M&M's Family

A Progression

2011-10-04T20:32:00.002-06:00

E has been losing teeth. Some due to licorice, others jarred loose by apples, they come out with a pop. She doesn't seem to mind, or even notice when they are gone. Check out this progression of photos:
One Gone.We call this the Nanny McFee look.
She seems to enjoy the attention.
Growing up fast! The last one is conference weekend. Thanks Grandma D for getting the photo.

Momentous Occasions

2011-08-17T21:48:00.002-06:00

Our first momentous occasion took place earlier this month when James was baptized. He was so excited, and so nervous. I was so proud of him. He sat still and paid such close attention through all the speakers. I could tell it was really important to him. It was a beautiful day. He is a wonderful boy. I love him so dang much!!!

Secondly, all the kids started school today. All four of them. (Yes, my baby's in kindergarten. sniff, sniff.) Aren't they a good looking bunch?

Vacation: Part Three

2011-08-17T21:17:00.005-06:00

The next morning we decided to drive to Newport and the Yaquina (Yuh-quin-uh) Bay lighthouse and tide pools where we watched seals and climbed 114 stairs to see the view from the top of the lighthouse.

This was followed by lunch with a view at Georgie’s Grill (fabulous clam chowder). We were going to go to the aquarium, but the weather was so nice we decided to hit the beach instead. If there is one thing I have learned about vacationing on the coast it is this: always be prepared for the beach (even though on this particular day I left Ellie’s suit home, but she was a good sport and happily played in her clothes).

After making the trek down to the beach below my children (can I include Mike in that category) engaged in fun activities consisting of building sandcastles (of course), wave jumping, burying random body parts, sand fights. Mike even tried to recreate his sea-weed lasso. I just enjoyed the sea air by reading a book. It was great!

On the way back to the car we encountered a random drum-circle. Everyone was pounding out their own personal rhythm. It was open to anyone who wanted to join, so of course James had to investigate. (For those of you who have not seen James walk you won’t understand this. James spins and jumps, cartwheels and rolls rather than walking.)

Favorite Quote of the Day: “Everything is about SALAD!” James said angrily with a conductor’s flourish.

The next day we headed to another hike on the Cascade Head Nature Trail. The most noteworthy part of this excursion was the fact that Ellen refused to be in any pictures. At one point we even gave her a camera, and asked her take a picture of Ali and Paris while we huddled around her and Janae tried to snap a photo. She was way too smart to be fooled. Little Punk. However, despite Ellie’s reticence to be in any pictures, the view was beautiful.

After the hike we headed to Neskowin, home of Proposal Rock and the Hawk Creek Café (highly recommended). Because of the nature of this beach, it is a great place to hunt for sand dollars. But the real fun came Ellie and Sophia buried themselves (in an effort to get warm) and then posed for the camera with their sand-filled bodies.

Favorite Quote of the Day: “Mom, I am the Queen of India,” said Ellen.

We spend our last day in Oregon at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, (home of the Spruce Goose). We took a tour of the airplanes for which James, who is ALL wriggle, stood at rapt attention for more than an hour. I love how much that kid loves planes.

Mostly, I think this museum will be remembered for (1) the kids’ first 3D movie, and (2) Ellie’s first ride on a merry-go-round, and (3) the fabulous playground they had outside the museum. All the toys were shaped like rockets, planes, and helicopters. What a hoot!

On the way home we stopped at a farm and picked up some fresh raspberries, fresh blueberries, and some honey. You haven’t tasted blueberries until you’ve had them farm fresh in Oregon.

We ended our vacation with a final tribute to the beach experience . . . we made smores . . . in the microwave. It was a great way to say farewell to the coast.

What a great vacation!

Look What E Can Do

2011-08-03T15:14:00.003-06:00

I interrupt the story of our vacation to bring you breaking news.

It took her about five minutes to learn to ride and five years to work up the courage to try. This really is an exciting moment!

Vacation: Part Two

2011-08-02T13:47:00.006-06:00

Our journey continued as we left Idaho and headed to Oregon, and our final destination Lincoln City; a trip that would take a mere nine-and-a-half hours (thank Heaven for portable DVD players). After a quick four hour jaunt across Oregon, we took a side trip to the Maryhill Museum located in Goldendale, Washington.

This art museum is housed in a fabulous Georgian-style home built by a man named Samuel Hill. It was a fun stopping place. My favorite part was the exhibit of chess sets from around the world. The workmanship was exquisite. I missed the Rodin because Ellie was too impatient to keep looking, but Mike said it was good. The kids enjoyed the Persian dress exhibition and the sculpture garden. Who knew such artistic taste existed in the middle of nowhere.

We continued our drive along the scenic Columbia River.It was cool to watch people kite surfing. It was great scenery for the long drive. We arrived in Lincoln City around 8 p.m. tired but happy.

The next day was Sunday. We went to church then came back to the house to relax. What did we do to relax you ask? Why, we watched the final Women’s World Cup soccer game. It was a really exciting game (and even though I could feel my blood pressure rising it was still relaxing). I love it when it ends with a shootout! Too bad we lost.

Afterward we went to Regatta Park and played. Then we took a walk on a “nature trail.” The thing I love about Oregon is how green it is. The plants are so prolific. It is so different from Utah.

Of course no trip to the coast would be complete without 85 trips to the beach so that evening, despite the cold and the wind, we went to walk and wade . . . and of course ended up soaked.

On the way to the tide pools, Mike picked up a long piece of washed-up seaweed with a bulb on the end of it, and swung it around like lasso. He thought it would be funny to lasso my feet, so with erring accuracy he let it go and caught Ellie instead. My, oh my, did she cry. Mike, on the other hand, was laughing so hard he couldn’t even explain to me what happened; it wasn’t until later on that evening that he finally explained why Ellie was crying. What a punk.

