Junk Mail

Seth has always been quite the character. For example see the band-aid on his ear? He hit a sign riding his bike to church. We got to church and Damen came running out to the car saying Seth was in with a member of the bishopric because he had crashed his bike and was bleeding. We found him with his arm and ear all scraped up. Sad thing is his bike took the brunt of it and he bent the frame and wheel and did quite a bit of damage. He's always been too busy enjoying the world and what's happening now to look ahead at what's coming. It could be a great quality just not when he hits signs (probably the 4th or 5th time of doing this).

But that's not the only reason why I sat down to type, I just saw the band-aid in the picture. Today while waiting to go into RS an old primary teacher of Seth's was waiting to go into her classroom. We got to talking and she asked if anyone had told me about when Seth got his birthday card in Primary. "Oh no, what happened," I said, knowing that he had done something. Well in our primary we have a mail box and all the birthday cards and all the cards that say who will be giving a talk, scripture and prayer are in the box. They usually pick someone who's birthday it is to come and open the box. Well I guess Seth was picked so he walked up opened the box, pulled out the cards, sorted through and pulled out his put it aside then proceeded to go through the cards tossing them to the ground saying with each one, "Junk mail, junk mail, junk mail." She could not believe that quite, shy, little Seth would do such a thing. "That was so unlike him, " she said. But I quickly corrected her and informed her that she was finally seeing the Seth that we see all the time. Oh how we love our little comedian that can't stay focused on the signs ahead of him!

KABOOM! or fizzle, fizzle, fizzle?

After seeing the neighbors make a volcano our kids wanted to make one. We had a great time doing it and the kids loved putting their hand in the goop. But, as they put it, "ours has to be bigger" so we had three volcanoes in one, or in other words three bottles to dump soda and vinegar into. We sure have had fun "doing" this summer. I am glad we DiD this.

Yes we went through the rest of my vinegar and a whole bottle of expired lemon juice as well. Time to go to the store!!!

it definitely wasn't a big Kaboom, more of a fizzle but lots of fun and they did learn a little about Ph Balance and how the acid and soda all work and balance each other out (I don't know much about it). But don't you love their paint job!

Lotion then a Bath

Ben and Nat came over for some treats on Sunday. We were in talking when all of a sudden we could hear the girls just giggling away. Well you might say oh cute, but we knew they must be up to something so Steve went to investigate. Pretty soon he hollered "Bring the camera." So we grabbed it and ran. They were in our bath and had taken a bottle of lotion and were wiping it all over each other. Oh you should have seen the greasy mess. But one bottle of lotion later and two greasy girls later had us all laughing hysterically! But there was nothing to do except turn on the water and take their clothes off. When I say covered I mean COVERED in lotion. It look almost as much soap to get all the lotion off. But they loved having a bath together and had to show their swimming, splashing and kicking techniques to each other. It was quite a hoot. Oh those two girls sure do have fun and sure do get into mischief when they are together!

Camping

We finally did it! We went camping with the kids (looks like we'll be keeping the tent trailer for now). We went to a place called Elk Horn, it's about 20 minutes outside of Loa. Anyway, we had a great time. We were a little worried cause when we got there it was raining but we figured it was just the afternoon heat stirring things up a bit. By night the clouds had cleared and it was great. We cooked and hiked, fished, and played in a lake, played "mountain boccie" and rode bikes, ate too many smores and roasted starbursts (got to try those), and just plain had fun with the kids and watching how much fun they were having. Railey learned all about the potties and loved going much to our frustration, but hey she's pretty much potty trained except for naps.

Here's Kenna on her first real camping experience.

Here the kids are getting ready to play a game as we wait for the storm to pass.

The wood around camp was so wet that it made getting a fire started a loooooooooooong process, with lots of blowing by Steve. The problem was we had planned to have hot dogs on that first night and when we saw how wet it was we thought we would switch meals but the other was still frozen. We got a fire going long enough to roast our dogs and a marshmallow or two and then we let it burn out. It was too much work to keep it going.

Friday the weather was beautiful and we took a little walk then later went down to a little reservoir. Getting down to the river just about made me pee my pants. It was so steep and nasty and I literally would open my eyes only to close them again in fear. Lets just say we were grateful for 4 wheel drive when it came time to leave.

