Thursday, February 17, 2011

Damens Coat of Arms

I went to parent teacher Conferences the other day and while I was waiting to visit with Damens teacher, I was looking at all the stuff on the bulletin board. It was cute to look and read every ones Coat of Arms. Then after reading several I found Damens and was impressed. I was especially impressed after I read every one and he was the only one to have written that in 10 years he would be on a mission. I guess there was a little pride that crept into me because by darn I sure was proud of my boy, still am.

It says if you can't read it. I feel proud about...my games
What I will do in 10 years... mission
All about my family... 6 people
Things I do with my friends... play

Nothing else was out of the ordinary, pretty basic really but like I said I was proud of the mission thing and then to see "In God we Trust" in those huge big letters also made my heart swell a little. Damen has picked a great family motto for us I think we will stick with this, we couldn't get a better one or one that would fit our family any better. We are who we are because of our trust in God. Thanks for the reminder Damen and I hope we can live up to it. I sure love you bud you are a great example to so many!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Valentines Day

We had a great Valentines Day here at our house. Well at least the food was all good. I realized that the way I show my family I love them is through food. Why is that? I need to expand my ways because right now it's making me expand my waist! I started the day out making the kids lunches and of course had to cut their sandwiches with a big heart cookie cutter. Then it was on to breakfast. Why not heart pancakes? They were whole wheat though, so that was healthy right?

Railey and I decided to surprise the boys and make hearts and put in their beds. While we were making them she kept giggling to herself and saying "When the boys find these they're gonna say, What the heck?" It was pretty cute. In fact as soon as the boys came home she told them to go look in their blankets, which they did and found the hearts. Then she told them they were supposed to say "What the heck?" They did and she was happy!
For lunch I had to make heart sandwiches for my girls too!

Every year for the past couple of years we have a big Valentines Dinner. We make a very fancy dinner, usually served in courses (not this year I wanted my food hot), we dress up in our Sunday best (not this year because Sunday best hadn't been washed from the day before), and we usually have candles (not this year it was still light outside when we ate). So it was a little different than most years but probably tastier. I over heard Damen telling his friend that we always have crab for dinner. Well again not this year but we did have Salmon, Shrimp, heart wheat bread sticks and asparagus. Very yummy!

Oh of course we needs something red so Steve made a slushy out of fresca and Strawberries

Here's everyone anticipating the yumminess about to hit their tummies
Of course it's served on out best dishes with the fancy "cheers" glasses.
I know most people have chocolate for a desert--it is an aphrodisiac--but not us. Steves and the kids favorite desert is Pumpkin Pie. So I made hearts out of the leftover crust and put it in the cream the kids thought they were so SPECIAL!

Oh boy we were stuffed by the end of the night and I sat wondering why do I show love this way. I don't know why but it is something I know how to do and I love to do for them.

Steve on the other hand wrote me a very cute, special, made me cry letter. He is so good about putting lots of time into what he's thinking and very good at expressing it. Then yesterday he ran to the store and bought me roses. We experience the commercial side of Valentines Day on the 15th. We always have almost from the first day. Roses were only $7 for a dozen! Ya know though it hit me that I would much rather receive the letter he wrote for me than to get flowers or anything else the world offers. But they are some pretty flowers don't get me wrong!
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Super Bowl

I was just going through my pictures and realized that I hadn't posted about the Super Bowl. How could that have happened when it was such a big deal in Damen's life. He lives for football. Every Sunday he watches a game or two then because he has to go to bed before the game is over, he is up at 6:00 the next morning reading up on the play by plays he missed and finding out the scores. He LOVES football. I don't think anyone realizes just how much he loves it, unless you live in this house!
He wanted to have a big party but since we don't get out of church until 4. That makes it a little difficult to have people over. But we sure did make a party for just our own family! I spent all morning making and preparing food.


We had taquitos, 7 layer dip, artichoke-spinach dip, made bread to go with that, brownies, veggies, and the favorite tostitos cheese dip.