It was too cold to stay and play at the beach so we went to check out a glass blowing studio (they are everywhere). Very awesome and very warm, a glass blowing furnace is over 2000 degrees.

After a hearty deep-fried lunch of fish and chips from Dorey’s Cove we decided to hike to Deer Creek Falls. It was an easy hike, only about 3 miles round trip. However, the highlight wasn’t the falls, but the suspension bridge you have to cross to get to the falls.

Surprisingly enough, Ellie was the best hiker of them all. I don’t know if it is here innate drive to always win or what, but she is a fast hiker. She and I made it a race on the way back, and we beat everyone else by at least 5 minutes. Never underestimate short legs.

That evening we decided to launch balloon rockets for family night. Who knew you could have so much fun for $2.50. After we put the children to bed, Mike and I decided to end the day with a sunset walk on the beach.

Vacation: Part One

2011-07-30T16:34:00.017-06:00

For Christmas my sister Janae treated the whole family to one week in a house on the Oregon Coast. It was to be our first vacation in two years (the same amount of time Mike was in grad school . . . coincidence?). So, on the 15^th we packed up the car and set off for the coast, just the six of us (the rest of the family flew bpbpbpbpbp).

The destination of the first leg of our journey was Meridian, Idaho, the home of my Aunt Suzanne and Uncle Galen. We went by way of two exiting, touristy stops.

Stop one: Shoshone ice cave. (This place oozes tourist trap, but is actually run by the fine state of Idaho.) The cave is between 26 and 29 degrees year round, and the ground is made of a eight-foot thick sheet of ice. Of course, James being the macho man he is immediately declared, “It’s not even cold in here,” and refused to don his jacket.

Legend has it the cave was used as a prison for the daughter of a great Chief when she refused to marry the man her father chose. Some say her ghost still haunts the cave. A watermark bearing the likeness of a man on the rock outside the cave is said to be the chief still watching to make sure she never leaves. Spooky. The kids loved it. According to Anna, it was totally worth the $36 we paid to get in.

From there, we drove north about a thirty minutes to Craters of the Moon National Park. When the kids first saw it they complained that it was “nothing but lava rocks.” Of course Mike had to make the obligatory dinosaur-poo joke which was hilariously funny. Waka waka.

While driving through the park we came across a huge, black mound of lava dust. We took one look at the steep hill and just had to see what was at the top. So up we went.

After that we headed to a group of lava-tube caves. Ellie, sporting a fabulous headlamp, led the way. As soon as we entered the first cave it started to rain, so we had a great excuse to stay and explore. The kids were in heaven, there were so many places to climb. They shimmied through small places, and found new ways to get from here to there.

On the way back to the car, we had to take a new route through the lava field. There were so many places to hide. While the kids were busy playing, Mike hid in a small lava cave and patiently waited for one of them to walk by. Anna was the lucky one. Just as Anna walked by, Mike let out a deep growl. The resulting scream was very satisfactory, and we all had a good laugh and headed back to the car to continue our journey.

We finally made it to Meridian around 9 p.m. Naturally, we decided to go swimming. The kids swam and played with the cousins until 10, then we had a late supper, played some more, and finally made it to bed around midnight. It was a long but really great day.

Power Struggle #564

2011-07-10T21:50:00.001-06:00

Kindergarten registration requires a urinalysis. That means asking your five-year-old to pee in a cup. My youngest child, Ellie, turned five in December. She went for her kindergarten physical in January. She took one look at that cup and her iron-clad bladder refused to produce. Despite the fact the doctor kept saying, “We only need a few drops.” I knew that this rather inflexible child was not going to turn out even one drop, even if it meant she couldn’t pee for a week. So I decided to wait, and collect the urine at home. (Are you grossed out yet? It gets better.)

For months I have tried to incentivize the urine collection. I have offered ice cream, candy, movies, and sleepovers with grandma but to no avail. Instead of peeing in the cup, Ellie would craftily say, “Mom, I have to do something. I’ll be right back.” Then, she would sneak into the bathroom, do her business, and come back with an innocent face thinking she had gotten away with the deception. I let it go.

But Friday I decided was the day. No more excuses. It was time to fight the you-will-pee-in-the-cup-today-no-matter-how-much-you-cry battle. I started off the morning by providing as many drinks as possible, but the girl must have some kind of sixth sense because she hardly drank a thing. We went to the park, played out in the heat, and worked up a thirst. Still she insisted she was not thirsty. When we came home for lunch I informed her that we were going to try the cup but she insisted she didn’t need to go. HA!

Ellie then informed me that what she really wanted was privacy. I told her I was pretty sure she needed my help. So, in order to save Ellie’s modesty I ended up with headphones in my ears, music blaring, and my eyes squeezed shut. In essence, I was to pretend I was not there. After standing awkwardly for several minutes, pretending to be invisible, Ellie loudly declared she did not need to go. We’ll see about that I thought, and upstairs we went.

I walked straight to my emergency-supplies drawer and pulled out a can of Sprite. I poured the Sprite into a glass with ice, and added a straw. Ellie looked at it and said, “I’m not thirsty.” Did my sugar addict just refuse Sprite . . . with a straw? I could see she saw right through my plan to make her drink until she couldn’t hold it. So, naturally I did what any other overly-tired-of-this-power-struggle parent would do; I picked a battle and insisted that she drink the Sprite right now!

“My tummy hurts,” Ellie declared.

“Sprite is just the thing for a hurt tummy.” I replied.

