One busy, crazy, busy weekend!

Saturday was a special day! It was the day I lost my mind!

To start off though, I gotta go back to Friday night! We had the prelims for drumline at Grand Canyon University and we needed to pick up an extra truck for the Winter guard. And, of course, we could not pick them both up at the same place. No, that would be too easy.
So with my big sis in tow, I picked up one truck, came back and picked up and paid for the cookies for Women's conference the next day, and then picked up the other truck. We collected what we needed and then headed out! I drove because I knew Britt had to get back (only to see her boyfriend, but she waited on that bit of information until she got home. Smart move on her part!) It was great! Tami, Josh, and his date came with me and we really enjoyed it! We hurried back, hoping I could help set up a little bit for the day camp the next day. Didn't happen.
The next day I dragged my little man to the inter-stake center at 6 am. No, he was not pleased with having to get up that early, but when you are on the naughty list, you don't complain. Apparently he didn't read that notation. (which makes me scratch my head since on Saturdays he is up that early to play on the computer until I wake up and make him do chores.)  I made him help set up everything, Again with the complaining, but I just ignored him as any good mother does.

We centered it around the Raingutter Regatta. We had a class on flags and the boys got to make a sail for their boats. We also were able to carve Ivory soap into whatever shape we wanted while passing off our Whittling Chip card. We played some fun games, worked on our knots, made tacos in a bag, and the boys were awarded tie slides and special regatta pins made by Bro Ross from President Millett. It was all so much fun!!! And we got donuts. Lots and lots of donuts. And that was a real treat for Joey, who was able to help Bro Beatty from the Emerald Acres ward with the knot tying. That part he liked, but when it was time to clean up, my little complainer was back! Good thing I love that kid!

I think it went pretty well. I was happier with last year's, though. Oh, well. The boys seemed to enjoy it!

Next was our trip to Grand Canyon Univeristy again. I had to choose between the women's conference and the championship for Drum line, and I knew if did not go, Bitt would be devastated.
I rode the bus with the band. It was great going on the bus one more time with Britt! Because I had been there the day before, I went straight into the arena and found a great seat and waited, And waited, and waited and WAITED! Finally, three hours later the drumline was on! And they were great! It was a simple show, beautiful, no death or technical mumbo jumbo, or something I really didn't understand.
After Britt found me and the fun began! We spent the next four hours walking around, looking at very expensive pictures of the performance, eating pizza, talking to our favorite percussion cuties, and enjoying being together. I love this part of the comp. We found a gift for someone special and I would share but I can't. She reads this too!
We did not get back until 1:15 am and by the time I returned one of the trucks and climbed into bed, it was 2 am. I had to be up early because it was ward conference for the Solomon ward and I had to teach sharing time. I can't remember being more tired.
The lesson was great, the ward conference was great, and I was bad and came home and slept after the meeting and missed my own ward. I know, so bad, but I will make it up next month! lol

Well, here is the drumline!

 

And here is Britt's part in the drumline. Yes, it changed and they cut a lot of her stuff, but I think she was still the belle of the ball!!!

It was a busy weekend, a crazy weekend, and a great one that I got to spend with  my awesome, crazy, wonderful daughter!!!  Whom I love more than life itself!!!

Little happy moments

Zach had his Patriarchal Blessing on Sunday. It was beautiful! We visited with the Patriarch for a while and it was a nice visit. He asked what we love most about him. Wow! And he expected us to answer right away! The first thing that popped into my mind is that he is has a kind soul. He is so good to his younger brother and sister, his older sisters taught him to respect girls and treat them well, he is so good with me, and he has a tender heart and a strong testimony. His father said that he doesn't conform to what others expect, He does not give into what his peers want him to be and he is his own man. He admires him for that ability in a world where everyone wants to fit in and so many do things that are not right in order to do just that. He has come so far and I am so proud of him!

Zach had a great night, and surprisingly, I did not leave looking like a blubbering idiot! Yep! Only cried a little, unlike the three before it!

And yesterday, while at the library, I ran into an old friend who recently moved back to Arizona and we talked about Ashley! She wanted to know how she was doing on her mission. And then she asked how I was doing with her being gone! Wow! I have not had anyone ask me that in a long time! We talked for a while and I really appreciated it! I love running into old friends and it reminds me that I do have more than I give myself credit for!

Mackenzie has a new pen pal and she is so excited! It is my best friend's daughter who lives in Hurricane, Utah and I am so excited for this adventure she is going to go on! She loves to write and loves to make new friends! And, I know we will eventually see each other again so the girls can really get to know each other! And if Rachel is anything like her mother, Mackenzie will have a friend for life!  Beyond life!!!

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!