holding the record for longest birthday post ever

I'm not feeling fully recovered from the festivities of the weekend but if I don't post now it'll never get done.

Does she look like she had fun?  

She did!

Megan's party was Friday night and I think the celebration was everything her 16 year old heart could wish for.

(A big thank you to Shelley for all the great photos of the kids and party set-up)

We celebrated her sweet 16 with sweets...lots of them!  There was not lots of party prep time due to my vertigo and our family trip to Havasupai so nothing was homemade (except for the cupcakes and a friend made those for me (and also mopped my floor) - thanks Leslie!)  I liked going the store bought route it made it all a bit easier.

Reese's Peanut Butter cups (Meg's favorite), taffy, giant pixie stixs, lollipops and Little debbie cakes.  Thanks to Michelle for helping with all the food set-up.

The sugary goodness didn't end with the dessert table...we had a table full of sodas

as well as smores by the fire pit

The hit of the "sweets" though was these two.

No, not the kids although they both are sweet - the wax mustaches and lips.  The kids pulled those of the dessert table almost immediately.  They provided plenty of great photo ops.

Then we went a little red neck and served some canned nacho cheese.  In my defense I made it a bit ritzier by serving it in my chocolate fountain.  You're jealous, I know.  When the teenagers are here we almost always serve this golden, gooey, goodness of yellow cheesiness.  They love it.

We served some other savory snacks...peanuts, pickles, taquitos, veggies (most of which were left at the end of the night)  Those teens are going to pay when they hit 40 and their metabolism slows.  They'll wish they had eaten their veggies instead of the abundance of nacho cheese.

We didn't plan much in the way of activities as we knew the kids would mostly just want to hang out.  We had foosball (thanks for the table Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jill) and air hockey (thanks Smiths)

I had also purchased some fortune teller fish that I remembered playing with when I was younger.  We put them out around the lounge areas and the kids had fun finding out their fortunes.

The night mostly consisted of a lot of hanging out with friends

as well as some hanging out with family

cousin Dusty with his friend Carson

cousin Tyler with some of his college buddies - they drove all the way from Utah

for Megan's sweet 16...that's what we're telling ourselves anyway :)

We also had a few party crashers

These 3 obviously found a way to get around the strict high school kids only (unless you are a college aged cousin) rule.  

In Mackenzie's defense she was invited by Emily.  

Gorilla boy?  Well, how can you not let in the gorilla that crashes through the back gate and terrorizes all the party guests?  I guess it's one of the perks of having the Chamberlins as neighbors :)  we're glad you stopped by gorilla boy!

And Zane?  We'll excuse his party crashing too since this picture is priceless.  It is so getting blown up for his 16 birthday.

Did you notice a pattern in the above pictures?  Same backdrop?  Hands down, the best part of the night was the photo booth we put up.  I am so planning on doing this for more parties.  The kids at the party took over 2,000 photos (no exaggeration) and now Megan has photo memories that she will treasure.

We rented pipe and drape from a local rental company and set up a 9x9 room in the front room.  3 walls with black curtains and one with striped fabric and some pendants that I made.  I set up my camera on a tripod (thanks Rona) and added a corded shutter release button for the kids to push for pictures.  

For some fun we threw in some chalkboard thought bubbles that a friend cut out (thanks Herk) and that I painted with chalkboard paint and added a handle to the back of.  These were used to write notes to the birthday girl, funny sayings or my favorite...

Kids would be set for a picture and then friends would write comments on the chalkboard without the picture people knowing what they said - they just had to hold the sign and smile for the camera.  There were some funny things said and even funnier photos taken.

I realize that this post is already waaaaay too long and I have no intention of posting all 2,000+ photo booth photos but I have to post some.  You are free to leave now (if you haven't already)

I'm unable to load anymore photos on this post - seems I have hit the limit.  Stay tuned for further photo booth posts - you don't want to miss some great pictures.

birthday party tonight...

and than hopefully things will be back to normal tomorrow.


