but somehow little Drew got his face and head covered with bites. Someone at the store when we got home asked us if he had chicken pocks. There was a lot of fishing being done on this trip, but because of the impatient nature of the majority of the fishermen, few fish were caught. Probably many more fish were scared away from any others fishing near us as well. Lots of stomping in the water and reeling in and out of lines. No one got a hook in the eye or anything, however, and it is a miracle. From the pictures you would think we just sat around wiping chocolate pudding on our faces, but we did have some fun adventures. Jack is maybe more than a little interested in fire. We will keep an eye on that. Over all, it was pretty fun. It will only get better as Drew gets a little older and can be trusted not to wander away, pour out all our camp's water, spray sunblock in his face, dump his dinner on the ground, litter at the camp site or poop his pants. It's all uphill from here.

The Animal Place

2011-08-24T13:26:00.001-06:00

We had lots of fun with Grandma and Papa at the "Animal Place" as Drew calls it. I don't know why he finds "zoo" so hard to remember. The bird show was Jack and Evan's favorite. They have birds of prey and owls that swoop right over your head during the show. Drew liked it for the first five minutes and then when everyone clapped for the first time he said, "It's over, let's go see the snakes." I am so grateful to have such wonderful parents who are so involved in our kids lives and who show them so much love.

Pretty Boy

2011-06-16T12:31:00.003-06:00

Walked in to find Drew having just applied my mascara. He did a strangely good job.

Jack Turns 7

2011-06-16T12:22:00.001-06:00

For his birthday Jack chose to take a friend to Boondocks. It was crazy and fun. Jack just finished 1st grade. He was a great student and one of the best readers in the class. He loves to think and talk about math and science and I think he has a pretty hilarious sense of humor. We have this face that we give each other that we have dubbed the "seriously?" face. We give it to each other at least once a day. We have been making a list of 100 things to do this summer and here are some of his suggestions: 1. Have a day where we write everything to each other... no talking. 2. Have a day where we just build Legos all day. 3. Have a campout in the backyard, but remind Dad to turn the sprinkling system off this time. He has not lost any teeth yet, but has his first loose one now that he has been working on. His Grandpa Green likes to offer to tie the tooth to the garage door and open it. Jack does not think this is funny. He likes to stay up late and chat with mom and dad and he is an expert at stalling for bedtime. He is playing T-ball and Targhee is his coach. He is getting good at the game and has lots of fun. Jack is an old soul in a little body and has always seemed that way to me. We love you, Jack.

It's Just Me Mom, Drew

2011-06-16T12:08:00.000-06:00

No one coached him on these poses. How does the human male know this? Is it his superhuman instinct? Then after running aroung singing the nu nu nu nu Batman music, he stops, takes off the mask and says, "It's just me, Mom. It's Drew."

Evan Graduates from Preschool

2011-06-16T12:00:00.002-06:00

I have decided that for these posts I want to record the things about our kids that are specific to their personalities right now in their lives. Evan loved preschool. He is a child who prefers to play with friends rather than with toys. When Christmas or a birthday comes around I have a hard time deciding what to get him because he rarely plays with toys. He is funny about getting his picture taken lately. He either hides or makes a funny face. He has so much love to give. He is very affectionate and empathetic. When Evan is around I like to refer to it as "being draped in Evan." I often think about how little I have to manage him. He is just so easy. He also has some really great dance moves that he doesn't like being caught doing. He has this head-bob move that is my favorite. He likes to mouth the words to the songs he knows while we are driving in the car. He has this kind of rock-star face while he does it. Hilarious. He gets lots of growing pains in his legs at night. Targhee and I call them his "war wounds." Poor kid. He plays with Drew very patiently and makes sure he has help doing things. That is what Evan is like right now and I want to always remember it.

Watcha Doin? Aren't You a Little Young to Be 5?

2011-04-14T11:29:00.004-06:00

Evan turned five this week and he has had a great time. He had a friend party with 12 guests including himself and his brothers. What was I thinking? People who work in childcare have a special gift that I envy because that was the longest hour and a half of my life. We played games, ate Minion cupcakes, hit the pinata and opened gifts. Evan loves to scream a high-pitched sound when he is particularly excited. For this reason, we opened the gifts outside. I'm pretty sure by the end only the dogs could hear him in that range of frequency. We had family over to celebrate later that night and it was so fun to visit with them and for Evan to get to be with his "big cuzzies" who he loves so much. Thanks everyone for making Evan's day so special.

Minion Cupcakes

2011-04-14T10:58:00.003-06:00

I made these from a blog I saw. Evan wanted Minions and these were a huge hit among the five-year-olds. I found it at confessionsofacookbookqueen.blogspot.com.

Bubble Boys

2011-04-14T10:19:00.002-06:00

The boys have been on a bubble bath kick lately. Lots of Abraham Lincoln beards and hoarding of bubbles...you all remember the good old days of bubble baths as kids. Jack is getting too old and too cool for bathing with his brothers, so I had better capture these moments while I still can.

We're Not Hiking Again, Are We?

2011-03-13T17:23:00.002-06:00

We just finished a fun weekend together in Canyon Country. Well, fun is all relative. We had as much fun as you can have with a two-year-old that refuses to obey instructions. We were surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world, but the boys were happiest in the hotel pool. We spent time in Arches, Goblin Valley and Dead Horse Point. The weather was amazing, and we just enjoyed our time together without any of the normal, everyday things that can draw our attention away from that. Some of the highlights of the trip were that Jack was the keymaster and refused to let anyone else open the door to our hotel room. Evan had a bruised heel before we left and he spent the whole trip walking with one foot on tiptoe (and not complaining about it.) Drew managed to do somersaults all day and night (including in his sleep.) Targhee most enjoyed seeing the tourist on a Vespa scooter who we would pass in all the parks with his backpack and gear on the little machine(we figure he must have had some extra gas in that backpack.) For me, the best part was just being in the desert in sandals in March.

Green Family Photo

2011-01-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

This turned out pretty cute considering the disaster that the event was. Our friend Crystal does a beautiful job and she had her work cut out for her that day. It was about 7 degrees and we had to take the photo that day because the next day was Thanksgiving and Adam was leaving for Afghanistan the day afer that. The babies were cold and I think she got 5 picturs total. Anyway, like I always say, we might as well remember it how it really was.

