Merry Christmas 2010!

Merry Christmas!

Flood Divorce Disaster Memories

I was thrilled to wake up to an actual accumulation of snow today! After our less than impressive "blizzard" a few weeks ago, and several days of rain, it has been feeling more like spring and less like December. But today we have sparkly white covering our brown lawn, and Christmas is almost here!

The storm caused havoc down in Southern Utah were the Santa Clara and Virgin Rivers are expected to flood again, bringing back a host of memories for our family.

Nearly six years ago, during the second week in January, we watched four days of non-stop news coverage while we were in the hospital having Cam. We were horrified to see the banks erode away and home after home plunge into the river. I was especially worried because we had just bought the lot for our first home which sat at the top of a ridge overlooking the runoff from AF Canyon. What if that ever flooded? Would our neighborhood fall? Not likely. We're not even considered in a flood plain. Oh, and Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announced their divorce that week. Yep. That's what I remember.

When Kay was born, we watched four days of the Crandall Canyon mine disaster, hoping and praying that the miners would somehow be freed. The nurses would come in to my room and ask for updates on the miners. Sadly, all of the men remain entombed.

I don't remember what was happening in the world when Tyson was born. It was Thanksgiving, we were in the hospital for seven days because I contracted a uterine infection after my emergency c-section. I basically slept through most of it. I do remember my family bringing us Thanksgiving dinner, because they are awesome like that!

Christmas Picture Attempt

We attempted Christmas pictures a few weeks ago at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Trent and Jen with their big, nice cameras, and me with my point and shoot, with Grandma trying to entice three wiggle worms to smile nice and hold still.
Still haven't had time to look at the pics on the good cameras to see if any of them turned out, but here are the ones off mine for posterity.

Proof they can only go about ten seconds before they start hamming it up!

"How much longer?"

I could put that on a nice Christmas card, right?

Future Blackmail

Someday, I'll use this picture for proof that they actually do love each other (insert wicked laugh here)!

Ballet Bug

Kaylee started dance/tumbling in September. Miss B lets you do a trial day, just to make sure they like it. Kaylee spent the entire class with a huge smile and a look of pure rapture on her face. She loves it, with one catch. She loves the ballet, the tumbling, the structured dance, but this is a 3 year old class, so Miss B tosses in a few songs where the girls get to dress up or use props and free dance to the music. Fun, right? Wrong. Our little ballerina usually spends these songs clinging to either Miss B or me and in tears. She is embarrassed to dance around without reason.
Tippy toe turn! A few weeks ago, I took some video of her dancing in class on my phone. Suddenly, free dancing is acceptable, not to mention fun, as long as mom tapes her and she gets to see it afterward!

They have a big performance in the spring, but they got pictures taken today (by my amazingly talented old neighbor, click on her website to the right. Kari Hennefer Photography. I think she is still taking appointments for Christmas pictures), so they got to dress up in their ladybug costumes.

Don't wake the ladybug...she needs her beauty sleep!

Kids Say:

Cameron:

My name rhymes with when. You know, when! C-A-M-E-R-O-N, like when. Like when you go somewhere. When!
Utah accents coming back to haunt us.

We do pronounce his name CamerEn, not CamerOn.

Tyson:

Why do we call them TV sets if there is only one?

Verification

I am often amazed at the word verification codes you type in when you comment on someone's blog. Amazed because often, not always, but often they seem to have some subliminal connection to the blog post I just read. For instance, my friend blogged about the passing of her family dog. The word verification when I commented: sqezmi. Like squeeze me? She really did need a hug. I wonder what would happen if everyone included those crazy letter/number combos in their comments? "Hey Bob! Loved your post. bLgMo0r."

Birthday Bow-A-Rama!

Tyson is nine! He decided to go bowling this year. Boys only...sad, huh.

They were a little excited.

Tys showing off his mad skills. I think bowling prowess skips a generation.

We have such nice boys on our block!

In the end, the boys did well, but got beat by E (our neighbor who came to help) and Kaylee! The girl has super, granny style rolling skills! Not to belittle your bowling accomplishments, E, but she is three, and you have a few decades on her, so props to Miss Kay!

My sweet friend who is much better at cakes (she is a birthday party queen!) helped me with the cupcakes. It took us a few hours and we were up to our elbow in frosting, but they turned out pretty cute. Tyson loved that he got the bowling ball.
Ten boys, ten pins in bowling. So grateful the H family came along to help! Somehow I counted wrong (math was never my strong point) and we ended up short seat belts for the ride down. So glad K and E came to the rescue and took a few kids down. Couldn't ask for better friends and neighbors. So glad Tys had such a wonderful time with his friends and family!

