Tuesday Tell All - Summer Memories

This week's TTA is supposed to be about summertime memories from our childhood. I honestly think I have the worst long-term memory of anyone in history. I used to be able to remember everything up until I got pregnant with Cruz. Then it was gone...all of it. I do have a few memories that stand out like shining beacons, but mostly I find myself thinking "What did I do?" What I do remember was after I was a teenager. I remember so little from before then that I wonder if I was ever younger than that. So even though I have probably completely forgotten some very significant events (sorry if it was something big that I forgot Mom and Dad, I'm sure I enjoyed it at the time) here are the few things that stick out to me...

Swimming - living in Mesa, AZ, this filled most summer days.

Cookouts at my grandparents - barbecued chicken, potato salad, and baked beans. I loved it, but I remember by the end of summer thinking, "Can't we eat anything else?"

Floating the Salt River with my friends.

Driving through the desert at night.

My first kiss. (I can't even remember his name now.)

Summer romances. (Sigh!) Weren't summer romances the best? Of course nothing compared to you, Karl.

And that's it. Completely pathetic, I know.

A Fun Trip to the Hutchings Museum

Utah Valley Women's Expo

On Saturday Anna and I went to the Women's Expo in Orem. It was so fun! We got all kinds of free gifts and prizes. I won $250 off Lasik, which I don't need, so I'm selling it for $150. So if your interested, let me know. There was so much to see and so many great businesses there. So here were my favorite:

Primrose Retreat - They are a day spa and they have a little girl's spa as well. This is the most adorable thing I've seen. They also do parties for the little girls. All the spa treatments for the little girls come with a cupcake and PINK hot chocolate. I love it!

Miche Bag - This is a great idea. You buy a basic handbag in either black or brown. Then you can buy different shells for it. The shell covers the outside of the purse and it looks completely different. They have the cutest shells. BTW - I am going to be having a Miche Bag party in about a month, and you are invited.

Cherry Tree Cottage - This place has really cute quilt kits for pretty reasonable prices.

pinkbench - They sell these really cute headbands that are adjustable so they can fit little girls or ladies. They have velcro on them so they stay in your hair. They were really cute and very comfortable.

So there were my favorite booths. I've never gone before, but I'll be going next time for sure. I highly recommend it. So, Anna, thanks for a fun day!

Field Trip

On Tuesday the kindergartners went on a field trip to the Bean Museum at BYU. For starters, you can imagine how that went over with my die-hard Ute fan, Cruz. At first he didn't believe me when I told him that's where the field trip was. Once he decided I wasn't teasing, he said he wasn't going. After a few days of encouragement he seemed a little excited about going. So I got to be one of the chaperones. Cruz was so excited and kept asking if I would sit next to him on the bus.

I did sit next to him, and we had such a fun day. There were all kinds of animals to see and the kids did a scavenger hunt to find certain animals. Then we went outside to have a snack and draw a picture of their favorite animal. Cruz's was the beaver, but when he got home it had changed to the leopard and it has been that ever since. Next we got to go into an auditorium and watch a presentation about baby animals. - As a side note I was sitting next to the rudest, loudest, most obnoxious woman I've ever met in my life. Why do they ask people like that to come to something like this? She talked loudly through the whole presentation, and you could tell the person presenting was very upset with her. Needless to say, I didn't enjoy that part at all.

Cruz's group in front of the Lions

Cruz got to pet a lizard after the animal show.

Cruz had a great time. When we got home Karl asked him if he was a BYU fan now. Cruz said no, he was still a Ute fan and that the museum at the U was better. His dad was happy to hear that.

Catching Up

So you have probably noticed that I haven't posted very much in the last couple of weeks. That is not from a lack of things to post about, but rather from so much going on that I haven't had time to sit down and post. We've been keeping ourselves quite busy recently, and I will be trying to catch up on what has been going on around here over the next few days. So, remember to scroll down, because there may very well be more than one new post.

