Yikes!

So, I walked out to the living room a couple of days ago to find that Caelen wanted to be "fancified" (his term, not mine). Apparently, he had gone in and grabbed the comb. When he came out to ask me to fix his hair, Tia was the only one around. So he asked Tia to "fix him up"...that way he was fancy enough to see Grandma and Grandpa (my parents were here in the valley for a couple of days). The crazy thing: it really worked! He actually held still while she played to her little hearts content!

First Day of School

Ok, ok, I know. I'm lousy about posting on a regular basis. But I do try and update when we have news, at least! I'll try and make it up to you!

The biggest thing we've had lately has been that 2nd grade started for Tia August 20th. She was soo excited, I deliberately waited to tell her when the actual day was coming just to keep things on a more even keel. Plus we didn't have any money to go shopping for school clothes until the weekend before anyway. So (once everyone got past the worst of illnesses and bad schedules), my sisters Brittany, Ashley, and I took Tia to the mall (heaven forgive us!) and went looking for clothes that were reasonably priced and still looked good. Of course, the clothes that I found Britt didn't like, and the ones she found I thought were cute but I liked the other ones better. But, like the greatly intelligent adults that we are, we left the ultimate decision to the 6 year old! And wouldn't you believe it...she picked the clothes I liked! I knew she was my daughter!



These are pictures that I swiped from Ashley's blog that are too fun. The "food" is actually playground equipment inside the mall for tired out moms who just need to let their kids go crazy...or go crazy with the kids. Something like that.


I had the devil of a time getting her to look at the camera at the same time as not do a "cutsey pose". So here is one cutsy, and one of what she really looked like that morning!



Since then, she has been increasingly busy with schoolwork and friends. Her teacher (the couple of times I've been able to meet her which were before and immediately after school) seems really nice, and she has a good reputation with the parents I've spoken with. Plus she doesn't have as much homework that is assigned each night, which helps. As luck would have it, 2 other kids from our ward are also in her school class. So she already knew a few kids, and now my little social butterfly is expanding her "group" daily. It sure has been fun to see her excitement as her world expands! And oh, my! All the new books that she is starting to get interested in! Can you believe that she wants to start in on the Narnia Chronicles? I didn't think she'd start trying those for another year at least!

Now I just need to find a way to occupy the boys while she is gone...they really do look to her for all the entertainment around here! I guess us boring parents are just going to have to work on that...

Our trip to Price

Like I said I've been busy. Just a week after the holiday, we went down to Sunnyside, Utah (a teeny, tiny little town just south and east of Price) to visit with Johnny's parents. It was an awful, long drive south (our car's thermostat went out, though we didn't know it until we'd already embarked on a trip that went from a 3 1/2 or 4 hour trip into an 8+ hour trip) during the heat of the day in a car with no air conditioning...well, let me just say that we are going to get a newer model van asap; hopefully before I search out the sledge hammer in the garage!! The rest of the trip was a lot of fun, though short. We basically just went down and horsed around the house, spent the night, horsed around some more while John and Dad fixed the car (plus a trip to the park), and then we headed into to Price. (Thanks a million for the visit Mom and Dad! I know it couldn't have been easy what with the shoulder and the kids and all!) The theory was that we'd see if replacing the thermostat fixed the car based on whether or not the car had issues before we got to Price, and decide from there what we would do (the original plans had included attending the Nelson Reunion which was at a church campsite between Orangeville and Huntington, again just outside of Price). When we got to Price, we pulled up to a gas station to fill up. As we were sitting there discussing our travel plans, the truck sitting in front of us (huge truck by the way) got ready to leave and instead of pulling out popped right into us! Now, this didn't really do any damage (to quote my eloquent husband, "it probably just made the bumper look better!") but John wasn't feeling terribly secure about the car anyway, so he decided to take a hint and get the heck out of Dodge before we found ourselves stranded in the middle of the desert with no cell reception. So we stopped to briefly visit with a friend of ours from high school (gads, I wish I looked as good as she does...and she's even 6 months pregnant! Congrats again, Audrey!!!), and then started kicking up dust. We finally made it home about 1:30 am (due to a 30 minute wait from road construction and another 30 minute wait from a car accident we came across), safe and sound, and incredibly grateful to sink into our own beds!

Here are a few pictures from the park fun I know you all LOVE to watch out for! No applause necessary...and try to keep the groans to a minimum!

Meet our spider monkey:


There's nothing like following in the steps of a big brother!


"Look Mom! I found the same thing that was on that one movie!" (Ice Age)


Yes, John does this on a regular basis (though I think he's just trying to induce a heart attack in his wife!)


Grandpa Tony teaching Caelen how to play: (wait, is that by voice or example?)


"Let me catch you Grandpa!"


Grandpa and Tia


Tia and Kieran...yes, Kieran can walk now!


It is a little hard to see, but Kieran was giggling hysterically when he was swinging!


Tia's favorite thing to do in the park is still to find all the flowers and make things with them!


Daleine talking while John whittles...


As we were leaving Sunnyside, the sun started to peak through and leave some absolutely gorgeous sunbeam shots! Gosh, I miss the smell of a rainstorm in the desert!!!!!!!

Pioneer Day pics

Ok, so I know that this is more than a little late; but in my defense I have been a little busy. I promised I would put up some pictures of the picnic and fireworks fun, though heaven only knows I'm not the best with my camera yet (if you've ever watched me try to figure out how to read directions at the same time as follow them...yeah, I have a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time sometimes too), so go with me as best you can and then through a pound of salt over your shoulder.

For July 24th, I always harass people into going to Willow Park for the fireworks, and usually a picnic before. This year our semi-willing victims were Garth, Laura, and Ashley. Johnny made this amazing pulled pork BBQ, and we managed to limp by with the rest. After dinner we had fun kicking a soccer ball around, tossing a frisby back and forth, and trying to keep up with the kids. After it started getting dark we pulled the glow sticks out and had fun playing around 'til the fireworks started. Ready for the photo album now? ;)


Aren't they cute? They're all sending their love...



Here's the soccer/frisby fun...what you get, anyway



Just a few pictures of people having fun!



And this one...can you say "Busted!!!"



I had to save some of the best for last: the great Before and After shots of funny Garth!

Medusa lives!!!

Ok, I have to tell people this. I know it sounds silly, but I've been trying for ages to find a way to curl Tia's hair the way that she likes and that I can live with. It has been a little bit of a chore just because her hair is sooo long, but I finally found it! I found these really cool curlers at Sally Beauty that work from a kind of "memory plastic" that is formed into a flattened mesh tube. It works by sticking a kind of giant, elongated plastic crochet hook up through the mesh tube, grabbing the hair with it and pulling the whole thing back down and out of the tube. I've been told by a few hair stylists and friends that they like using this method because it lets your hair try 10x as fast. I just like it because it will curl Tia's hair in a spiral with out ratting it. Here are some before and after pictures:



There is what my own little Medusa looks like with the curlers newly placed.



Isn't she just adorable? I can even say I have my own "Curly Sue"! (Heaven help us all!)