Party and Parade (Scary Edition)

I got to help Cameron's teacher with their Halloween party this year! She always plans the best stations, each centered around a book. This year they played bingo, made shape monsters, drank witches brew (root beer with dry ice), and made monster pizzas.
Immediately after was the school Halloween Parade where I got to catch of glimpse of my cute little spooks.
Ninja Tyson
He's so quick, if you blink, you'll miss him!

Harry Potter, aka Cameron

(I know! He does look like a five year old version of Daniel Radcliffe, but cuter and minus the nasty bejasty Broadway show.)

Kaylee's party was immediately after the Halloween Parade. This is her twirling outside the school, because she loves her costume, but she won't look at the camera because she is mad that we are leaving without the boys.

After school, we cleaned out our pumpkins so we could carve them Saturday. Then ran to church to get ready for our ward Chili Cook Off, Primary Halloween games, and trunk or treat. It was a crazy day, but so fun. BOO!

Cubs

In September, Tyson's Wolf den went to the Firehouse. I've never seen them so excited, trying to keep it cool, unable to contain the pure joy of big, manly trucks!!!
I am so grateful for the Cubs leaders in my ward. I don't think most people understand the importance of Cub Scouts. You are helping parents to raise future missionaries and fathers. You get to work with these marvelous, excited, just bursting to learn little spirits. What better calling is there?

I learned long ago (you whipper snappers!) that Heavenly Father is no waster of time. If he asks us to do something, it is for our own benefit or the benefit of those in our lives. If he ever asks you to be a Cub Scout leader, take him up on it. It just might be the best calling you ever have!

I love that face!

New Do, New You!

I've been dying to cut Kay's hair for a while. It is so thin that when it gets long it's just static hair everywhere! So yesterday, we did it! Cute little A-line. The girl who did it couldn't believe how good she was. She sat in the chair with a shy smile on her face and told the ladies how old she was, her teacher's name, all about her brothers and her friends.
It is really short, but she kept walking around yesterday singing, "Pretty hair!" And she told everyone she met as she pointed to her head, "I got a hair cut....this one."

First Field Trip!

Kaylee had her first field trip in preschool to the Paleontology Museum at BYU (which if you live in the area, is free (they ask for donations), small and fun!). Cameron got to come because he was out of kindergarten already!

It was obviously fascinating!

Cam and Kay standing in front of a brachiosaur femur. They are showing me that it is the same bone Kaylee broke when she was a baby.

Kay, Lucy, and Cam in the jaws of a ferocious, ancient, kid-eating crocodile!

Football!

As I forgot to register for soccer this year...OOPS!...Tyson gave flag football a try! He had a pretty good experience with lots of friends on the team. He played center most of the season and tried to be a good blocker. At one point during the season, Trent and I were discussing a BYU loss. Tyson interrupted in a shocked tone, "BYU lost?! They can't lose. They're the best team in the world!" At least BYU can say they have the best fans if Tyson is among them.
Hanging on the sideline with Dad!

That Heavenly Father, he's one smart cookie...

I've been pondering the purpose of callings in the Church. In the traditional sense, a calling would be something life changing, a different path, that God revealed to someone. In the LDS Church, callings can last from a few months to years and years. There are some that people dread. And some that aren't so bad. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they want such and such a calling. No one ever refers to a calling like it's a good thing.
Yet, callings are one of those huge, brilliant ideas from Heavenly Father. Not only do callings help get things done; trust me, Primary doesn't work if you don't have teachers called, but they give us a sense of purpose, a place to fill, people, nay friends to work with. I hate not having a calling. Give me something to do and someone to do it with! Most of the lasting friendships I have had are the result of a calling somewhere along the line.
Take nursery leaders, for example. Saints among men. If there are no nursery leaders, no nursery, no place for children ages 18 months to 3 years to go, thus their parents can't go to Sunday School, Relief Society, Elders Quorum. The parents can't teach their classes and do their callings. Without nursery leaders, the Church falls apart.
I can look back at every calling I have had and see the Lord's hand. I can see things I learned about myself, things I learned about God, friends I wouldn't have know otherwise, even things I have learned about my children.
I am grateful that every calling in the Church serves a purpose, whether it is for the benefit of others or for ourselves. We are truly blessed when we are called to serve.

