the eagle has landed

Yesterday afternoon the college boy came home-

he brought a load of laundry & squeezed into his scout shirt.

Even though jack finished his Eagle months ago

he wanted to wait for Seth to finish up for the formalities.Our Bishop, a former scout dog handler in Vietnam spoke on patriotism.

It was so inspirational.

Brett spoke on the "Eagle Trail" he was these boy's
scout leader for most of their scouting experience.

Then the official Scout law & oath & all-

Jack has grown just a bit since we bought his scout shirt 6 YEARS AGO! I am too cheap to buy a new one. (bad mom) Hey- he should have had this done years ago. I told him to suck in & make it work, dude. We're broke with college expense & these shirts run $40, seriously...? Not to mention I was sewing the patches onto his bandilo frantically two minutes before show time. No excuses, I had time to do it but spent it making the cutest baby booties for the grand baby & totally forgot about the patches. (oops- again no mom points there- but jack didn't care)

the mother's pin

The father's pin

the eagle's nest

Becoming an Eagle Scout is no little accomplishment. Seriously these boys have worked hard for years to be celebrated today. I love scouting. Especially after seeing the end results. Only 10% of boys who start out in scouting earn the coveted Eagle Scout. It's impressive & fabulous to have two Eagle Scout sons. They have their dad to thank for being there every step of the way.

Jack & both of his proud Grandfathers.

Brett's parents are here & my dad flew up for the day to be here.

It was wonderful to have them here- we missed you mom.

Jack & Seth

Grandma & Grandpa

We came home & celebrated with a special family dinner for the teenager.

Lemon cream cake with all her Utah cousins & grandparents...

and not too many photos. All the cooking etc. got to me I guess.

It was a great day.

chloe's party

Friday night we had a whole load of girls

come over to celebrate the newest official teen in the family!

We set up an ol' fashioned scavenger hunt around the neighborhood & sent them off before it got to dark in teams. When they got back we made ice cream Sundays.

The girls loved making their own ice cream delights.

We of course sang happy birthday & opened presents- these girls brought the most over the top presents! holy cow! It was like Christmas.

After ice cream & presents we went out on the back deck with candles & flashlights & played a name game & murder in the dark... a winking game. It was a giggling- loud- scream fest!

Before the girls left we chewed bubble gum & had a contest- here's the winner!

I am so glad Chloe has such great friends.

Later Brett said to me- all of the sudden we are a female house, I miss the boys.

It's true Brian's friends are mostly missionary's & the lunch crowd (jack's group of friends) are all off to college.

Hey- it's high time us girls take over!!

Bring on the pj's & pedicures

happy birthday chloe!

Chloe is officially a "teenager" today!

Here are 13 things i love about her-

1. She is dedicated to her sport- ballet- she was chosen to advance a class & now I drive her three days a week & doodle around for an hour & 1/2 then drive her back home. I thought this would be hard for me, but it has been glorious to have some time a lone to read, do errands & visit with just her in the car.
2. The biggest excitement for her- is dancing in the "big girls studio"- studio C.
3. She is a huge help around the house- HUGE HELP.
4. She is sweet & really kind.
5. She is a peer tutor this year- which means she spends one period a day with a boy who has Down's syndrome and helps him.
6. She plays & practices the piano sometimes reluctantly but she still does it- in faith that her mother is right & she will someday be glad.
7. She loves clothes & shoes & is so fashionable- she dressed up today for school because it is her birthday. She wore a skirt & cute scarf... I need lessons.
8. She is my "girly girl" and still loves the color pink... even though all of her friends don't.
9. She has loads of friends & a busy social calendar.
10. She reads her scriptures every night! (isn't that incredible!?)
11. She is almost done earning her YW medallion- I KNOW! talk about over achiever!! Hailey is only 1/2 way done - (sorry hailey, I don't mean that as an insult... I'm just trying to relate how much of a perfectionist chloe is.)
12. She is very thoughtful & always writes sweet notes to her dad & I.
13. She is funny & fun to be around.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHLOE!