The Little Green Cast

2011-01-14T09:31:00.001-07:00

Jack broke his thumb just as the holiday celebrations were starting. He was playing around in the back of the van and dropped the seat on his hand. He was very brave for the casting process and in fact was very excited about it. He wanted to start collecting signatures right away. If you notice, there is an overwhelming majority of girls names. He knows what he is doing already, ladies. I saw him in action the first day I brought him back to school and the girls were all too ready to lay on the sympathy...he loved it. Also, it was his right hand, so he had to learn to do most everything with his left. His teacher sent home a spelling test a couple of days after the cast was put on saying how impressed she was with his speed in learning to write and cut, etc. with his left hand. He doesn't like to bathe much anyway, so that was no big inconvenience for him. It was getting pretty ugly looking, though, there at the end. He insisted on keeping the cast after it was removed last week and now it keeps making random appearances at unlikely and undesirable times. Like at dinner, or when a repairman or other acquantiance arrives at our house. I think in the six-year-old mind, a grubby discarded cast makes a good conversation piece, but most people just think its creepy. So, if you stop by sometime, be prepared for an impromptu show-and-tell. If you are a germophobe, you might not want to stop by at all.

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

2011-01-05T14:31:00.003-07:00

You wouldn't have thought so the way Drew was eating the plastic ornaments. The tree is decorated in a candy theme, so I can understand his curiosity, but he did it more than once to the same kind of ornament. Nevertheless, our boys are at such a fun age for celebrating Christmas. We had such a great time this year. They really wanted to help put up everything and talk about all of it. When Christmas finally arrived, we had a wonderful time with family. Targhee's sister, Marijke, and her family surprised us all and came out from Pittsburg. Drew had a fun time with his same-age cuzzie, Easton (when he wasn't hitting him and taking his toys away.) The boys were spoiled by Santa and their grandparents. Christmas morning was full of the sound of caroling and bells and lasers and sirens and robot noises.

Dear Santa, I Can Explain

2010-12-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

This sums it all up.

It's Gonna Be A Long Winter

2010-12-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

Summer...where have you gone? These poor children are going crazy indoors. They are not meant to be kept this way. I showed Targhee this picture and he said, "All those kids were at our house at the same time? That gives me a stomachache just thinking about it." We really are lucky to have so many fun friends to play with that live so close. For this day they were all here, there are many more that they are at another mother's house. Thanks, ladies. Maybe we can all get through this winter together.

Halloween 2010

2010-12-03T19:48:00.000-07:00

Drew is still pretending to be a frog. He runs around saying, "Froggy rescue!" Evan looks at these pictures with me and says his Idiana Jones beard was all wrong. Jack had a blast at his class Halloween party where he ate his first donut off a string.

Boating with the Hales

2010-12-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Hales, for the last fun weekend of boating!!

Oh, Yeah. Soccer Fall 2010

2010-12-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

This is it for the fall season of soccer for Jack and Evan. I took this one picture out of guilt when we got home from the last game. Sorry, Jack, not even one of you, buddy. Keeping track of a two-year-old and watching the game kept me too occupied to take any pictures. Maybe next season, right. Well, if you were to see more pictures from Evan's first season of soccer, they would mostly include shots of him wandering around waiting to be told to run. Also, he would be holding hands with his friend Sam while running around in no specific direction.

The Glory of Motherhood

2010-10-23T10:57:00.005-06:00

There was a day this week that was one I won't soon forget. It was full of fighting and yelling among small boys. Lots of messes and general lack of compliance from the Child children. The end of the day topped it off, though. Jack asked me what I had made for dinner and when I told him he collapsed on the floor in tears. Like I had just run over a beloved pet with the car. Then, after dinner Targhee was being a wonderfully helpful husband and before leaving for his meetings he was bathing Drew. I walked into the bathroom to see Drew in the tub sucking the water from the cleaning rag that I had used to scrub the toilet earlier in the day. I had left it in the tub, meaning to take it to the laundry when I was done cleaning and Targhee assumed it was the washcloth planned for the bath. SO GROSS! I mean that toilet was bad. Apart from our dirty boys, I don't know how many neighbor children had left their mark on the toilet that week. I still throw up in my mouth a little just thinking about it. But, from the comforting words of my sister-in-law,"That is why they have an immune system."

Newbie Drewbie Turns Twobie

2010-09-19T10:44:00.002-06:00

He's not so newbie anymore, but as I have mentioned before, I plan on calling him my newborn for the rest of his life. He is so much fun. His language skills are going crazy and we are surprised everyday at how much more he can say. His recent favorite phrase that he learned from his lovely brothers is "tupid" (stupid). If I don't give him something he wants he says, "Mommy...tupid!" I should be angry and scandalized, but it sounds so cute I can't help but laugh. I try to cover my mouth so he doesn't see my reaction, but I just can't help it. He loves his brothers and especially loves playing with Evan. They are cute little buddies most of the time. If the boys leave to go to their friends houses, he stands by the door and cries and begs to go too. He still has his binkie and blanket (mink and bink) and they are a matched pair. One is useless without the other. The blanket is always dirty and I can't keep it clean no matter what I do. He loves to cuddle still and to have us read to him. I can't believe it has been two years already...but then again some days I can.

House Box

2010-09-19T10:32:00.001-06:00

When we were kids my dad was great at locating "house boxes." I remember playing in more than one refrigerator box, but I know we didn't ever get a new refrigerator. We would spend hours designing the box with windows and doors and arranging our blankets and toys inside. Of course the box seemed so much bigger then. Anyway, I think my children have inherited the love for the house box. We haven't gone as far as to get them a refrigerator box yet, but anytime there is a delivery or discarded diaper box, Jack and Evan are all over it. These house boxes are built for their "pets" (stuffed animals) and if I kept all the house boxes that have been built for these pets we would have an entire stuffed animal condo complex. Del Boxa Vista Phase 2. Sunday has been our house box construction day recently. I don't mind the mess since they play nicely together and can be creative. It is lots of fun to watch if you don't mind the incessant sound of butter knives sawing on cardboard.

Antelope Island

2010-09-12T10:09:00.001-06:00

Targhee was out of town all week helping his brother in Pittsburgh. He was gone over Labor Day and so my parents took us out to Antelope Island for a little fun. If you aren't from Utah, Antelope Island is an island in the Great Salt Lake. You can get there by driving across a causway. There is lots of wildlife including huge buffalo. Drew loved spotting the buffalos. "Mommy, look! Buffalos!" We had lots of fun and it was a beautiful day. Other than looking for buffalos, we played in the sand on the beach and had lunch out there. My dad had the buffalo burger. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Fire Truck Legos

2010-08-26T07:58:00.002-06:00

Jack is, as I have mentioned before, highly motivated by money. He has been working and saving up to buy a new little Lego set recently. Once he has been saving for a while and can't stand to wait any longer, he gets on Lego.com and finds what he wants. Then he has me open a new window for Amazon.com and he starts checking prices until he finds what is "in his budget." I love this because it teaches him to have a pretty good understanding for a six-year-old what the value of a dollar is. Also, he learns how to research a purchase to find the best deal. Once he made his decision to buy a fire truck Lego, the waiting for delivery began. He was pleasantly surprised to have his package arrive before the 5-8 day estimated time for delivery. At one point during the week UPS made a delivery for Targhee and Jack was pretty deflated to see someone else's name on the package. Jack is now assembling it in the living room with help from his brothers. He has put Evan in charge of guarding the parts while he is at school today. Drew just likes looking at the instructions and saying, "Reeaar. Fire Truck."

