I have managed to go through 4 lessons of Art Masterpiece and I have learned a lot about art. Mostly, it is confusing but I like impressionism, because it makes you feel, but I think I mostly like the modern stuff. I was lucky enough to be able to do probably my all-time favorite artist, Norman Rockwell. I think what I like most about his work is he takes everyday situations and finds humor, joy, and peace in them.
I realized that I am kind of like that too. A friend commented that my blog is a lot like his paintings. I take normal everyday events and twist a little humor into them. I was very honored to have been compared to that because he brings much joy to me when I just sit and look at his work. They are the joys and pitfalls in life and how you handle them is what makes you the person you are.

 

On that note, here are a few of my favorites!!!

I love this guy!!!  

 

 Coin Toss

 

 The music man

 

Tired Salesgirl on Christmas Eve

 

 Puppy Love

 

 The Gossips

 

Soda Jerk

Getting Joey's goat!

Brittany made meatballs for dinner. Yep, she is a big fan of those little round tasty treats too!
 While serving them to her siblings, she grabbed a bowl for Joey. As she left the kitchen I stressed, be nice to Joey.
You gotta understand the two of them do not always get along. (mostly it's play, but sometimes it can get a bit heated.) In fact, sometime they bicker back and forth like no one's business. It is actually very entertaining. Sometimes she gets a few zings in and sometimes it is him. And for his size and place on the food chain, he gets in some pretty good ones too! You just have to laugh!

So she takes the bowl over to him and tells him that he can have that bowl, but only if he tells her she is a great sister and he loves and adores her....and he is an annoying little twit.
He looks at her, looks down at his homework, and ignores her. Five minutes pass. She continues to smile, get closer and wave the bowl of meatballs right next to his face. You can see him trying not to smile but failing miserably and  the smell of his favorite food permeating his surroundings. Finally, he looks up, and says "Fine! your the greatest..... the greatest....

She helps him by prompting him with the word sister.
He screams SISTER loudly. And then finishes off the rest, with the 'annoying little twit' being barely audible.
My little man will do anything for meatballs, including letting his sister win.

Just once, though.

I look forward to what he comes up with to get her back.

Can I just say I love my family?

 They keep me smiling!!!!!

 

Update:

Britt stole his sticks for the bells and wouldn't give them back until he said she was the greatest. He yanked them from her and chased her around the house with the sticks.

 

I think she deserved it!

LOL

 

(But maybe he wouldn't be in such trouble if he would stop praying for the ex-boyfriends!) 

Spring Break at our house!

According to my children Spring Break is a time to have fun! And apparently doing chores, laundry, dishes, and random jobs is not fun and should not be done during spring break.
Well, I squelched their fun! Yep, Chores were done and I ruined, ruined, RUINED spring break for them all!
Luckily after sulking for 20 minutes they were okay.
And we did have a great week!
Tuesday we headed up to Payson to go camping. Unfortunately our favorite place to go camping does not open up until Apr 1st so we were forced to camp in another way, in a Super 8 motel!

(no complaining there!)
There was a great lack of campfire songs and smores, but other than that, everyone enjoyed it!

We did go into Kohl's ranch and play at the creek, take a small hike, and enjoy the afternoon. You know, the fun camping stuff without involving a campfire and freezing your tail off in the tent. And Kohl's ranch is pretty cool! I think next time we will stay there!!!
And we did run into some elk. Not run into actually because that would really hurt the van, but we saw a few. They were tall and didn't run from us. I guess they are used to people. The kids really enjoyed it, though. Britt wanted to pet one. Yeah, I wouldn't let her even get close.

We made it back just in time for Zach to pack up for the mountain man campout.
We were lazy the rest of the week, except we did go to the MAC on Friday with Tami and her girls while Britt and the Squad went to Roosevelt Lake for the day. That was very interesting. The kids got to do a lot of odd things like make 3D art out of saran wrap and tape (I could have so done that at home), play on tops, and play in the water.

 She didn't like it.

 

Joey DID!

 

 Painting light. The water would make it light up. The minute it dried, it would go dark again.

Saturday we went to the zoo with Marsha Ferrell. She had a pass for 10 children and I kind of invited myself and the kids. She was so okay with it! It was not too busy and it was cool at the beginning. We have not been for quite a few years and it has changed a lot! We brought Tami's girls and Luke Hagen with us. They all seemed to have a great time. We only stayed for three hours and then we were done. Funny how it doesn't take too long for people to loose interest. And yes, I admit I was one of those. Luckily we got to take the train around half of the zoo so we saw more than we normally would have walked the whole thing!

I did spend most of my week making neckerchief slides for Cub scout Day camp coming up next week. I think they look pretty cool! (I made 80!)

Good week! We got out for a while, and stayed in and watched WAY TOO MUCH tv, but it was a great week!

Country Report

I got a call from the teacher yesterday. It was Franklin. You can tell by looking at the numbers, or maybe they call me enough that I just know. And, of course the first thing that pops into my head is, 'Oh.no. (sigh) What did he do now?" And I answered the phone.

It was Mrs. Muller, Joey's teacher.

 I knew it!

We did the phone pleasantries and she automatically picked up on my cautious greetings - yep, she has heard it before (last week, in fact!), and immediately her voice changed and she said. "no, it's a good thing!"

