Don't Ever Give Up

Today we went to the corn maze. Oh boy was this ever a maze! HUGE! They asked us if we would like to play the game while we went through, and if you got all the letters on your card your name went into a drawing to win 100 dollars. Hunter's ears immediately perked up and he set his eyes on the prize. We all gave an honest effort until Jess and I got tired and our feet hurt so we bowed out, then Logan was hungry (no surprise there) and he joined us in the van. But Hunter was NOT giving up. So Daddy and him spent another 45 minutes working to get the answers. They finally finished finding all 9 stations in this HUGE maze. So Proud!!

At the end he told me he would keep 50 dollars if he won and give dad and I the other so that we could go out for dinner.

I kept trying to tell the kids that if you keep your eye on the prize in life you can achieve it with hard work. Jess said she was too hungry and tired for this prize.

Just call me June.

With the economy going in a handbasket, the price of cereal is astronomical. (I never use that word) Anyway, I have decided to eliminate it to weekends only. Seeing it costs me 5.00 a box, they go through a box every 2 days and it is just sugar. (that is 75 a month) So what does that leave me...pulling a June cleaver. I have decided to make breakfast each morning. Today was french toast. It went well, kids ate it, I didn't die. I think the key is to start with a clean kitchen. A challenge sometimes. However, I think this just might work. Other ideas are oatmeal, cream of wheat, muffins, eggs and toast, and the oh so ambitious pancakes. So there you have it. I have officially entered 50's house wife mode. Well at least for breakfast.

The Haircut Meltdown

Tonight was pure meltdowns for the boys. They HATE getting their haircut. It used to be just bribe them with a little chocolate and t.v. and we were good. Now they are on to us. Yesterday I chased Logan with the hair gel and lost. He ended up going to school with a large clump of hair gel stuck to the top of his head. He told me people asked him about it. Ya, I would think so... So I said either you let me hair gel you or we cut it. So that led us to the hair cut meltdown. We eventually cut both boys. (Hunter's meltdown was over that he didn't think he needed one too) Sigh...

Dirty Windows.

Every mirror, every window in my house right now has one or more perfect little hand prints. I almost have a little pain in my heart when I wipe them clean. In fact, if I find one that I can't resist keeping I just clean around it. I know it is crazy. But it just saddens me that those cute hand prints keep getting bigger. So for now, I am okay having dirty windows and mirrors.

What do you think?

Sunday I had fun with the kids picking their brain about stuff... Here is how they answered me...

Jessica 6 years

1. What is your favorite color?
Pink and light blue

2. Who do like to play with?
Isabelle and Addison

3. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A vetrinarian and a mommy

4. How old are you?
6 3/4

5. What sort of things will you be to do once you are seven?
Go on bigger rides, hold babies by myself and watch them when there mommy's are talking, I will be more bored because I will be older and things change.

5. How do babies get here?
In the mommies stomach out from the uh ohs. From a little seed from heaven.

6. What does daddy do all day?
He works and builds stuff. I don't know what else?

7. What is your future plan?
First I am going to get married, then go on waterslides and vacations and stuff and then when my babies are ready to come out we have babies, then go on more vacations...and some private stuff I don't want to tell.

8. What is your favorite thing to play or do?
Play with dog Powder, and with my stuffies and rollerblade.

9. How many kids do you want to have and where do you want to live?
3 kids maybe 4 babies. I will live kind of everywhere...

10. What is your happiest moment this year?
Starting my piano lessons.

Logan 5 years old

1. What is your favorite color?
Red

2. Who do like to play with?
Hunter

3. What do you want to be when you grow up?
A daddy

4. How old are you?
5

5. What sort of things will you be to do once you are six?
Be able to climb on the roof of the playground, climb to the top of the tree. Go on big rides.

5. How do babies get here?
The moms drive them here.

6. What does daddy do all day?
He works...do the computer.

7. What are you going to do when you grow up?
Watch PG-13 movies

8. What is your favorite thing to play or do?
Wrestle with Hunter, trade pokeman cards

9. How many kids do you want to have and where do you want to live?
One kid, and I want to live here.

10. What is your happiest moment this year?
Going swimming

Hunter 8 years

Kids Questionaaire

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you.
2. What makes mom happy?
When I give her a kiss.
3. What makes mom sad?
When I yell at her...
4. How does your mom make you laugh?"
When she tickles me.
5. What was your mom like as a child
She had less stuff, not like we do.
6. How old is your mom?
Thirty one.
7. How tall is your mom?"
Really tall.
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Ski
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Work at home.
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
For her vinyl
11. What is your mom really good at?
skiing
12. What is your mom not very good at?
um, I was going to say ice skating...hang gliding. Um she is not good at shopping.and not good at winning at games...
13. What does your mom do for her job?
she makes vinyl for other people.
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
candy? do you? I know! Shushi!

