Summer Started Out With Scout Camp, Followed By Cub Camp

I am really happy a majority of the boys in the family are highly involved in Scouts. Really I am. (I might wish there were a few less campouts, that's all). I think there are new uniform extras, book, and patch purchases every week. The summer began with a week of Scout Camp at Camp Crooked Creek for Zane and Trevor. I think it might have been the best week of Trevor's (and possibly Zane's) life. I hope that the excitment lasts for the next 4 years that he will be going. I think Cooking might have been his favorite class along with eating in the cafeteria that only he loved!!! Trevor cooked his troop a cherry cobbler in the dutch oven on the last day of camp (Friday) and then came home to duplicate it for a pool party with friends on Saturday. It was so yummy. It's great to see T that excited about something.

And, this week has been Cub Camp for Boston. He too is thrilled. He wears his new calculator watch each day to make sure that the dens are moving from station to station at the right time and staying on schedule.

Last Day Photo

I nearly forgot to take their photo on the last day of school. I was in my pjs and I chased them down at the bus. I just like to see the comparison between their first day photo and their last. I always recognize a bit of a change and that's cool to see. So, here's the last day of school. Trevor looks so old to me and Boston still looks excited about school - which may change as he gets older.

Who's Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Trevor!

He's been promoted to 6th grade. So naturally, he is smarter than a 5th grader. There was a nice little program, a long slide show, and a great trip to DQ for ice cream afterwords. We gave him a new calculator watch which he is (actually) thrilled with. Boston loved it so much he bought the exact same one for himself!

Boston's Reading Picnic

The clouds were really dark on Friday, but I brought my picnic blanket anyways. I was hoping it the Reading Picnic scheduled for the 2nd graders would still be outside, but to be safe they held it in their classroom. Still fun. Boston has an awesome teacher, Ms. Cantrell. He also had 5 other LDS kids in his class with him - Liam Thiess, Cameron Blood, Jessie McComber, Kaylie Jankovich, and Whitney Bednar. Most of them have been together in this class for 2 years. Lucky bunch of kids. Boston showed me some of the pieces he had written and his report on Elephants was awesome. He had also written a great poem. Boston asked me to bring him a Subway sandwich and wrote out a "secret subway sandwich" that he wanted on a piece of paper the night before. It was a Spicy Italian doctored up. He is a specific kid (that means picky) when it comes to eating, but I got it right and it was a great lunch.

He Likes to Dance

Trevor that is. The fourth and fifth graders in his school had a program last Thursday called Dancing Through the Decades. They started with the 50's and went up to present day. Trevor's group danced to songs like Cotton Eye Joe, All the Lonely People, Another Brick in the Wall, Sweet Child of Mine, and the highlight being the whole group doing the dance to Thriller. They had a choreographer from the art school come in and teach it to them. Zane caught Trevor and his friend, DJ, dancing the Thriller moves at the Father and Son Campout last week. I guess he secretly likes to dance. I also saw Trevor doing the worm during the program at the end when they had a dance off against the girls. Funny guy.

Preschool Graduation

The end of Gage's first and only year of preschool has come. Last Friday he had his program and graduation. There were lots of songs about Jesus, Noah, and love! There were end of the year folders with all their work along with a report card and diploma. There was also a luncheon upstairs. But, mostly there was relief that he graduated! We were worried there for a bit, but he came through.

Little Blue Four Eyes

When we had Gage's eye exam for kindergarten back in December, we found out he needed glassess. It took us a bit to get them since he never complained and we wanted to save a few pennies for them first. But, his preschool teacher told me that he started to say that he couldn't read things and that they were blury. So, a few weeks ago we headed to Coscto and bought him two pairs since they were running a special for the second pair. When I came to pick Gage up from preschool last week, his teacher, Ms. Bobbi, told me that she wanted to pay for his glasses as a gift to him. I tried to refuse and wanted to be gracious at the same time. We came to an agreement that she would pay for half. Then, when I told her the total, she handed me a check for the entire amount and said, "Sorry, it's my perogative to pay for the whole thing." I love this lady. She has been one of the biggest blessings in Gage's life this year. He has had the best experience at preschool because of her and she cares so much about him and getting his diabetes under control each day that he is there. She's the kind of teacher that hands the Santa at the school Christmas party a sugar free chocolate right before Gage is going to sit on his lap. She worries that she can't make her traditional turkeys out of Oreos for the preschool Thanksgiving meal, but gets such joy when she finds Sugar Free Oreos! She writes down his numbers from his blood sugar meter everyday day on her hand so that she can record it for herself (she has her own blood sugar log at home). She is fiesty, sure of herself and probably the best teacher we could have asked for this year. And, now because of her help, Gage can see a lot better. And, he looks awfully cute in his new glasses.

