Scat jazz - Sizzlin' Summerland

Last year at this time we were on our way to the land down under. While the 6 of us were driving around in a sedan a song was playing on the radio that was fabulous. I tried and tried to find it to no avail. Sizzlin' Summerland. I LOVED it! It totally made me laugh. It's so Australian and so different from our cold white winters here. Today someone commented on my blog from my post last year about this song. They knew who it was and was kind enough to pass on the info. So to you Anonymous: THANK YOU! I am now going to see if I can get someone to find the CD for me over there and then we'll be able to play it all through the house. But for now we'll be playin' it on the computer. Oh and I love that they have reference to blue bottles. Yes, that is what my kids were trying to CATCH last year. You no longer have to go to the hospital for them but from what I understand they hurt like crazy!

Not First, But Second!!

Okay I got the pix. I did forget the camera in all the hustle this morning. Thank goodness for phones!

Kimball has talked about school for at least the last month. He has talked about "Mr. {Mrs.} Graf who's name is Bawbwa {Barbara}", how she has a cool car, a truck {said manly}, a bus, a speed boat, 5 tarantulas, 10 snake that are free in the house, and any toy you could imagine, along with candy. Well Ms. Barbara doesn't seem to have a speed boat or a bus, truck and I have yet to see a tarantula or a snake. But Kimball has not been disappointed. He loves Mrs. Barbara and loves going to school. I on the other hand am having a hard time realizing that my last little guy has started preschool. How has time gone so fast?! When did they get permission to all grow up?

Four Thumbs UP!!!

Holy cow what a day! Abby has not been doing well at Quail Run. It just doesn't fit with her personality. Over the few days she was there she couldn't sleep without me reading her to sleep, her stomach hurt her all of the time and she wasn't eating well. The hardest part of all was she wouldn't say anything bad about it. She just kept trying to make it work. My parents, Craig & I all fasted for what to do with schooling for the kids. Yesterday it became so clear. They don't all have to go there, it can work to go to both schools if we all work together. So I called the assistant principle on Labor Day! At her home! I know, gutsy. And pleaded to let Abby back and possibly Josie. She was great and today I woke up early and put together a piece offering. A big jar of my aunts licorice caramels. And it worked! Josie had chosen to go with Abs back to Rocky Mountain. Each school has elements that would work for JoJo. So I let her decide. {JoJo is always very intuitive, and understands how she feels. . .I wish I did. I always over think things.} They were awesome and helped place the kids back where it would fit them. Not just what numbers would work. I was totally impressed.

I was so anxious to find out how it went, Kimball & I showed up 30 min. before school got out. My stomach was so nervous! As they came walking out together, they were beaming! I asked them how it went and it was a total TWO THUMBS UP! Yahoo!

Kimball's first day of preschool was also today and because it took a bit of time this morning transferring the girls back we were late and can you believe I didn't even get a first day of school pic with Kimball on his first of all first days! Oh, I'm kicking myself right now. But you can bet I'll get one tomorrow. Kimball has talked about "Mr. {Mrs.} Graf who's name is Bawbwa {Barbara}", for over a month now. I asked him to show me if it was a thumbs up, thumbs down, and he said as he twisted his thumb and wrist in a circle "around the world. . . THUMBS UP!"

McKay was the last test. Would he be okay going to school without a family member. Yahoo, another thumbs up!

I feel like a winner! Minus the no pic, but still over all, a winner!

Now with all the running around, 2 different types of lessons, staggered by a half hour, going each for an hour, across town, and a soccer game, I've gone through 1/4 of a tank of gas in one day!!! Probably not part of the Quail Run's Mission statement.{They are an environment friendly and "responsible" school} But hey.

The Mom Song with lyrics

I'm glad I'm not the only one. . .

The School Update

I think this is one of the hardest things I've done as a mother. Take my kids from a school they know and are familiar with, for the hope of something more. Our bully did show up to school. This is one of the reason we left our school. But despite that, McKay LOVED his first day of school. Which is totally ground breaking. Abby my school lover, said it wasn't what she expected and is very unsure of this upcoming year. She doesn't do well with chaos, and right now that is what it is. Josie, oh Josie. I cried all day thinking of her at a school all day. I can't believe she is that old, and I'm not coping well. She does have my cousin Hazel & my Aunt Cami who came to lunch today.

My fingers are crossed with a pleading prayer that things get better.

Back to School!

Not only is it the start to a new school year, but a new school! They just got it finished YESTERDAY! And I think the word "done" in this case is a very loose translation of finished. I'm as nervous as they are {maybe more so}

My little Jojo shadow isn't following me today and I'm making cookies to cope. I'm telling myself I'm making them for the kids for when they get back, but who's kidding who.

Strike!

A few weeks ago we had planned to have a "fun water day". Well the day came and the kids had done what they needed to, and it was POURING! Change of plans. . . Fat Cats and Costa Vita. They love bowling!

Kimball kept hugging everyone after their turn.