Initially, I hate initalisms.

Initalisms, or acronyms. Blah. LOL, LMAO, OMG, and my least favorite, WTF. Why can't we as Americans quite playing to the lazy stereotype and defend our own language?! If you're going to swear, have the guts to really swear. And type it out for pity's sake! If I have to hear/see your less than eloquent way of speaking/typing, then do it for real. Acronyms are a cop out.

2010 Red Rock Relay

September 10 and 11, Trent ran with a team from work in the Red Rock Relay.Red Rock goes from Brian Head to St. George, 186 miles, from snow to sun. Each team runs 36 legs divided among 12 runners.
12 people, but two vans. He had a blast! He didn't sleep all weekend and ran more than 18 miles. They timed really well, especially considering that for most of the team this was their first really big race.

Their team name this year was the "How did we get into this mess?" Appropriate. Next year they are considering "Do these shorts make my butt look FAST?" Also appropriate.

First Day of the Rest of Your Life....

My baby started her formal education today.

This is her carpooling buddy, Miss Lucy. They were holding hands all through class. It's nice to have a friend in a new situation.
Mrs. R is the best! We love her to bits!
Instead of school t-shirts, the PTA at our elementary school decided to do "Spirit Sleeves." Tyson has been bothering me since school started to buy some, but I kept forgetting cash.

Who knew the world end if Tyson didn't get leg warmers for his arms?I know they don't look thrilled in the pic, but the sun is in their eyes. They spent a good half an hour after school figuring out how many different ways you can wear spirit sleeves. I have to admit, as funny as these things are: no funky kid sizes, inexpensive, and the kids love them. Spirit sleeves are brillant! Any bets on how long before they each lose one half of their pair?

Back to School (2010 Edition)

And we're back! Tyson started third grade last week! He was very nervous about it this year because there are two Mrs. D's that teach third. He was afraid he would have the more strict Mrs. D. He doesn't, and he loves his new teacher, mostly because she bribes them with candy and she has an old porcelain bathtub in her classroom filled with pillows for reading time.
When we attended the Teacher Meet & Greet, he told Mrs. D all about how happy he was that he was in the "good" Mrs. D's class and not the "bad" Mrs. D's class. Mom's face was all kinds of red. Way to make that first impression Tys!

Cameron started Kindergarten today! He had a meeting with his new teacher, Mrs. T, last week, but they are old friends from when Tyson was in her class. He wasn't one bit nervous, just excited to get going, probably because he is so familiar with Mrs. T and her classroom. He asked every day, "How many more days until I start?" "I'm going to make lots of new buddies." "Mrs. T likes me already because she likes Tyson and we have an awesome family."

He could hardly wait to get going this morning. Tyson was so excited to play the big brother role and show him where to go. After a quick pic with CR the Cougar and C, who carpools with us, and shaking hands with Mr. B the principal, they walked to the door with their arms around each other!

Bad Hair Day Revisited

I looked a little more online this morning before Kaylee woke up. I had a suspicion that the current oily state of her hair was more from the baby oil and less from the Aquaphor. So I dug around in my cupboards until I found some body wash without any moisturizer or conditioner added, and gave it a try. One washing with the body wash, one with her normal shampoo, and her hair is pretty much back to normal! YAY! She won't have to wear a hat to church on Sunday after all!

Bad Hair Day just doesn't do it Justice...

Kay has a nasty obsession with girlie things. She gets into my make up. She loves lotion. She even sits still and plays with the bottles on the bathroom counter like dolls, while I spend forever doing her hair. She loves clothes, and changing her clothes...often. I don't know where she get this girlie streak. Obviously, not from her mother. She looks so innocent. Don't be fooled. Kay knows there are some bottles, like lotion and soap, that you put on your hands, and some bottles, like hair gel, that go in your hair. This is where Kay's understanding of bottles gets...messy.
This morning, Kaylee confused Aquaphor with hair gel. A lot of Aquaphor. Yes, she did do this before with Vaseline. And lotion, several times with the lotion. After four shampoo-ings this morning, a good bout of research this evening, a treatment of baby oil (this was the remedy they said to try online), and another two shampoo-ings, these are the fabulous results. Nope. Her hair is dry. It only looks wet because it now contains Aquaphor and baby oil.
Actually, it's a big improvement over just the Aquaphor. I guess we'll try the egg remedy in the morning.