“I don’t feel good. I think I better take a nap.”

Take a nap? Are you kidding me? This child really is desperate. “I want you to take five swallows.”

“No, mommy! (Insert blubbering here.) I don’t like it.”

“One.”

“Okay, just don’t count.”

This discussion went back and forth like a tennis match, and for once I was more stubborn than Ellie. After being coerced into taking five sips, she finally declared she needed to go to the bathroom. So, I grabbed my ipod and a piece of Rubbermaid and walked into the bathroom with my eyes closed and attempted to catch the pee. And guess what???? It finally happened. I was so happy and so was Ellie who afterward declared, “That was so easy!”

I put a lid on the container and set it on the counter so I would remember it when we went to the doctor’s office that afternoon (to get a shot, but that’s another story). Unfortunately, (here comes the irony) my valiant struggle was in vain because by the time we made it to the doctor the sample was too old, so I just decided to forget it. There’s a time limit on these things? Hello! I guess we’ll just have to try again next year.

Ta Dum!

2011-04-20T19:45:00.003-06:00

Finals are over. I keep waiting for that "everything is finally over" high, but it hasn't come yet. Does that mean I am getting old?

On a brighter note, I got my car back today. It looks fabulous without the dent. The only problem is, I may have difficulty identifying my Honda Pilot in parking lots ;).

2011-03-23T23:12:00.001-06:00

Sometimes when we spend time listening and learning about other peoples challenges, we walk away sharing some of the pain, leaving others with less.

Big #5

2011-01-09T11:10:00.002-07:00

Ellie turned five recently and had her first friend birthday party. There were five little girls, one for each year of Ellie's life. It was a princess party of course. The girls dressed up, made crowns, played stick the kiss on the frog, had a treasure hunt and of course ate castle cake.

Unfortunately, Ellie did not really appreciate my version of the cake. Ellie was not home when I put the cake together and I was not home when she saw the cake for the first time so I suppose there was a small communication gap. However, I was told the moment Ellie saw the cake she burst into tears saying, "That's not how I wanted it." Luckily, when it came time to blow out the candles she didn't look too disappointed.

Happy Birthday Sis!

In Lieu of Halloween

2010-11-06T13:36:00.002-06:00

A few days after Halloween, I realized that I had not taken a single picture. We had a great time, but I have no visual reminders of my children this year. So, instead of posting a Halloween update, I thought I would offer you a 17th Century religous poem by George Herbert that I discovered in my History of British Literature class. I think it is beautiful, and quite moving. I hope you enjoy it.

Love (3)

Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrace in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lacked anything.
A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?
Truth Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?
My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat. So
I did sit and eat.

Hooray for Hump-Day!

2010-10-20T11:54:00.003-06:00

Yes that's right it is finally here! The mid-term I have been waiting for. I am still alive and even in possession of most of my faculties. I survived the first seven weeks, and it even went by rather quickly. Only seven more to go until Christmas vacation. . .a time where I get to choose what I do and when. I can't wait. But I must make this post short as I have a test I must take. I guess there is a small downside to mid-term after all;).

Fathers & Sons

2010-09-26T20:19:00.003-06:00

Cleaner and warmer.

I didn't get good pics of the father's and son's outing, but as Ian and I, JC and J were about to leave Ian suggested that the kids wash up in the creek. I thought it was a pretty good joke (since it was cold outside and the stream was freezing!) and added that they would have to do it in their undies. Of course, the youngsters were happy to oblige (sorry for the sideways videos), and we were happy to goad them on:

As do most things when it comes to men, it turned into a contest.

The best thing...

2010-09-26T20:13:00.001-06:00

The best thing about apple crisp...

Is having it shared with you.

Bleu Cheese Touch

2010-09-20T15:54:00.002-06:00

The Cougars haven't fared so well this season, but the Bleu Cheese Touch might get a BCS bowl.
J with the hand-off.
J blocking for some other kid with the hand-off.
White knuckles at the line.
Center lineman springing into action. A great game- many flags were thrown, and nobody had to be carried from the field.

Children who Recycle

2010-09-18T09:15:00.006-06:00

I went out to find J and L the kids this morning- I had heard them in the back yard. I could still hear them but couldn't see them. Eventually I found them here:

I am hoping they were just in it for the fun... they didn't ask me to roll them out to the curb!

J Burning it up- wait for it...

2010-09-06T20:46:00.000-06:00

2010-09-06T20:37:00.002-06:00

Recently, Anna and I went Backpacking with Mitch and Mad. We had a fun time gazing at the stars and huddling around a small camp fire. The girls appreciated our food selection, which consisted of cup-o-noodles, hot chocolate, instant oatmeal, doughnuts, and gummy-worms.
Just wanted to share this picture of the sky. I took it near our house as a storm faded. -Mike

First

2010-09-02T07:57:00.006-06:00

For the first time in...well really, the first time ever, our entire family is in school. Yes, school. As in homework, and intelligent discussion, and homework. So, if we seem a little absentee in mind and body know that it is in pursuit of higher education...and will all be worth it in the end. Right?

A New Home for the Night

2010-07-20T22:04:00.007-06:00

Last night we had a late night delivery. Not just boxes, but sectional-couch-size boxes (thanks Al and P!). They were so big they almost didn't fit through the fence to the backyard. It was just like Christmas when I unveiled them in the morning. The children spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon crafting homes. They would make very chic homeless people.

This is the final result: a one room palace big enough for 4 and all stuffed animals, pillow, blankets, cushions, games etc. that they could ever need for a sleepover.

They look pretty happy in their home-made tent. Sleep well little ones.