School Starts

2010-08-24T14:48:00.000-06:00

This is a pic of Evan and his girlfriends. He lets Drew tag along on occasion. School started yesterday and Evan and these friends couldn't be happier that all the big kids who are usually bossing them around and keeping them from the good toys are all back in school. Evan is also doing his best to enjoy the imposed "Mommy Time" that he and I are having each day while Drew naps. We read books and make up stories and with no one there to tell us our business. More to come on Jack's first week of school.

DH Party

2010-08-24T14:40:00.001-06:00

We went to a company party last week for Targ's work. Our boys don't seem to know the name of the company they just refer to it as "DH." Evan said he had lots of fun swimming in the "DH" pool. It was at the home of the company's President. We all had great food and a lot of fun. Evan made a new friend and Jack entertained everyone with his precociousness. Drew just terrorized their dog.

Evan: Not an Anti-Dentite

2010-08-24T14:33:00.000-06:00

Evan had his first dental check-up this last week. He was very excited before we arrived, but when he got into the room with all the strange equipment he became very nervous. The hygienist was great, though and got him warmed up by showing him the toy alligator they use to teach kids about what will be happening during the exam. Once Evan found out that he could watch Monsters, Inc. on the TV screen in the ceiling, he was loving it. He and Jack had another perfect cleaning with no cavities. Jack has to see an oral surgeon for a clogged saliva duct under his tongue, though. We thought it was just a recurring canker sore, but it needs some attention. They were good boys for their visit and Evan says that his favorite thing about the dentist was, "Getting the bag of prizes at the end."

Who Says This Economy is on the Rebound?

2010-08-04T20:37:00.000-06:00

Our money-motivated son Jack woke up this morning and made a list of things he wants to do before the summer is over. He looked over his list and decided that if he was ever going to get that Pillow Pet that he has had his eye on from the infomercials, he had better start bringing in some extra cash. He set up a stand at the curb, designed some signage and then sat down to wait for the money to roll in. It was hot and when I took these photos it had been about an hour with no customers yet. He was learning a little about how the rest of us have been feeling in this day and age. Emily next door told me that he was complaining to her that no one was stopping when they drove by even despite his efforts to "wave and smile really big." After a while his friends showed up and then the generous neighbors who drove by took pity on him and bought a glass. Business was so good for a few minutes there that he ran out of cups. As a matter of fact, I have received information from a reliable source that Jack was practicing receptacle reusal. I'm pretty sure two of my adult neighbors unknowingly drank from the same cup. Sorry Cory and Jana. Who knows what other kinds of health dept. violations occured in my front yard today, but what do you do. So thank you to all those great neighbors and friends who showed our Jack a little love today. I hope you are all feeling well.

Papa Jack's 80th Round-Up

2010-07-20T15:17:00.007-06:00

Targhee's grandpa turned 80 and we had a family party to beat all parties. Targhee's Aunt Traci always plans the most amazingly elaborate and fun events for our family. This year it was a cowboy theme and we all got into the spirit. There were pony rides, a bucking bronco, panning for gold, a shootin' range, and even some melodramatic entertainment. Targ's family came from all over including Pennsylvania and Seattle and neighbors and church friends were there too. There was a huge country buffet and all the food was delicious. I am saying all of this in a western accent in my head for some reason. Yee haw! The great-grand kids each told a cowboy joke or anecdote to the crowd and following that there was a disturbance in the party when Black Bart (John Holman) was spotted on the roof of the shed out back. The damsel in distress (Auntie Dutch) was flustered and called for the Sheriff (Targhee.) Black Bart was accused of "stealin' Jack's irrigation water and carousin' around with his women." A shoot-out ensued which resulted in Black Bart falling from the shed and peace being restored to the party. We all had a blast and because of Aunt Traci's efforts our family will remember that fun night forever! Click on each collage if you want to see the pictures up close.

Jack's First Fish

2010-07-08T09:41:00.001-06:00

I didn't mention in the last post that Jack was the only one that caught a fish on the trip. He was so excited as you can see (how cute is he here?!) Targhee told him that he should try now to catch one of each kind of trout in the state. "There are seven species of trout, " Jack has been telling anyone who will listen.

Uintas Hike July 5, 2010

2010-07-07T09:22:00.002-06:00

We had a fun adventure with our boys in the Uintas this weekend. We hiked to Long Lake for some fishing and fun. The boys loved it and did VERY well. No complaining on the hike including Drew! Some of the comments overheard were, Jack: "Let's watch for some landmarks so we can find our way back." Evan: "Mom and Dad, I just found a stick that smells like horse poo." Drew (in reference to the worms used in fishing): "nakes! nakes!" Awesome day. We are really excited to be spending more time with the boys in the Uintas in the near future. We all agreed that it is our favorite thing to do together.

Best 4th of July Weekend Ever Part 1

2010-07-07T09:10:00.000-06:00

We had such a fun weekend. We had lunch and fun times at cuzzies house on Saturday. They have a beautiful patio and the weather was awesome. The boys enjoyed a little slip-n-slide which evenutally turned into a game of human bowling. Thanks for the fun day, Dutch and John!

Lagoon

2010-06-23T12:30:00.000-06:00

We went to Lagoon with my brother Jared and his family this week and we had the funnest time ever! If I didn't have the chance to make fun of people with my brother every once in a while, my life would not be complete...and at Lagoon. It's just too easy. It was a beautiful day and not crowded at all. The boys love the rides, except for Evan who after an unpleasant ride on the spaceships was nervous the rest of the day. He is so cautious and it was just not his thing. Grandma and Papa watched the babies while we went and it was wonderful! Not that we don't love the babies, but you know. Love you Jared and Jen! Thanks for the fun day!

Jack Turns 6. Keeps Lego Stock High

2010-06-23T12:19:00.000-06:00

Jackalope is 6 and he is so happy. He is one of the late birthdays of the year and he was glad to finally be 6 since his friends would always remind him that he was the only one who was still 5. He is such a grown-up boy. He is very responsible about helping me with Drew and he is always in everyone else's business making sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. He is a great reader and is very excited for 1st grade. We call him "The Problem Solver" because whenever anyone is trying to figure out a way to do something or a reason for something Jack always has a plan or solution. The next door neighbors found a mouse in their window well and they were trying to figure out how it got down there and Jack suggested that a bat must have been involved. He gave us a detailed desription of why it must have been a bat and how the whole thing must have gone down. We love you, Jack Jack.

