Please go have a free ice cream for me!

Ben and Jerry's Annual Free Cone Day is fast approaching this coming Tuesday. I was really looking forward to taking Tessa to free scoop day to the Ben & Jerry's in Provo. I was passing it's location a few weeks ago thinking about how free cone day was right around the corner and IT WAS GONE! No more Ben & Jerry's?! The closest one to me now is in SLC at the Gateway! Unbelievable! How could they have shut down? Was there just too much competition from the BYU Creamery? What? Why? Woe is me. So if any of you live close enough to a Ben & Jerry's to enjoy free scoop day. Please do. And then tell me what flavor you had and how good it was, for now my choices are limited to the freezer section of my grocery store.

Hey Freckles...

For all you LOST fans out there, you too can get your own nickname from Sawyer! Check it out here!  I am Picasso which I will take as a compliment. Now I'm off to paint! Can't wait for the new episode on Thursday!

Thanks to Holly O. for the fun link!

Postcards from Switzerland

My Parents are on a Family History Mission in The Geneva Switzerland mission.  They travel a lot in France and Switzerland to various family history centers to help the locals.  Here is my dad teaching the New Family Search. 


They also like to take the scenic route home from all their travels. It truly is beautiful where they are. It makes me "homesick" for France. One of these days we'll get back there...

Homecoming

We were pretty busy today.  Aaron was out cleaning up the front yard. We also got a composter to put near our back door, because I have trouble walking to the far back corner of our yard to compost!  So I set that up.  Tessa had a fun time at a cat and dog birthday party for her friend Eliza.  She was so excited that she had her "cat outfit" picked out the night before.  This afternoon Ryan attended a birthday party for his friend, Tyon.  And I even got to see my brother, Paul, and his lovely wife Teresa cause they came down to spruce up my mom and dad's yard today.  

But the best thing to happen today was. . .

Kielle came home!

We were all so happy to see our sweet Kie Kie!  She had so much fun and brought home lots of souvenirs!  She got to watch the Waterhorse on the plane home so now she's caught up with us.  The kids all ran out to the car to greet her when she arrived.  Aaron mentioned earlier in the week how these trips have been good for the kids because it helps them recognize how much they really do love and miss one another.  Kielle would talk for extended periods of time with both Nathan & Ada on the phone while she was away! I am happy to see them show so much love for one another.  So now we're back to life as normal (whatever "normal" is...)

Spring Break-Friday

This morning the kids pulled out the watercolors and painted a little. It all started because Ada wanted to do some fairy drawings. We've started this thing where I draw little fairy portraits of her and Tessa and Let them color them in. This is Ada's fairy portrait that she painted:


Ryan painted pictures of his friends:


Tessa made an abstract wash that I will use as a background paper in her baby book:


Nathan came in at the tail end and kind of goofed around and didn't really make anything so I thought I'd post a cool dragon he did a few weeks ago at a YW activity:




In the afternoon we rode our bikes down to the library and had a picnic lunch outside. When we got there I noticed Tessa's back tire was flat. I was asking everyone if they had a tire pump, but no luck. Tessa was unaware that her tire was flat because her training wheels kept her going and I certainly didn't want to alert her to the fact that it was completely out of air--because that would have opened the door for complaining. She was really concerned about me being able to ride my bike. She thought my tire was flat and that was why I was asking for a pump. She did really great--she just could have had a much easier time if she had a full tire!

I paid off my library fines with cans of food! This week the library is letting you pay off your fines with canned food to donate to those who need it. Each can is worth $1! I brought 12 cans! So if any of you locals have fines head on over to the library with your cans--the offer expires on Saturday! One day left!

We picked up several new books and a few videos. I got "Flipper" for the kids to watch, "The Bourne Identity" for me & Aaron, as well as "A Series of Unfortunate Events"--I read all 13 books and have wanted to see the movie for a while. It was at the library so I grabbed it. I also picked up the 1st season of LOST because I have never seen the first several episodes. I have watched the first 3 online, but it tends to be slow from time to time with buffering. So I saw the first season DVDs and grabbed them only to find, when I got home, that I have the first season starting with Episode 9! I need Episodes 4-8 first! I guess I'll be watching those online!

