Happy Birthday Cayden!

Cayden turned 11 this week!

It seems like just yesterday...

It wasn't until he opened all his presents from us that I realized he had a total Indiana Jones Birthday...no complaints from him! He got the awesome Lego Indiana Jones for the X Box 360... (A definite winner parents! How cool is it to see bad guys get hit by large spikes only to have their little Lego body break into pieces! No blood, no gore, only good clean Lego fun!) He also got the first and third Indy Movies, I have never liked the second one...too gross. And then he also got some Lego Indiana Jones sets, very cool.

So this little guy is pretty darn cute both on TV and in person...

And this guy is a definite hotty...

Call me a bit partial but I think this is the best looking Indy of them all.

Happy Birthday Cayden!

On a side note: we went to see Wall-e for his birthday. I got a few laughs and I'm glad we saw it but it was just OK for me and the kids. Kind of weird in a few places.

Tomorrow at 6:30 AM John, Branson and I fly to Orlando Florida until next Thursday!

Date Night

So I know times change but when John and I were on our date last

Saturday night I was thinking how much it lacked creativity.

Our Senior year in high school we went to the Halloween Ball as

Julius Caesar and Cleopatra...

Later that year my best friend and I spent two entire days decorating her basement like a jungle...

We ate homemade pizza and watched Crocodile Dundee.

Our date last Saturday...

We are sitting outside of Subway eating sandwiches while drinking milkshakes from Sonic before heading to Wal-mart to get groceries.

~

I did think it was pretty cool that I could stand at our table and without even turning my head I could see all three of our date night locations.

~

John thought it was pretty cool that we got the milkshakes for .99 cents each and the Subs were from the $5 value menu.

~

OK so I guess we were a little creative.

WWF

A few weekends ago my boys had a few friends over. They are all good boys and I enjoy having each of them in my home. There were three 10 year olds and two 12 1/2 year olds. As always, all five of them ended up on the trampoline wrestling. I had just peeked out at them and all seemed fine, well at least as fine as can be with five boys slamming one another into the ground.

To make a long story short one of the younger boys came inside crying uncontrollably and gasping for breath. After pulling all of them into my dining room the truth came out...they had decided that they would allow "choke holds" and if the person being choked started to not like it they could "tap out." For those of you who are innocent to the ways of WWF wrestling, to "tap out" means you tap the mat to call "uncle" and the other person immediately stops choking you. Ten minutes after coming inside the 10 year old's throat was still hurting him and he was still tearing up.

I was so angry with those boys! Here were five boys, three of which weren't even my own and they were all getting it from me. I said, "Who was choking people out there, raise your hand!" Every one of them raised their hand. I was on a roll, "For being such smart boys that was a stupid thing to do! This isn't X Box! You could really hurt each other by doing something as dumb as choking!" As I was ranting and lecturing, Anderson kept trying to interrupt me and then I really let him have it. After my verbal beating was done I sent my boys to their room, sent the other two brothers home on their bikes (letting them know that I would be calling their mother soon) and called the fifth boy's grandma to come get him.

John wasn't home and I decided to let my boys stew over their dumb brained idea until he got back. Well, three hours later it was 8:00 PM, John wasn't home yet, and I figured my boys had been in their room long enough. As I walked down the hall I saw a note taped to their bedroom door. I assumed it was an apology letter but as I flipped on the hallway light this is what I saw...

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th I booted the kids out of the house so I could get

some things done. Sydney and Anderson choose to sit on the front

lawn, eat Fishy Crackers, and read. It wasn't until I came up closer to them that

I got a good look at Anderson...

Day Camp Is Done!

Day camp is done!

It was a full three days so I have done nothing today

but lay around and rotate a bit of laundry.