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
When you give me lots and lots of kisses, it makes happy.
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Mini mouse.
17. What do you and your mom do together?
We cross stitch, take walks together
18. How are you and your mom the same?
we sound the same, we also do our hair the same.
19. How are you and your mom different?
She has lots of pimples and I don't
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Because she always gives me loves and kisses every night.

Logan

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Did you make your bed, clean up...
2. What makes mom happy?
Being nice.
3. What makes mom sad?
When people are mean
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Tickling me
5. What was your mom like as a child?
Watched tv
6. How old is your mom?
One hundred.
7. How tall is your mom?
About this tall (shows me)
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Use the computer
9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Use the computer
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Owning money

11. What is your mom really good at?
The computer
12. What is your mom not very good at?
Going on rides, driving a car cause you honk at people.
13. What does your mom do for her job?
vinyl
14. What is your mom's favorite food?
chicken
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
do her vinyl
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Pikachoo or darkari
17. What do you and your mom do together?
Going on dates
18. How are you and your mom the same?
We both do the computer
19. How are you and your mom different?
we don't walk the same.
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Let us play game cube.

And I thought I had a bad day.

Saturday was a crazy crazy soccer day. Three games, three soccer pictures and a lot of driving around. Late for one, wrong time for another. It happens every year and I was dreading it. (well not that late part) I knew Matt wasn't going to be there to help me as he had his Scout River Rafting Trip planned. Well to make a long story short. Matt ended up going the night before to camp with Rick. Well they thought it would be a good idea to take their dirt bikes for a little fun the night before it started. Their fun turned deadly and they got very lost, ended up 3 miles down a canyon and stuck. They had to walk back in the dark, got lost, and huddled under a tree in the pouring rain all night long. Oh boy. Camilla and I are getting more grey hairs from our hubbies than our kiddies lately.

Then...dad is on his wonderful sailing adventure from Hawaii to Figi and has this to report on day three. (we don't have any contact with him, just a blog that the captain writes in each day)

"I made a lot of noise yesterday with my first shot as chef when I got so excited at my tasty French toast that I failed to hold on when a big wave hit and
I went flying backwards - fell on my back and hip banged my head on the cupboard, but most painful I cut my hand with the spoon I was using for the batter. Doctor Cress took over and with aplomb sewed me up using a staple gun. [Matt took a pass on this interesting procedure as he has already decided to also take a pass on being a doctor]. Today we took the staple out as it seems to have done its work. Too bad doctor and Captain Cress are taking care of my medical needs pro bono as so far I just
wasted money buying medical insurance - mind you the trip is not over. "

So I guess my day was roses compared to these two. It is all perspective I tell ya.

Pokemon Shomkemon

This pokemon is beyond me. It is like these kids are talking a complete different language. I could understand Larryboy, Buzz Lightyear, Spiderman, and Star Wars...but Pokemon? I don't get it?

Hunter's Favorite Cards: Blazikin, Melotick, Regigigas (that is really how you spell it), Electivire, Glaceon, Hariyama, Nosepass, Groudon, Bibarel, Kecleon, Exploud, Buneary, Lopunny, Wigglituff, Scisor, Sarpedo, Darkari, Sneasel, Weavile, Raichu, Pikachu, Empoleon, Cloyster, Palkia, Dialga, Blastois, Cresselia, Lugia and Technical Machine TS-1

Huh?

Another gong show kind of day.

Okay I'm diggen this all day at school for the kids deal. I like it. I like the peace and quiet. I like all I can get accomplished. I like the cleaner house.
I really love when they come tearing into the house all talking at once about their exciting day... until about 10 minutes after they have been home and they have spewed their papers, backpacks, socks, coats and whatever else might constrict playtime. They then proceed to climbing the walls (literally) throwing dirt at each other for fun, feeding their ravenous hunger with a quick dinner, throwing most of it in the sink, trying to be patience with Jessica's piano practicing, playing lets lock each other out of the house games, (not me them) hearing "I'm starving" and hour after making dinner, trying to stay awake as Jess reads me two pages from her new library book and finally ending the evening with Logan getting poop on his feet and deciding they all need a bath. This all happened just this evening. And today was one of the few non soccer game days, it was supposed to be more layed back...