That night we were so excited to get to bed cause we were all exhausted. It's not hard to convince kids to go to bed when you're camping, they love sleeping in the tent trailer! Just as we had drifted off to sleep though lightening struck and kept us awake for a good couple hours, or so it seemed. It was so close! There were times I didn't even count to 3 before hearing the boom. Too close for comfort when you are camping! I laid awake thinking of how fast we could get the trailer put away and get off the mountain if there was a fire. Not that we had a lot to worry about with all the rain from the day before but still it kept me awake worrying.

All in all it was a great time! We loved it and are already planning our next trip. My favorite part was just seeing how much joy was in my kids faces as they experience new and different things. I loved seeing them so happy and I loved that there literally was no fighting. It was amazing!

Solids

Kenna has now officially started eating solid foods, and it isn't always from a jar or spoon, (she loved the leaves on my plant). With the boys and with Railey I started them right away at 4 months, I heard that's when you started so I did. I didn't know you could wait (until my 4th child) so that's what we did. It's not like she's malnourished or anything just look at her thighs, so we waited and even at 6 months she wasn't really interested. I started with the rice cereal and she did not like it, it wasn't until I got veggies or fruit mixed in with the cereal that she started eating it. But I must say I always forget how long it takes to feed a baby. I was at the table for 45 minutes plus last night trying to feed her less than a 1/4 cup worth of something. No wonder I put it off and have just nursed for so long that's done in 5-10 minutes max. Oh well she is so cute and Steve even likes watching me feed her cause I do all the mouth motions as I try to feed her. Please tell me I'm not the only one that does that. My lips move as I try to get her lips to wrap around the spoon I know it's funny to watch cause I've seen Mom do it. It must be hereditary--or at least we'll say it is.

6 month pictures

We went to the park and I got a few cute pictures of Kenna. Oh I love this chubby, content, happy little girl!

Duck Pond

Steve didn't work on Friday so we decided to take the kiddos and go have some fun. We headed over to the duck pond (Discovery Park?). The kids love fishing well it's more of casting their lines because we have yet to actually catch anything though we have seen others catch a few fish. We took a lunch and some extra bread ends to feed to the ducks and called it a great couple of hours. Here are a few pics of all the fun.

Railey feeding the ducks



Damen "fishing"

Seth "fishing." They are actually pretty good at casting now!

I liked this shot.

Railey looking at all the tiny fish. They are all about 2-3 inches long.

Kenna getting some nourishment off of the stroller straps.

Sleep Over

We have some friends in the ward, The Bradshaw's, very neat family. The other night we had them over for dinner and then a bit later they headed home. We realized they had forgotten their big bucket of Aggie ice cream so Steve and Seth hopped on the motorcycle to go deliver it. They didn't come back, and didn't come back so we went for a walk to find them. They were over talking with and playing. The kids had decided they needed a sleep over. Only problem is they and we at this point only have sleep overs with cousins. But no need to fear the kids reminded their mom that they were cousins. We, Veralyn and I, have a common Great, great maybe one more great Grandfather, Archibald Gardner (they place up north called Gardner Village--yeah that's our relative). Though we both come through a different wife I guess you can still say we are related.

So they started planning and though last week didn't work out we got it in on Wednesday. They were so excited to sleep in the tent trailer. Just as we were about to go get thing set up, there was a little cloud burst and a few lightening strikes so they decided to put a tent up downstairs and they were just as happy doing that (so was Steve and I cause we got to sleep in our own bed--we hadn't decided who was going to be out there with the kids).

The only problem was they were so excited and wound up (just like any sleepover) that we needed to get them calmed down so we put Superman on at 10:00 pm. And yes it is a 3 hour movie. We let it go for about half the movie then turned it off until morning. I was sure they would sleep in with going to bed about 11:45, but NO they were up at 6:00 to finish their movie. Those stinkers. But they all had such a great time. They are now planning another one because they weren't able to sleep in the tent trailer and they still want to. Oh well they are great kids and they all get along so well.

Damen's Advice

I have really been struggling getting Railey into her car seat lately. I don't remember having such an issue with the boys maybe because they didn't know any better, but Railey knows there is freedom out there and wants it NOW!

So the normal routine is have my elbow ready to push in the second she takes in a breath and isn't arching her back for that split second. I have it down though it is a fight and one I'm tired of. I just want to leave her home most of the times.

