BOONDOCKS!

Last night for Family Home Evening we went to Boondocks. I had never been there before and we had a lot of fun. We rode the "go carts", played games, won tickets, spent forever trying to pick out lame prizes to buy with our tickets, and we ate there too. It was a fun evening! Here are some more pictures...

Dave and Emmie on the 'go carts'


Maddie and Bronson


Me and Talbie



Maddie bugging Emmie and getting an "elbow"


Delicious "mac and cheese"

Happy Birthday Talbie

Today was Talbie's 11th birthday. It was her year to have a family party (we do a friend party every other year). We had everyone over for cake and ice cream. She is obsessed with the musical "Wicked" so that was the theme she wanted for the party. We had to improvise a little bit though because we couldn't find anything at the party stores. We found a little bit of "Wizard of Oz" stuff, but it isn't the same. The Wicked Witch is scary and ugly in "Oz." In "Wicked", Elphaba is really pretty and that's what Talbie wanted. We had the colors be green and black and we made a witch's hat as the cake. I think it turned out pretty great and she was pleased!

Home from Camp

Maddie made it home from Girl's Camp on Saturday morning. This is a picture of her and her friend from our ward, Josie. They were pretty exhausted and dirty after it all but I think they had a good time. I hope I get some other pictures from the Camp leaders because it would be fun to see some from Camp Shilom!

Twilight!

Holy Cow! I know I'm probably one of the last people to read this book but I have to say that I LOVED IT! I have heard so much about it lately and when Maddie and I were at the Mall a couple of weeks ago, we saw it on a display. Maddie said, "Mom, I've heard this book is so good." I too, had heard that so we bought it. Maddie said that she was going to read it first but she had it a week and hadn't started it. She went to girl's camp this week so I took it from her room and couldn't put it down. I was so mad at myself because I had done that paper route this week for my friend so that meant I was up before 4:00 am every morning. Then, every time I sat down to read, I'd get about 2 pages into it and be sound asleep! It made me so mad because I was dying to finish it.

I bought "New Moon" last night (the sequel) and I have vowed not to start it until I write my RS lesson that I have to teach next Sunday. I know once I start it, it will consume me until I finish. I started these books at a good time though because #3 "Eclipse" comes out in August!

READ IT! YOU'LL LOVE IT!!

Hairspray

It was my turn to plan FHE (Family Home Evening) yesterday - so I wanted to see "Hairspray." Well - Dave, Maddie, and Bronson vetoed my idea at the last minute and they went and saw "Transformers" instead. We LOVED "Hairspray." Talbie and I can't wait to buy the soundtrack. It's so well done and you want to applaud after every song - just like you at the live Broadway show.

Dave and Maddie however, did not enjoy "Transformers." It was long and Dave said it was hard to sit through. Bronson loved every minute of it.

Paper Route and Off to Girls Camp

Maddie left this morning for Girl's Camp. She will be back on Saturday morning. She wasn't looking forward to camp this year. It's her 3rd year, but her first year without her mommy there. Last year when I went to do all the food for camp, she didn't pay any attention to me - in fact, she wouldn't even help me! I think she's wishing she would have enjoyed that when she had a chance. This year she has to go it alone. It will be good for her and she will have fun. She has fun no matter what she's doing!


While the girls are at camp, Bronson and I have taken on a new job for the week. We are going to be doing my friend's paper route while she's at camp with her girls. We did it by ourselves for the first time this morning and it was a little more tricky than when I did it with her. She knows the route really well and we were having to follow a map. It's at least the neighborhood next to ours so we know most of the people we're delivering to so that helps us figure out where we're going.

This is good for us. Diana (whose route we're doing) said that if we liked doing this, we could have the route in our own neighborhood because the lady that's doing it, is thinking about quitting. I'll have to do some real thinking about that. I have to leave at 4:00 am to pick up the papers and fold them. I don't get back to get Bronson until 5:00 am and then we're finished delivering around 6:00. He's only 8 but it may be a fun job for all of the kids to take turns with. That's what Diane's family has done. We'll see what happens! It would be good money for the kids - to build their savings accounts and have spending money when they need it. And more importantly - it teaches them how to work hard!!

Yard Sale

We had a huge yard sale on Saturday with Brittany's family. Our yard is the best for yard sales! Because of the giant trees a the side of my house, the front yard is shaded until just before noon. It made for a very pleasant morning.

We had SO much junk that we had been collecting over the past few months and if felt great to get rid of it all. We each made a pretty descent profit and then Dave and Jared hauled the rest of it to the D.I.

Now we're trying to decide what to do with the money we made. We just bought a new TV because ours was dying - but the yard sale proceeds won't come close to covering that! The night before the sale our printer died. We must have a new printer but this kids don't think that's a very fun reward. They want to get a Wii. So far the vote is 4 to 2 (Dave and I are outvoted!)