6th Birthday Party/Insane Asylum

2010-06-23T11:59:00.001-06:00

Jack had a few friends over for his birthday again this year. I can really only handle about 5 of them at a time anymore because I have learned that when little boys this age get together for a party they leave their rational, reasonable selves at home and they come as crack addicts. There is a lot of screaming and throwing things and leaping from furniture and frantic eating. It is all very disturbing. I think they had fun, though. They had a water balloon toss and Targhee hosted the pinata portion of the party. He wisely took it across the street to the park. How more people are not killed in pinata incidents I'll never know.

Lego Cake

2010-06-23T11:43:00.000-06:00

Jack, Jack, he's a Lego maniac. He wanted a Lego cake and I found this pan online. We made him into a Lego Power Miner if you know anything about Legos. Jack liked it, but didn't think it looked like a real Power Miner. "It didn't have the face the right way and it didn't have the armor I wanted."

Disclaimer: Lady Unicorn

2010-06-15T12:10:00.002-06:00

I made a post a few days ago about a card I got for my birthday. I received a few phone calls as a result of that post inquiring as to my true level of interest in that type of new age art. SERIOUSLY!! No I am not a unicorn art fan nor do I have plans to hang said unicorn art in my living room.. I have not been a unicorn fan since the late 80's. I apologize for the heavy sarcasm. No offense intended to those adult fans of unicorns.

Jack Finishes Kindergarten

2010-06-03T11:03:00.001-06:00

Jack graduated from Kindergarten this week. He has had such a wonderful experience with his teacher, Mrs. Phillips. She is such a gifted lady who amazes me with her ability to manage a class of 25 students by herself (she has 25 more in the PM!) Jack thinks she is the greatest person on Earth. After having the opportunity to help out in his class this year, I am more converted to the idea that good teachers should be paid more and should have all the resources they need. I wish our society could put all the time and energy we spend on celebrities and athletes into supporting our teachers, the true heroes that have a REAL effect on our families and our future.

This is the Park Place

2010-06-03T10:26:00.004-06:00

We went to This is the Place state park this past weekend and the boys LOVED it. It was baby animal season and they let the kids pet them and hold them. Our boys couldn't get enough of the baby chicks and ducks and the pony rides. Evan has been talking all week about "This is the Park Place." If you live in Utah and you havn't been there in a while, it is really a beautiful place with so many fun things to do. Jack loved the bead craft he made and he told us that the park was "more fun than Boondocks."

Drewbie the Reader

2010-06-03T10:04:00.000-06:00

Yeah, Jack's in his underwear, what else is new. The real reason for this photo is to explain about Drew's addiciton to reading. He follows us around the house ALL DAY wanting to read his collection of favorites. I am thrilled that he is so interested in books, however, I also admit to hiding the particularly obnoxious ones.

Lady Unicorn

2010-06-03T09:57:00.000-06:00

My brother Adam and his wife, Sara found this special birthday card for me. It is based on the work of art, "Lady Unicorn." I hope someday we can afford to buy a large print of it for our living room. Breathtaking, isn't it. I especially like the little harp that bridges her horn to her forhead. Certainly no detail was left out here.

Spring Soccer

2010-06-03T09:52:00.000-06:00

Jack played in his second season of soccer. He loved it and scored a goal in almost every game!

Spring Memories

2010-06-03T09:49:00.000-06:00

Batman Birthday Cake was Batman Awesome

2010-04-15T11:17:00.000-06:00

My friend Monika helped me (she did most of the work) on this fun Batman cake. Evan loved it and all the boys in the neighborhood and cousins that saw it thought it was pretty cool, too. Evan is a big Batman fan. Whenver he wants to express the strength or severity of something he uses the word Batman to do it. An example; "Mom, this time throw the ball Batman hard." Or; "When Tanner does flips on the tramp he goes Batman high."

Evan Turns 4

2010-04-15T11:10:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it? My sweet boy cannot be this old already. Saturday we went to Chuck-E-Cheese (have I told you how much I hate that place?!) Monday we had family over for cake and ice cream. Evan is such a grateful little boy. He gave hugs for all of his gifts and was just a pleasure to be with. He got a Batcave, a Nerf gun, an army dress-up, Hulk fists, Legos(including a Lego headlamp from Jared and Jen that is THE COOLEST), and lots of other great stuff. I have been telling him for the past few months to please not turn four. I tell him that I want him to be three forever. He just politely reminds me that he has to turn four, but that he would stay three if he could help it. He is just so much fun and so huggable and kissable right now. Everything he says is so innocent and wonderful (well, almost everything.) His big brown eyes are to die for. He has been really fun with Drew lately,too. I think they are going to be good buddies. When Evan was little, Jack would dictate any interaction he had with Evan, but Evan is so sweet and patient with Drew. All such different personalities. Well, Teddy Bear. Happy birthday. You have to slow down on your growing up.

Spring Break, Beaver Dam

2010-04-11T10:09:00.001-06:00

Maybe MTV hasn't yet caught on to the idea of moving their spring break celebrations to Beaver Dam, Arizona, but we have. I don't know if Beaver Dam is ready for MTV, however, since the mean age is around 70. Targhee's grandparents have a winter place there and it proved to be the perfect base camp for our little family vacation. The first night we were there Drew kept us up all night with a nasty ear infection, but we got into the doc the next day and got it taken care of. We met Jared and Jen and their boys on Saturday for some hiking fun in Snow Canyon, just outside of St. George. It was the perfect day for digging at the sand dunes (we are still finding red sand in every nook and cranny of the car, clothes, everywhere.) We went on a couple of fun hikes and had a great time together. Aunt Jen is wonderful. She even let Jack borrow one of her socks when he didn't put his back on before the hike and got a hot spot on his foot. Of course shortly thereafter he jumped into a puddle while wearing her sock. Sorry, Aunt Jen. Sunday we spent enjoying the day with Targ's grandparents and listening to conference. It was a beautiful day and so nice to be with Gram and Papa Jack. Monday we were ready to hit Zion National Park and the weather was terrible. We were still going to do it, though. We got there, and even rode the shuttle to the top of the canyon, but after two short hikes we were freezing and the wind was blinding us. Little Jack was not happy about the fact that we were putting him through that, so we spent the rest of the day seeing the sights from the car. Targhee took some great pics panorama-style that follow. It was a fun little vacation for our family. Plus, Targhee had no cell phone reception for 4 days which was delightful.

Family Vacation, Snow Canyon

2010-04-11T09:54:00.000-06:00

More Hiking with Cuzzies

2010-04-11T09:51:00.000-06:00

Zion National Park

2010-04-11T09:48:00.000-06:00

2010-04-11T09:46:00.001-06:00

Who's That Baby?!