~I love you~

heck, I'm not crying... that's just my allergies

Well, today is the big day-

Jack just left.

We sat here on the porch this morning waiting for his dad to come home from work to say goodbye and talked a bit-- while my allergies bugged me....

Poor kid, has to sit with his sniveling mother.

It's the price he had to pay since we won't be eating for a month or two with all the money we spent getting him out the door. Seriously- new tires& windshield, food, bedding, apartment stuff- it adds up so fast!

I am proud of this kid.

He can do it- I'm am so thrilled he is at my beloved BYU. Living on campus just a walk away from where his dad & I sat talking on the back steps until much too late- just a walk away from where his dad held my hand the first time at a BYU football game in a near blizzard- & just a walk away from where his dad asked me to marry him.

so ya- I'm not sad- not sad at all.


NOpe- I'm not crying either...
or sitting alone in my bedroom with a box of tissue...
or eating pie...
or any of those things
dang kids

swamped

I can't remember the last time i was so swamped & busy... oh ya- it was during the last school year. It has been absolutely nuts here. I am sure you are all super busy too so I won't bore you with the details...

well, maybe a few:

Brett's parents came in Sunday night & are staying a week and a half. They both have doctors appointments in the big city & Grandpa has lost some weight this summer. He is trying to put on a few pounds so you know what that means? I have been cooking up a storm & lovin' it! Hurray- someone to cook for who is not worried about calories or whether or not it is "super healthy" - this is so much fun. I am sure at the end of their stay he will not have gained a pound but I will have gained ten. Oh well, I am just a service oriented person... so I have to do what I have to do! (don't judge) as if there wasn't enough going on tonight was pack meeting- not some dumb ol' boring pack meeting either! Our fabulous cub master (he rocks!) got one of these from work & we planted a tree at the elementary school in honor of a sweet lady in our neighborhood who passed away recently. She had lived a long amazing life, never had children of her own, but taught here at our elementary for over 30 years! Because of football & soccer there weren't a lot of boys in attendance- I feel sorry for them- it was so much fun, we gave out tons of summer awards & the boys were in heaven.

school update: the first day of school was great for the younger two... but stunk for the high schooler. it was rough, she came home defeated. her teachers are "weird" and some kid told her to "F" off.... not nice. She didn't have time for lunch- long lines- and doesn't have a lot of friends in her A day classes. Luckily today B day was better!!! FEWWWW- friends, fun teachers & no freaks with bad language. So tomorrow back to A day- let's pray.

the first day of school

Hailey is in high school...

what the heck?

she was so excited to have me run outside with her

& take photos of her friends who picked her up!

she is way so cool & way so lucky that two cute neighborhood boys & her best friend Tiff will ride together to school everyday! wow- so fun- I loved high school & hope she does too.

Chloe is an old pro at Jr. high now, so no big deal... right?
trent was happy to give her a hug before she left.

Trent here is freshly showered, got on new shoes, his favorite t-shirt & new lunch box. He couldn't sleep & asked me for a sleeping pill the night before...? I wish I had one for him. He has taken benedryl at night for his allergies off & on & melatonin too (per doctors orders) but neither are not gonna help on the night before the first day of school!
I laid down next to him to try to help him wind down. After a few minutes he said- "Mom, you know how I am a cutie pie? Well, you are too!" gotta love that.

The first day of school- the anticipation- new shoes- seeing friends again- I could hardly sleep myself!

entrepreneurs

I promised trent all summer he could have a lemonade stand... school starts monday & it's supposed to hit 102 degrees today!

perfect

all packed up & ready to go

Last night in place of spending a day together before school starts...

there are no days that work left-

we went out to dinner.