Illness, vacation and a 16th shindig all in a 2 week period is getting to be more than I can handle.  I can't wait for a really good nights sleep.

should i be concerned?

this child...

yes, the one that has never had a sip of alcohol even though this picture would lead you to believe otherwise

is turning 16 tomorrow

should I be concerned?


Because I may not get to it tomorrow...Happy 16th birthday Megan!  We love you!!

this is....american idol

 Last week as I lay confined to my bed with vertigo I got an email on my phone letting me know my name came up on the wait list for the final performance show of American Idol (cue teenage daughters giddy with excitement)  We made plans to go - the girls and me along with am American Idol loving cousin who was going to come in from St George.  Without going into a big long story...cousin couldn't make it, it was becoming clear that there was no way I was going to make it (the vertigo kicked my behind) and since the person whose name is on the ticket must be present Megan and Emily were not going either.  

I decided to call the ticketing place just to see if they would take pity on a woman suffering with vertigo with two teenagers that really wanted to see Lee and Crystal.  They did!  They let me transfer the tickets to Megan as long as the girls came with an adult.  To avoid any friend favoritism I decided to find two adults willing to take my girls so we wouldn't have to choose any of the girls friends and their mom.

Big thanks to these two that stepped up to make the long drive to LA and were willing to endure long lines and hours in the sun...

The girls in their outfits adhering to the must follow dress code

Live from the Nokia Theater

Big Mike 

Remember him?

Does this picture help? 

How about this one?  Norman Gentle.

Hello Blake Lewis, you are one of my favorites and I'm not the least bit embarrassed to tell the world I own your album and that I love to run with your beat boxing melodies playing from my ipod.  Blake lovers of the world stand up and be proud!

Could Brooke White be any prettier?  We saw a rehearsal show the year she was on - she is gorgeous in person.  And look who is with her...curly haired Justin from Season 1 - I'm glad Kelly won that year.

Little David Archuleta was busy with the press so this was as close as the girls got.

Before heading in to the theater the girls had to lose the camera, phones, etc so no more photos of the night.  The had 5th row seats after the pit so they got to see the show from amazing seats.  They got their fill of star sightings and even got to sit near Mr Blind Side as well as some old American Idol alum.

They finished the night at LA Farmers Market for dinner and then headed home to do homework, study for a seminary test and pack for a trip.  They had a long night!

BIG, not bug

More testing. Just wanted to see if I could mobile blog a photo.  Oh how I live Bug Lots for party supplies. This cart full of goodness is for Megans Sweet Sixteen party. 

Testing mobile blogging

happy 11th birthday!

Today Nathan is 11.  


He holds a special place in our hearts.


He is fun to be around especially when he laughs (and gets a big grin with little dimples)


He is smart.


He is kind.


He is a good friend to others.


He can be stubborn but reserves his stubbornness for his dad - he tends to do whatever I ask.


He notices things around him - he appreciates the beauty of the earth.  I love this about him.


He eats like a horse.


He is loved by all - especially his family.


Happy Birthday Nathan!

what matters

enjoy them now

I always hated when older moms would look at me wrestling with my 4 little kids and they'd say "Enjoy them now because soon they'll be gone."  It truly irritated me.  


Did they not know how tiring it was to take care of the kids?  


Could they not remember what it felt like to get no sleep and have little bodies constantly hanging from you demanding more food, more of your time, more whatever?


Did they not ever feel like I did when at times I thought "I can't wait until these kids grow up and leave the house."?


Look at these two.  They were trying to be serious but man were they struggling.  Emily couldn't hold it together for more than 2 seconds.  They continued to hit modeling poses and laugh out loud.

I love them!  They were my demanding little babies and disobedient toddlers and now they are all grown up and I am very sad about it.  I think back to all the ladies that said "enjoy them now" and how I hated that phrase but now I wish I had listened more.

I can't believe that they will start to fly the coop in a few short years.  I miss them already!

"it was my happy place"

That was Megan's reply when asked how she liked her first class at a local art school.


