my baby is 9

Although I still call him the baby I know deep down that I no longer have a baby in the house - waaaaaa!  I say this repeatedly but here we go again...my kids are growing up way to fast.  It didn't seem that way some years back but now I can't seem to slow down time no matter what I do.

Today was Luke's 9th birthday.  Happy Birthday Lukey!

Oh how we love this kid.  He makes us smile with all his funny antics, songwriting skills, dance moves, and crazy remarks.  He is a joy to have in our family.  He is loving and kind.  He is sensitive to others feelings.  He is beyond cute!  

Happy Birthday Pookle-pants!

caution: do not cross

Late, way late (12:30ish am) last night while Megan and I were watching tivo'ed episodes of Project Runway when we really should have been sleeping (me and my insomnia are dragging down the rest of my family) there was an extremely loud knock at the door that took us by surprise.  When we opened the door this is what greeted us.

My sharp skills of deduction led me to send Megan out the door knowing that no one (other than the man I'm married to who at that moment was stumbling down the stairs in a sleepy stupor wondering what was going on) would send me on a middle of the night adventure.

Megan was a bit nervous venturing out into the dark and way foggy night but she went on her way anyway to see what was around the corner.

Here is her reenactment (since the first time she went out we didn't have the camera with us)  This is her "What is going on?", "Who would do this?" face.

Yet another great "reenactment" face..."Uh, what is this?  Did you see this?"  Perhaps acting is not her strong point.

Emily weeping over the "loss" of her sister.  Can you imagine what the neighbors would have been thinking looking out their window in the middle of the night?

The crime scene tape trail led her to this "crime scene" invite in the middle of the street.  The fog couldn't have been more perfect - it added a ton to the overall feel of the "scene".  This boy planned well :)

So now said boy is waiting for a reply from Megan letting him know if she'll go with him to Homecoming.  It's iffy...I'm not quite sure what she'll say.  I mean...look at her...does she really look all that thrilled about the invite?

another school year - where did summer go?

Here we go again...another school year.  

I always have mixed emotions at this time of year.  In some ways I am anxious for my kids to head back to school (in hopes that I might actually be able to clean my house and keep it clean, at least for a few hours).  On the other hand...as my kids get older I dread having them gone for so many hours of the day when they could be home with me enjoying the last couple years they actually have at home.

I better stop before the tears begin.

Here we go with the kids pictures...

Megan is heading into her Junior year.  She is thrilled to be able to drive herself there and home (assuming she gets a coveted parking pass)

Emily is starting her high school career - Freshman year.  She has enjoyed the first few days of HS and seems to be adjusting well.  It helps to have a big sister to show you the ropes.  

Just a side note...every year when we take these school pictures, Emily's is always my favorite.  I love this shot!

Em is not the only one starting at a new school...Nate is a big middle schooler this year - 6th grade!  He enjoys going to different classes and having a locker.  

My last elementary aged kid.  Luke is in 4th grade this year and couldn't be more excited to have two of his good friends in his class.  He came home from the first day of school so excited about the year that he was literally bouncing around.

L.O.V.E these kiddos!  Here is to a great school year with limited homework drama, good grades, good friends and straight A's (it's possible, right?)

prize winning oakley date

Remember this scavenger hunt at Disneyland?  If Megan and Austin got so many questions/tasks right they could win a prize.


The prize?  A fun filled date for them and another couple.  Well, Derek came through big time for the prize.  Megan, Austin and some friends headed off to Oakley this afternoon for an Oakley Factory Tour which was fun but really not the highlight of the afternoon.


The highlight, you ask...off roading Oakley style in the Oakley tank that sits outside the building.

Here is a rather long video (let's be honest, 4 plus minutes is long when you aren't in the video) but you can watch a bit of it to see the kids enjoying the tank ride.

sheeee's back!

Emily got home last night from BYU...finally!  It has been a long week without her.  She of course had a great time and we have loved hearing about all her adventures.  

Welcome back Emily!

6 more hours

and Emily will be home - yippee!

workin' it!

This kid has had lots of life changes recently...dating, driving and now her first job.  Here she is smiling and ready to head off to her first day of work at Tilly's to start an illustrious career in retail.

