BBQ With the Fam on Pioneer Day!

My family got together to celebrate Pioneer Day on Friday, July 23rd. Thanks Rachelle! Boy did we have a blast! The kids are getting so big and we have a lot of BOYS!!!!!
Topher, Peyton and Trey in the poo'! The next shots are supposed to be an action shot of Tim going through the slip-n-slide.

I caught him smiling!!!!

Trey is telling me how yummy his dinner is.

Xander finished his brownie and promptly announced, "All gone", so I said, "Show me!", so he did!

This is the crazy boys playing on the trampoline. Kenyon, Dexter, Peyton, Rachelle (taking pics).

I love this shot of Dexter. He is supposed to be a superhero. I call it the "blackmail" shot for use with future girlfriends.

Rachelle and I made them all pose for a photo. They just LOVED it, can you tell?

Are we done YET????

Geez!!!!

I don't know what's worse...aunts that pinch your cheeks or aunts with cameras!!!!

Man, its hard to be a kid!!!!

Here is a pic of my Natty. When she was pregnant with Xander, we had a family party, I took her pic and she had him the next day. We tried it again with this shot. So far............nothing! Sorry Nat!!!!

We were supposed to bring fireworks, but we were all lame and forgot to buy them. So we finished out the evening with a game of "Oh Hell". Had a great time, thanks everyone!!!

Tune: Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith (Why you ask? This song always makes me think of a backyard party, so.........)

And Now, A Pause for My Cute "Grandson"

For those of you who don't know, this is Boston. Isn't he cute!
He is getting so big. If you thought you own kids grew too fast.....just you wait!!!!!!

Thanks, Allee for sending these along!

Tune: Landslide - Dixie Chicks

Field Trip Day Part Three

If you remember, my grandma passed away a day after my birthday this year. My extended family got together to celebrate and remember her on her birthday July 13th. We also got the surprise of a small inheritance. Her request was that we take the money and do something fun with our families. So........
I took my little family to The Mayan. I didn't spend the whole inheritance there (barely, that freakin place is expensive!), but they had a great time.

The kids wanted to see the divers. I didn't bring my camera because I was afraid people would think I was crazy. Never again. First of all, since when I have I cared that people thought I was crazy. Second of all, I was the only one there who DIDN'T have a camera!!!

I had to steal pics from the internet. This is from the top floor looking down where the divers dive. Pretty cool, huh! We had a great day and remembered grandma as we ate. I know she would have been excited to see the kids have so much fun. Thanks for the gift grandma! Miss you!!!

Tune: Lineas de Nazca - Inkari

Field Trip Day Part Two

Our story begins with an innocent longing to show my grandparents the factory of Peppermint Place. When we used to go visit them in Price, one of the tradtions was to visit Peppermint Place on the way down there. We would get yummy candy to share. Now that they live in Saratoga, we haven't been there for a while. But I figured they lived close enough to it that we could make a quick trip over there. Jaylene's Lessons From the World Number One: CALL FIRST!!!!!!!
First of all, we hit construction FROM HELL! They diverted us ALL OVER THE PLACE! I was hoping that I could find my way back with all the meandering going on.

After going through that mess, we finally arrived in Alpine and the factory.........is now a My Comfort Store. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe we drove all the way out there to look at some freakin beds!!!!

But then, Brendon to the rescue! He spotted a sign that said "Peppermint Place". I guess they sold half of their factory to the bed store, and moved their retail store across the street. AND they don't let you see them make the candy anymore. BUMMER!!!!!

So at least we got to wander around and pick up some yummy goodies. With all of the menagerie going on, I forgot to get my camera out and take pictures. Oops! So you will have to rely on these vintage photos. At least YOU will get to see how some of the candy is made, which is more than we got to see.

So all of this brewhaha made us HUNGRY! We stopped off at One Man Band Stand in Lehi. Would highly recommend this place, especially the scones. YUMMY! So kids, what have we learned here today? The next time you want to go to a place that you haven't been to in a long time, DO NOT ASSUME EVERYTHING IS THE SAME! Oh....you already knew that? Yeah I know, it takes me a while!!!

Field Trip Day Part One

Oh boy! Our adventure today begins with a trip to Cabella's. My kids had never been there before and they wanted to see it.
This is smack in the middle when you walk in.

Of course, as usual, Tim and Bren didn't want their pic taken, but Topher was my usual ham!

I thought the waterfall was cool.

I finally got him to take a pic. Smarta$$!!!!!

Topher was a little reluctant to stand by the bear. Rarrr!!!

Finally got Tim to stand by the wolf. He was in search of the knives (should I be worried????)

They have the really cool, huge aquarium that you can walk through. Tons of fish! Too bad we missed feeding time!

This airplane hangs over the little cafe they have up on the second floor. Smelled SO yummy!!!!

Self portrait!!!

Funny how I find these other little "self portraits" when I am downloading the photos! We had a great time and when we came out, we had Grandma Betty and Grandpa Clyde waiting for us to go to Peppermint Place. That is post number two!!!

