MAYLIN2007

Today in home school we did math and language arts. We learned about patterns and how designs come from patterns. This is Maylin's pattern in the beginning stages(see below). When she finished her pattern design it was quiet large, but at that point in time, my camera would not work. She said it is a design of a fashion closet filled with lots of accessories. Seriously? She is 5 and already thinking about closets and accessories. When I would give her an assignment, in between instruction, I made fruit leather. It is pretty easy to do, but very time consuming. I have all 4 of my ovens going plus a dehydrator. Today I made pear, peach and grape. Tomorrow I will do raspberry. Next week apple. I am tired. The drying will finish about 2 a.m. Think about me in your dreams....for I will be cutting up fruit leather.      

Alex had a football game at a place in the mountains that was 75 minutes away from where we live. He had to be at the game by 7:45 a.m. We decided to get a hotel in a city that was only 30 minutes away from the game field, that way we didn't have to get up as early and we could enjoy swimming and a night away. The older two kids had other commitments so it was just Jay, Alex, Maylin and me. It was a quick, but nice get away. Maylin thought it was pretty great. I don't think she remembers staying in a hotel. We have, but I think it was a few years ago and she doesn't remember. She searched that room over and was so excited to tell us they gave us a closet, a bathroom and two beds! Two plays into the game and Alex got hurt. A kid stepped on the back of his leg with his cleat. He was down on the field and his four coaches were around him. I got out of the car where I was sitting with Maylin (It was 31 degrees!!)to see what was going on. The car was only a couple of feet from t...

My parents neighborhood borders the city park. This park is really a great park for a smallish town. They have a zoo (its a pretty good one too), great play areas, ball diamonds, a skate park, a really nice indoor skating rink and a small carnival ride area. Growing up my best friend lived across the street where there was a gate that would take you into the park. During the summer, we spent a lot of time there. My friends and I would go walking in the park, we would play there, hang out, whatever. There is a big fountain in that park. It is not particularly pretty. It looks like 5 or 6 smoke stacks that have been stuck together to create a fountain. I guess it modern/70's....I don't know if that makes sense. It is cream and made of stucco. One of the best parts of the park would be to see what color the fountain was or if there were bubbles in it. My friends and I would check it out every Saturday morning because we knew some sneaky soul on the previous Friday night would dump...

This weekend we made a road trip to Idaho for my nephew Trent's wedding. We love Trent and Katie so much and are so glad they found each other! They are a perfect fit and it helps that my girls LOVE Katie too. The wedding was wonderful. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was awesome. It was so sheik and the food was fab! My favorite part was seeing my nephews and their children who live all over the country. It was so wonderful! Maylin loved seeing her cousins. As you can tell from the pictures, there was one cousin in particular that she really enjoyed. That is you, Crew!!! I also loved the music. My nephews sang and played the guitar. It was great and they are so talented. My fav was when my nephew Adam sang two Neil Diamond songs....he really can impersonate him! It was a good time. Hope you enjoy the great photos of the beautiful reception and my beautiful family. Please click on the photos so you can see them in bigger and better form!        

Friday, Maylin's Kindergarten class that she attends between homeschool went on a field trip to a working farm. We have been there before a couple of times as a family and with the Passey's, but Maylin had no recollection of it at all. We had a fun time and even took a hay ride! I love the picture of Maylin looking through the hole in the door. She said there was a bunch of dirty old stuff inside. She wasn't very interested in the pigs at all. I loved them. I liked how they were both squished in the feed bed. It was so cute. We had a good time feeding the ducks. We brought tons of bread and so did her teachers so I am sure those ducks are still full! The farm was so pretty during fall that I made arrangements to have a our family photos taken in a couple of weeks. I am so excited.         On a personal note: I have irritable bowl syndrome. I know that is not what you wanted to hear, but hey....sometimes you just have to share. My syndrome usually means I can't go ver...