She turned in an application a couple weeks ago and was called back on Monday for an interview followed by a second interview on Tuesday when the job offer was extended.  We are anxious for her to get home in a few hours to hear how the first day went.


Hoping she learns lots, loves it and will have enough sense not to spend her whole paycheck at work.

serious emily withdrawals

My little Em is all grown up and off to BYU for her first trip to EFY (Especially for Youth - a week long youth conference for kids 14 - 18 yrs old)

I miss her!!  ALOT!!

I'm looking forward to Saturday night and having her back home - we all are!  The house isn't the same without her.


Hurry home Em - we can't wait to hug you!


Just a side note...is this not the cutest picture ever?!?!  This is one of my favorite Emily pictures - I just want to squish her!

andrea come home

Our home from BYU for the Summer "adopted" daughter Andrea is away on a fabulous trip to Colombia and Costa Rica for a few weeks and we miss her.  Megan apparently misses her and needs her home the most though -  I'm not sure how Megan's dental hygiene is holding up without Andrea...

I'm not even sure how this came to be - Andrea flossing Megan's teeth as we drive on the 405.  I guess this proves that Andrea is like family (although I'm Megan's mom and I wouldn't even tackle this)

dmv = happy?!?!?

You don't see many happy people at the DMV (not with the crazy long lines) but after a couple long hours waiting around this was the happiest face in the place...

Megan is now seen as a fit driver by the government of California - Derek and I are still a bit unsure about it :)  


Congratulations Megan!

america's got talent

Last week Derek and I took Emily and her friend Mackenzie to LA to a taping of America's Got Talent.  TV tapings are always a fun outing and this one was even a bit more fun because there was a special performance during the taping by Selena Gomez of Disney fame (Wizards of Waverly Place).  She was adorable and her shoes were to die for but nothing tops the cuteness of these two...

This was the only picture of the day since cell phones and cameras are a big no, no!  We did snap this one photo though because we thought it was so funny to have a chicken crossing sign in LA right behind the studio.

Glad Derek and I could spend time with these two who will soon be heading off together to BYU for EFY.  I get one girl home (Megan comes home today) only to send another one off.  I hate when my kids leave!

family . friends . fotos

Family...my talented niece Cassidy that does photography.  You can see her work here.

Friends...three of them - Megan and two girlies.  All friends since the very young age of 3ish.

    Megan at BYU for EFY

    Kenzie in Park City for a week

    Ricey at BYU for tennis camp

After EFY and tennis camp they all spent a few days together in Park City.  One of those days was spent with the aforementioned talented Cassidy.

Fotos...check out just a few of the photos Cassidy got.  Some of my favorites I couldn't get onto Blogger but I love these too.  I'm so thrilled that these girls got to hang out with Cassidy for the day and got these great "friend photos" together.  I know they will treasure them.

I can't wait for this girls to get back home (Megan has been gone way too long) so they can see the results of their photo shoot.

Thanks Cassidy - your work is perfect!

bored

Boys at the neighbors swimming


Emily at a food bank doing service


Megan at BYU for Especially for Youth


Andrea (see previous post) back in Provo for a week


Derek at the All Star Game in Anaheim


Me bored...my house is too hot to want to clean and I'm to cheap to turn the air on.  Don't want to watch tv, too tired to read, don't really want to blog but am doing it anyway cause I'm so bored.


Hope someone comes home soon!

summer nights

This picture represents what has been going on most nights at our house the past week.

Girls spending lots of late, late nights eating food (cookie dough was the healthy food of choice this particular night)


Watching romantic movies (Penelope, Pride and Prejudice and a late night jaunt to the theater to see Eclipse - for the 2nd time)  I'd like to add...I love Pride and Prejudice..."Mrs Darcy, Mrs Darcy, Mrs Darcy" kills me every time!


Laughing with cousins and friends (this particular night there was lots of giggling - we love our Arizona cousins and Kenzie)


Spending time with Andrea our Summer house guest that we truly love like one of our own.  We love when she is in our home.


