I hope this isn't a trend . . .

So back at the first of January Ammon had me sign a piece of paper saying that he had a science fair project. I don't remember signing it except that for some reason my kids think just as we are walking out the door is the perfect time to have me sign things. Maybe they think I will quickly sign and forget whatever it is (maybe they know me too well). So yesterday as I just got home from the doctor with a sinus infection, bronchitis and my lungs sounding questionable I talked to Bill on the phone. He was bringing pizza home for dinner and even though he had a ton of bishopric stuff to do he would set the kids up so they were taken care of and do homework with them when he got home so I should take my medicine that causes drowsiness. I did. Well then Ammon and Carson get home from school and Ammon reminds me that he has a science fair project . . . and it's due tomorrow, and Carson has tons of homework and a nasty note from his teacher about his reading minutes.
Ammon and I work like crazy to do a science fair project, we look on the Internet for what seems like forever for some sort of idea that is EASY. I find a couple that I think will work, but he is determined to do something with magnets and levitation.
We finally compromise on seeing if there really is Iron in cereal, you check with magnets. We do the experiment and lay it out, work like crazy all night long while Carson reads, Bill gets home and helps Carson with his homework while Ammon and I finish working on his project. Ammon goes to bed while I fight with the printer to get the pictures to print (which takes hours). We get to bed late, We finish in the morning, I take the other kids to school while Ammon finishes gluing and I take him to school late, check him in and head to his class to find out when the fair is . . . .and what do I find out . . . the fair was last week. He had until today to turn in his report late or get a zero in science and would have gotten an A+ but since it was late got and A-.
It turned out pretty good considering all that and now 24 hours later I am SOOOOOO ready for some sleep. Maybe tonight.

Superbowl

So if I ever had a free trip or money that I didn't need to spend anywhere, it would be to take the family on a nice vacation to Disneyworld or to go to the Superbowl. I love a good game of football and love the Superbowl food, guacamole is one of my favorite things.
We do a little Superbowl party at our house. We have done it a couple of times at friends or families, but have enjoyed the last few years keeping it low-key. Jeffrey has come over for the last 2 years. This year was our first year in our big family room. I'm still strict about food in the TV room 1/2 so we ate along one side of the table.
This year it was exciting because the Steelers were in it. Taft has decided to completely boycott Steelers and go for the Raiders and anyone who goes against the Steelers. We have been more than supportive even though we hate the Raiders (mostly because of the gangs taking over the Raiders), but after Taft and Jeffrey got carried away with their unsportsmanlike conduct I think that all civilities are off.
It was a very good game, a little too tense for me. If anyone has ever seen King of Queens, there is an episode where Carry keeps cheating and she can't figure out why and then there is a flash back of her dad beating her and then standing up and screaming "winner" (pointing to himself) - "looser" (pointing to her). Well I found that completely appropriate at the end of the game to have Bill, myself, BJ, Carson and Heber line up on one side of the room and Taft, Jeffrey and Ammon on the other side and point to us and say "winners" and point to them and say "losers". Probably not very mature or in keeping "sabbath day holy" like, but it was all in good fun. I apologized afterwards. All in all a very fun day and we enjoyed a little competitive natured ribbing.

Draper Temple Open House

We took the kids to the Draper, Utah temple open house. It was so beautiful. I was so surprised by the colors. For some reason at first it just seemed wrong the colors we so hip and dark, but it was really beautiful. The kids seemed irritated at first because it was Friday night and they either wanted to go with friends or have a video night, but as the night progressed on they all had a great time.



B.J. seemed to have quite a few questions and really enjoyed the cookies at the end.




Taft seemed to really be soaking it all in quietly, really liked it, enjoyed the cookies, was embarrassed by how loud Heber was and was glad to be going home by the time we were done.



Ammon just completely soaked in the whole experience and asked a bunch of questions and really was impressed, he liked the cookies too.


Carson loved it and was particularly impressed with the baptismal font and the bus ride. He really loved the cookies and kept bringing my oatmeal raisin cookies because they are my favorite. Heber did too so I was beginning to look like a pig because I think Ammon brought me one too. Carson got separated from us and we were all in different places on the bus so I was trying to figure out if we had everyone as they were shutting the door. He wasn't on the bus so they had to wait while I went back in, he had found his primary teacher and they were just waiting for us to come back and get him.