The kids all intent sorry it's blurry


Kenna could have cared less but I sure got a few cute pictures of her


Seth loves to bug Damen, what brother doesn't. So to bug him he cheered for Green Bay. Here he is showing his G. It looks like Seth knew best in the end seeing how Green Bay won and all. Oh we had a very disappointed little boy on our hands the rest of the night. It was a good thing it was bed time. But even now Steve told him he had tickets to a Green Bay game for next season and Damen said sorry he wouldn't go. That's saying a LOT!
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Friday, February 11, 2011

Growing Up

So it is that time of month for me (now you all know I'm not pregnant) and I had gone into the bathroom to do a little out with the old in with the new (ok is that too much info?) Well it's true and of course I had two little girls in tow. Why can't a mom go in there by herself anyway? So I had a tampon in my hand, unopened (waiting for the girls to listen and leave the room) when Railey says, "Mom can I have one of those so I can grow up?" I guess at one point I must have told her she couldn't use one until she was all grown up. Maybe that was the same time she dumped an entire new box on the ground opened them all up and pulled them all apart only to come and get me to show me, with pride all over her face, what she had just done. I just hope it's a long, long time before she has to use them and once she starts she'll be wishing she didn't have to!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Basketball

We have been busy with so many things going on. One of those things is basketball. Wednesdays are filled with practice for Damen, come home eat dinner and go to Seth's game. Ten Damen's games are on Saturday. Steve is Seth's coach and I think all in all he is having fun with the team. There are definite moments of frustration but he came home pretty excited the other night because the kids were finally getting the fact that if they hit the corner of the square the ball would go in the basket and tah dah, all their baskets were somehow falling it! He was supposed to coach Damen's team as well but when we got the schedule and realized all the games were right when he was supposed to be up at the temple we turned it back in for someone else to coach. He's had a good coach but there's nothing like having your own Dad!


Seth is quite the go-getter. He's all over the floor. He plays great defense, can dribble really well and is fast! Only problem sometimes he forgets to slow down once he approaches the basket so the ball bounces off the backboard as fast and as hard as he threw it up there. Yeah we still need to work on the soft layup touch. It will come... hopefully!



Damen is learning lots this year. He does really well, but is very cautious (like in all aspects of his life). He got extremely frustrated the other day when this kid was guarding him and literally was pushing him all over the court even when they had the ball. I hollered out to Damen to quickly take 3 steps backwards and the kid would land on his toosh (too bad he didn't hear me--when I told him again later he started laughing, knowing it would have totally worked). Now is the time though that you are able to start seeing the difference of those kids that have hoops at home vs. those that don't. We need to get one so he can get more practice. It definitely would work wonders for his game. But he still does a really good job.

Here's a few videos of them making shots. I was so glad when I didn't have to film anymore. Kenna can be quite a handful, along with Railey, while trying to film.


Seth making a basket!

Damen making a basket!

Damen dribbling down and shooting

Seth playing Anni-I-Over

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Babysitting

I left Seth babysit last week when I went over to the church for scouts. I took them last time but they ended up running the halls, or wanting me. I figured I would be ok if I put a movie on gave them popcorn and gave several strict warnings. I wasn't too worried, Seth is a great kid and loves to play with the girls even when I am home. But I was a little surprised to walk in the door to find this


They had made a big tent, even blocking off the stairs so Kenna wouldn't fall down them. They were having so much fun.

Thanks Seth for being such a great babysitter to your sisters. I love how good you play with them!
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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Pinewood Derby

Oh I am so behind in blogging. But I hate uploading photos so, then I do all my catch up at once. Why oh Why do I procrastinate? Oh well I'm doing it now! We had the Pinewood Derby a couple weeks ago. They boys had a lot of fun making their cars. Steve helped to make 3 cars this year. We cheated a little bit and got a pre-cut one for Damen and Kenyan (boy in the ward), but I think Steve had the most fun making Seths truck (with a bed and lots of detail work thanks to my dremil and even jacked up). Yea Seth still has 6 months before he's in but he couldn't be left out of all the fun!




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