2010-03-29T14:24:00.000-06:00

They're Always After Me Lucky Charms

2010-03-18T12:20:00.000-06:00

For the past few days Jack and his friends have been setting traps outside to catch a Leprechaun. They used the good part of a roll of aluminum foil in the traps citing that Leprechauns are lured by "shiny things." Jack has been checking the traps a few times each day to see if they have been effective. Yesterday when he came home from a friend's house, he found that the sneaky mythical creature had eluded his traps yet again, but had left some shiny gold candies. Jack was excited to see the candies, but sad that he had left no note. He woke up this morning to find that by magic the Leprechaun had turned our gallon of milk green. All very exciting.

The Mink

2010-03-15T12:51:00.002-06:00

I have been wanting to do this post for a long time. When Jack was born a few of my Mom's talented friends made blanket and burp cloth sets for us. This particular blanket is the one we chose to wrap him in to bring him home from the hospital. It was a nice, big, cotton, two-layered blanket, crocheted all along the edges. As time passed, Jack decided it was his favorite. He was a thumb-sucker early on and the very sight of this blanket seemed to send him into a thumb-sucking frenzy (it still does.) Before he could speak very well he named it, "Mink." He has never been away from this blanket for even one night. Over time he has completely unraveled the crocheted edge off of the blanket. Not one string of it remains. At one point he also tore it open, like a sleeping bag. I sewed it closed a couple of times at least, but he kept tearing it open. Then he would tear long strips from the sides and leave them dangling off of the blanket, looping the strips around his head and arms. I had to cut those off when he wasn't paying attention so that he wouldn't strangle himself in his sleep. Recently he has begun to tear at the fabric edge itself, pulling the individual threads out of the blanket (sucking his thumb all the while.) He takes these threads and rolls them into balls and leaves them in little piles all around the house like rabbit turds. I call them his "mink droppings." Often I find them in my hair or in my food. The thing is quite disgusting, but I think, if I'm honest, I am just as attached to it as he is. You may wonder why I have just spent so much time on such mundane details about a blanket. I have come to understand recently that life is all about the little, seemingly mundane minutes and moments of life. The mink reminds me of so many things that I never want to forget and that I'm afraid I might. That beautiful day we brought him home, my first perfect baby. I remember how his shiny blond hair looked in the sunlight that day. It reminds me of holding him and rocking him when he was sick or hurt or just content. How many times have I tucked it around him in the car or in his bed? It is the thing that ties baby Jack to growing up Jack. If I can't preserve the mink, I at least want to remember it's history in my life and Jack's.

An 80' Excellent Adventure

2010-03-14T09:20:00.002-06:00

Last night we had our ward 80's party. The committee did an awesome job with the decorating and it was just hilarious. What were we thinking back then? We played "Name That Tune" and I was the host. I tried to have a good mix of music styles from the decade. I played the song list for Targhee before the party to see how long it would take and it was funny to me that he guessed Aerosmith's Dude Looks Like a Lady after only the first two notes. I think everyone had fun, even the two couples who came to the party who weren't even born until the mid- eighties!

A New Newbie Drewbie

2010-02-22T15:17:00.001-07:00

I posted a few weeks ago about our grouchy baby. Well, since he has had his new ears(tubes), he has been getting a lot sweeter. In fact, I think we will be keeping him. He still isn't saying much, but he can whistle. Seriously, it's hilarious. I have been trying to get it on film to post here for the family out of state, but whenever I start filming one of the other boys walks into the shot naked. Unfortunatley I'm serious about that too. I try to keep them dressed. Anyway, Drewbie is getting to be a lot of fun. He likes to wear our hats, sit in the middle of the kitchen table, push over plants, play hide and seek with his brothers and he has developed a knack for running straight for the road whenever someone opens a door. Bath time has been the most interesting time of the day with Drew. His brothers are leary of bathing with him anymore because recently he has made the tub into what Targhee decribes as the "log flume." And more than once! As soon as someone notices it, everyone just starts throwing their toys out and bailing out of the tub screaming. Also, if we do not immediately get a diaper on him, he roams the house looking for the right spot to mark his territory. One time he stood in front of the toilet and peed on the floor. Just like his brothers. Literally just like his brothers. Twice now he has dived head first back into the tub, fully lotioned and dressed to be with his brothers who were still bathing. Even with all this naughtiness, though, he is still a cuddly, funny, smart baby who makes our day so much more exciting.

Reunited and it Tastes SO Good

2010-02-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

OK, so in my mind this is shaping up to be the biggest dorky sister missionary post of them all. I fully expect a very degrading comment from my brother Jared, but I am doing it anyway. The past few years I have been trying to recreate many of the awesome dishes I tried as a missionary in Spain. I admit I have even dreamt about some of this food. When I was pregnant I would crave things that don't exist in this country. Since I have been a mom and as my kids get older I am constantly trying to expand my menu of dinner options. I have been making Lentejas and Tortilla de Patatas since I was married and last year I finally figured out a good Paella, but there has been one dish that has eluded me. I would have Potaje de Garbanzos at the Soria family's house every other week in Jerez where I served for six months. I would always eat way too much and it was always so AMAZING! I have looked online for years, but none of the recipes ever looked right to me. Finally, since I have been back in touch with some friends from that town, I decided to ask my good friend Maite about the recipe. She emailed it the next day and I made it on Saturday. LOVE IT!!! I will definitely be adding it to my repetoire. Thanks, Maite. Jared, if you are nice, maybe I will make it for you someday. I will now insert a picture of the dish above. I will not, however, be posting a picture of how fat I got eating food like this on my mission.

Old School

2010-01-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

During the Christmas break I was able to spend some time with my good friends from college. I love them so much and am so happy that we are still in touch. These are girls who have made a huge imact on my life and I am so grateful that our paths crossed. Some of the greatest memories and experiences of my life were with these amazing girls! Hopefully we will have more of the same in the future. Love you, Susannah and Sunny!

The Red Blocks

2009-12-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

We got the kids these fun blocks for Christmas and Targhee has as much fun with them as the boys. The most popular idea is to take turns cocooning eachother in the blocks. Above are some of the structures that have been built. My favorite is the one that Evan and Hadley built "around" Targhee. The blocks kept falling off because he was laughing. Also it has become a fun activity to build a "baby gauntlet" and see if Drew can get through it because he doesn't like stepping on the blocks.

Christmas Day

2009-12-31T13:33:00.001-07:00

Christmas was lots of fun at our house this year. Drew was up at the crack of dawn, but everyone else slept in until 7, which was just fine with me since Jack woke us up 3 or 4 times last year in the middle of the night asking if it was time yet. We had a fun morning opening gifts and then Grandma & Papa and Adam & Sara came over for a late breakfast. Our favorite toy this year is probably Drew's little pony that talks and sings. The song is so catchy that we have all been singing it for a week now. "I'm a little pony. Clippety clop. Clippety clop. Such a pretty pony. Clippety clop. Clippety clop. I love to get my coat brushed underneath the old oak tree!" I am a firm believer that there is a special place in hell for the people who make toys that have annoying songs and sounds. We spent the rest of the day with Targhee's family at his grandparents' house. It was a great day. We just wish we could have been with Grandma Child and our aunties, uncles and cuzzies in Pittsburgh too! We love you and miss you.