Kids are high action, high drama. At least mine are. Never a dull moment. If there is quiet you can be sure someone is either eating or sleeping, otherwise most of the time all three are trying to talk to me at once. So I say again embrace the crazy, hectic gong show of a life as a temporary season in our lives and hang on for the ride. Enjoy while they still want to tell you everything, and I mean everything that goes on in their life. It won't last long.

Twilight Takes Over

There is this vampire series called Twilight. It is about a girl who falls in love with a vampire. It isn't as weird as it sounds. There are four books and once you start you just can't put them down. Everyone one I know that reads them neglects their life until they are done reading. They are a little frightening for me but I am trying to be brave.

Harry Potter did it. Davinchi Code did it. Now the Twilight series has done it. Sometimes a book or book(s) can take your day away, but where they take you away to, is well worth it.

Wednesday's

Wednesday have never been my favorite days. It seemed like Wednesdays were when I had lessons, the big exam, or papers were due. Now that I have my own business it is funny how Wednesday has become my day of peeling and masking. Which is my least favorite part. It is a whole lot easier now the kids are in school all day. But nevertheless, not my favorite. Our orders have gone to about 40-50 a week. Ya~ It feels really good. Because of all the orders, Wednesday has seeped into Thursdays and sometimes Fridays. Sigh...

Sometimes you just have to pull up your sleeves and just get'r done. Don't they say... the difference between those that are successful and those that are not, successful people just get'r done.

16 House Guests

Never knew my 3 bedroom home could sleep 16 house guests, but we managed it this weekend for Hunter's baptism. Barbara and Mike, Steph and Jeff, Mom, Dad and Shauna and my family. Well that is where is started, but Saturday afternoon much to everyone's great surprise Shell showed up with Emily,Clara and Benjamin. So that makes sixteen! I screamed and yelled when I saw Shell had made the fast 24 hour trip to surprise Hunter for his baptism. All the cousins had a blast being together playing leap frog, eating bugs, rollerblading and just playing hard together. It was a quick weekend but wonderful.

The more the merrier I always say....well I don't, but it is true.
There is always somewhere on the floor you can fit a couple more.

A Special Spirit

Hunter's baptism was beautiful. Leading up to it was a crazy prepare for a wedding type of day. Lots of family busily running around, trying to keep kids clean and happy, and pictures, pictures, pictures. I was running around like I felt like I needed to be doing something and really didn't need to do anything. It wasn't until we sat down and were quiet for the quiet baptism prayer that it truly hit me this the magnitude of this special day. I am so grateful Hunter's is such a good example for me. He just has such an amazing special spirit. He told me afterward that he felt like a newborn after he was baptized.
You can tell he understand the big decision he has made is important to him. Going to church in his tie, making sure he has his scriptures and being ready each Sunday is one little things. But he is ready to bear his testimony and each week asks when he can. He really is an amazing little boy. How did we get so lucky?

Still No Ty

If you remember from earlier in the year about Ty. Ty was Jessica's first crush. This week was the first week of school and Jessica saw no Ty. Each day she would come home and say, "Still no Ty" We thought maybe he was sick or just away on vacation. After about two weeks of being absent we realized Ty must of moved away. Oh dear.

Live Simply

Today we cleaned out the garage. A monumental job to say the least. We took everything out, planned a new layout, executed the plan and brought everything back in. It took until noon to take it all out and then until 5 to get it figured all out where it will end up. It was an exhasting job. But so needed! We could barely walk in there anymore. We had several bins full for a garage sale but decided to donate it and reap the blessings than the financial returns. However small they may be. I have way too much stuff, and I will never purchase "stuff" again, don't we all say that? Being labor day weekend, we really felt it as laborious. I am royally pooped.

I think the cycle of life must contain a purge in it somewhere. Where we simply get rid of things that no longer have a purpose. Those are easy to get rid of. Then there are those things that you must say goodbye to that you still love but no longer have space or any reason to keep it. Sigh. So you must move on. In order to make room for new things and blessings in our lives you must live simply. Not easy at first but sooner of later you totally forgot you even had them.

