Booby Trapped!

For Mark's birthday, he got this kid spy motion detector thing. It has two motion sensors and then this thing that fires plastic arrows. I joked when he opened it, that I could use it in my pantry to keep little and big fingers out of the cookies! Then I forgot about it. Well Mark finally put the batteries in it, (which would have been sooner, except I kept forgetting to buy the batteries it required) and armed it in his bedroom. He, without being asked, cleaned his room (which should have been suspicious to start with) and then came and got Kelly to come up and see how clean it really was. Kelly went up there and soon the sirens, flashing lights and flying arrows were going and Mark came down with a victorious smile on his face. By the way, he really did do a good job cleaning his room. I smiled at Mark and told him good job. I could tell by the gleam in Kelly's eye he had figured out Mark's little game, but did well playing along.

Hours later, I had forgotten all about the earlier incident. It was really late and Cass and Mark were finishing up a movie. I headed into their bedrooms to open windows and turn down their beds. When I went into Mark's room I forgot about his newly acquired security system and my heart jumped out of my chest as loud sirens, lights and flying objects surrounded me in the dark room. Mark came running around the corner into his room with his fists pumping in the air thrilled that his little system caught another intruder! So after the adrenalin rush calmed down, I am now thinking of ways to get his Uncle Tim, Aunt Terri and cousin Krista back. (they were the ones who gave him this little booby trap!)

Whose is the Rock Star?

Kelly and Mark took each other on this last weekend in a guitar hero competition. It got pretty serious. Even Harley, our dog was amazed. I have decided I didn't get the gene for video games. I'm completely terrible at them. The kids don't even like to play with me, because I'm no competition. Oh well. We all can't be rock stars!

The Fun House

That is what my kids call Kelly's brother Peter and his family's house. We switch off ever couple of months for a FHE together. Whenever it is our turn to go up there, they get excited. Our yard is completely boring, compared to theirs. They have a one acre lot, complete with big trees, a zip line, volleyball net, bunnies, guinea pigs, dog and a cat. They have bikes, scooters and green machines to ride. Kelly and I like going there, because our kids just disappear to go play with their cousins and we get a chance to visit. Here are some pictures from our last trip.

Mark's Birthday!

We had a blast celebrating Mark's 7th birthday. I overheard him tell his cousin that this was the "coolest birthday ever!" so that put a smile on my face. We went to Brick Oven for dinner where Mark ate pasta to his heart's content. He had alfredo sauce all over his chin, I think that's a compliment in Italy isn't it? We came back to the house where we had lots of family and friends over. It became a bit chaotic, but we all had fun watching him open his presents and then share them with all his cousins. That is one thing I love about Mark, he loves to share. He likes to be social and play with others and is willing to share even his new toys with others. Cassidy melted my heart, when she went through her zoo of stuffed animals and picked her favorite little stuffed dog, which she knew Mark loved, and wrapped it and gave it to him. It doesn't matter whose birthday, or what the special occassion is, Cassidy always gives something. It can be a sweet homeade card, a picture frame, or taking one of her prized possessions and giving it away, she always teaches me that it's the giving that is important.

We had our fill of chocolate cake and had fun seeing Mark ride his new bike. He has outgrown his old bike and has wanted a new one since the Spring. When he started riding around Cassie's pink and purple bike around the neighborhood, Kelly thought that this birthday would never come soon enough!!

We appreciate living so close to our families and make lots of memories with them every time a special occassion comes around. Thanks for all those who came. We love you!

First Week of School

What a fast crazy week this has been. I keep waiting for all my supposed free time and haven't found it yet. Lots of errands, orthodontist appointments, football practices, piano lessons, cannery assignments and so on have kept me hopping. I think my house is more of a disaster currently than it was last week. For those of you who were at my house last week, wonder how that's possible, trust me....STAY AWAY. :)

I'm finally getting around to posting the annual first day of school pictures. All the kids looked cute are were excited to get out the door. It will be a busy year, but I have enjoyed a little bit more routine this week. The kids are complaining because they got used to lots of free time, and not many to do lists. Now with daily piano practice, jobs, homework and whatever other torterous thing I can come up with, their reality is definately changing. If I had a dollar for everytime they said, "Mom, that's not fair!" I'd be rich.

Mark's birthday is this weekend, so I will post more pictures then.