The Ring Bearer

2009-12-18T16:18:00.001-07:00

My brother Adam was married today and Jack was invited to be the ring bearer. He was so excited and told me all morning how nervous he was. He did a great job and I couldn't stop smiling at him while he was in the ceremony. He was so good and quiet and looked like a stately little man up there. He and his Uncle Jared with their big thick heads of hair. Like a shag carpet. I just want to sit on them and play a board game. Anyway, we are so happy for Adam and Sara. I will post more pics here when I get them.

One Man's pile of Paper Towels is Another Man's Castle

2009-12-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

So I should just take all those Christmas presents back to the store right? HOURS they have spent with the paper towels.

New Ears...Same Old Attitude

2009-12-18T16:05:00.001-07:00

Baby Drew has had chronic ear infections. It has been a rough time for us all over the last few months. We had tubes put in his ears (or "new ears" according to Evan) 3 weeks ago. He has been a terrible sleeper his whole life and has always had a pretty grouchy demeanor. We though maybe his ear issues were fueling this problem. Nope. New ears, healthy baby, same tude. It did do wonders for his balance, though. The day after the surgery he was running around the house after having only taken a few steps here and there before the tubes. We love you Drewzilla. Our little stink-eye.

Thanksgiving and Happy Birthday

2009-11-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Targhee's birthday landed on Thanksgiving this year. He was a good sport to share the day with the whole family. He is getting old, though, as manifested in his physical state after the football game he participated in that morning. Nothing a little ibuprofin couldn't fix. We had our meal at Targhee's sister's house. It was all delicious. I love the shot here of Evan and his grilfriend with their Pilgrim hats they made earlier in the week. I couldn't resist posting those. Otherwise a Thanksgiving post would include photos of people sitting around looking regretful of the amount of food they have just eaten and a whole lot of nothing going on. We were with the Greens the next day and had fun with our little boy cuzzies. We love this fun time of year.

Will Julia Child Please Come to the Bakery

2009-11-22T20:09:00.003-07:00

Last week I had to take all three boys to the grocery store, which is not something I do on a regular basis for obvious reasons. In fact, I feel that criminals should, as part of their punishment, be required to take a shopping cart full of small children to the grocery store and should be expected to find a certain number of items on a list (which is being swatted at or chewed on by a baby,) Choose the items (which are on sale), price match those items at check-out, and not kill anyone in the process. Anyway, back to the small neighborhood grocery store with three small children. We were doing well until the two older boys were drawn away from the cart by a display of pet toys. Yes, pet toys. I turned up the adjacent aisle and began looking for the item on my list in that aisle while urging the boys to get back to the cart. I felt confident about the boys' location since I could still hear the squeaking of said pet toys, when suddenly it became silent. I hurried back to the display and they were gone. Just like that. LONG gone. I think I saw a tumble weed roll past. I was rushing around calling out their names for what seemed like only seconds when the PA system clicked on and the kindly female voice said, "We have two little boys here in the bakery looking for their mom." I tried to hurry because I knew what was coming next. The speaker clicked on again and the woman laughed, "Julia Child, you are needed in the bakery." I tried to ignore the giggling from the other shoppers around me. I can't say I blame them. The irony deserved a chuckle at the very least. As I turned the corner to the bakery I saw them both standing there HOLDING COOKIES and I tried to control both my embarrassment and my anger. Now that I look back on it, I'm not sure if I was more embarrassed about my apparent lack of parenting skills or the fact that I am so often mistakenly referred to as the late Julia Child. On the way home, after my lengthy lecture Jack said from the backseat, "Hey, Mom. You know that speaker where they call people out loud in the store? That is actually a phone!" I think the message they got from this experience was; Getting lost is fun!

Corn Maze with Cuzzies

2009-11-10T15:28:00.001-07:00

We could be shoveling poo somewhere and as long as we are with the cuzzies, that's still what our boys would want to do. We have a new tradition of going to a corn maze with cuzzies before Halloween for Family Home Evening. I think we need to change that because the corn maze is SO EXPENSIVE!!!! It's ridiculous. We will have to find something else for our tradition. We had a great time as usual with the cuzzies, however. Maybe next year we can find somewhere to shovel some poo...for free.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-10T13:56:00.001-07:00

Indiana Jones, Batman, and a grouchy spider. Jack was counting down the days to wear his Indie costume. He had a whip that was confiscated many times for misuse, but what did I expect? Evan is Batman. That child puts on a costume and he is immediately in character. So funny. Drew didn't know what the heck was going on, but it involved a lot a of candy so he just went with it. We went across the street to our neighborhood trunk or treat and then Targhee took them to do some door-to-door stuff. We thought they should learn how to pound the pavement like we had to when we were kids, right?! None of this 200 pieces of candy in 10 minutes crap. We had to work for it! Anyway, it was a very fun night and the amount of candy consumed in subsequent days was abhorrent, but hey, Halloween comes but once a year.

See Jack Read

2009-11-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Our Jack is loving Kindergarten. He has a wonderful teacher and it has been a great experience for him so far. He is always thinking and talking about the things he is learning. He loves to ask me math questions and how to spell things. I had to take a picture of this that I found on the kitchen table. Spelled out in Cheetos.

Our First Soccer Season

2009-11-10T13:25:00.002-07:00

I am behind on some of the posts I have been wanting to do. In September and October we had our first experience with soccer for Jack. He had a great time. His coach was very patient and Jack saw him as some sort of celebrity figure. Jack asked me at one point if "Coach" was really his first name. There was a lot of rolling around and wrestling, throwing of grass, and some soccer was played. Jack really liked playing goalie and he volunteered a lot for that position. Kindergarten-age soccer is truly something to behold. We can't wait for next season.

We Will Miss You, Brad

2009-10-19T11:21:00.000-06:00

Targhee's father passed away Saturday morning from injuries he received in a car accident. We love him and will miss him so much. Thank you to the friends and neighbors who have shown us so much love and support during this difficult time. His funeral service will be in our ward building here in Clinton on Friday, October 23rd. The viewing at 10:00 AM and the funeral at 11:00 AM. The address is 1800 N and 3000 W. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome.