Summer Happenings

2010-07-20T21:44:00.003-06:00

I haven't posted much this summer so I thought I would bring you a few highlights. First we have Mike celebrating Independence Day with his super festive red-white-AND-blue tie ensemble. It was the talk of the Sunday School.

This summer James discovered "The Magic Treehouse" book series. Here he is with Ellen, playing Jack and Annie, in a reinactment of Afternoon on the Amazon. I have to say he looks pretty handsome in those specs.

Here is Sophia at her second swim meet against Riverside Country Club. She did a great job, and was true to herself in that despite the outside sunshine and high temperature...she was cold.

James celebrated his SEVENTH birthday this July. Here he is blowing out the candles of his Heli-pad birthday cake. Special thanks to Angie for finishing the cake and hosting the party. Unfortunately I missed everything because I was sick. LAME-OH!

Not pictured is Anna, who went to girls camp for the first time and LOVED it. She hasn't stopped singing camp songs since she got home.

As for me, if I could picture myself it would be in front of the computer...doing homework. Yes, I am in school again; I am on the 15 year plan. Maybe I'll actually finish this time. Maybe.

The Race

2010-06-12T16:50:00.002-06:00

Sophia swam in her first meet today. She swam the 50m freestyle, the 25m backstroke, the 25m breaststroke, and the 200m freestyle relay events. She did a great job, despite being a little nervous about the newness of everything. This video shows Sophia swimming her favorite...the breaststroke. She did such a good job, her stroke is just beautiful. I am so proud of her. She is an amazing girl.

The Soccer Mom

2010-05-24T12:01:00.003-06:00

Okay, I admit it...I am a TOTAL soccer mom (minus the minivan). From August to October and March through May there is little else I think about. Both girls had really fun seasons. They worked hard and improved quite a bit. We even discovered that Anna is an amazing goalie...much to her dismay, as she would rather run around on the field colliding with anyone who tries to get near the goal.

This year Anna played on a AA competition team called the Jaguars. It was a newly formed team so it was a rough start, but by the end they were beginning to play like a team. They are such cute girls. I can't wait until next season.

On Saturday, Sophia tried out for a U-10 AA competition league and made it. She was is so excited and she is really looking forward for soccer season to begin.

I am so glad the girls enjoy playing so much. I totally love the game so it has been really fun coaching them and seeing them grow. However, I am also looking forward to next season as I will not be coaching either Anna or Sophia's team. I really look forward to sitting back in the cheering section...of course James might need a coach :).

2010-05-16T18:43:00.002-06:00

Over spring break (yes I know that was two months ago) we made a visit to the farm at Thanksgiving Point.

There we discovered how to be Cow Pokes (or cow "sits" as the case may be).

We fed the ducks.

We (minus E) took a pony ride including the obligatory photos... whether they were wanted or not.

And finally concluded our visit with a brief stay in the village jail.

It was a fun afternoon.

Little E

2010-05-16T18:21:00.002-06:00

My initial name-writing guilt arrived one morning at the public library. We were standing in line at the children's circulation desk, waiting to get a name tag for story time. Ellie's turn comes up. The librarian looks at Ellie and asks for her name. In a minute whisper Ellie replies. Then comes the guilt inducing question.... "How do you spell that sweetie?" Obviously, this question is not directed to me. I look at the librarian incredulously and intervene with a "she doesn't know how to spell her name yet." "Oh," the librarian says. That settled it. There may be moments when I cannot even get the child to do something as pleasant as eat candy cheerfully, but I am going to get this child to write her name....even the small "e" at the end. And you know what? It wasn't even half as painful as I thought it would be. In fact, it was kind of fun.

See that smile? That's a I-just-wrote-my-name-and-I-am-so-happy-about-it-I-will-condesend-to-have-my-picture-taken smile.

Here's the close up view. Check out that lower case e. I am so impressed.

Karate Chop!

2010-05-16T18:12:00.003-06:00

James came home from karate a couple weeks ago with a board that he had split in half...with his bare hand. He was very casual about it and reported, "You only have to hit it three times, mom. The first two you hit it soft with concentration. The third hit you hit it hard and it breaks." He was very anxious to try it again. So far, he has kept those lethal hands to himself and my furniture remains in tact.

FHE Funnies

2010-04-27T16:52:00.003-06:00

Last night in FHE we were talking about how Jesus told Simon Peter to "feed my sheep." So I asked the children, what they could do to feed the sheep. Ellen stood in front of me, face to face, with her hand raised high. So, as I could no longer see anyone else in the room, I acknowledged her and asked, "So Ellen, how can you feed the sheep?" Her reply was funny but true. "We can feed them corn, mommy!" That wasn't quite the reply I had in mind. I didn't know sheep ate corn.

Hmmmm

2010-04-15T08:41:00.003-06:00

This morning as I sat in the carpool drop-off lane I witnessed the most hilarious thing. I had dropped Anna off, and I sat waiting for her to return with the math assignments for the sick kids at home, when out of the corner of my eye I saw something surprising... Parked in front of me was a truck with a cover over its bed. The back was open, and inside, laying prostrate face down was a girl. She lay there for a minute with her arms spread wide, her red shirt blaring against the black of the bed. Then realizing she was at her destination, she slowly slithered out of the truck bed, grabbed her backpack, closed the tailgate, and went into school. So my question is, did she really come to school in the back of the truck?

Bad Dreams

2010-04-01T21:08:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I am the first to admit that I could never write a book about parenting because, let's face it, kids are totally baffling. So I was really wondering if I went wrong somewhere when tonight my little Ellie prayed that James would have bad dreams. Maybe, it's just me...but I think that's taking April Fools Day a little too far. Who knew Ellie had such a dark sense of humor. I just hope she didn't notice me laughing in the dark....afterall, I really don't want to encourage this type of behavior ;).