After we had "paid" our fines and checked out books and videos, we played on the library playground. Sorry folks no photos of the kids today--I was too bogged down with cans to bring a camera with me too! We finished up our afternoon with a trip to S.O.S. drug where you can get a "scoop" (it is really more like 2 scoops) of ice cream for $1. It is our favorite place to visit especially as summer approaches.

Tonight Nathan's friend, Dallan, is sleeping over too!

All-in-all I think we had a great Spring Break. I don't like to do too many activities on top of one another. It just gets too hectic and stressful, so I tried to make sure we had at least one fun event each day. I think we accomplished that and the kids at home still had fun stuff to do while Kielle was in South Carolina doing all sorts of fun stuff with her grandma there.

Spring Break-Thursday

Wow! The week is almost over!  We have started a "tradition" of going to Tucanos when one of the kids goes to visit Grandma May (that tradition may change seeing as Grandma May is moving here in about 3 weeks!)  When Nathan went to SC we went to Tucanos because we had a birthday coupon.  And since Nathan wasn't around to go he asked if we could go when Kielle was gone.  I remembered my parents suggesting to go to lunch at Tucanos cause its the exact same food only a lot less expensive.  So we decided to do lunch there.  If you have little kids, its a really great place to eat because it is loud there (just like the kids) and 6 and under eat free!  Why we didn't take advantage of this when they were all under six is beyond me (Oh yeah! Taking 5 kids under age 6 out in public is somewhat extremely exhausting.)   My favorite meat they serve is the Mango Cod and the Garlic Sirloin.  I love how you get a sampling of everything.   Nathan said he would give it 4 out of 5 stars.  We missed having Kielle with us.

We then went to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and shared some devoine "caramel" apples. The flavors we got were called avalanche and (aack! I can't remember) some chocolate nut one. They were very delicious!

After Lunch we wandered the Gardens at the Noni building.  They were very beautiful.  I'd love to go back in summer when everything is in full bloom.  Ryan said the best part about our afternoon was that Dad got to come along with us!  I agree!

This is Ada trying to act like she's NOT posing for the camera! What a cutie!

We were sent a picture of Kielle doing the slip and slide on Aaron's cell phone.  I hope to post more of her vactation pictures and stories when she gets home.

Spring Break-Wednesday

I was the Wicked Mother today.  We didn't do anything very fun and I made everyone clean up the house!  It was in serious need of cleaning and the one small task I asked them to do (straighten the living room-a 10 minute job) they completely ignored.  So I cracked the whip and made them do all their chores.  Lest ye think me too evil, they probably only cleaned for 1 1/2 -2 hours of the day and the rest of it the spent playing with their neighbor friends!  I did about 5 loads of laundry-and am probably about a third finished.  Gotta love a large family! As a treat, Aaron brought home ice cream for the kids so I guess their day wasn't all that bad after all.

Spring Break-Tuesday

I sent Aaron in to the doctor today. He displaced the Lunate bone in his wrist. Dr. Porter said this was something he'd learned about in Med school but never actually seen. They were able to put it back in place but his hand and wrist are still really sore. He has been wearing a brace all day. I drove him up to work to get some things so he could work from home because he drove for about 5 mins last night and I was scared for all of our lives. He was in so much pain it hurt to shift gears or steer!

We had nice weather this morning and by late afternoon it was snowing! Its so crazy! Yesterday it was so hot that Tessa was wearing her bathing suit and asking to go swimming and today we were wearing coats! We went kite flying today but I think I got our kites too late in the day because by the time we went out to the park to fly the kites the winds had really picked up. They were so strong that we lost one kite to a rooftop across the street, and on Ryan's turn to hold the kite it pulled him several feet across the park which really scared him. It was definitely exciting. So today was much more laid back-our kite flying being the highlight of the day!

Spring Break-Monday

The weather was absolutely GORGEOUS today. It was so warm and lovely. The kids played with the neighbors for most of the day. I was able to get my work done in the morning--it was nice to not have to take a break to wake everyone up. I got done earlier since everyone slept in! So I went out and put some training wheels on Ryan's old bike so Tessa could start riding that. And checked out all the rest of the bikes--filled up the tires greased the chains, etc. I found that Nathan's was the only one that needs a new tube! Woo hoo- So we'll fix that later this week and then everyone can start riding their bikes (especially once school starts again!) So the daytime was filled with outdoor activities mostly.