 

Well, no other five words have changed my perspective faster than those few! She started to tell me all about his oral country report and how AWESOME he did! He had a real kangaroo skin, which the other children adored, he passed around the most disgusting food spread and dared the kids to smell it (Vegamite! Can't buy it in America. If you want a taste, let me know! I have had this same container for two years and it is never going to get used and I don't think it ever goes bad!)

The best part, though, was when he broke out in an accent as he was talking about the wombat (He even had a toy stuffed one!) Steve Irwin couldn't have been prouder!!! Apparently, Mrs. Muller recorded it on her phone to show the Principal, who, of course, knows Joey well. Hopefully, some day I will get a copy too!

 

You see! Travis' mission came in handy after all! (okay, his souvenirs did, LOL!) That and the fact he got me out of it as well.

 

I am so proud of my kid!!!

 

But don't you worry, his progress report came home and he got an F on history. (Looks like history teacher Zach to the rescue, LOL) My little man hasn't really changed, but he did get a taste of success and hopefully it will make an impact! (I pray for it every day!)

Drumline

I wanted to post this a heck of a lot sooner but Britt was not happy with it but I told her that big sis of hers was waiting impatiently to see it and this was the only way that was going to happen! 

So here it is.

 The dress was way too big. Apparently boys don't believe girls when they give them their dress sizes. It looked like a smock so with adjusting the length and taking two inches off from the sides it looks pretty good! And she did it herself! We are going to make an organza overskirt this week that will make it flow a lot more. 

Very proud of this sweet girl!

Brittany's Got a Job!

We came home from a Drumline practice and sat on the swing, talking and she decided to check her voice mails. Apparently, that doesn't happen very much. And I sat enjoying the weather and she starts freaking out. Someone called about a job! A month ago!!! She was so upset with herself!

She called the number immediately and disappeared inside the house. She came back and forth a few times, and I didn't catch half the stuff she was saying. Finally, about 15 minutes later, she came out with the biggest grin and was squealing! (my girls are really good at that!) She had a job! They had hired her sight unseen! I guess they must have been impressed with her on the phone, and calling after so long, which still baffles me!

 But she had a job!!! And it was at Mi Amigos! That is my mom's favorite restaurant!
 So, while she is going on about paper work, food handler's card, and other stuff I was plotting a way to tell my mom!
We decided to keep it a secret! We would take her there when Britt was working and it would be a surprise!
And, after only one day and while Britt was training, we took her! We decided the sooner she knew, the more we didn't have to lie.

We made plans to have dinner at 6, which if you know my parents, that is bedtime! But we informed my dad and he was okay with it! Tami and Danni met us there. As we were unloading my mom, she asked where Britt was and we should invite her to come along. I told her she had something come up and she would not be able to make it.

We enter the room and there is Britt, wearing her uniform and smiling down at my mom. My mom just stared at her, not sure what was going on. And then it dawned on her! Britt was an employee! She smiled, hugged Brittany, and then called for the manager after we were seated to share the information with him! He had no idea and was excited for my mom! It was pretty cool!

So, one down. I must say I like having a working child because they can pay for themselves.  Well, some things. I am still a pretty darn important person to obtain money from! Such is life!
I am so proud of her! And I know she will do well and it will give her the independence she is looking for!

I am having a bad morning. Things are not working right and for some reason I have the urge to take out my broom and make sure it is loobed up for some serious flying!
And what pops into my head? My second oldest! I can see her going to the store, getting a drink, plopping it right by me, kissing my cheek, and telling me to drink this, calm down and relax! I really miss that girl!

Again with the Homework!

My boy will do ANYTHING to avoid homework! This is what we he did this week!

 

What am I going to do with this kid?

Letter from Ash

I usually don't share these things but I really wanted to with this one. Yesterday I was having a hard time and I found myself at the temple, something Ashley and I started back in April 2011, when she was experiencing a personal trial. And I sat looking at the beautiful structure, symbols that mean something to me and my girls, and I thought it would be the best time to write to Ash. So I pulled out my wonderful yet frustrating Smart Phone and proceeded to write there, sitting right next to the pool, listening to the kids play relay races and secretly dipping their hands into the water, hoping no one would notice. And I proceeded to write. I felt so close to her. I felt as if she were there with me, just like it was before she left, and I expressed how I felt. I even gave her a spiritual thought! Shocking, I know!
This afternoon while waiting by the computer, as I normally do on Mondays, even though  I have this dumb smart phone (it likes to change my words on me without me knowing! It can get super embarrassing!!!) I received this message:

I wish I could be with you at the temple right now! I will ALWAYS walk around with you! You can count on that!!! Even when I am married I'll go without him! hahahhaa and he will have to understand! Ma, I love you so much! You are such a great example to me and a rock for me to lean on!

Four small lines that will keep me going!!! I am so proud of her and what she is accomplishing! And I love watching her Spirit develop into the person God intended for her to be. He knows more and he is in control! I have so much faith in that! And I am grateful that we had this experience! Her to serve a mission and me to grow from her serving! I cannot wait to get her back but how awesome that she is being strengthened in ways I cannot even begin to understand!