We all love the bowling and the food, . . . . very good food, I think we should do this again—love Costa

Every shot I got of McKay has him bowling with his eyes closed. So funny.

Joise was beating everyone for a while and she loved that!

Love how they have made bowling fun for everyone with the ball dispensers for little kids and the bumpers so the ball doesn't go down the gutter. It kept the scores close for everyone helping to keep everyone interested and having fun. Of course in the end Craig Won!!!!!

It was a Splash

At the end of everyones long season and extra long summer camps the athletic dept. at BYU throws a big party. They rent out Seven Peaks! The best part {drum roll please}. . . Costa Vita caters! It's awesome. There isn't any lines, crazy people

{except us}, and did I mention NO LINES! The older two and Craig head off to the slides and the younger two and myself enjoy the kids pools.

We finally spotted these two, as they sped along the lazy river.

Kirk was awesome! The kids hung on him and drug him all over that kid pool. He's such a good sport.

We'll miss being at BYU but are excited for our next adventure with Griffin Hill!

Domo Arigato

Domo arigato Okasan!

The kids LOVE their new pj's from Japan. Craig and I have put in an order for a pair. The kids say they are soo comfy. We had a little fashion show.

Can you find Kimball?

Don't you love them?!

Ja mata ne! Okyakusama no ai!

{If you add Ohiogozaimas you then have the extent of my Japanese ;) }

july 24th

on the 24th we went to this is the place heritage park.

with cameron and sierra.

it was so fun.

we were watching some indigenous american dancers.

candy from the candy cannon. yuck for salt water taffy.

we learn how to play pioneer games.

me and abby explored

all of our favorite place

i think it must have been hard and fun to be a pioneer.

Trek ~ Life Changing

We were so blessed to be asked to serve as a Ma & Pa for our stake trek. A couple of friends from our Ward who had been Ma & Pa's on the previous trek told us that it would be a life changing experience. We thought it would be great but weren't sure it would reach the lofty heights of life changing.

They were right, it was life changing. We have a new appreciation for the word experience. Until you experience what the pioneers went through you can never fully understand what they went through. Our stake made our trek experience, amazing! The level of humility that it takes you too, will hopefully exist within us throughout the rest of our lives.
The connections established with our trek family will hopefully be a part of us forever. Even as I write this it is hard to put words to explain the "experience". The family that we were assigned turned out to be a wonderful collection of youth. We lucked out big time to have these kids in our family.
They all contributed in every aspect of the trek, pulling the cart without hesitation, cooking dinner, participating the assigned activities, getting into the spirit of the trek. We enjoyed every minute of the time we had together. At the end of the trek they asked us for feedback. The one thing several Ma's and Pa's asked for was more time with our families.
The stake members that organized our trek tried as hard as possible to make the experience as authentic as they could. This meant wearying clothes similar to what the pioneers wore. Pulling a hand cart the same dimensions as they had. Having the same amount of provisions etc. I know we still had it a lot better then our pioneers had it, especially since we were crossing parts of the country that they crossed in the dead of winter while we crossed it in the middle of summer.
But yet again the efforts from our stake helped us all to "experience" the trek rather then think contemplate trek.
As you can see from the above picture they had some fun activities organized for us. McKenzie was not good at this particular activity, it is a bad sign that she has markers over her face.
The picture above was right after the women's pull. The women's pull is where the brothers are not allowed to help the girls pull the cart up a steep sandy incline. It is a challenging sequence both physically and emotionally. After the women's pull the boys in our family would not let the girls pull or walk for a short while. They insisted on the girls riding on the cart. Activities like this helped bring everyone together. The spirit was incredible throughout the trek.
The picture was taken after pulling the cart through a mud hole. There where about four of them. The "experience" was life changing. I hope our own children get the opportunity to receive the tremendous blessing of attending trek, because it is hard, tiring, expensive, and requires a significant time commitment. But it is an incredible spiritual "experience."

-Craig

A Birthday Celebration

My grandmother was amazing. She was with all of the time growing up. Grandma was creative. She always made up games to help us learn. We spent A LOT of time in the car waiting for my mother at fabric stores. Grandma made up a little jingle that we would start to chant after a while; "mother, mother where are you. mother, mother tell us true. mother, mother we love you." We chanted that over and over. Sleep overs, senior citizen bingo dates and chuck-a-rama. She made the best raisin cookies and her banana bread was always my favorite! If I had a bad day I always knew I could go to grandmas and she'd pull out a loaf for me. Grandma was also born on the 4th of July and always told me the festivities were for her.

She past away the January after Kimball was born. I miss her terribly.

Grandma, we celebrated your birthday with three days of fun this year!

There were balloons.

Stadium of Fire, which you would have loved. It was country music.

A parade for sure.

And ended with one of the things I loved to do with you and Grandpa, visiting graves. Even though now it is yours I visit, I know that you are with us still. I also know that you are happy and I'm sure you still worry about us all.

We love you grandma!