We did have a very comical event today and I should have taken a picture because I don't know if I can convey how hysterical this scene was. Nathan, his friend Dallan and Ryan were playing with our marble toy. It's the kind where you put pieces together to create a sort of maze for the marble to follow down to the bottom. Nathan and Dallin had built this enormous structure using practically every piece while Ryan sat quietly whimpering next to them with 2 pieces put together--a base piece and a top piece--and he kept putting his marble in and watching it go down one level over and over again as if to demonstrate how little he had. It was the most pathetic and endearing display. Anyone who knows Ryan well knows that he is the king of acting dejected and put-upon. He looked so forlorn and all I could do was laugh at the inequality of the situation. I'm such a great mom.



Tonight we went to see the Waterhorse. I discovered that the Tahitian Noni International has a free movie night every Monday. So we thought we'd try it. There weren't too many people there, which was nice. We all really enjoyed the movie. It is a tale of the Loch Ness Monster and the boy who saved it. Nathan especially loved it. He wants to make sure that Kielle gets a chance to see it when she gets home.

They have some beautiful gardens at Noni too. We'll have to go back to see those, it was dark and the gardens were closed by the time the movie was over. Perhaps we can do that as another Spring Break activity. After the movie we went to Coldstone Creamery. I had Dark Chocolate Peppermint with Chocolate shavings. MMMMM! Nathan probably had the strangest combination of banana ice cream and brownies.

As far as excitement for the day goes, it appears that Aaron sprained his wrist while pruning our Spruce tree in the front. It hurt a little after he got done, but it just got worse as the evening progressed so we picked up a wrist brace with a splint and some Advil. We'll see how he is doing in the morning!

BYU Spring Football Game

Today we went to the spring football scrimmage. It lasted a little over an hour. I spent most of my time, like I always do, entertaining children. Aaron, as you can see from this collage was totally focused on the game. I thought I got a pic of Nathan with his DS, but I guess not. That is how he enjoys sports best (shakes head). We got the kids some cotton candy to try and share. Ada & Ryan ended up being the only ones who liked it and ate it all. After the game we took the kids to Fuddruckers for an early dinner. This coming week is Spring Break so this was our kick off activity. Hopefully I can think of some other fun stuff to do with them.

School Kid-Home Kid

When Nathan was in Kindergarten he used to throw enormous temper tantrums over doing homework. He would scream about how much he hated it and schoolwork in general. One day I went in to talk to his teacher about the problems we were having at home and she said "Are we talking about the same child?" I can really relate to this weeks series of Baby Blues comics. (If you click on them you can read them better)

I want my DTV!

Are you ready for the transition to digital television on Feb 17, 2009? We just got our converter box coupons so that we don't actually have to buy a new TV and we love it! We just have our standard antannae channels and several of our channels used to be fuzzy but now they are all crystal clear and we get several extra digital channels (including QUBO which has Veggie Tales, Babar, and other fun kid programs) Ryan has made it his goal to understand exactly what every button on the DTV converter box does. He is constantly figuring out a new feature. So if you don't have a digital television already click here and get your $40 voucher from the government I think you can have up to 2 (that's what we got) and start enjoying digital TODAY!

Leaving on a jet plane. . .

We got up bright and early like 3:30 am to get Kielle off to the airport. Aaron took her up. She is spending Spring Break at her Grandma May's house in South Carolina. I send Aaron to take the kids and he has said that it is hard to let them go. With Kielle he thought it would be OK until at the last minute she got a little teary. I told him the reason I have him take them is because they probably wouldn't end up on the plane if I took them. I'd be like" Oh you're scared? you don't want to go? That's OK come home with me." She of course has been very excited about this trip especially since Nathan came home from his trip this past summer with glowing reports and a command to go to the Georgia Aquarium. But it still is hard to be away from home, Especially at bedtime (and when Nathan went we TOTALLY forgot to pack his bear which he's had since he was only a couple months old and sleeps with every night!--not good) So we made Kielle a pillowcase with this on it to hopefully help her sleep at night:

Fablehaven

Last night at the Springville Library, Brandon Mull author of Fable Haven came to speak and sign books. We already have a signed copy that Aaron got from a conference he did with Mr. Mull about a month ago. So we have been reading Fablehaven as a family in preparation for his visit. Nathan and I have finished reading it and I am reading it to the rest of the kids at bedtime. It was a really good and magical book. The 10-year-old boy Seth drove me nuts! He kept making the stupidest decisions it was painful and frustrating knowing he was going to do what he did just knowing his personality. But I suppose that's part of what makes a good read is the ability to get emotional abut what the charaters are doing. All the kids are really enjoying hearing the story and always beg me to read one more chapter. (Of course they do this with every book) My sneaky thing I do to get Nathan interested in new books is to start reading the first 1 or 2 chapters of a book and then he has to know what happens next and takes the book to finish it that night or within the next couple of days. (Otherwise he'd still only be reading Harry Potter and Star Wars.) Aaron has yet to have the opportunity to read it. We already have the 2nd book waiting for us at Funfinity. Jimmy told Aaron he would get it signed for him since the line for autographs was SUPERHUGE! That was so nice of him to do for us. We really appreciated it. The kids (Nathan and me :) especially) are looking forward to getting Book 2 and of course we'll have to rush out and get book three when it is released on April 21, I think. The presentation was good. There were a lot of people there, we talked to his publicist (who is also his sister) afterward and she said she was expecting like 10 people to show up and there were definitely over 100 and I think I am estimating low. Mr. Mull talked about his books a little and his creative process. I think my older kids especially liked it. I spent a lot of my time trying to help Tessa & Ryan settle down they were tired and antsy.

Broken Teeth and Ginsu

"Mom, I don't know how to tell you this," Nathan begins with a look of sheer panic in his eyes. I'm trying to think of what he could have possibly broken while laying in bed, but thinking it's probably bad because he only gets this mixed look of fear and remorse when he knows he's done something really wrong. He continues,"I think I broke my tooth."
"What?"
"Don't touch it!"
"I need to look at it"
"No, it hurts so bad and I'm so scared"
"Let's have dad take a look at it." Dad is the resident doctor. Any time there is physical pain injury or illness he is responsible for the first aid--especially if there is blood involved.
So Nathan tells Aaron that he thinks he broke his tooth and is so scared. After we finally pry his jaws open, Aaron declares that his molar is loose and not only loose but hanging by a thread.
Next Nathan puts his hands togther in a prayerful position and says"Oh I am so grateful. I am so grateful. I thought the top of my tooth had cracked off!"

My kids can never be accused of not being dramatic on either end of the spectrum. I won't deny that they most likely come by it very honestly through me. 

I remember once as a teenager I was mimicking the Ginsu knife commercials on a carrot and went farther than the carrot and Ginsu'd my finger I started screaming and writhing in agony and pain because I had just sliced the tip of my thumb. I was holding my hand over it so I wouldn't have to see the gruesome reality. My dad came to see what all the commotion was about and he looked like he was getting pretty nervous himself. I wouldn't take my other hand off my thumb. After prying my hand off my thumb it was revealed that only my finger nail had been nicked. I instantly dried my tears and resumed normal behavior as though nothing had happened. My dad, on the other hand was not so calm. I had just given him a near heart attack over a broken finger nail! Ah! La Drame! Life would be so boring if we didn't have a little bit of exaggerated drama in our lives right?

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's birthday. He is serving a mission in the Geneva Switzerland mission with my mom right now. A lot of people think my dad is kind of strict (which he can be), some people are afraid of him--perhaps because he is a little bit too businesslike sometimes. So, I have to post this to show that my dad knows how to have fun and be a little silly too:To me, he's my dad and he is wonderful. He has mellowed with age and it is fun for me to watch him be the "grandpa with the candy in his pockets" so to speak. Although they are far now, it has been a treat to have my parents close by. My dad has taught me how to balance a check book and manage my money. I have learned how to take care of myself in business situations and to make sure that I get the quality I deserve from a merchant. He has taught me about integrity. And he had taught me the gospel. He has taught me to follow the prophet and to be obedient. Growing up, I always knew that my dad was aware of what interested us because he would always clip articles from magazines he was reading that dealt with topics he felt we would like and then clip them to our bedroom doors. He has always been there for me. I love you Dad! Happy birthday!