Bronson was a RIOT at the yard sale. He had $7.00 in his wallet and you would have thought the end of the world was coming if that $7.00 didn't get spent. NOW! He was wandering around the yard - frantically trying to find things to buy.

His dream is to redecorate his room. His is the only room in our house that hasn't been "made over" since we moved in. I just can't bring myself to do it because he's such a boy and everything he touches ends up destroyed. He found a clock of Brittany's that he bought. He bought the picture frame he's holding in the picture. And then Jared brought out this HUGE gold, chunky mirror that Brittany had inherited from my grandma (it was about 3 feet by 2 feet) and Bronson said, "HOW MUCH FOR THE MIRROR!" That's where I drew the line!


Talbie and Emmie sold drinks!

A Hard Lesson Learned

Last week Maddie was at the mall with her BFF (Maddie McClellan) and they entered a drawing to win a new red Lexus. You may think that people never actually win those cars when they hold drawings, but I'm here to tell you that they do!

Maddie was at Maddie M's house on Wednesday and she called me. She said, "Mom, the Lexus dealership just called Maddie and said that she won the drawing for the free Lexus!" They were hysterical and freaking out. I asked her what they said to her on the phone. She said, "They asked if she was over 18, had a valid driver's license, and asked if she was married or single." The only question she answered truthfully was that she was single. They weren't thinking and panicked because she wasn't 18.

Maddie called Dave back a few minutes later and Dave told her that you have to be 18 to enter those contests and that she wouldn't be given the car if she was underage. That put a damper on things until she called back later and said that Maddie's dad had called the dealership and asked if a parent could come with her to claim the prize. Hope was renewed.

Long story short...they went to the Lexus dealership that afternoon, Maddie, Maddie M. and her dad. Sure enough, the rules are firm and you had to be 18 or older to win the contest. She was disqualified and given a Home Depot gift card as a consolation prize.

The girls were kicking themselves that they hadn't put their parents name when entering the contest, but they didn't think about it - or know there was an age limit.

My dad just bought a new Lexus that ran him about $50,000.00. That would have been a lot of money in the bank for a 14 year old. A hard lesson to learn!

Acting Class

The day finally came and Talbie started her acting camp this morning. Talbie is so sweet and loves to play with little kids. She will be a kid at heart forever. But, for this upcoming camp, she has been planning her outfit for weeks. I even let her wear some new school clothes to give her that added confidence. Didn't she look cute? The camp goes for 2 weeks and then they put on a performance for us on the last day. I can't wait.

While she was gone for that hour of acting camp, her Wizard of Oz or "Wicked" dolls came in the mail that she ordered with the left over birthday money she got from my parents. She ordered the Wicked Witch of the West or "Elphaba" too but it is on back order because she's become so "popular." She is expected to come the end of August.

The funny thing is that we started a Wizard of Oz collection for Talbie when she was just 3 years old because Dave's sister had given her some of the cutest ruby slippers I'd ever seen. She wore them every week to church until she grew out of them. We've been collecting things for her ever since but she hasn't been allowed to play with them because it was a "collection." She made it perfectly clear that she would be playing with these new dolls!



It's pretty hard to see the collection in the glass because of my camera's flash but it's pretty impressive.

Best Sight Ever

This is a rare sight at my house - kids getting along. I had to capture this moment on camera because usually if Emmie wants to hang out with Maddie - Maddie's too grumpy. Then, when Maddie wants to play with Emmie - she wants nothing to do with her. Sunday the stars in the universe aligned and there was peace for a wee moment!

Me Being Crafty Part 2

I have been in such a quilting mood lately. I could spend hours down in my craft/sewing room if there wasn't about a million other things I should be doing with my time. On our weekend getaway last week I did these stitchings - one for my mom and one for Dave's mom. Both of their birthday's are coming up in the next few weeks. Then, this week I turned them into pillows. I was proud of the end result. I hope the picture does it justice.

I can post this and not worry about my mom reading it because even though her birthday isn't until August 6th - I gave it to her last night because I couldn't wait.

Now I need to go. I'm speaking in Sacrament Meeting today and I got up early to go over my talk (which I wrote last night). Instead, I'm blogging and reading blogs. Big surprise! Have a great day!

Celebrity Look-A-Likes

You may have done this before, but I got this from a friend's blog. This is who came up as my "look-a-like." I'm not sure about Leonardo DiCaprio?? I won't tell you the one that I left off of my list! (Roseanne Barr!) Try it and let me know who you look a like!

Emmie and Dad

Emmie likes to use Dave as a "Jungle Gym!" This is funny!