Tune: Outdoor Type - Lemonheads

Pool Party For Keesha

Our friends Shane and Andrea invited us over for a pool party at their house to celebrate Keesha's 30th Birthday. The baby of our group finally joined the thirty club. I won't tell you who is the oldest of that club and about to join the 40 club (I'll give you a hint, her first name starts with a J and she puts silly jokes and quotes on her blog!)
Andrea takes such wonderful pics! I forgot my camera (figures!) so she sent me some. Isn't Keesha beautiful!!!!

Here is Topher causing me grey hair by doing a flip into the pool. I wasn't the only one to go home with new silver locks though because pretty much ALL of the kids were doing things like this (and some of the husbands too, you know who you are, Jesse!)

Brendon even decided to come! I told Shane and Andrea they must be REALLY COOL for the teenager to show up! I am glad! Bren has been doing more things with the family lately and I am really happy because I have missed him. He is so cute with the kids. He had baby Jake for quite some time that night. Obviously they were both having fun!

The author doing her best "Joe Cool" imitation (not working!)

Check out Big T's shirt. We were shopping earlier in the day and I spotted this. I told him he HAD to buy it and wear it to the pool party. I think this is as obnoxious as orange can get and still look good!

The kids swam ALL AFTERNOON and into the night. They would get out and take a break, then right back in. They couldn't be bothered to eat. I can remember those days when playing was THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING!!!

My Tim is smiling! Yeah!!!

It was a great time! We haven't been able to get together with the group for a while and it was nice to catch up. We missed the Turner's though! They were getting their patio done (that is another post!) and had to be there in spirit. Thanks to Shane and Andrea for letting us trash their place! p.s. Thanks to Andrea for the dessert. I finally got my cupcake! Also p.p.s. to Bev because she brought my OTHER favorite cupcake (Cupcake Vineyards of course!!!)

Tune: Swimming Pool - Camera Obscura

Look Mom! We Made Our Own Shirts!

Well last week I took a staycation. I was extremely lazy and it was everything I thought it could be. Unfortunately one has to come back to reality and when I did there was a $%^&load of work waiting for me. Needless to say, I have been out in the field for the last two days. When I say out in the field, I really mean it. I was gone from 6am to 6pm last night, and then holed up in my office until 8:30 last night doing paperwork. Well, when I got home last night, the boys decided to show me what they did while I was gone. Good thing it wasn't graffiti!

They used Sharpies to make their own shirts. I thought that was a very creative thing to do. All last night they were VERY CAREFUL not to get anything on their shirts. They don't want to have to wash them and risk the colors fading. p.s. Can Topher be any more of a ham? At least I am getting Tim to smile again!

Tune: I'm too sexy - Right Said Fred

Tim Morley, the New Veterinary Chef

Yes, dear reader, here is the next Food Network show - The Veterinary Chef starring Tim Morley.
This is what Samantha woke up to this morning! Guinea Pigs never had it so good!

Yummy!!!

The Crazy Life of a Rockstar: Or, How I Finally Got to See My Son, Lead Singer of Chelsea Grin!

Well I must say I think I need to get Bret Michael's mom on speed dial so I can call her at 2am and ask, "Is this normal?" I already feel like Lois Lane being jealous of the whole world when sharing Superman! I am so proud of Chelsea Grin, but I miss my son! Alex has had a longer break this last time and he came to see us over the 4th weekend!
I was finally able to give him his part of Terry's Father's Day present. So I put mine on too and had a Kodak moment.

Then we went swimming! I think these guys would shrivel up and die if they had to actually take a serious pic! Actually, I think it is kind of funny.

We had a great time swimming, eating lunch on the new patio set, and listening to some tunes. Alex will be leaving on another big tour soon and doesn't expect to be back until around December. DECEMBER! I guess mom's need to learn to share their sons at some point in their lives. I just didn't figure I would have to share him with thousands of others! Good luck Chelsea Grin, make your dreams come true!

Tune: Crazy - Seal

4th of July!

Oh boy, the day has finally come! Look at that spread!

When you live in a house of all boys, you quickly come to realize how destructive they like to be. Here are some tanks having a war.

Add that destructive tendancy with fire and you have a mix for disaster!

I guess that is the losing tank?

We must have had a million packs of smoke bombs. The kids liked to make different colors.

There was so much smoke, Bren and I sat on the porch and got high. Or got lung cancer. Take your pick.

Then there are the always fun parachutes. Of course you have to run and catch them before they hit the ground!

Look at that handsome dude!!!

Gotta show off my patriotic earrings!

Have to show off the porch and the house and all of the hard work we have been doing!

This is the masterpiece. Do you know how hard it is to dig stones into ground that has tree roots in it? 'Bout killed me!!!

Awww, but doesn't it look nice? (Ignore the fact that the tree needs some SERIOUS pruning!)

Now night has finally arrived and we can have the big finish!

Spectacular fountains.....

And enjoyment of the neighbors illegal fireworks. What more can anyone ask? Happy 4th everyone! A big shout out and thanks to all of the men and woman who have given their all for this country!

Tune: Burning Down the House - Talking Heads