Death by Repetition

Time: 9:35 am
Place: In the kitchen unloading dishwasher.
Logan: "Can I have an ice cream?"
Me: "No honey, it is too early, and you just had breakfast."

Time: 10:35am
Place: At the computer trying to write an email.
Logan: "Can I have an ice cream?"
Me: "No, we are having lunch soon."

Time: 12:45pm
Place: Watering plants outside.
Logan: "Can I have an ice cream? I've eaten lunch."
Me: "Yes, but that is your only one, okay...OKAY?"
Logan: "okay, pinky promise"...(already in the garage going to the freezer)

Time: 1:55pm
Place: In the living room talking on the phone.
Logan: (whispering) "mooom...can i have an ice cream pleeaassee?"
Me: "huh, what...hold on. What?!"
Logan: "Can I have an ice cream?"
Me: "No! Geesh Logan, I am on the phone. You can have something healthy."
Logan: "if I have something healthy...then can I have an ice cream?"
Me: "LOGAN!"

Time: 3:40pm
Place: Making a snack and getting kids ready for quiet time.
Logan: "Mom, can we have an ice cream for quiet time?"
Me: "Lo-gan!!! Really?"
Logan: "Soooo....no?"

Time: 3:55pm
Place: Kids still having quiet time...
Logan: "Can we have an ice cream now?"
Me: "NO!"

Time: 6:10pm
Place: Sitting at the dinner table finishing up dinner.
Logan: " So mom what is for dessert?"
Me: "Um, nothing.. we don't have dessert every night sweetie."
Logan: "Can we have ice cream?"

Some days it is multiplied by three...I just know you will find me pecked to death by repetition.

This is Why...

Daddy's gift from the kids this year....a homemade DUCK TAPE TIE!

The kids and I worked together and made this beauty...

Because Matt is in the bishopric I was a teency weency worried he would not want to wear his handcrafted necktie from the kiddo's and I waited with baited breath as he opened it up and they all asked him right away...

"So you are going to wear it daddy?"

Enthusiastically he responds "Oh ya!"

THIS is just one of the billion reasons Daddy is superdaddy to the kids and to me.

As we walked to our seats this morning at church, the kids immediately looked to see daddy with his tie...and there he was, sporting his big. fat. brown. duck tape tie.

This is (and a billion others) why I just LOVE this guy.

Happy Father's Day Sweetie.

Smiling

My near 70 year old Dad
spent his time with his grandchildren this year...

... tubing down the raging river with us while we all feared for our lives....all with a smile on his face the whole time and not an ounce of complaint.

... jumping on the trampoline...because they asked him too.

... ice skating hand in hand with my children...because they wanted him to come.
(well this one ended him in the ER needing a cat-scan, and losing a little of bit of his memory but he was still smiling...didn't know where...but still smiling)

... throwing all the kids in the car and telling them...we will go anywhere you want to go.

... going to the park until THEY wanted to go home...so in other wards...HOURS!...and still come home smiling.

... telling stories to them...every time they asked.

... watching them...every time they said, "watch this!"...and still doing it even after the 102nd time.

(and that was just this year!)

My dad doesn't even know how to complain and always brings a smile with him where ever he goes. He exemplifies so many wonderful traits that I admire. I absolutely cherish when he comes and spends time with me and my family.

It is hard for my heart to even think that each year my dad has to sit it out a little more than the last. But even so, one of my favorite things to do is to find him on his bench where he is "sitting one out" and just "be" with him. To me, he just exudes peace, love, and joy and I love to be in his presence. I love you dad.

My Little Guy

Logan...my baby. My littlest one. My little guy. He is my last little baby. I can't believe he is growing up so fast.
We are launching a new product (details to come!) and now graphically drawing from scratch our designs. This is just my first rough sketch...what do you think? It isn't finished, I am still working on the pattern and colors.

I put my little guy into this design, his most prized possession is his little elephant he has had since he was a baby. This little elephant I made just reminds me of my little guy.

WHAT A WEEK!

MONDAY: Make 18 teacher Gifts, (I don't like to leave anyone out, which ends up getting carried away) This year...Personalized WATER BOTTLES!

TUESDAY: Field Sports Day volunteering at the relay running station.
Just like Sport's Day when I was a kid, without the first, second and third ribbons and adding the water...lots of it...oh and the gigantic blow up slide...they added that too.

TUESDAY NIGHT: Jessica's Activity Day Derby Father Daughter Race

WEDNESDAY: Jessica's 1st Grade Bowling

WEDNESDAY VERY LATE... Finding out Wednesday morning Hunter being a summer birthday can bring a treat for Thursday morning...oh goodie.

They DID NOT...end up looking like this...but more of a smashed "kids helped roll them out" version...but Hunter loved them. Mission Accomplished.

THURSDAY MORNING: Logan's 1st Grade BBQ Picnic

Even though Logan checked all morning that I was for sure coming, didn't see him other than for this picture, he was so busy playing.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Hunter's 3rd Grade Swim Field Trip

It was tough coming to Hunter's day because parents weren't really invited...
but I wanted to be there, so I just showed up.

FRIDAY MORNING: Present Jessica's Retiring Teacher of 30 years with a special book the class and I put together. (every teacher should be remembered)

FRIDAY AFTER-SCHOOL... Baskin Robins Double Scoop Ice Cream Treats with Daddy for Lunch

FRIDAY LATER ON... Mommy's Annual Scavenger Hunt for the kids.

Each year I put a scavenger hunt together that ends off with a big pile of fun loot for the summer. I am very proud of them and how well they all do at school. This year they are all way above the norm and all are in the 90th national percentile for their grade. I don't think I have been in the 90th percentile of anything academic.
When Matt and I joked and complimented them that they don't get their brains from either of us. (probably Grandpa Matkin)

Hunter decided it must be that his brain is like both or ours put together...

This years scavenger hunt questions were a little harder, I made them work out math problems and then follow a key to decode the letters which spelled out where their next clue was. It was much harder for my brain then it was for them completing the problems...maybe Hunter was right.

This years theme for loot- hiking! They are set with their fanny packs (there has GOT to be a better name?!) head lamps and compasses. I had to update their water gun artillery. After they found their loot it was so hot, I had a full on war with the boys and we all got drenched, too wet to take any pictures.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Yummy Dinner at Katie's! Yes...no need to cook!

SATURDAY MORNING: Yucky medical tests in small cramped places....go to a happy place...happy place...happy place.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Finally taking our boat out for the first time! (Matt inherited it over 5 years ago) We renamed the lake/pond turtle lake. There were tons of them! I caught the first turtle, but was too chicken to get it out of the net. We of course let him go after we probably gave it a near heart attack and rocked his little turtle world.

We got out on one of the little mini islands and explored all 10 feet of it so more like a clump of land in the lake.
Also where Hunter announced he was going to go to if he ever ran away...good to know.

Whew I can't believe I made it to today, Sunday...usually Sunday is pretty hectic, but today was breeze compared to the last week of school. So a lot of slugging around today. I am POOPED!

Being present for my kids and family is what makes my world go around sooo...
I can sleep when I am dead.

Now the week is over, and my house is a mess. I hope I can finally clean my house when I am dead too.