What?!

2010-04-01T08:30:00.003-06:00

It's finally here...April Fools Day! James has been waiting and planning all week to play an April Fools joke on me, but through my vast April Fools experience I have learned that the best time to play a joke is before the jokee realizes what day it is. That being said, first thing in the morning I jumped gleefully out of bed, and ran with a purposeful panic downstairs to James' room. I paused outside the door to get in character and ran into the room, grabbed his covers and in an urgent voice said, "James, James get up! It's 8:15. You're late for school." Now to the boy's credit he didn't even flinch but flung his covers off the bed, sprang out of bed, and ran out of the room. I called out to him, "James, wait." He obediently came back into the room, a look of determined focus on his face. I looked at him and in my best nah-nah-nah-nah-nah voice I said, "April Fools!" He immediately tackled me with an "I can't believe you got me," and we laughed. Of course, he spent the rest of the morning trying to get me with things like "Ellen's fish (a big yellow rocking fish) is growing!" But to no avail. That's right. Mom-1 James-0.

Bad Hair Day?

2010-03-02T19:46:00.004-07:00

Some people have bad hair days. While some people....have James hair days. Three inches of pure mess, combed by his pillow. Unfortunately, NOT dress code.

Results

2010-02-19T22:39:00.002-07:00

I received an email today telling me to check my application status. I clicked on the link, entered my password, clicked on results, and read the words "we regret". I did all I could do, I guess it just wasn't meant to be. My only problem now is, what do I do next? If music isn't the right direction, what is?

2010-02-19T18:59:00.003-07:00

James was frustrated today about having to dry the dishes. I told him I thought some upbeat music would help him along, to which his reply was: "Crap! that will just slow me down dancing."

Atta Girl Nan!

2010-02-04T20:25:00.004-07:00

Today Anna's Activity Day leader encouraged her group of girls to find a way to earn some money to donate to the disaster relief effort in Haiti. Anna took this very seriously and as soon as she came home she began to create a flyer advertising her babysitting services with all the proceeds to be donated to Haiti. Then she made a list of families in our ward that she would feel comfortable sitting for and off we went to deliver. She knocked on each door and presented her flyer as well as a sales pitch., all by herself. WOW! I am so proud of her for being so proactive, and finding a way to serve others....even if she is only eleven years old.

Oops

2010-01-05T13:18:00.003-07:00

Okay, so this morning I am on facebook and I see that one of my friends profile pictures is none other than the Wicked Witch of the West (who from here on will be known as WWW). Well, at the exact moment I see the WWW Ellie walks over to my computer, looks at the screen, sees the witch, and asks, "Who is that mommy?" I tell her it's the WWW. Her follow up question is, "What does she sound like mommy?" So of course, in all my brain-deaded wisdom, I cackle the spookiest most convincing WWW cackle ever (I mean it was REALLY good). Immediately I can see this was the wrong choice because I look over to see her terrified face. She begins to bawl her poor little head off. I now have to spend the next 30 minutes apologizing profusely and telling her that witches aren't real (of course she insists they are). In the end I worked it out by explaining that in the end of the Wizard of Oz the WWW gets melted by a bucket of water, and turns into slimy green goo. That seemed to satisfy her fears...for the moment. I sure hope she can sleep tonight. I guess that 'mommy of the year award' is going to pass me over yet again this year. Hopefully she'll block this entire experience out. At least I can laugh about it, right?

Some People Can Sleep Anywhere

2009-12-03T13:34:00.005-07:00

It was long morning of holiday shopping for me and Ellen. When we arrived home Ellen went directly to the kitchen counter so she could eat a treat she earned for being such a good shopper. She didn't even get in one bite before she slumped against the counter and fell fast asleep.

It doesn't look that comfortable, but I know how she feels...shopping wears me out too.

2009-12-02T14:51:00.003-07:00

We decided to spend Black Friday afternoon ice skating instead of shopping. When we first arrived the Zamboni was refinishing the ice. It was interesting to watch. I totally want to drive one. Then we took off on the ice. Ellen was Mike's constant attachment, she only wanted to skate with him and only gave Mike a break for once around the rink with the aunties. She loved skating....as I suppose anyone would if they had someone to push them around the ice. All the fun and none of the work :).

It was so nice of the Duncan aunties to come with us. The more grown-ups at the ice rink the better. We had a 5:4 ratio, so I sat out to take pictures.
This picture is a little squished, but if you look closely you can see James sitting on an ice-walker and being pushed around the ice by Uncle Paris. James really knows how to enjoy himself.

Sophia skated with Aunt Ali until she found her confidence, then she took off on her own. She has been really looking forward to go skating for a long time. I am glad we were able to make it.

I think James likes to wipe out just for the photo op. He is a mad skater, the boy has no fear. He is highly entertaining to watch.

Ellie loves her daddy!

Wish Me Luck

2009-11-30T09:06:00.002-07:00

As many of you know I have been studying voice since September in the hopes of auditioning for BYU's vocal performance major. Last week, with the help of the most awesome camera man ever (THANK YOU PATRICK) I filmed my audition dvd,and today I finally turned it in. If I make it through the pre-screening process I will get a live audition on January 30. Hopefully all will go well. Wish me luck.

We're Back

2009-11-26T12:48:00.004-07:00

Our trip across the pond was wonderful. It was great to spend a week with each other seeing new sights, eating new food, and enjoying life.

Here we are at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The thing is massive. We enjoyed sitting in the park, watching the gypsies try to hustle people, followed by the police chasing them down. Not to mention the soldiers packing M-16s. Plazas are awesome places to people watch.
Here is Mike near the entrance to the Louvre....the most overwhelmingly huge museum ever. I highly recommend Napoleon's apartments.