Independance Day! (and other reflections)

Isn't that what moms call the first day of school? :) This year my baby (shh, don't let Mark hear me say that) is in first grade? Everyone keeps asking me what I'm going to do with all my free time? Do mom's have a lot of free time? I'm looking forward to a little more peace during the day and a house that stays clean longer than five minutes. Come visit me during the middle of the day so you can see what my house should look like! I am looking forward to helping out in the schools, going to the temple more often, and staying caught up with laundry (is that possible?) Ok, maybe the laundry is a stretch. The master bedroom desperately needs to be painted, as does Cass's room, so maybe I'll feel industrious and get some much needed projects done around here. I am sure the time will fill up, but it is a strange feeling to have a bit more freedom during the day. I figure I can get used to that! :)

This past Friday and Saturday, our ward had a last minute Youth Conference. We had little budget and time, but I was amazed at the experiences we had just staying local. We went to the American Fork Deseret Industries and did some service for a few hours, then went up to the Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake for a tour and and incredible hour long presentation. I was amazed how organized the church is not just in disaster relief, which we hear about all the time, but in getting communities organized all over the world to work together and save and better lives. We saw video of muslin women in Iraq working side by side women in the church putting hygiene kits and food stuffs together. We saw video of measles immunizations going on all over the world, and families who used to have to walk over 5 hours every day just to get unsanitary water weep when fresh water wells were drilled in their villages. I cried when I realized the full extent of the humanitarian efforts of the church throughout the world. Then we went on to Temple Square and saw the Joseph Smith movie, which amazingly enough I hadn't seen before. Talk about an emotional draining and appreciation I gained as I more fully understood the sacrifices and perseverance of an incredible prophet and his family. We ended up camping out in Heber that night, and ended the Youth Conference Saturday at a lake with some fun on boats and in the water. I am learning more and more that the callings we have in the church aren't so we can benefit others, it is to teach us, to stretch us and to help us be better people.

Ryan plays football....

This is a slideshow of the sophmore blue and white scrimage. Ry's first game is in a little over a week. He is excited and it's always fun to go and cheer him on. He has got a lot of great friends that always come support and cheer for him at his games. Look for number 51.

BYU Football!!

If you ask the men in our house, the best time of the year is the BYU football season. This last week was the Cougar Kickoff down at BYU. Kelly took Josh and a neighborhood cougar fan (Ry had football practice and Mark and Cass were in a little choir). After waiting in line for about an hour, and then still having to track down posters later in the evening after they ran out, they still managed a fun evening. They were able to get some signatures and meet some of the players. You'll have to ask Kelly and Josh who the players are with them. I'm plead total ignorance.

Dinner with Friends

Last night some good friends of ours came to our house for dinner, and survived the food, the company and the late night. (at least I hope they survived) Lee and Kim Brown went to high school with me, so we have been friends for a good long while. (No, I'm not saying how long, that just ages us all!)

(Older kids playing a game-I think the girls won! Below is Kai, isn't he adorable!)

They have an incredible family who is so easy going and fun to be around. Here are some pictures of our kids playing with theirs. I can't believe I didn't get any pictures of their great parents, but here you go. My kids keep asking me when they can come over again, and it isn't just Ry and Josh (who of course would want these cute girls to come back soon); Cass too keeps asking. She had a blast playing with Pearl and Grace, getting all dressed up and playing all night. She loves it when girls come to play. And who can resist Kai, who was my personal favorite to hang out with (sorry Lee and Kim). Kelly had fun visiting with Lee who also went to Thailand on his mission. I hope Kim doesn't mind, but I'm putting a link to her blog, so you can read about their journeys to China to adopt three of their beautiful children. They are inspiring stories. http://www.thebrownbulletin.blogspot.com/ (down in the left hand column, you can read, the journey of Pearl and Kai)

This is Ry and Hillary, Cass with Pearl and Grace (above); Josh and Maddie and Grace (below)

Do you have an elephant in your closet?

Mark continually cracks us up around here. Yesterday Ryan was having trouble finding something; I went in to help, being the supportive parent that I am. I should have realized that my "help" wasn't what Ryan was looking for, when he said, "that's ok, mom...I don't really need it" and quickly left the room. I got suspicious of his quick departure so I opened his closet and quickly had to duck for cover! I couldn't believe all the stuff he had literally stuffed in there. I started pulling everything out into a large pile in his room (I used to hate it when my mom did that to me when I was younger. Now I get a secret thrill being the one to do it!! ) I couldn't believe the amount of stuff that came out of that closet. Later Mark was retelling the experience to Kelly. He said, "Dad, that's a great place to hide stuff, if you need a place to hide presents! An elephant could live in there and you wouldn't even see him!" We laughed about that for awhile.

Fun in the Sun

Kelly's sister Becky has a fun pool in her back yard. She is always generous to invite the family over anytime to swim. It's a great way to beat the heat in the summertime, and this summer we have had enough of that. Cass and Mark's favorite way to enter the pool isn't by wading in gradually, or quickly jumping in. They love to enter the pool is on the slip and slide. Ryan choose not to swim this time, but enjoys escaping by listening to his ipod. It's his favorite way to avoid talking to me. :)