Trent & the big kids had staring contests- trent won.

before dinner was even served trent & hailey had to switch places. They had to- or else my head was going to explode. Explode I tell YOU! My head is full of transformer facts that I don't even want to know. Trent & his Cannon Bumblebee went to sit by dad. Holy Moly, I think I'm officially ready for school to start & just in time.

On a positive note-

look what I finished yesterday!

The quilt & bumper pads for the baby!

They are all packed up & ready to go to the post office today.

They turned out so cute & I can't wait for megan to get them.

You can't tell from the photo, but the stitching is frogs sitting on lily pads- precious.

*are you ready for school?

*sometimes do you just get enough of it?!

hot stuff!

We've been having a great time meeting with friends on Sunday nights. We had a game night & have been going to the park with the dogs.

{fujikawas & Ace}

We decided not to bring our dog Max anymore....
because he is so embarrassing!
he has NO dog manners & barks like he is dying.
No one else was at the park last Sunday & we think it's because of him.
He scared them all off.

On Monday I took these guys to Burger King for lunch. Chloe was with friends.
Jack ordered an "angry whopper."
An "angry whopper" (if you didn't know) has jalapenos & spicy sauce. He spent a good 10 -15 minutes trying to double dog dare Hailey & I into eating one of the large jalapenos -
we were like- No way-- well, what will you give me?
I wanted him to fix the upstairs toilet- he thought I said kiss the upstairs toilet... either way he refused therefore: I would not eat the jalapeno. Trent had been playing with his toy & I guess wasn't paying attention, because when jack said- trent- eat this- he immediately stuck it in his mouth & started to chew. Ours & his reactions were so comical I wish I had it captured on video. We all gasped and he kept on chewing.... then started spitting & sucking up his apple juice & hitting Jack all at the same time. Then his eyes went funny - he was out of apple juice- I offered my soda- he choked out, "is that diet coke?" Of course it was & he wouldn't drink it-
we were laughing our full blown heads off.

I was laughing loudly (of course) & think I noticed the kids look around to make sure no one they knew was there. safe.
Oh funny, funny.

On the way home Jack filled up the car for me.
I love having him run to the store, fill up my car & do other errands for me.
Dang- I'm gonna miss that.

Yesterday Trent woke up with this hair goin' on & blue stained lips. A few too many icee pops I guess.

I can't believe school starts Monday....

Normally by now I am ready.

but this year... it just doesn't feel like time yet.

darn.

tales of a teenage bedroom

Yesterday morning I made the journey down to the basement- with my camera.

Ya- jack & brian share the only finished room in our unfinished basement. Or they did before Brian became- the missionary. Jack used to tell my on a regular basis that any mess in their room was because of Brian. No, I didn't believe him.

But still, I wondered.

I think the verdict is in.

Jack is a slob.

It's no surprise really, I mean he comes by it naturally. I used to be a teenage slob myself. Still- that's no excuse right? In our defense- I didn't want to spend his last months of home life nagging him about his room, so I just let it go- or as jack would say, "why do now what I have to do before I move out?"

He moves out a week from today.

It's time to get serious about cleaning up & clearing out some junk.

Really- it's time- time's up- get up-hey jack, get up- let's clean the room today- I'll even help you... jack, hey jack jack --

maybe tomorrow?

*were you a teenage slob?

100 days

It's been long journey these past 636 days.

But my missionary mom days they are quickly coming to an end.

There are only

100 days left

100 days until I see him again- face to face- mother & son.

I had no idea what I was in for back on that day, November 14, 2007- when our family drove down together to the missionary training center & dropped him off. It was hard-much harder than I thought it would be. It was heart wrenching. It was painful. But it was a good thing. A great thing for him & a very good thing for our family. Since then so many things have happened.

We have been strengthened as we pray for him daily.

Jack has become the head/leader of the kids at home & grown several inches.

We welcomed Tony into the family & will be grandparents soon.

Megan & Jack & Tony graduated from their different schools.

Marcus got married.