Heber loved the whole thing and just ate it up. His favorite part was the bus ride and the whole bus had to hear a roaming commentary on the whole trip. "the temple is over on our right" "it's over on our left" (the road was wound around quite a bit so we got a lot of updates) he started to tell everyone what to do when we parked "please remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop". He took the brochure very seriously. We were suppose to be very quiet and he did his best to whisper but would verbally check things off as we came to them "okay there is that couch" "there are the big cows". We had a primary lesson on the alter in the temple and he was very anxious to be able to see it and the huge chandelier in the celestial room. When we got in the celestial room everything was so much quieter then anywhere else and I pointed out the chandelier to which both Carson and Heber said rather loudly "COOL". He left the carpet runner and was about to sit in one of the chairs when I hurriedly caught him just about to make himself comfortable.


After all that on the ride home I didn't quiet him at all (well maybe a little) but felt glad that we had got out of there without much more noise or events.


We were trying to decide if we really were going to go, we knew it would be a long trip and not sure if we thought it was worth it. It was so well worth it. I am so glad the kids were able to go and see it. I really think they enjoyed it and it was good for them to see where Bill and I go when we go to the temple. Heber said it was still the best to see the alter where you get to hold hands over.

Denny's and the Superbowl

 
So during the Superbowl the had an advertisement for free breakfast at Denny's, my kids thought that would be fun. None of them really thought we might try it out. BJ and Taft had school, but the other kids were off track. I thought about going and just surprising the kids and just taking the kids that were off track. That morning Carson woke up at 7:30 when I got home from driving the Junior hight kids to school and was so disappointed he didn't wake up at 6am to go to breakfast, which made me think maybe we should try out this crazy thing. Bill emailed asking if I was going to the take the Junior High kids and I thought that it might be fun. I haven't ever done anything like this, but thought that it might really be fun. Bill said that his mom had done something similar once or twice and he had really enjoyed it. I packed up the elementary kids and headed over to the Junior High.
The kids didn't have any idea and looked shocked, but you could wipe their smiles off their face. They asked if they would be going back to school and immediatly BJ was thinking. What are we going to tell them, how much
trouble are we going to be in, I had better not let it slip to his friends so they don't get in trouble. I assured them they would be okay and that I had told the office that we had a family event and needed to check them out and depending on how long it took they may not be back that day.
BJ kept saying "well I guess we aren't technically lying because we are all here". We drove past Denny's and the lines were crazy. I took a little picture of the line. I asked the kids if they wanted to wait in that line or if they would rather go to McDonalds. They all wanted to go to McDonalds except BJ. He was deteremined to go to Denny's. When I did some further investigation it was because he thought if we went to Denny's that would be more time out of school.
Mother of the year went even further and told them that it didn't matter where we went we were just going home afterwards and taking a day off of everything and would be playing video games.
It was such a great time, there wasn't any fighting. They all got along and enjoyed each others company. We got talking about all sorts of things on our way there. Somehow the subject got to proposition 8 in California, some kids in school had been telling BJ and Taft how wrong our church was and so we talked for a long time on freedoms, religion and politics.
It was one of the best times I have ever had with my kids and whether they remember it or not I always will. Not because I was a rebel and had a hooky day, but we just had a great time together and really got to talk and enjoy each other.
I'll have to do this once a year, the kids all said they wanted to do it everyday. I told them it was a very rare occasion and we have only done it once in the 10 years total that the kids have been in school so don't count on it. Taft said he is free next week, ha-ha.

Boys coming out of the woodwork . . .

I have my new computer back and have spent 3 days wasting time uploading pictures and fixing the red eye etc (we have been without it for 3-4 months so there are a lot of pictures). Judy did flashback Fridays so I think I will try it out. This is a picture of the boys climbing out of the crawl space under our addition. I love our addition and only have a few regrets. One of the biggest is that it took so long, but at first they were just gun-ho and doing everything fast so I didn't say anything, but they ended up taking so long I wish I would have made them wait to put up the framing until I cleaned out all the broken cement and dirt in the crawl space and made a door to it. There is a door, but it is under the carpet. The kids will probably be too big by the time we change the carpet, but I am going to make a door anyway so that we can go under there. It is stupid, I think it comes from the days of having a spooky place (under the stairs at home when I was young) but I love spooky places. It doesn't really mix with being a little claustrophobic so I probably wouldn't ever go down there, I just like the thought of it.
Anyway, I should keep all my crazy thoughts to myself. Not to worry I think only Judy and Jeanna ever read this and they know I'm crazy.
Sometimes the kids are good about my picture taking and sometimes they aren't. This picture actually isn't that bad, we were all goofing off. It was fun and great to remember. I really need to get some scrap-booking done!!

Bill's birthday 2007

 

I have wanted to get Bill's picture taken ever since he got put in the Bishopric, but haven't. I have also wanted a family photo, but haven't done that either. So in honor of having my quick computer back I am just going to get a few pcitures from the ones we have and do them so here is a picture of my honey. It is actually his birthday after a long day of meetings at the church (last year).