Creepy

When Dave and I were driving home on Sunday from our trip, we drove through a forest fire. We are overrun with fires right now in Utah. This fire that we drove through was just as we entered Utah to the north. I guess it wasn't anything like the one that is still burning in southern Utah. On Sunday, my brother Dustin was driving back to Las Vegas and he had to take a bunch of back roads because a fire there had jumped the interstate and it was out of control. We are breathing smoke everyday and can't wait for some rain!!

Weekend Away!

Dave and I got away this weekend and had a great time. We traveled to Boise for his cousin, Ivy's wedding and then we went to Baker, Oregon (2 hours from Boise) for the reception on Saturday. It was a good time. Maddie and Talbie stayed with my parents and Bronson and Emmie stayed with Dave's mom. It was a vacation for them as well.

We arrived in Boise on Friday afternoon and we used that time to do a little sight seeing. We got some pictures in front of some of my old houses and schools. We have been by them before on trips to Boise, but since we didn't have the kids, we took time to take pictures.

This is the house I lived in when I was 5




My kindergarten. McKinley Elementary


This is the house I lived in from 3rd grad to 11th grade. My family then
moved to Utah for my Senior year.






We drove out to Caldwell and had a great visit with my Great Uncle Floyd. He will be 94 in September!

That evening we went to dinner with my cousin, Matt and his wife, Tammy. Matt is my age and we were best friends growing up. I love getting together with them. We have such a great time.


Saturday was the wedding in the Boise Temple. I was 15 when that temple was built. I was able to attend the dedication and I have done baptisms for the dead there, twice. It was a pleasure to attend a sealing there.

Ivy and Joseph Waite

The reception was that evening in Baker. We stayed the night at the Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker. It's an old hotel that was restored about 10 years ago. It was built in 1886 and was quite famous in it's day.

Breakfast at the Geiser Grand The interior of the beautiful Geiser Grand Hotel

On the way home on Sunday, we stopped in Twin Falls, Idaho. I lived there in the 2nd grade and we drove past my old house. We could have made this tour of all my old houses and schools. I lived in 3 different houses in Boise and went to 6 different schools.

My Twin Falls house that my dad built. I lived here in the 2nd grade!

While we were in Twin Falls we drove past the new temple being built. It's going to be
beautiful!

Les Miz

On July 3rd we went to Salt Lake and saw "Les Miserables". Maddie and Talbie came with us, along with my mom and dad - and Brittany and Jared. We saw it at the Pioneer Valley Theater by the University of Utah. It wasn't a Broadway production but it was "Broadway quality" and I really enjoyed it. I think it was my 5th or 6th time to see it but I NEVER get sick of it. It's Dave's all time favorite play too.

Actually, "Les Miz" was the very first Broadway play I saw. I had bought the CD my freshman year at BYU because my roommate loved it. I got hooked on the music and summer after my freshman year, my dad took me to New York and we saw it. It changed my life and I can't get enough of Broadway Musicals!

I fun thing for me is that Talbie has developed such a love of music lately. I told you that she has completely worn out our CD of "Wicked" this summer and she has watched it over and over (we have a pirated copy that we obtained through and undisclosed source - Brittany :). She got to see "Beauty and the Beast" last week and "Les Miz" this week. She is even starting an "acting camp" at the Hale Center Theater in 2 weeks.

Happy 4th of July!

We had a wonderful 4th of July celebrating with our families. We spread it out over 2 days to get even more partying in. Here's some pictures...


The night before the 4th we lit fireworks off at Brittany and Jared's house. This is Dave and the kids anxiously waiting for the show to start!

Talbie and a sparkler


Bronson and Emmie getting sparklers from Jared



Maddie and Maddie attached at the hip!

We all enjoyed the fireworks show. Maddie and Maddie spent the whole time trying to capture the fireworks on their camera phones! I don't think any of them turned out so they ended up watching the whole thing on the screen of their phones!




4th of July morning at Aunt Sandy's house!





Dave's sister, Sandy and her daughter Jessie always have a wonderful 4th of July breakfast for everyone. We have a flag ceremony, talent show, and tons of yummy food. Jessie is such a trooper and she put the party on again this year even though she's been so sick with cancer! Way to go Jessie and it was wonderful!


Bronson and Jessie




The yummy food and beautiful decorations

Family picture



A tradition we have with my family is going to the Oakley Rodeo for the 4th. This year we decided to head to the "Cal Ranch" store after our breakfast and get some cowboy hats. They were having a great sale and even though Dave and Bronson already have a collection of cowboy hats - we all got new ones.



The kids in their hats. Talbie's is more of a "Beatrix Potter" hat that she loved. My mom had a new hat for Talbie already so she was able to get this one.

At the rodeo! We came early to eat dinner! We were some of the first ones in the arena. We had great seats too on the front row - center!

Another family picture


My little cowgirl!