Megan loves art.  She has been drawing for as long as I can remember.  She has never had lessons but has read lots of art books, spends lots of time pouring over her cousin's blog and creates away with her pencil and sketch book.  


She has wanted to take a class but has been unable to fit it into her high school schedule.  Just recently however she was lucky enough to have her name drawn as the winner of a free month of art classes at a art school near by.


Tonight was her first night and she LOVED it!


She said she felt a bit intimidated at first by the work of those around her but I think for her first night of class she did great...

This isn't complete yet - she says she has more work to do.  I can't wait to see the finished work.


It is always fun to watch your children be excited about something and art is the something that Megan truly gets excited about (that and turning 16 in less than a month)

overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed by how behind I am on posting.  I have tons of pictures to post but I want to add witty commentary to make it more interesting - therein lies the problem...I'm not witty, have no time to try and fake witty and so I just don't post.


It's boring to look at someone else's pictures and not have an exciting story or funny caption to read but I got nothing.  I have no desire to think or write but I have lots to share.  So you're getting pictures and some sorry little commentary.  That's it.  Don't complain.  You can take it or leave it.


On to the pathetic posting...

our connection to the island

Remember when I mentioned these educational plans for the first day of the teachers strike?


Heading out to the Happiest Place on Earth (which was definitely not our schools that day) turned out to be a brilliant idea.  Disneyland was free of crazy crowds.  We couldn't have had a better day at the park.


We ended up seeing lots of friends from church and school - it seems we weren't the only ones that thought Disneyland was educational.  However the person we were most thrilled to see had a connection to THE island.  Yes, that island...the one with the crazed black smoke running around killing people.  The one with the cool Darhma packaged food.  The island where people say "hey Freckles" and "brutha"


Here is photographic proof of our brush with fame...

Do you recognize him?  If you don't you have some serious issues.  The guy has an action figure even.  Only really famous people have action figures.

We met Dr. Arzt of LOST fame.  So what if  he blows himself up pretty early in the show and we don't see him often.  He does show up in the real world, or is it an alternate reality or is it some spirit world?  I'm too confused.  Whatever world it is he is a teacher at a high school with Benjamin Linus - he helps Ben hack into the school computers.  Now you know who he is.  I knew you'd get it.

Since most of the kids/youth we were with aren't fans of LOST (my girls tried watching it one night but now refuse to even be in the room when we watch it - Megan is creeped out by crazy Claire) they were more impressed when he mentioned he has been on Sunny With a Chance and Wizards of Waverly Place.

olvera street and chinatown

During Spring Break we boarded Metrolink and headed off to Los Angeles to spend the day at Olvera Street and Chinatown.

Lunch was the always yummy taquitos.  When at Olvera Street you must eat these and a churro - it's part of a gringo pack made with the people of Mexico billions of years ago.  Failure to eat these fried golden rolls of love is punishable by time in jail.  I warned you!

At the end of the day we stop for an impromptu photo shoot.  Megan and her friends...

Our family.  Notice anything off?  Take a look at Nathan.

He's sporting these...his big purchase from a gumball machine in Chinatown.  Two mustaches (one ripped in half for eyebrows)  The looks he got from people was hilarious.  

I always love a trip to Olvera Street and this was an especially fun one.

ok so i lied

There was more commentary than I thought there would be.  Not witty but at least there was something to read.

going on strike

While the teachers are away the family plays.  


Since this is what is going on in our district at the moment we are off to Disneyland to brave the cooler temps and rain.


Before you judge me on not sending my kids to school let me mention that the teaching plan during the strike is to group kids by grade (elementary) and last name (middle and high school) and let them work on generic worksheets for hours while a sub tries to keep control.  Not the most worthwhile educational activity.  I realize Disneyland's not either but it will be a heck of a lot more fun.

now accepting donations

Please send cash or checks made payable to Denise Baker so I can get my family here.  The video kills my geeky Harry Potter soul - I so want to go!