Chasing Butterflies

You can click on each page to make it larger.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Tuesday Tell All - Things I NEVER did until I became a Mom

Until I became a mom, I never...

spent 30 minutes watching someone go to the bathroom, and then was so excited that they did that I called people just to tell them about it.

jumped up like a maniac when the house became too quiet to run through every room trying to see what was being destroyed.

spent 20 minutes begging someone to just try one bite. Which leads directly to...

spent all day cooking just to throw most of it in the trash.

put myself in time-out.

recieved 30 hugs and kisses from 3 different people at the same time.

heard "You are the prettiest mom in the whole world and the whole outer space," when I have morning hair, no makeup, and puffy morning eyes.

watched a movie with 3 people on top of me.

watched 3 people sleeping and thought I would absolutely burst with love and happiness.

really recognized and appreciated all the things my own mother did and still does for me. (Thanks for EVERYTHING, Mom!)

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous.It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
~Elizabeth Stone

How about you? What's something you never did until you became a mom?

Tuesday Tell All - Hometown Favorites

As you can tell, it is not Tuesday, but Tuesday was crazy. This week's Tuesday Tell All is "Favorite place to..." so, here we go.

My Favorite Place To...
grab lunch - Wendy's

go for Date night - What night? Date night? Never heard of it. You mean people actually go out just with their spouse? Seriously, Redbox is about as exciting as it gets. (I'm right there with you Anna).

pick up some creative goodies - Roberts, Scrooge & Marley's (great sales back in the barn), local boutiques

keep the kids busy - The park behind our house, the duck pond, McDonald's playground.

get wet - sprinklers in the front yard (for the kids). For me it's a swimming pool. I love to swim.

buy a treat - Coldstone

shop for fun - Okay, here's what I do best. I LOVE to shop. I don't have to buy anything, I usually don't, I just love being in a store looking. My kids are pretty used to it and are usually pretty good (usually, except for the times they are grabbing everything, screaming, whining, etc.) So my favorites are Target (a little bit of something for everyone), Roberts, and Barnes & Noble.

get some fresh air - See "Keep the kids busy" above (except for the McDonald's playground, no fresh air there).

splurge - Target, Robert's, and barnesandnoble.com (I buy almost exclusively used). This answer looks eerily similar to "shop for fun." Hmmmm?

drive for a weekend away - St. George or Las Vegas

Tuesday Tell All - Laughing Out Loud

This weeks question is "What makes you laugh?" That's easy, my husband. I love that Karl is so goofy and will do all sorts of stupid things to make me and the kids laugh (see the "What Happens When Karl is Left Alone" post below). He is always doing crazy things to make us laugh. Pride is not an issue. It doesn't matter how ridiculous it makes him look, if he thinks we'll enjoy it, he'll do it. Aside from the goofy things, he is just a genuinely funny guy. He makes me laugh more times a day than I could even count.

The other thing that makes me laugh are my kids. Just look at their funny little quotes. They say, and do, the funniest things. They sure liven up my life, and I never know what they're going to do next, but they definately keep me laughing.

I love to laugh, even if it is at myself (which happens frequently). How could we make it through this crazy world without finding humor and joy in the little things? Laughter is truly the best medicine.

Red vs. White Game

On Saturday the Utes had their Red vs. White game. (For those who don't know what that is it is just a scrimmage game.) It was free, and they had autograph signing afterward. Karl and Cruz went, and had a blast! Eric Weddle (former Ute and current San Diego Charger) coached the white team. Apparently, at some point in the game he went out on the field to kick the ball (no pads) and when it was blocked he chased down the guy running the ball back. I'll emphasize again - no pads. I think that play was the highlight of Karl's day. Cruz's favorite was getting his picture taken with Coach Whittingham and his autograph. I don't know who had more fun, Karl or Cruz.

Karl & Cruz watching the game.

Eric Weddle playing with no pads.

No "face mask" was called on this play. What do you think the call should have been?

Cruz on the 50 yard line.

Cruz getting his hat signed by Coach Whittingham.

Cruz with the Coach.

Cruz's autographed hat which is now hanging in his room, never to be worn again.