Here is me in one of the courtyards at the Louvre. I just can't get over the size of this place.

This is Notre Dame at night. We were walking by after having dinner in the Latin Quarter, and we noticed the cathedral was open. We went in, and they were in the middle of mass. We sat down to listen and enjoy the ambiance. Afterward, they rang the bells. It was an amazing experience. Paris really is like no other city I have ever been.

London was great too. We visited several places but one of our favorites was the Portobello Road market held every Saturday. I had no idea that Portobello Road was a real place. I highly recommend it. It's a great place to pick up trinkets of all kinds.

Overall it was a really great trip. I am so lucky Mike had to work!

2009-10-16T20:00:00.002-06:00

I think it would be fun to go here:

I think I should like to go there as well. With Meredith. In November. Yes, I think I would like that very much.

Mike

What Kids Say

2009-08-31T12:57:00.002-06:00

Here are some of the things my kids have been saying lately that make me laugh.

James: I ALWAYS have to sit by a crying woman!

Ellen: Hey Christian, do you want to touch my muscle?

James stated, "Girls don't have to do hard stuff." To which Anna replied, "Yes they do, they have to have babies." James just looked incredulous and retorted, "That's NOT hard."

Anna turns 11

2009-08-29T19:05:00.004-06:00

We celebrated Anna's birthday with a family party on Friday night. I put her in charge of the decorations and was quite taken with her creative display of birthday decor. I especially loved the smiley face made of crepe paper on the ceiling. I don't quite know how she reached that high (considering I can't reach it without a stool) but it looks awesome. And the hanging bags....genius!

Seeing the cake. You will notice the cake is shaped like a shooting star. When Anna asked for a star cake I tried not to panic, I mean having a star shaped pan is one thing, but shaping a star yourself takes finesse. Luckily for me, I am married to a man with star shaping talent, and the desire to decorate cakes at 10:30 at night.

Making a wish. She was very deliberate about this. I guess that means she still believes in magic. I am glad about that.

The traditional 'blowing out the candles' shot. Why do we always take this? Lucky for Anna, she looks cute doing everything! Overall it was a really great birthday. Anna is such a great kid. It is so fun for me to be around her and to experience her little personality quirks. She is so smart and beautiful. She is turning out to be so responsible, helpful, and good. She is my right hand girl. I love her so much!

1450 West Theater Company Does it Again!

2009-08-24T15:51:00.004-06:00

Here are a few pics of our neighborhood summer theater production of Miss Fox (based on the picture book by Simon Puttock). The play had everything...multiple scene changes, sound effects, paper mache costumes, even a dramatic almost death scene. The kids did a super job, and we had a lot of fun putting together.
Miss Fox applying for a teaching job with Mr. Billy the Niceville School's head teacher. Little does he know that this wonderful teacher has an ulterior motive.

Billy Bunny innocently waiting with Caylee Cat for the wonderful Miss Fox to come to class, so she can tell them wonderful stories about kind and generous foxes.

Miss Fox fattening up her unsuspecting class with treats. "Miss Fox never eats treats. I wonder what she does eat?"

Miss Fox has sneakily lured her class under the guise of a "nice long nature walk" to a cliff, far away from school, where she plans to eat every single one of them..."After all, wonderful teachers do not have favorites."

The whole cast: Maddie(Lilly Lamb), Sophie (Polly Pig), Anna (Miss Felicity Fox), James (Billy Bunny), Ashley (Caylee Cat), and Zac (George Giraffe).

The First Day of School 2009

2009-08-19T11:31:00.003-06:00

Well the first day of shcool finally arrived. The kids were so excited to begin a regular schedule of learning again. I hope the enthusiasm continues. But the big question is...what in the world am I going to do with three of my children gone ALL day? I know I will figure out how to cope, but seriously, they are such a big part of my life they leave a big hole when they are gone. Ellen is taking it well so far, and only cried once because she wants to go to school with the big kids. It is going to be interesting to have just one child at home. Breathe deeply. It's going to be okay.

The big three on the big day.

Big J our first grader.

Sophia, the third grader with attitude.

Who is this lady like little thing? It's Anna.....the sixth grader! I am not that old really.

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

2009-08-17T10:59:00.003-06:00

Anna and Sophia put together this little musical number to help celebrate Auntie Ali and Auntie J's birthday. It's the BIG 3-0, and therefore requires a musical number.

Do Your Ears Hang Low...Part II

2009-08-17T10:47:00.003-06:00

Okay, so we had the twins do it. After all everyone needs a little birthday humiliation right?

Beautiful Baked Goods

2009-08-07T14:22:00.003-06:00

For our last cooking class the girls decided they wanted to make apple dumplings...in honor of The Apple Dumplin Gang which they recently saw. I had never even seen an apple dumpling before, so luckily there my cook book had great pictures. I was amazed at how well they turned out. They really were a work of art, both to the eyes and the palate!

Hike to the Falls

2009-07-28T15:15:00.003-06:00

We decided to get out an enjoy nature by hiking to Stewart Falls with our friends the Paxmans . The day was perfect, it was cool and cloudy. We got off to a slow start because we decided to hike from the Sundance trail head which is rather obscure, but we finally found it. It was great fun...especially once Ellen decided that she could walk.

This is the view from afar.

This is the closer view.

Ryn is such a cutie!

The kids taking a rest on the trail.

The Best FHE Activity Ever!