Hailey is starting High School, driving etc.

Chloe has grown up - a lot.

and Trent too...

but then so have I - I think.

My testimony has grown in so many ways. I have learned once again that I can do hard things & so can my children. That God will not forsake them. That they don't have to be coddled. I know that they are their own persons. They make their own choices, learn from their mistakes, survive & thrive, and all without their mommy. Before Brian left we spent a lot of time together getting ready for him to go.

When he comes home- I anticipate we will spend a lot of time together again- this time me helping him to get readjusted & ready to go off to college. I can't wait. I'm nervous in some ways. I hear it's hard... coming off a mission. A life filled with service & purpose all the sudden comes to a screeching halt & it's back to real life. Work, school, dating, friends, getting rid of intestinal parasites ... trips home now & then. I'm so glad he went. I'm so glad he has been happy. His emails are incredible. This little boy of mine - he has grown into a man.
From yesterday's email:

I was reading this week in Jesus the Christ about the importance of the atonement and the spirit really bore testimony of the truth and reality of the atoning sacrifice that Christ made for me. He was the only one that could do it and He did it willingly. I feel very special to know that the Savior of all suffered specifically for me, for the love that He has for me. Now it is my time and yours to take advantage of the atonement and do our part. He may have already done the atonement but if we don't repent and maintain ourselves close to His presence and that of our Heavenly Father, the atonement will then become ineffective in our lives.

There is truly NOthing like having a missionary in the family! I love it- and I suppose I will miss it... for a little bit... jack puts in his papers in December.

peace

My book club met last week to discuss this book:

The Anatomy Of Peace

resolving the heart of conflict

by the Arbinger Institute

This is one of the main reasons why I have not blogged consistently this past week. This book although not a page turner... was very interesting to me. Reading it has caused me to think deeply into myself. What justifications do I make in my life for what I do/don't do that I should do/not do?

It was difficult to read only because I don't embrace change or criticism.
(laughing here after writing this past sentence)
Not that it was pushing either... I just clearly needed to read & take in some of the concepts. I am not a deep thinker. I am a simple minded person. I'm not ashamed of this, but embrace it because sometimes I think the deep thinkers just get them selves into deep do do. But, this book was really good. It made me think & think & not blog. It is potentially life changing. Potentially- Old habits die hard, but I would like to think I have been changed for the better reading this book.
If you would like to read an excerpt- click here-

*Have you read this book?
*what did you think of it- of the excerpt?

County Fair

I feel like I haven't blogged in forever...

so today I am working on a little catching up.

Yesterday morning was a blissfully rainy day- rain- it's August- and we had rain! Not just any rain, but cool rain. The high was maybe 74 degrees. It was glorious. After a bunch of errands & chores, the sun came out & we took the family to the County Fair.

It was a little bit of a struggle getting out the door...
NO ONE wanted to go (especially TRent)-
but the "meanest mom & the meanest dad" (quote from trent)- made them go- The Nerve!
Jack of course is nearing his college departure & is trying to be very pleasant. I knew he didn't want to go... but went anyway. His days are limited & he is being so kind to tag along, do extra jobs, even babysit etc.

We headed straight for the petting animals as soon as we got there.
It was so great!

There was food to feed the animals & they were HUNgrY.
It was so funny.

Trent- of course, changed his mind immediately about the fair.

Side note: After the fair we were heading to a near by town to do a little school shopping- then he didn't want to go shopping... oh my gosh... some body help me. Will this kid ever just conform?

The goats of course were very greedy.

Brett held some back while Chloe fed the babies.

There were some bunnies for sale which lead to intense begging.

Followed by intense laughter. Meanest mom here- remember?

It was a perfect afternoon.

Later Brett & I went to see:

Julie & Julia

Which was FABUlous!!!

two thumbs way up- I loved it!
{except for one silly "f" word- why do they throw those in?}

All in all it was a GREAt summer Saturday!