Get Munk'd

At Christmas-time, Grandma May took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks--which I'm really glad about because although I love Alvin and the Chipmunks, I'm afraid the updated 2007 version would annoy me.  I loved the cartoons. The kids LOVED this movie.   Today I pulled them out of school a half hour early to see the chipmunks "LIVE"--it was a free half hour concert at the mall to promote the new DVD.  I totally surprised them.  They had no idea what we were doing.  The Chipmunks sang about 5 or 6 songs and then the kids could either stand in a REALLY long line to get a photo with one of the chipmunks or stand in a non-existent line and take a photo in front of a green screen and be put in a photo with the chipmunks.  Guess which ones my kids chose.  I am SOO glad that they don't like long lines either!  It was a lot of fun.  They have thanked me over and over.  Yeah I totally Rock!  Today, I'm a good mom!  Of course I'd be a better mom if I let them buy the DVD but I couldn't handle that OVER and OVER--maybe we'll rent it--once.

Ada was wearing a green shirt that was the same color as the green screen so it disppears. They offered to fill it in for her, but she liked the way it looks. It actually does look pretty cool.

Mother Mary

More music!  I have been trying to get this song for a while but haven't been able to find it for purchase.  It is called "Mother Mary" by Foxboro Hot Tubs (which is really Green Day)  Any way it is a really fun peppy song and you too can download it for free for a limited time. (honestly--I'm not sure how long it will be free.)  Good luck and good listening.

Better Than Wine

For some reason, I've got music on my mind lately. Before Aaron and I were formally engaged, I made him a couple of mixes on tapes. Which are in peril of becoming relics because cassette tapes are, like, soooo 20th century! So I have been in the process of compiling the songs so I can have a full playlist on iTunes and burn them to a CD. This is my cover art to one of the tapes entitled "Better Than Wine."

The problem I am having now is finding some of my more obscure songs:
"Just give me tonight" & "Insight Out" by:Ali Ali Oxen Free--I have fond memories of listening to this song in intimate settings in Provo. I still have the tape but don't have the equipment to transform it to MP3 format. I think that Ryan Shupe (of ". . .and theRubberband") fame was a member of Ali Ali Oxen Free. Maybe I can track HIM down and he can get me a copy!  Someone I work with says he thinks he can hook me up. Cross my fingers!

"Dreamin" by:Pow Wow--I was introduced to this music on my mission. My companion and I would listen to this hours on end. We were stuck in the apartment due to illness and this music was so soothing to listen to. It is available from iTunes France but they won't let me download it. I'll have to resort to other devices!

"Hodja" by:Vocal Point--OK, It's embarrassing to admit what an ENORMOUS Vocal Point groupie I was. My room mate Ximen and I were groupies of the original Vocal Point with Bob Ahlander and Dave Boyce! We had such crushes on them and went to every concert that had and would shout "Don't Stop" in the middle of this song. We would dream about our lives with Dave and Bob--pathetic! Flash Forward to being married and in the Provo 8th ward. Bob and I ended up being not only in the same ward, but on the COOLEST activities committee EVER! Of course by then the whole crush thing was over, and I never even brought up Vocal Point for fear that he would recognize me as the groupie who would hang out near him and even talk to other members of the group (Lowell Stewart from my home ward in Chicago was a member of VP.) So we would talk to Lowell and be too shy to talk to Bob. Hmm. . .maybe since I actually have talked to and even worked with Bob, I could get a copy of Hodja from him. That might work.

"La Belle Notte" from Lady and the Tramp. I know you're probably thinking what is so obscure about THAT song? Well, I am looking for the French version. So It has been a little trickier.

"When I first met Jesus" by the Housemartins. I can find lots of songs by the Housemartins, just not this one! I love the Housemartins.

"I'll Give My All to You" by Vinx.  This song is on the album "Rooms in my Fatha's house" I think it is out of print (If that is the right wording for an album?) I initially was exposed to this song by Ximen.

"The journey of Alan Bean" by Stina Nordenstam--album "Memories of a Colour."  I am amazed that I finally figured out the name of the artist who sings this song. It took me YEARS!  Another one that my comp Clarisse and I would listen to.

"That's All" I don't know who sings the version I have. I got this particular version off a tape my brother Paul had--probably out of his locked trunk that mysteriously was opened about a month before he came home from his mission. . .sorry about that.

"It's all in the Game" again I don't know who sings this version. It's another one I got from ma chere Clarisse Maillard.

Out of 48 total songs, I suppose that needing 10 isn't too bad, but they still make a big difference to the whole. Maybe one day I will be able to find these in digital format and complete my compilations.  Or maybe you know how I can find these treasures. . .