2009-07-28T15:12:00.002-06:00

If you are ever hard up for a family home evening activity try having a whip-cream fight with your neighbors! It's a total blast,

Fun At The Lake

2009-07-28T13:57:00.006-06:00

We spent part of the week at East Canyon Reservoir. We fished, camped out in a yurt, went swimming, made sand castles, canoed, and went geo-caching. It was especially fun because cousin Rachel came with us. It was great to see her. It's so nice to have "big-girl" cousins to play with!

FINALLY

2009-07-19T21:35:00.006-06:00

James has been trying to loose his top front tooth forever. It just hung there, half attached. Waiting...begging to be pulled but the stubborn thing would not come out. Finally, while chewing a piece of bubble gum, it came out. I think you will agree that his smile is much more agreeable without the hanging tooth.

Jump on It!

2009-07-19T13:46:00.003-06:00

We went to Jump On It for FHE. It took Ellie a while to get into jumping, but she finally did. She was dancing and twirling and jumping all over the place. What a cutie!

Good Times at the Family Reunion

2009-07-19T13:30:00.004-06:00

We had a Weight family reunion this weekend at Jolly's Ranch. It great to see everyone and get reacquainted. We played games, camped, (and of course) feasted but the highlight of the festivities was playing in the creek. I think this was a first for the kids and they totally ate it up...except Ellen. She just sat on the side of the creek and refused to even get her feet wet :).

Welcome to the Family!

2009-07-19T13:23:00.005-06:00

Alison and Paris were married on Thursday. Congratulations, and welcome to the family. It's nice to add some testosterone to all the estrogen. The score is now girls:7, boys:3.

The Birthday Cake

2009-07-15T14:09:00.007-06:00

For James's birthday he wanted a firetruck cake. He came very seriously to ask if Aunt Angie could come over and make it for him. However, since Angie is way tooooo far away he had to make due with me. Luckily, he liked my cake interpretation of" firetruck". Personally, I am just grateful that it turned out red instead of hot-pink!

Friday Field trip

2009-07-10T15:27:00.011-06:00

We made our way to the Discovery Gateway...the children's musuem for the Salt Lake valley, to celebrate Friday. It was a lot of fun and discovery. A day filled with wonder and most importantly NO WHINING! Anna had fun while trying her hand at weather reporting in front of a green screen and discovered, it's not as easy as it looks on the news.
For Ellen, the world is still such a new place that she was amazed by everything. It is so fun to see the world through a child's eyes once in a while.
I think Sophia was just happy to have somewhere to wear her new hat. She's pretty darn cute!

James had a great time trying out new professions. Unfortunately, this police car was munchkin size. But he had a good time trying to sqeeze himself in while wearing a fireman's jacket and hat.
James took up so much time in the helicopter cockpit that there was a large line waiting for a turn by the time he was done. The best part of it was that he insisted the child taking his place as the pilot wear the red vest. It was great!

Overall it was a fun field trip. Thanks to Janae for coming along for the fun. I am really going to be sad when summer is over and we no longer have time for things like this during the week. I guess that one of the perks of being a mom is getting the summers "off" with your kids. I love summer vacation!

Check out this improvised play, on the theater stage.

Stylin

2009-07-07T20:37:00.003-06:00

My future's SO bright, I gotta wear shades!

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-07T18:33:00.010-06:00

We started our celebrations on July 3rd, by attending Provo's balloon festival. James and Ellen were in awe, and kept saying how the balloons flew by magic. It was great fun, and amazingly beautiful.

James was very chipper for being awakened so early.
On the 4th we were part of the the Grand Parade. Anna and Sophia rode their scooters in wide circles to advertise their school Freedom Academy. I walked along with them, while James got to ride INSIDE the firetruck that doubled as our float. It was a lot of fun.

It was a great 4th of July. I love this country!

Ride That Potty Train Baby!

2009-07-07T17:50:00.005-06:00

We have finally made it to the milestone every mother dreams about! That's right, after 10+ years of changing diapers I am finally retiring. Hallelujah! Ellen is a super potty trainer. In fact I would say this has probably been the easiest potty training I have ever done. Of course, that has everything to do with the fact that I am far more relaxed now, than when I trained Anna..Sophia...and James. Plus I have a new no stress, positive peer pressure method that is totally motivating to the unmotivated toddler and worry free to mom.

The ABC's

2009-06-07T14:50:00.003-06:00

Ellen recently learned to sing her abc's. She is pretty proud of herself.

Super J

2009-06-07T14:36:00.003-06:00

James has recently discovered the joys of T-ball. I have never seen him so enthusiastic about a game. It is really fun to watch him play.

Re-creation

2009-06-07T14:31:00.003-06:00

Saturday Anna ran excitedly into the house, begging me to bring out the camera. When I made it outside I saw this. After taking the picture I mentioned to Anna how impressed I was that she was trying to recreate George Washington's crossing of the Delaware. Her response was utter amazement that I knew what she was doing. I guess Mom is just full of surprises.

Status Update

2009-05-12T22:25:00.003-06:00

Where I am.

Where my brain is.

Sping Break

2009-04-29T13:45:00.007-06:00

For spring break we decided to visit the San Rafael Valley. We gathered our tent, sleeping bags, coats, and our courage and headed out into the COLDEST spring break ever. We had a lot of fun, but I was grateful we didn't freeze to death that first night...or any other night for that matter. (When we went to bed that first night it was 28 degrees.) Our first day trip took us to Goblin Valley. The kids loved it. They played on, in, around, and through the "goblins" for hours. On day two we hiked the narrows of Little Wild Horse Canyon. It was amazing! I have never seen rock formations like it before. The kids loved climbing around on all the rocks. We tried to talk the children, James and Anna specifically, into following the "don't climb higher than your head" guideline (mainly to keep my nerves from exploding), but as they only followed it half the time we are very thankful no one broke anything. Ellen's favorite part of hiking the canyon was the sand everywhere. She got amazingly dirty, and had the time of her life. Really, I am just glad sand is near the ground. On our last day en route to home we went hunting for ancient rock art. It took a while to find, but it was worth the journey. In addition to our petraglyphs we also found these perfectly round fossilized dirt clods called concretions. They were humongous and very cool. Really the highlight of the trip for me was the face that Ellen slept and hiked well. It was so fun to have everyone enjoying themselves...even me.

