Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?

If you live in Arizona you swim!  

My kids all did FANTASTIC this year on swim team.  

They all made me so proud.  

Of course we had some fun in the sun days in our own backyard as well.  

Thanks to Costco I was able to use this underwater 

camera for a few weeks until it didn't work and they took it back. 

 I *HEART* Costco!  Truly, if you ever have to buy anything major, 

buy it from them.  Anywhere else and I would be out $200!!!

Move Over Chef Duff

Mikensee is in the house! Here is her very first cake! Thanks Grandma for the class! She LOVES it! She's already sick of frosting, but I assure you the lack of sugar won't harm her!

You are my Valentine

5 classes, 15 kids, 2 teachers = a WHOLE lot of Valentines. . . I refuse to spend money these days on things that are of no worth and therefore we made our own! (Sorry poor companies that make the ridiculously cheesy and expensive kids valentines!) We made a memory and too many book marks that I'm sure the kids in class were not as excited to receive as candy, but I knew there would already be plenty of that going around! I love you, my Valentines!

Responsible is a HUGE Word

This morning I spent some time in my room reading. . . Friday's the kids do not have school and although I was awake at my usual time I did not feel like getting up. I spent an extra hour feeling my sheets and snuggling with Wyatt who crawled into bed in the wee hours of morning. I was catching up on my Ensign and reading my Sunday School and Relief Society lessons for the coming week when Jessica wanted to make breakfast at about 7:30. I told her that was fine if she could act responsibly. Those of you who know Jessica well know that responsibility doesn't come easily. Still I wasn't prepared for what I found at 8:30! I asked her if she thought the mess I found was responsible. . . her reply "Mom, responsible is a huge word."

I didn't think to catch a photo of the before, but this is the after. . . Seeing as they have a mop bucket out I'm sure you can use your imagination. Fortunately for me they had a good attitude even though I probably wasn't as nice as I should have been about the mess in the first place. . . Note to self; don't let Jessica make breakfast alone again for a long, long time. . .appreciate the fact that they did actually try to clean up the mess and had some fun while doing it!

Wyatt's Christmas List

Wyatt is just in love with Christmas. . . or rather the idea of getting everything he wants! On his list so far;

• Flying Shoes
• Remote Control Plane, Car, Space Ship, Helicopter
• Bow and Arrow with REAL Quiver
• Sticky Gun
• Snow Board
• etc., etc.,

He has made a drawing of each and every item AND a letter to Santa. He does not want to be forgotten!!! He's making my holidays bright, but I am a bit worried about how he'll react to not getting all of his wants met! :)

All the Bears Came Out Tonight. . .

but it's not a Teddy Bear Picnic! Last night was our Ward Fall Festival (Halloween Party). We're new to this ward but one of the amazing truths about the church is that no matter where you live or where you go it always feels like "home."

Dawn and Bennett came to join us! My surrogate "sis", I love her!

Bennie's first Halloween! What a sweet giraffe!

These Sister Missionaries ROCK! They are "Nerds" for Halloween, but I assure you there is nothing nerdy about them!

Don't let Jessica's frail figure fool you. She polished off both dogs!

Grandma popped in to see us before she went to work!

I think I need one of these at home!

Wyatt Earp

The Cowboy Dudes!

Walker Texas Ranger!

Estrella Hills Ward Christmas Party 2007

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Ribbons are good!

Today was our first swim meet of the 2008 swim season. Our trip to Balboa made them miss the first two meets. The kids did great! Mikensee got 2nd in the Breast Stroke for her heat and 4th in the Butterfly. In the heat prior the 1st place winner swam the 50 in 1.01. Mikensee's time was .57. Wyatt and Walker both did great. Wyatt can't stop smiling which explains why his brother got 1st and he got 3rd. He stops swimming to come up and smile after every few strokes. He was in a clear lead half way through the 25, but I guess all the cheering was just too much and he had to smile for all of his adoring fans. Walker gloated (a lot) about winning that heat. It's just too funny because they are the absolute youngest and smallest on our team and from what I hear the other teams youngest are almost 6. Jessica didn't fare as well in the ribbon department, although she did get 2nd in one heat. She did receive many comments on how fast she is. She was in a couple of losing medley's, but she really made up a lot of time for her team both times she swam. It was long. . . 4-9PM, but we had a great time. All in all I want the kids to race against their personal best and if you get a ribbon, that's good. Hopefully they will collect one in every color. :)

Souvenirs From the Beach

Today was haircut day. Wyatt and Walker have grown into allowing haircuts, but they are still not in love with the idea. Perhaps it's because it hurts to shave such a thick coat that held in at least 1/4th of the beach sand collected on our vacation. (Yes, it was still in there and I've got the pictures to prove it -- we washed the same head at least 15 times since then AND it's been swimming EVERY day since we came home!) I also think that they are so ticklish that the ticklishness hurts them. Either way, today's cuts were bribed by the promise of swimming pool time with mom (which explains the strange polka-dot outfit I'm wearing in these photos!)

Catching Up

Still not caught up, but getting there. . . I ordered new cell phones today, worked on my desk and paid bills. Tuesday's are always laundry day and of course we had swim team practice as well. Mike started a diet on Monday so I've been meaning to mention that I've grilled EVERY DAY this week. . . The kids LOVED my Terryiaki Chicken and the Hamburgers were okay too. If Mike loses 50 lbs (which he definitely needs to lose that and more) his boss is going to pay him $5000. Heaven knows we could use it and he needs to lose it!

The Backyard Pool

is finally not too cold (at least for the kids) for some fun! Let the swimming begin!

Such a Silly Boy

Sunday again and we're home, but not quite back into the swing of things. We did manage to make it to church relatively on time considering we were in the building that is 15 minutes farther away this week! Wyatt asked me oh so nicely if he might have a "spot of tea." He even thanked me as if I were the queen. Fortunately the only "tea" I drink is peppermint, cranberry, and a few other herbal varities in the winter when I'm cold. The tea today was Diet Coke. . . my vice.

Saturday is a Special Day

It's the day we get ready for Sunday. . . unless you've been gone for a week and got home at about 3AM. . . then it's the day you slept until 9, unpacked all day and then frantically prepared a dish for the potluck at 6PM. . .which you arrived to promptly at 6:35. We did snap a couple of pictures of the fur babies. . .

Maybe we should stay. . .

Today was spent killing time while mom washed all the sheets and towels and cleaned house so we could go home. It's hard to leave such a pristine life to go back home! We spent the day walking the island where the boys watched someone catch some fish off a public dock and we discovered several snails around the house. Mom almost decided to stay when the tank of gas she pumped to drive us home cost $99. Yes, that is the most expensive tank of gas she has ever purchased. We still put another $75 in when we hit Buckeye. And to think last week she wouldn't even buy a $64 dress!