Well the other day we were meeting friends at the pool and were already a bit late so had to hurry and Railey was being a stinker. I went around to get Kenna in and was yelling at Railey to buckle up (she can get some of it done by herself) finally I asked Damen to help. He went back there and followed my example and was yelling and fighting her. Then I stopped to watch. He had stopped ,stopped forcing and started talking sweetly to her and within a couple of seconds had her buckled and was sitting buckled up in his own seat. I love having older children.

As we were driving away he says, "Mom, do you want to know something, if you would stop yelling and be nicer and not so mean to Railey she would let you buckle her up. You just can't be mean." Yes I am getting parenting advice from my 8 year old. I turned and said "you are right Damen, I need to be nicer, but-- do you know how I learned to yell and be mean to get something done, from trying to put you in a car seat--sometimes yelling works." Yes he saw the smile and teasing in my eyes and just laughed but isn't it true we can learn so much from our kids and I have learned that it is just better to let Damen put Railey in her car seat. It's officially his job and he does it well.

6 Months Old

Kenna is now 6 months old. Where has the time gone? It honestly feels like a big blur. I wish I could somehow slow the time down just so I could feel like I was enjoying every minute (not that I'm not) but maybe savor every minute is a better way to put it. While we were down in Richfield over the 4th she started rolling over, and did it a few times though we never saw it until we got home. She's now a pro at that. The second we put her down she's over onto her tummy and then she's mad cause she doesn't like that all to well. Then after she had that down I started sitting her up and now in the last day or so she is getting pretty good at that. Not that she doesn't still tumble but she's doing it, she's best on the grass. I love this little girl. Not that she's little any more! You should see the size of her thighs. I think she has now passed up Railey from when she was a baby, but her calves (8.5") and thighs (12.5-13"depending on if shes sitting or standing) are the same size as Raileys right now! At what age does it stop being so cute? Her cheeks are so kissable and I am always having to kiss them (well both sets for that matter) Oh please have time slow down for me baby girl, your growing up too fast!

here she is sitting up

here she is getting ready to roll over

she is happy to feel that she has some freedom

she just rolled over, the next picture though I decided not to post it was her screaming

Hoopes Reunion

We had a great time at the Hoopes Reunion today. I only took pictures of my own kids and didn't take too many of those so I can't show all the fun but just a little. We got there and had breakfast then were pretty much on our own to visit and play in the water, play horseshoes, buy stuff from all that was brought to purchase, figure out what we wanted to buy at the auction (I really wanted a baby afghan that Aunt Sharon made, but once I tried to convince Mom that's what I wanted if I had another baby, I didn't have to spend money on it). The kids had a blast with their own cousins and even with their 2nd cousins. It was fun seeing all my cousins, we rarely get together anymore, so everyone is grown up by the time you see them again (if you see them again). Steph was here from Hawaii, so she fixed us some pig and that was yummy as was the rest of lunch. More water, more playing and then the auction (Troy was missed as the auctioneer, but his son sure tried hard--why do young people have to die?) After all the fun we had to head home to get Steve back to the temple and me home to prepare another priesthood lesson.

Brianne was sure making Kenna laugh and helped me get a good picture of her.

Railey bought a few bubbles and loved them there and continues to love them as we type out on the porch. Loads of fun and loads of laundry.

This is a picture of Damen with a water shooter thingy but look at that slip and slide in the background the rigged and put together this whole sprinkling system just for a tarp that was used as a giant slip and slide for the big kids, it was pretty impressive.

This was Railey blowing bubbles, it looks like she needed to blow a few bubbles out the bum to push that swim suit out (it was that way all day no matter how many times we tried to pull it out)

Here's the boys playing more with rockets and guns.

Finally Done

Well I finally got the Mothers and Father Day presents completed for Mom and Dad. Yea I know it's about time. But when you don't know what you are going to do until a week before and then you have to collect pictures from everyone, it just takes time. I love how they turned out though. I am going to make me some. I put a baby picture and a picture of them now and left the other sides for Mom to put pictures in the future. All it was was a 4x4 cut to make them square, then painted and lots of Modge podge to make the pictures all stick and then go over them for a finished look. Best part of it is Mom and Dad love them and they look a lot better than all of her little frames on her end table.