Fourteen Years Ago Today

I was waiting for Zane at the San Diego Temple. I was wondering why he was late. I was nervous. I was excited. I was a bit angry to find out he was late because of the strawberries at the breakfast bar at the hotel. But, I have been blessed. A great wedding day and a great 14 years. Like they say, "Can't believe it's been that long." Truly it's flying by. But, then I look at our 11 year old and know that there is a lot of history in just these past 14 years. How many baseball games, Church activities, date nights, pregnancies, drive ins, movies, vacations, etc. have we gone through together and with this little family? A lot when I think about it. Again, I am blessed. And I look forward to many many more!

Future Cougars

Our friend Sara went out to BYU to teach. That has made my kids pretty sad. She sent them a package yesterday with BYU shirts for each of them. They put them on right away and it eased the pain of her being gone!

Going Home Again

When I think about my trip to San Diego, I think of it as a quick trip home. It was actually a week long, but I guess a week is not enough. It never is. I went home to San Diego with Gage and Mallory a few weeks ago and it was such a sweet trip.

Among the many great things was the celebration of my mom's birthday. It was so nice to be there for that and be surrounded by family. I feel like I was there for one of the parties that I always see pictures of, but never get to attend. Another highlight was spending time with my sisters. I love my sisters and wish so much that I lived near them.

Caitlin, Travis, and her little baby Tosh are living with my parents and I got to be with them a lot. Tanya made great efforts to come down a ton and Jennilee came in to town to stay with my parents for three of the days that I was there. I missed seeing my brothers, but that means that I will have to go out again and spend some quality time with them!

On my mom's actual birthday I went with my kids, my mom, Tanya and her children to Disneyland. I am loving that Disney lately and we had a great time. It was Gage and Mallory's first time and they were so excited to be there. Gage loved Space Mountain and was disappointed he was a hair too short for the Indiana Jones ride. Mallory's favorite ride was Dumbo and it was our last ride of the evening. When we got in to the car in the parking lot, we saw the firework show.

We shopped, ate at Rubios and In n Out, spent some time at the beach, and asked Papa Ross to heat up the jacuzzi one night. Gage got the Wii all to himself and Mallory loved that grandma had the Beauty and the Beast DVD. One day while Mallory took a nap, Gage and I walked down to Beef n Bun and had a shake. Grandma Julie met us there and had a Root Beer Freeze. Then, she dropped us off at the 99 cent store where Gage and I did some shopping and then walked back home. It was fun to be with Gage by myself. One on one time is rare. Mallory keeps telling everyone we meet that she went on an airplane and she wants to buy another ticket to see Grandma Betty this time. I wish her luck.

Easter Past and Present

Spring Break Fun

We've stuck around the town for Spring Break since...well, we always have. This one had just the right amount of outings, fun, and sunshine to make it well spent. It didn't get off to a great start, but the week picked up and the kids were happy. That's really all I want...Happy Kids.

Monday- Pajama day (for me at least). I had some jewelry to make so I was busy and ended up going a bit mad. The kids played outside. Oh, and they did get dinner at Five Guys and a book trip to Barnes and Noble. Not all bad, eh?

Tuesday - The movie "How to Train Your Dragon" which was given two thumbs up by all the kids and Chick-fil-A.

Wednesday - Chuck E Cheeses. Need I say more?

Thursday - Bowling - a fun game full of pretzels, icees, and snacks with a stop at 31 Flavors on the way home.

Friday - Outside play and dinner at Chiles. The kids were well behaved and the manager came over and gave us more free kids meals coupons because she said they were great. That's rare, but I'll take it.

Saturday - Campout!

Back Yard Camping

This home has turned in to a Scouting home through and through. Zane is the Scout Master, Trevor is an 11 year old Scout, Boston is in Cub Scouts, and the others just want to do what they are doing. The boys had a camp out in the back yard a few weeks ago. It was complete with a dutch oven meal by Zane that was really good. They made it through the night although Zane thinks that we might need a bigger tent. It was a 3 man and a few of the boys were wedged in the sides of the tent! Mallory and I enjoyed the comforts of my king size bed inside the house that night.