When Vampires Attack

2009-04-29T13:26:00.004-06:00

Mike recently went to the doctor to have a mole removed. The mole didn't seem that big, but by the time the dermatologist finally removed the whole thing, Mike was left with a long line of stitches on his neck. While he tries to make it inconspicuous by keeping it covered with flesh covered bandages, inevitably someone will notice and ask what happened. The following are just a few of his current stories.
*Vampire Attack
*Neck Lift
*Knife fight
If you have any other ideas we would love to hear them. After all, the truth about most injuries is not usually very interesting....and where's the fun in that?

Turbo Jam

2009-04-08T11:59:00.002-06:00

James has recently discovered the wonderful world of calories. Next to light sabers it is his favorite topic of conversation. He doesn't view calories as you and I do, namely a thing to be avoided whenever possible, but in as a healthy amazing source of energy. Because of this, he is constantly trying to get calories so he can have energy to play, do his homework, or in today's case....do the TURBO JAM workout! On the way home from school today James announced that he wanted macaroni and cheese for lunch so he would have time to do the "20-minute workout" before lunch. After we got home he went down stairs and changed into his "workout clothes". Then he turned the workout on in my room, shut the door, and told me I was banished until it was over. Of course, I had to sneek a peak, and let me tell you if I could have gotten some secret video of him doing aerobics it would have been priceless!!! He is such a cutie. I love the enthusiasm this kid has!

Spring Is Here!

2009-03-23T19:46:00.004-06:00

We celebrated the beginning of spring with a trip to the park with Auntie J. Anna, our little monkey, had to tryout all of her old tricks. I got them all on video so that I can tell her to not do them anymore because, after Ayzha's monkeybar incident, playground equipment has a whole new menacing image. Ellen was really fun to watch because last summer she was petrified of all park toys but, this year she finds complete delight in everything. It is so fun to watch her play. We followed our HOT (the kids were all dying of heat by the time we left) trip to the park with icecream of course! It was a really fun day. It was so nice to finally have a sunny day to play. Too bad it won't last.

Trip to the Museum

2009-03-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

We went to the BYU Museum of Art for the opening of the Walter Wick (he does all the pictures for the I Spy books) exhibition, and happened upon an exhibit of installation art also being shown there. One of the installation pieces included a corner filled with packing peanuts which at various intervals would be blown around like sea waves by source of hidden air. James inparticular was very excited about this. He stood and watched it for several minutes...and then posed for these pictures. What a poser!

Winter Firsts

2009-02-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Because we live in a state famous for its winter sports we decided to introduce the kids to ice skating and cross-country skiing. It was a blast, even though we had our difficulties. These are definitely pass times that take practice. We had a great time learning together!

Pics at the park

2008-11-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

We found some homeless children at the park last week so we took some photos.

Ricardo Reincarnate

2008-10-27T08:29:00.000-06:00

Mer has been spending many evenings in community theatre lately, which has given me some free time in the evenings after putting the bambinos to sleep. What to do with free time? Chop, weld, paint, and grease of course!

I purchased an 80's model ten speed at DI about a year ago made by an Australian company. The name of the bike, emblazoned on the piping in white over green was "Ricardo" and this was soon well known to the neighborhood street kids. After a few months of tinkering, cutting and rejoining, with a few added parts, ricardo became a sleek, lowriding, recumbant, reincarnation. (The street children have accused me of forcing Ricardo's early passing from this life).

The most costly part of the project was the $24 i spent on 3 ten-speed chains to get the length I needed to circumcogulate the front and rear gears. Otherwise, I went through parts from two DI bikes, and a steel bar or two from my neighbor Randy and grandpa Al. (Thanks!)

The final product is a 9.5 foot long roadster with about an 18 foot turning radius. If you want to give it a ride, let me know!

After...

2008-08-25T22:18:00.000-06:00

How I felt after the trip to Amethyst Lake in the Uintahs. Notice the eye sparkle and slightly less furrowed brow...

Amethyst & Ostler lakes from Christmas Meadows Trailhead

2008-08-25T21:47:00.000-06:00

Less than 100 feet from camp.
Braden looking pleasurably smug, as usual.
Amethyst lake and basin.
Towering cliffs above our camp.

Chris enjoying the view.
Glass clear water on Ostler lake

13 miles with packs, 3 stoves, 1 fishing pole, 3 cameras, 2 tents and at least 1 gallon of water. The views and altitude were breathtaking. All returned with more than was taken. Below is what I found in Amethyst meadow below the cirque where Amethyst lake lies.

Sometimes when your eyes are drawn down to the earth,

you can better perceive what is above, in its reflection.

Before...

2008-08-25T21:10:00.000-06:00

This is me before heading out into the Uintah mountains. The pic says it all...

Maiden Voyage

2008-08-06T22:21:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is, our maiden voyage into the world of blogging. We'll see if this thing takes off in the busy winds or if it falls by the wayside and slowly melts back into the leafy compost of the trodden ground. If it should succeed, let it be a wonderful success filled with passion and majesty, if it should not, it will not be the first failed venture I have neglected.