This is what the boys did with the 2,900 pins that were put together.


~~~~


I took 100's of pictures of all the campers but here are a few of my favorite shots...CameronDallin

Jackson

MasonEastonEthan & MarilynJosh The Ashton Boys
Anderson came to camp and helped me all three days. He's a great kid to have around.

Call me a city girl...I did not know that you had to fold a sheep in half to sheer it!

Another year done and I am so thankful for my partner in crime, Shirley Lott.
Speaking of crime I can't wait for next year!
CSI: Cub Scout Investigation.


(As a side note: the above picture will be going on my fridge along with a quotation below it. The quotation will be as follows, "We were all wondering if you are expecting again! Oh you're not, well your tummy is still so round...we were all really hoping."
To answer your question the quote was said at day camp by a dear sister in my ward. No hard feelings, the truth hurts)

Unfortunately...

Unfortunately I have had so much I've needed to get done lately that I couldn't possibly do it all...

Fortunately, the Stake Primary Presidency offered to come and help me get some of the day camp stuff done...

Unfortunately, two hours before they were due to come help you could barely walk through my house...

Fortunately you can close bedroom and bathroom doors..

Unfortunately we weren't meeting in any of my bathrooms or bedrooms...

Fortunately, Alicia came over to help me with a quick pick up of the play room and family room! It was spic and span by the time the ladies arrived ...

Unfortunately, the ladies couldn't stay to help indefinitely and there are a total of 2,700 Cub Scout Core Value Pins to cut out, laminate, cut out again and hot glue on the pin backs. (Who's stupid idea was it to have a pin for every stinkin' class anyway...oh mine)

Fortunately Danyelle and Ryan loaned me all the seasons of The Office and I get to watch them for the FIRST time while cutting, laminating, cutting and gluing...

Unfortunately I still had a TON of shopping to do for Day Camp and you can't watch episodes of The Office while you are running errands to both Targets, every Dollar Tree in the Tri Cities and Wal-mart....

Fortunately Branson was a trooper spending over three hours in his car seat...

Unfortunately Pasco Wal-mart did not have enough Book Rings, Crayola Markers in Classic Colors and several other things that will send me to more stores at a later date...

Fortunately I still have a few more days before Day Camp Actually Begins...
Unfortunately that is a lot of days that the dishes are left undone...

Fortunately there are other alternatives...

Unfortunately they don't make plastic, disposable clothing that my kids can wear to school...

Fortunately today was Pajama Day and Crazy Hair Day, who cares if their school clothes are dirty...

Unfortunately I will be burning the midnight oil until camp is over...

Fortunately I love my calling!

The Many Faces of Branson

At seven months Branson is his own little personality. But every time someone sees him they are certain he looks just like Anderson...or Sydney...or Cayden or John. It is actually quite funny. People come up to me and say, "Oh my goodness he looks exactly like insert one of the above. " Then they always follow it with the same question,

"Doesn't he?" When I mention that people have said he looks like someone else the person

usually shakes their head and says, "No way, I don't see it."

So who do YOU think he looks like?

Oh... and NO ONE has EVER said that he looks like ME!

Book Review of the Week

So when

I went book

shopping I

came across

an amazing

new book

about all

natural

fertilizers.

It is truly

a must have

for the

growing season....

My Mowing Buddy

I don't know which one of us has more fun...

Indiana Jones

Cayden's 4th grade class put on a Science Wax Museum. Each student had to pick a scientist to study and portray. Cayden came home wanting to be a paleontologist. Of course we went straight to Goggle. The biggest name we found was a guy named Roy Chapman Andrews. A few minutes into our study produced exciting results. This gentleman was the inspiration behind the Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider Movies. Why doesn't Indy like snakes? Roy Chapman and his crew were awaken one night to 47 deadly vipers crawling into their tent.

Last night at the wax museum each child was dressed like their scientist and had prepared a display board and monologue. They remained in a statue like pose until the name of their scientist was said out loud. At the mention of their name the "scientist" came to life and would recite their monologue by memory and then become silent again. They weren't allowed to answer questions or talk to anybody. It was pretty impressive.

Cayden as Roy Chapman Andrews aka Indiana Jones

Cayden's monologue:

Sixty years before the fantastic Indiana Jones adventure trilogy, the real Indiana Jones was making spectacular dinosaur discoveries, suffering through blistering sandstorms, fending off deadly vipers and fighting roving bandits.

Hi, my name is Roy Chapman Andrews and I am the real Indiana Jones. I was born on January 26, 1884 in Beloit Wisconsin. After earning my masters in Mammalogy I joined the Explores Club in 1908.

Although everyone thought I was crazy, on March 21, 1922 I led an expedition to Mongolia. It was on this trip that I discovered the first Velociraptor skeleton ever found. Over the years I explored thousands of miles of uncharted desert and made amazing discoveries. I found a mastodon skeleton and the first dinosaur eggs.

I died of a heart attack unexpectedly on March 11, 1960. I am remembered for my courage and countless discoveries. I am known for saying, "I was born to be an explorer, I couldn't do anything else and be happy."

Roy Chapman Andrews

Who Knew?

I bought this awesome book a few months ago

and I love it. It gives way cool "tips, secrets, and quick fixes

to make your life easier." One of my favorite hints is for that

stubborn ketchup at the bottom of the bottle. Instead of propping

your ketchup upside down for an hour, simply grab the bottom of the

container, stand in the middle of your kitchen and swing your arm in a big circle.

Helpful hint #2 Make sure the cap is closed...

The pictures do not do the mess justice. I was cleaning my fridge at the time and wanted to combine two ketchup bottles into one. The fridge door was open. Ketchup splattered onto the eggs, butter and the door I had just cleaned. Branson's formula can was open... Our ceiling is 1969 cemented on popcorn. It took the following to get the splatters off and I still see a red streak.

For dinner on Monday night I was making Sloppy Joes and talking to my mom on the phone. When I got to the line telling me to add bread crumbs I did a double take. I was reading my recipe for Meat Loaf! In my frying pan I had poured vinegar, added brown sugar and right in the middle of the whole mess were two eggs I had just cracked. It actually tasted rather good and the kids didn't even notice the little twang of the vinegar.

As people were filing in for Bunco last night I was madly trying to get the pizzas done in time for dinner. As I pulled the first extra large pizza out of the oven I jerked it too fast and the far end flipped over towards me and I suddenly had a huge pizza sandwich! Well you know what happens when you stick two side of cheese together and then try to unstick them...it wasn't a pretty site.

Oh and I left Elizabeth Spurgeon at school the other day, totally forgot her.

Who knew life could get this crazy!?

I think I need to s l o w down.