This year I have felt that change is hitting my little family so hard. I feel like my children are being called to move forward, move ahead, move away....from home. Kenzie will be driving soon. You just don't even know what that does to me. Have you ever pretended to be afraid when you see one of your neighbor's kids behind the wheel for the first time? I usually tease them by running away from the car. Of course it is just a joke, but when they drive by I always have a "I can't believe they are that old" moment. However, these feelings of fear with my daughter driving is not pretend or a joke, it is real live fear. I can't figure out how my daughter could drive when she can't make her bed everyday. Alex is in junior high. He wants a later curfew.He will officially be a teenager in a month. Maylin thinks she needs to play with a friend 24/7. What happened to me being the center of her universe? Then finally, there is Austin. He not only moved from high sch...

On Labor Day we decided to go up to the canyon and go for a hike. When we got to the ski resort where the hike was, we discovered they were having Oktoberfest. It ended up being super fun! We watched yodelers, cow bell players, a German band and a professional National Champion yo-yo dude. We also took our hike and the kids jumped on the trampoline/bungee cord thing. We also shared a pretzel. It was a pretty fun, unexpected day! We enjoyed being together, but missed Austin. He had a good time with roommates and friends at another canyon.         After our day in the mountains, we went and saw Jay's new great nephew Kye. We took them dinner too. He is such a cute little baby! It is fun to have a new one in the family again.

My heart is full for the events that changed our country and so many people's and families' lives forever. It has been 10 years, but when I have watched the events played over today of the events of 9/11, I still cry and my heart hurts. I hope we also remember the unity, love, faith and patriotism we also felt that day and for several years after. I will never forget the flags that went up on every house on my street and the neighborly conversation and compassion we all felt. It was awesome. Unfortunately, some times I think that feeling of unity/love/patriotism/faith has been lost since that day. It is important we as a country once again stand together, love each other,work together and have faith. We need to get those feelings back. The events of that day can't be forgotten.

Tonight Jay and I went and sat on the patio to look at the beautiful full moon. We went out at ten. Maylin opened the back door and said "Dad are you out here? Mom, are you?" We said yes. She yelled something and closed the door and we heard the dead bolt. Great. We were both in our PJ's. Alex was asleep and Kenzie wasn't answering her cellphone and she was in the basement. We knocked and Maylin would come to the french doors and peek through the blinds and laugh. We went to the front door and the garage side door only to hear her be one step ahead of us. She locked every single door! Finally, I called Alex enough times on his cell that it woke him up and he got Kenzie to let us in. Maylin said she locked us out because we were on the porch together without her and we were kissing. She said it made her mad. Great.

Guess what time of year it is? FOOTBALL. It actually started a month ago, but games started this week. Alex is not X this year. That means he is not over weight. He can touch the ball, he doesn't have to play on the line and he doesn't have to have that big ol' X on his helmet. He is pretty excited. His coach is excited too. In our first game Alex played the WHOLE entire game. No breaks. at. all. He is the kicker this year. See below photos. He did great. He is also on the punt/kick off return teams and he plays on defense...tackle, linebacker and defensive end. On offense he plays tackle and this game coming up they are going to let him be a running back and run the ball a few times. He is excited about that. We will see though if that really happens. The coach is worried to have him off the line, but really wants to give him an opportunity.       Homeschooling has been going well, but today I was SOOOOO tired, we took a day off. We will do our lesson tomorrow even thou...

Thanks everyone for participating. It was so fun! I loved it. The decision making process for the winner was really hard. Since I am not good at making decisions I appreciate the votes and comments and emails I got about who should be the winner. One thing that EVERYONE mentioned in their comments on a winner is they LOVED every story! It is so great to read something funny once in a while and enjoy a funny moment. So, thanks to all who shared. So. drum roll please!!!! The 1st place winner is : DUMPSTER DIVA with Val!!!! The 2nd place was a tie: with "What is your hand doing in my pocket?" by Emma Nelson and "Born Free" with Circe!!!! Let me know if you are a reader or a non-reader! It was really tough! I loved every single story.

The give-a-way is over. Winner or winners will be announced soon. If you haven't read every one's entry please do so and let me know which one you liked. We had stories of rotten turkeys, dumpsters, two bras, no bra, hands in pockets, gas pumps, wrong names....to just name a few. Check them out. You will get a good laugh. Leave a not on which one you liked. Man! This is going to be tough. There are a lot of good stories out there.