Sunflowers make Sunflower Seeds!?

One day Jessica and I were walking in Walmart and the alluring display of all the seed packets caught our eye. I thought it would be a fun project to plant a few things in paper cups and watch them grow through the bleak months in March. Well our little sunflower seed moved from a cup to a small pot, to a larger pot to eventually outside. Most plants don't make it past the paper cup. While both our thumbs are not green our eagerness overruled and we were elated about our healthy little plants. Eventually it got so big we both could not believe our eyes! They were HUGE! Gardening is something as new to me as it was for Jessica so I felt like a child discovering the fun along with her! When we discovered that WE had made our own sunflower seeds, we were hooked!
Now what should we try?

One year sooner.

Well I didn't think this would come this quick. But from a late night call from the principle, I received two days before school started that they have moved Logan's half day kindergarten class to full day. I felt like I went through all the stages....shocked, happy, sad, guilty, and many more. Today is my first real day home, and I can't keep smiling, but then I do feel like something is missing. Noise.
I circled the school twice and cried once, I think it will all be okay.

Life is supposed to change. Go with it. You can have a little cry and then jump into the next wave with gusto! We can't keep everything always the way it is, so it just makes you appreciate what you have when you have it even that much more.

Goodbye Caterpillar

When we go camping Jessica always seems to find a pet. We don't plan to take home any new pets, but somehow she finds one. Last month she found a butterfly that was stuck in the grill to the pick up. It turned out to still be alive but had a broken leg and was forced to walk only and couldn't fly away. Instant pet. She spent the weekend allowing this poor creature to crawl all around her as she pet it and loved it. It started to lose more body parts and after so much love eventually went to the other side. We talked of a funeral service but got a little too busy and one day mommy had to dispose of the poor creature.

Last weekend as she was swinging on the hammock with Auntie Shauna her new pet fell our of the sky. A caterpillar. This particular caterpillar was very colorful and wild looking to say the least. I was a wee bit worried it would be poisonous. So I warned her not to touch it. But, she had to love and take care of it and we put it in a cup. She then moved it's home my lovely large glass vase, (which has been home to her springtime ladybugs and beta fish) It has stayed a live with trees and grass until today she came down and said. "Mom. you made the holes too big for my caterpillar" I said, "oh?" She then said he was gone. One lost caterpillar. Maybe even a poisonous one. Oh no. So we proceeded to spend the next half hour looking carefully in every nook and cranny of her bedroom. I kept thinking we can't leave it just in case it was poisonous! I finally found it on the other side of the room climbing up her closet hanging thingy. We then slowly proceeded to the toilet where he was flushed. I said, "Say goodbye to caterpillar honey." she says softly. "good bye, caterpillar."

For some reason children are drawn to creatures of any kind. Maybe because they have found something they can really be in charge of and govern. So when they find one that isn't so nice or is poisonous they learn to still be good to it, bring it home and care for it.
(Until it gets loose of course then he needs to go...)

School days here we come...

I can't decide what kindof person I am going to be. A blogger, a scrapbooker, a digital scrapbooker, a paper and pen kind of gal. I don't know. I don't even know if I am going to be night owl or early bird yet, I know I tend to go toward the night owl, but I tend to like the idea of being an early bird. Shell is and I think it is neat to get a bunch done before 8, but then I don't like the idea of being too beat to acomplish anything the rest of the day.

So school starts in 2 days. Ya. I am READY for the kids to be occupied again with homework, school and soccer. These lazy days are nice until they get so lazy you go crazy. We are close to going crazy.

Business is crazy, 42 orders in one week. EEK. We aren't quite sure what to think. We love the moola. I infact just love the idea of bringing in a regular salary. We are moving out to the cottage October 1st which is right behind Camilla's house. We are pulling out the carpet, putting flooring down and painting walls. We also might have Melannie, Haydens mom work for us starting then too. We need it seeing all the orders!

My cramps are bad. Everyone tells me to get a hysterectomy, easier said then done. I am sick of the bleeding and pain. I have an appt tomorrow. I will go from there.

The cyst

Well I had a laparoscopy this thursday. Turned out the cyst was gone but they found endrometriosis. Oh Great. Now what. Every one I talk to says get a hysterectomy. I feel indifferent with it. I don't really want to have major surgery, but I also know I don't want it to get worse. People ask if it is at all related to my other issues, I dont' know. I am tired of it already. I hurt.