Pretty much no sleep.  

doing disney a different way

We go to Disneyland A LOT!  

With annual passes it's easy to go often.  Megan and Emily go frequently since they are always there with us and then often go with friends too.

While I was at Cub Camp (see previous post) Emily headed to Disneyland with the Arizona Baker's and Megan headed out with her friend Austin.  

In an effort to make Megan and Austin's trip to Disneyland a bit different than all their other trips to Disneyland I created a scavenger hunt that had them running through Disneyland and California Adventure taking pictures, collecting items to bring home and answering questions.  I'd hoped it would make yet another trip to Disneyland more fun.

They were great sports and did amazingly well.  They did get some help from family but that made it all the more fun.

One of my favorite "challenges" that they completed was a special cell phone challenge that I sent to them mid way thru the day (up to that point they had been using a list of challenges I had given them)  The challenge... buy a balloon, find a child under 8 and give the child the balloon.  In order to get the points for this challenge they had to text me a picture of the completed task.

When I saw this picture I died.  How adorable is this little girl?  And how happy does she look to have just gotten a balloon from two strangers?

After seeing this picture my mind is now racing with the idea of having a scavenger hunt service party.  How fun would it be to have teams racing around the community doing good deeds?!?!  I think it would make a great party.

let me set the scene

Thursday night/Friday morning get to bed at 3:15 am.  

Alarm goes off at 6 am so boys and I can get up and spend 7 hours at Cub Camp.

It happens to be mud and water day at camp

The boys love it!

I only worry for a minute about my car's interior when I think about driving kids home.

Get home from Cub Camp to do showers and baths and then get ready to meet Derek and head out to Disneyland to meet the girls, friends, and the Arizona Bakers.

Home a little after 1:30 am on Saturday.

Fun day - very fun day!

Long day - very long day!

Tired - very tired!

Frustrated because even after all of that you'd think I'd be fast asleep in bed right now.  Instead it is a little after 3 am and I am typing this post and feeling way to awake.

Desperate woman looking for ideas on how to sleep!

san francisco

6 days in San Francisco

celebrated our 17 wedding anniversary - yeah for marrying someone that would stick with me so long

celebrated with family at the wedding of Kelly and Justin

used public transit and loved every minute of it

bought clothes at an amazing vintage store

ate the best spanish tapas (twice)

enjoyed a lazy afternoon at the park talking with Derek while gazing at the Golden Gate bridge thru the fog

was brave and ventured out on my own to explore the city while Derek watched Ghana beat the US

drank the best OJ i've ever had at Squat and Gobble

bought goodies galore for family and friends in Chinatown

slept in an oversized king sized bed and have been dreaming about it ever since (also dreaming about blackout curtains) anything to make me sleep better

bought an expensive dish towel with whales on it - to frame, not use.  three cheers for the husband that was ok with me buying the expensive dish towel and didn't once say "you're kidding, right?"  (Sam, if you are reading this there is an Orca on the towel so please let us know in advance if you plan to visit so we can remove the framed towel from the wall)

took hardly any pictures

had a great time!!

finally!

Just walked in the door from picking up the last kid from school...Summer is here!  

stop growing up!

Last night Emily was off to the 8th grade dance to celebrate the end of her middle school years - is it really possible that she will be in high school in the Fall?!?!?

To say Megan liked Emily's outfit would be a huge understatement - I believe there was a whole lot of  coveting from the big sister which made Emily's night even sweeter.  We all thought she looked adorable.

Megan played the role of the dear big sister in hopes of getting into Em's closet and borrowing the outfit. We know what your motives are Megan - don't hide it behind that smile.

I really can't believe that I have another child off to high school.  I was a tad bit emotional seeing Em head out for the dance.  She is growing up far too quickly - the silver lining though is that she is growing into a kind, caring, thoughtful, beautiful young lady.  


Love you Pie!

This last weekend the girls headed off to Youth Conference and as always had a ton of fun.

This was Emmy's first youth conference and she enjoyed every minute of it from the zip line to the dance to the speakers and workshops.

I'm glad that my kids have opportunities to be together enjoying time with each other, good friends and amazing youth leaders.