Amazing Weekend

2009-10-08T11:45:00.001-06:00

We were so blessed to have a friend of mine visit us for our church's General Conference weekend. His name is Victor and he is from a family that I knew in Spain on my mission. He has been studying in New York City and was able to come out to Salt Lake for the weekend to attend the conference. The experience was really special for our family. As you can see in the collage above, we took him to Snowbasin to ride the tram. He was able to attend the Priesthood session Saturday night with some other former missionaries and then I had tickets for the Sunday morning session. There we met up with another friend from that same town in Spain who is now married and living in Provo. It was so unbelievable to me to be sitting in the conference center with thousands of people enjoying the meeting while sitting next to these two amazing Spaniards from so far away, but with the same testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Carmen Mari, the other friend, had served a mission there on Temple Square and we took a tour after the conference session. I have always loved the feelings I have there, but it was especially significant to be there with these friends. I think Victor enjoyed the experience. We miss him already. Our boys would not leave him alone! They loved playing with him and talking to him. Jack cried the next morning when he woke up and Victor was gone. I feel very strongly that these friendhips will continue forever. Victor's mother was a very special person to me on my mission and when I left, I just couldn't believe that would be the end of our association. Now all these years later that friendship has been renewed and our families are drawn together again. After this weekend with these people and after hearing the words of modern revelation, I feel so much love for my Savior and for His restored gospel. I know that it is for everyone and that He can work miracles in our lives and make so much more out of us that we could ever be alone. Thanks, Victor for letting us enjoy this great experience with you!

My Newborn is One!

2009-09-19T17:33:00.002-06:00

Targhee always tells me, "He's not your newborn anymore." I have decided that I will always refer to him as my "tiny newborn" even when he is 15 years old. One of my favorite aunts would call her youngest daughter that long after she was a big girl and I thought it was hilarious and wonderful. This was his birthday party and we had a big dinner for family to celebrate. I made leg of lamb (from the very animal Targ's grandpa raised.) It was lots of fun to get together to celebrate this little cutie. He had been really sick during the week, but as you can see, he was well enough to take down a slice of birthday cake. He has definitely been our most challenging baby. He is not a great sleeper and when he wants something he yells as loud as he can until he gets it. I am usually so run down with three boys that it works. He knows this and has me completely worked over... and the cycle continues. So, here's to you, Baby Drew, Drewbinski, Drewzilla, my Tiny Newborn. You keep us on our toes. Click on the collage to see his cuteness up close.

Teddy Goes to School

2009-09-10T14:31:00.000-06:00

Evan is going to grow up thinking that his name is Teddy, since most of our family calls him that. He went to preschool for the first time this week and did very well until he got outside and realized that the neighbor, who's child is also in the class, would be picking him up. He cried all the way home in their car. (Sorry Dave & Steph) He is a tender child who depends a lot on consistancy. OK, and he is a HUGE mama's boy. He didn't cry at all today, though, so that's good. This post is pretty lame, I wish I had something funny to say about the situation. Hmm. That's all I got.

SuperEvan

2009-09-04T09:28:00.001-06:00

Evan has this cape he loves to wear. He also has this little girlfriend he loves to play with. I saw him walking her home wearing only his underwear and cape and before I chased him down to put pants on him, I had to run for my camera. Evan makes me laugh every day. He is the most affectionate child and I can't get enough of his hugs and kisses. He also likes to sing songs about his love for me. OK, so his singing is somewhat painful. Sometimes only dogs can hear him when he hits his high notes, but it is all music to my ears. I know he gets away with a lot more than he should, but when I do get upset with him he just cries giant tears and begs me for forgiveness. I can't bear it. It is all I can do to follow through with whatever punshment I had planned because he seems so truly penitant. I also noticed that he says, "On your market, get set, go." Like piggie went to market. What a little gem of a boy.

Kindergarten Boy

2009-09-04T09:15:00.002-06:00

Jack is such a big boy. This was his first week of school and he did very well. He only let me walk him to school the first day and then he went by himself the rest of the week (we live right across the street.) I dropped him off that first day and then took the other boys jogging and I cried briefly, just thinking of this watershed moment. He is an old soul who was SO ready for school. He really likes his teacher, Mrs. Phillips, and will give me details about the day only if I pry them out of him (I'm sure that's how it will be with 3 boys.) Yesterday I left the computer on with music playing and the screensaver kicked on with all of the pictures that I have saved on that computer. Evan came and found me and said, "Mom, Jack is crying. I think he is sad." Jack was sitting there watching the pictures with the music playing and crying. I asked him why he was sad and he said the pictures of our family make him cry because he loves our family so much. He said the one that made him cry the most was one when Drew was a tiny baby because he was so cute. I was surprised that he would be affected by that. I wanted to write that so I will not forget it. My friends with older kids have been telling me that once the first child starts kindergarten, time seems to go more quickly than ever.

I'm On A Boat!

2009-08-21T11:47:00.001-06:00

We had a great time last night at our Clinton 17th Ward Bishopric social. Thank you to the Hales and the Porters for the use of their awesome boats for the activity. We had a blast even though it served as a reminder to many of us about the aging of our bodies. A lot of sore thirty-somethings today. Someone made the remark that these men spend more time with my husband than I do. I hadn't thought about it, but it's probably true. I'm happy he gets to associate with such great people who love to serve the Lord as much as he does. It was great for them to spend some relaxing time together. The pictures include Melissa surfing (she's amazing), Targhee hot-doggin' on the wakeboard (that's right, I said hot-doggin'), me and Amy on the tube (loved the safety gogs), Chris and Dave taking a soak, Brian before some extreme moves, Jenny and Zack on the boat, etc.

Whoaa, Nelly! What A Fun Pony Party

2009-08-08T15:45:00.000-06:00

I Had A Pony! (At a party)

2009-08-08T15:34:00.000-06:00

Why would anyone leave a pony country to come to a non-pony country? Seinfeld references aside, our boys had a blast at their cousin Alexa's pony party this week. There was a pony to ride and a pony-drawn cart that went really fast (who knew a pony could hustle like that?) We borrowed some authentic cowboy gear from our buddy Evrett (Thanks, Holly!) It was a beautiful day for riding ponies. Alexa's grandma Traci had games and cowboy food and prizes. She always thinks of everything to make the best time for the kids. We will never forget it!

Fish Lake Trip 2009

2009-08-06T09:50:00.000-06:00

Disclaimer: Grandmothers May Not Want to Look at or Read this Post

2009-08-06T09:43:00.001-06:00

Whittling sticks; something Targhee likes to do with our boys in a camping-type setting. Which really doesn't make the most sense being so many miles away from any really good health care. Uncle John Holman does own his own suture kit, but that's neither here nor there. I like how Targhee sits across from them eating an otter pop and critiquing their form. Wow, if you don't believe in angels looking over innocent children being supervised by crazy people, this one might convince you otherwise.

Family Fun at Fish Lake

2009-08-06T09:36:00.001-06:00

If Targ and I were to have passed by a group of people like our group of 27 people including 3 babies we would have looked at each other and said sarcastically, "That looks like a fun weekend." It really was, though! We had lots of room in a couple of cabins at Fish Lake. We ate like royalty, the boys were in dirt/stick heaven and even the babies were happy in the area we set up known as "the lambing pen." We stayed up late playing cards and piecing together one of those insanely large and difficult puzzles. We fished and hiked and just enjoyed being together. Thank you Papa Jack and Grandmother for such a great time! (Click on the collage to see the pictures better. Also, notice the one of Evan sitting on the ground. No little boy camping trip is complete without a good stick in the eye.)

More Fish Lake

2009-08-06T09:25:00.001-06:00

The boys loved fishing and caught quite a few with their borrowed Barbie pole. Targhee thought it was funny to put the baby down in the boat and let him grab at the flopping fish. We didn't think he would be able to catch it and put it in his mouth. That life jacket looks nice and safe too, right? Also, uncle John is definitely the coolest. He was totally comfortable with our 3 year-old and five-year old driving the boat. Sorry, grandma Trudy. I know you are just amazed every time you see our kids that they are still alive.

More Humor at the Expense of Others

2009-08-06T09:17:00.000-06:00

I know it's wrong. Finding so much joy in making my kids look like idiots for fun. Still, you have to admit it's worth it. Targhee's grandma Molly turned 80 and the family had a huge celebration for her with a fiesta theme. It was all very fun with delicious food, a Mariachi band (see next post) and of couse life-size cut-outs for photo ops.

Mariachi Memories

2009-08-06T08:51:00.000-06:00

The Mariachi band that played for the party was very entertaining. Their lip-synching abilities left much to be desired, but that was understandable since none of them speak Spanish. We hope Targ's grandmother enjoyed this special treat.

Vacation and Cuzzie Heaven

2009-07-06T10:17:00.003-06:00

Click on the collages to see pictures up close.

We spent the holiday weekend in Southern Utah. Before you think we are completely insane, we had a good reason. I have the opportunity to write some hotel reviews for a hotel and lodging association and so we stay for free at the hotels that request a review. Targhee's sister and brother-in-law agreed to join us for the fun and they stayed at Grandmother and Papa Jack's place nearby. Jack tells me on a regular basis that he would rather go and live with cuzzies because it is a lot more fun at their house, and because Auntie Dutch is not mean like me. Needless to say, having our cousins with us on vacation was very exciting. We went to Zion National Park to hike for a couple of days. The first day we decided to hike a portion of the Narrows trail. The hike is mostly in the river and was very fun, even though we were a little nervous at first about having the little ones to help along. Targhee had the baby in the backback and Uncle John carried Evan most of the way. Dutch and I helped Jack along in the spots that were sometimes waist deep. The boys all did very well and loved it. What a great experience that we know our kids will remember for a long time!

Catching Polliwoggers

2009-07-06T10:07:00.002-06:00

This was our hike the second day in Zion. The boys had fun catching "polliwoggers" at the Emerald Pools. Evan had a polliwog meltdown when we told him we couldn't take them with us. He then hiked angry down the rest of the trail. Don't hike angry.

Prune Hands

2009-07-06T10:04:00.000-06:00

We spent lots of time in hotel pools this weekend. We refer to all the boys in the pool together as "boy stew." We had lots of fun trying to beat the heat in St. George in July. Crazy hot.

Bear Lake Beach

2009-07-01T19:33:00.001-06:00

We recently spent a few days at Bear Lake, just our little family. It was so great to be together and to enjoy all the fun things to do. Jack's favorite thing about the beach was "that I made that big hole and that it took me just a little while and my hands didn't even get tired." Evan epecially liked "making that water goop." It was just a short walk down to the beach from the lake house. One of us could take the big boys down while the baby napped. I was able to sit and read for a while which was really just heaven on Earth. I loved taking these pictures of the boys and watching how entertained they can be playing in the sand.

Hey, Mom. Hug the Bear.

2009-07-01T19:23:00.000-06:00

We are so grateful to some friends who allowed us the use of their GORGEOUS lake house during our stay at Bear Lake. Evan was initially afraid of the large bear they have standing in the kitchen area. After he realized it was like a big toy bear, be would hug it...often. He also wanted to see the rest of us hug it...often. "Mom, hug the bear. Dad, go over there and hug the bear."

Bear Lake #2

2009-07-01T19:18:00.000-06:00

On our last rainy day in Bear Lake we drove to Montpelier, ID to see the Oregon Train Museum. I was impressed and so were the boys. There was a very friendly squirrel outside that could have sent us home with something more than the cheesy gift shop souvenirs we had our eyes on (tetanus, rabies?) Evan, in his continued desire to hug large, furry inanimate objects, was the inspiration for the bear rug shot. It was just so fun being together.

Bear Lake #1

2009-07-01T19:09:00.000-06:00

While we were at Bear Lake we had a couple of rainy days, so we went to tour the famed Minnetonka Cave. Jack said he most liked "how the lights shined on the crystals." Evan says he most enjoyed "touching the big rock." We had Drew in the kid backpack and were at the mouth of the cave when they metioned the 800+ stairs that would be climbed during the tour. My first thought was, "Wait, I don't remember that. What have we gotten ourselves into?" Luckily the boys loved it. Drew was well behaved except that he wanted to try and talk over the tour guide when it was quiet. I remember doing this tour when I was a kid and again before my mission. I'm pretty sure the script has been the same since the 1970's. Same jokes involving the Muppets, etc.

This Summer Has Been Real Nice, Clark

2009-07-01T18:39:00.001-06:00

There are a few things socially questionable about the event depicted in this collage. First of all, it's a Slip-n-Slide on the FRONT lawn. The second thing proving my increaing lapse in judgement is the fact that my kids are on a Slip-n-Slide, on my front lawn, in their underwear. Their swimsuits were already packed for our trip to Bear Lake, so what's a mom to do? I have to say, there is something magnetic about a slip-n-slide to the male 3-8 year demographic. No sooner did the vinyl hit the grass when little boys from all over the neigborhood came running in their swimwear, unable to be detained. I also learned from this experience that this same group of people seem unable to form a line to wait for their turn. If little boys ruled the world there would be Slip-n-Slides on every strip of grass everywhere and people would just be making mad dashes toward whatever service they required. Smashing into each other and wrestling to settle the dispute.

Late Night Birthday

2009-06-10T09:25:00.001-06:00

At first glance this collage looks more like a terrorist training camp or a militia recruitment event than a 5 year old birthday party. It felt like I was involved in some type of battle during the gift opening, but that's what you get with 7 five year olds loaded up on sugar. Jack wanted to have a "Late Night" party with his friends for his birthday. There was a tank cake, a pinata, and lots of craziness. Targhee found that all it took to get this crowd going was a good fart sound. I think everyone had fun and we all slept well that night.